South Riding is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

and

planned community A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...

Loudoun County Loudoun County () is in the northern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. In 2020, the census returned a population of 420,959, making it Virginia's third-most populous county. Loudoun County's seat is Leesburg. Loudoun C ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, United States. The South Riding

homeowner association A homeowner association (or homeowners' association, abbreviated HOA, sometimes referred to as a property owners' association or POA), or a homeowner community, is a private association-like entity often formed either ''ipso jure'' in a building ...

was founded in January 1995 to provide services to the community. Neighboring

U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlanti ...

and State Route 28 provide access to the Dulles/ Reston/

Tysons Corner Tysons, also known as Tysons Corner, is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, developed from the corner of Chain Bridge Road ( SR 123) and the Leesburg Pike ( SR 7). Located in Northern Virginia between the c ...

technology corridor and other major employment centers in

Northern Virginia Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is a widespread region radiating westward and southward from Washington, D.C. Wit ...

and

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

In 2010, the population was 24,256. In 2019, the United States Census Bureau estimated it to be 31,515.

History

Guiding principles

According to South Riding Proprietary, its mission is "... promote the health, safety, welfare and interests of all residents, preserving property values, enhancing the aesthetic beauty and fostering a spirit of community for all members." The South Riding vision is to create the best community to live and raise a family in Northern Virginia.

Establishment and development

In January 1995, the Declarant of developers who owned the land established South Riding Proprietary as a not for profit corporation, as a way of providing services to residents of what became South Riding. In 2009, South Riding Proprietary was granted

501(c)(4) A 501(c) organization is a nonprofit organization in the Law of the United States#Federal law, federal law of the United States according to Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)) and is one of over 29 types of nonprofit organizations exe ...

status by the

Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting U.S. federal taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code, the main body of the federal statutory ta ...

. The Proprietary continues to own and govern South Riding.

Recreational and cultural activities

Parks, recreation, and community activities are managed by the Dulles South Recreation & Community Center, located along Riding Center Drive. The center is home to, among other activities, a

climbing wall A climbing wall is an artificially constructed wall with grips for hands and feet, usually used for indoor climbing, but sometimes located outdoors. Some are brick or wooden constructions, but on most modern walls, the material most often used i ...

, a competitive pool, a leisure pool, a

senior center A senior center (or senior centre) is a type of community center where older adults congregate for fellowship with others to fulfill many of their social, physical, emotional, and intellectual needs. A regular part of senior centers is card and bo ...

, and facilities which can be rented.

Parks and recreation

South Riding features numerous green spaces, with around 6 miles of

trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. Th ...

s. South Riding is home to South Riding Golf Club, designed by golf course architect Dan Maples, and opened in 1997. It was voted one of the "Top 100 Courses in the Mid-Atlantic" by the Washington Golf Monthly Magazine, and was voted "Best New Course" by ''Golf Digest'' in 1998. South Riding is also near the Pleasant Valley Golf Club, the Chantilly National Golf and Country Club, Monster Mini Golf, and the International Country Club, all in

Chantilly Chantilly may refer to: Places France *Chantilly, Oise, a city located in the Oise department **US Chantilly, a football club *Château de Chantilly, a historic château located in the town of Chantilly United States * Chantilly, Missou ...

. South Riding is from the Fairfax County Parkway Trail, about from the

Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail The Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail is a 40.5-mile hiking trail in Fairfax County, Virginia that traverses the entire length of the county in an arc that begins and ends at different points near the Potomac River. The northern portion of the t ...

, and about from the

Washington & Old Dominion Trail The Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park is a linear regional park in Northern Virginia. The park's primary feature is the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Trail (abbreviated as W&OD Trail), an asphalt-surfaced paved rail trail ...

. South Riding is home to several lakes, as well as Elklick Run. South Riding has several pools, including South Riding Center Pool, South Riding Meadows Pool, Town Hall Pool, and the Hyland Hills Swimming Pool and Splash Park, as well as the indoor pools at the Dulles South Recreation & Community Center.

Transportation

South Riding is less than a mile south of

, which connects the town to Chantilly and

Virginia State Route 28 State Route 28 (SR 28) in the U.S. state of Virginia is a primary state highway that traverses the counties of Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, and Fauquier in the U.S. state of Virginia. The route serves as a major artery in the Northern Virg ...

in the east. South Riding is crossed by four other major roads:

Virginia State Route 2200 Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are s ...

(Tall Cedars Parkway) in the center, Virginia State Route 742 (Poland Road) in the center, Virginia State Route 606 (Loudoun County Parkway) slightly to the west,

Virginia State Route 659 State Route 659 (SR 659) in the U.S. state of Virginia is a secondary route designation applied to multiple discontinuous road segments among the many counties. The list below describes the sections in each county that are designated SR 659. Lis ...

(Gum Spring Road), which forms the town's western border,

Virginia State Route 609 State Route 609 (SR 609) in the U.S. state of Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mou ...

, Virginia State Route 620, which forms the town's southern border, and

. The Fairfax County line forms the town's eastern border. South Riding is served by the East Gate

bus station A bus station or a bus interchange is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. While the term bus depot can also be used to refer to a bus station, it generally refers to a bus garage. A bus station is l ...

in the Town Center, which serves and is the eastern terminus of the 88 route. The 88 route connects the town to settlements further west along U.S. Route 50, including Stone Ridge.

Geography

South Riding is located in southeastern Loudoun County. Neighboring communities are

Arcola Arcola may refer to: Places ; Australia * Arcola, Grafton, a heritage-listed house in New South Wales ;Canada * Arcola, Saskatchewan, a town in the Province of Saskatchewan * Arcola Airport, an airport in the Province of Saskatchewan ;England * ...

and Dulles to the north, Stone Ridge to the west, Conklin to the south, Schneider Crossroads to the southeast, and

Fairfax County Fairfax County, officially the County of Fairfax, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of Northern Virginia and borders both the city of Alexandria, Virginia, Alexandria and ...

to the east. According to the United States Census Bureau, the South Riding CDP has a total area of , of which , or 1.05%, are water. The community is drained by Elklick Run, a south-flowing tributary of Cub Run and part of the Bull Run watershed flowing south to the

Occoquan River The Occoquan River is a tributary of the Potomac River in Northern Virginia, where it serves as part of the boundary between Fairfax and Prince William counties. The river is a scenic area, and several local high schools and colleges use the r ...

and eventually the tidal

Potomac River The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augus ...

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, South Riding has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Government

South Riding is a census-designated place in Loudoun County; therefore,

schools A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compulsor ...

, roads, and law enforcement are provided by the county.

South Riding Proprietary staff

South Riding is owned and governed by the not for profit South Riding Proprietary. All persons who purchase residential property in South Riding are automatically members of the Proprietary, and are subject to dues, which cannot be severed unless the property is sold. By the governing documents, members are subject to responsibilities, and are granted rights and privileges. The Proprietary is headquartered at Town Hall on Center Street, and is led by general manager Wendy Taylor.

Board of directors

The board of directors is the executive branch of the community government, led by the president, currently Karen MacDowell, and the vice president, currently Michael Hardin. Of the nine members, six are elected by residents, and three are appointed by the Declarant. As stated by the governing documents, the Board's responsibilities include, "developing the annual budget and setting assessments, promulgating and enforcing rules and regulations, administering the architectural scheme of the community and regulating exterior appearance of the homes and providing for the necessary personnel and contractual services to maintain all commonly owned property and facilities". The board of directors also establishes committees which handle specific issues. The board meets monthly at the South Riding Center.

Representation

South Riding lies entirely within

Virginia's 10th congressional district Virginia's 10th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is currently represented by Democrat Jennifer Wexton, who was first elected in 2018. The district includes all of Clarke County, ...

, currently represented in

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...

by Representative

Jennifer Wexton Jennifer Lynn Wexton (née Tosini; born May 27, 1968) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the United States representative for Virginia's 10th congressional district since 2019. The district is anchored in the outer portion of Northe ...

( D- Leesburg). It is represented by

Karrie Delaney Karrie K. Delaney (born 1978) is a Democratic member of the Virginia House of Delegates. She was first elected in 2017, and represents the 67th district in the Fairfax and Loudoun County suburbs of Washington, D.C. Delaney served on numerous b ...

(D- Centreville) in the state House of Delegates, and by John J. Bell in the state

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

Local media

South Riding lies within the distribution zone for two national newspapers, the

Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

, and the

Washington Times ''The Washington Times'' is an American conservative daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., that covers general interest topics with a particular emphasis on national politics. Its broadsheet daily edition is distributed throughout ...

, as well as for the local

Loudoun Times-Mirror ''Loudoun Times-Mirror'' is a weekly newspaper based in Leesburg, Virginia Leesburg is a town in the state of Virginia, and the county seat of Loudoun County. Settlement in the area began around 1740, which is named for the Lee family, early le ...

. South Riding is also covered by

AOL AOL (stylized as Aol., formerly a company known as AOL Inc. and originally known as America Online) is an American web portal and online service provider based in New York City. It is a brand marketed by the current incarnation of Yahoo (2017� ...

Patch Patch or Patches may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Patch Johnson, a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'' * Patch (''My Little Pony''), a toy * "Patches" (Dickey Lee song), 1962 * "Patches" (Chairmen of the Board song) ...

service's Chantilly division.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

As a part of Loudoun County, South Riding is served by Loudoun County Public Schools and private schools. South Riding has one high school, Freedom High School, serving the entire town. Middle schoolers in South Riding attend either J. Michael Lunsford Middle School or Mercer Middle School.

Public elementary schools

* Hutchison Farm Elementary School * Cardinal Ridge Elementary * Little River Elementary School * Pinebrook Elementary * Liberty Elementary School

Private schools

* Bach to Rock South Riding *

Montessori The Montessori method of education involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasizes indepen ...

School of South Riding * Everbrook Academy of South Riding * Minnieland Academy at South Riding * Kiddie Academy of South Riding * The Madame Curie School of Science & Technology * ALOHA Mind Math of South Riding * East Gate Montessori School * The Goddard School of Chantilly * Winwood Children's Center * C2 Education of South Riding * South Riding KinderCare * Primrose School of South Riding * Huntington Learning Center of South Riding * South Riding Learning Center * St. Paul VI Catholic High School

Colleges and universities

South Riding is near multiple higher education centers, including Virginia Christian University, The Long & Foster Institute - Chantilly, Strayer University, and the Mayo College North American Chapter.

Public libraries

South Riding is served by Gum Spring Library, a branch of Loudoun County Public Library in Stone Ridge.

Demographics

As of 2020, South Riding has a median household income of $168,738. The average listing price for homes in South Riding is between $511,000 and $624,000. Loudoun County also ranks as the 10th most educated county in the nation. As of the 2010 census: White 74.1%, Black 5.08%, Asian 13.53%, Hispanic 11.18%. Between 2009 and 2014, the White population is expected to grow by 25%, the African American population by 37%, the Asian population by 90% and Hispanic population by 81%. The age breakdown of the town is 8.0% under 5 years old, 32.6% under 18 years old, and 65 years or older around 5.8%.