Chantilly is a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), 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 counte ...
(CDP) in western
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County, officially the County of Fairfax, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. With a population of 1,150,309 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the most p ...
, United States. The population was 24,301 as of the 2020 census.
Chantilly is named after an early-19th-century mansion and farm, which in turn took the name of an 18th-century plantation that was located in
Westmoreland County, Virginia
Westmoreland County is a County (United States), county located in the Northern Neck of the Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, the population sits at 18,477. Its county seat is Montross, Virginia, Montross ...
.
The name "Chantilly" originated in France with the
Château de Chantilly The Château de Chantilly () is a historic French château located in the town of Chantilly, Oise, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Paris. The site comprises two attached buildings: the Petit Château, built around 1560 for Anne de Montmore ...
,
about 28 miles north of
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
.
Located in the
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several County (United States), counties and independent city (United States), independent cities in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. ...
portion of the
Washington metropolitan area
The Washington metropolitan area, also referred to as the National Capital Region, Greater Washington, or locally as the DMV (short for Washington, D.C., District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia), is the metropolitan area comprising Washing ...
, Chantilly sits approximately west of
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, via
Interstate 66
Interstate 66 (I-66) is a 76.32 mile east–west Interstate Highway in the East Coast of the United States, eastern United States. The highway runs from an interchange with Interstate 81 in Virginia, I-81 near Middletown, Virginia, on its w ...
and
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 Atlantic ...
. It is located between
Centreville to the south,
Herndon and
Reston to the north and northeast, respectively, and
Fairfax to the southeast. U.S. Route 50 and
Virginia State Route 28 intersect in Chantilly, and these highways 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, spanning from the corner of SR 123 (Chain Bridge Road) and SR 7 (Leesburg Pike). It is part of the Washington metropolitan are ...
technology corridor and other major employment centers in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Etymology

The name Chantilly originates from the Chantilly Plantation, established in the early
19th century
The 19th century began on 1 January 1801 (represented by the Roman numerals MDCCCI), and ended on 31 December 1900 (MCM). It was the 9th century of the 2nd millennium. It was characterized by vast social upheaval. Slavery was Abolitionism, ...
by Charles Calvert Stuart and his wife, Cornelia Lee Turberville Stuart. Cornelia inherited part of the Leeton estate from her father, George Richard Lee Turberville, and the couple built their mansion around 1817, naming it after the Westmoreland County estate previously owned by her grandfather,
Richard Henry Lee
Richard Henry Lee (January 20, 1732June 19, 1794) was an American statesman and Founding Father from Virginia, best known for the June 1776 Lee Resolution, the motion in the Second Continental Congress calling for the colonies' independence fr ...
, a signer of
the Declaration of Independence.
The name “Chantilly” itself came from
Château de Chantilly The Château de Chantilly () is a historic French château located in the town of Chantilly, Oise, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Paris. The site comprises two attached buildings: the Petit Château, built around 1560 for Anne de Montmore ...
in
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. Richard Henry Lee had named his estate “Chantilly” in 1763, which is believed to be the origin of the name later used by the Stuarts. The mansion was constructed using local
red sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains, cemented together by another mineral. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed o ...
quarried from the property.
Over time, the name "Chantilly" came to refer not only to the
plantation
Plantations are farms specializing in cash crops, usually mainly planting a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. Plantations, centered on a plantation house, grow crops including cotton, cannabis, tob ...
but also to the surrounding area as the region developed.

The broader Chantilly area often includes neighboring
South Riding. The official
Chantilly census designated place (CDP) is within
Fairfax County, while the
South Riding census designated place (CDP) is in neighboring
Loudoun County
Loudoun County () is in the northern part of the Virginia, 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. The county seat is Leesburg, Virgi ...
, both sharing the "Chantilly" mail address and
ZIP codes 20151/20152. Residents of both areas are situated along
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 Atlantic ...
and
Virginia State Route 28.
History
Chantilly was home to a number of colonial plantations in the 1700s, including the Sully Plantation (now the
Sully Historic Site) built by
Richard Bland Lee I. Other plantations included George Richard Lee Turberville's "Leeton Grove" (originally a 5,000+ acre plantation, the main house of which still stands at 4619 Walney Rd.), the John Hutchison Farm, and the Chantilly Plantation, after which Chantilly is named.During the
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
,
federal troops destroyed by fire the Chantilly Plantation manor house. One building remains, a stone house across Route 50 from the Greenbriar Shopping Center. While it is not clear what this stone house was used for, most historical evidence suggests it was probably a plantation overseer's quarters during the antebellum period, and a tavern or boarding house following the war. After the war, Cornelia Stuart, who had become deeply in debt, sold her Chantilly estate. The advertisement for the sale referenced several "tenements", one of which was the Stone House.
The village grew during the 19th century, particularly following the construction of the
Little River Turnpike
State Route 236 (SR 236) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from U.S. Route 29 in Virginia, U.S. Route 29 and U.S. Route 50 in Virginia, US 50 in Fairfax, Virginia, Fairfax east to Virginia State ...
to
Winchester
Winchester (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs N ...
.
The evolution of the Chantilly area into an outer suburb of Washington, D.C., gained momentum after 1980, as developers built residential subdivisions and commercial areas, filling in the farmland south of Dulles Airport.
File:Chantilly VA Historical Marker.jpg, Historic marker commemorating Old Chantilly Farm House
File:FallHouse.JPG, alt=FallHouse.JPG, Sully Plantation ( Sully Historic Site) Main House
File:Chantilly VA Historic Building.jpg, The Stone House. The only building of the former Chantilly Plantation (not to be confused with the Sully Plantation) that still exists today. It is located on the north side of Route 50, across from the Greenbriar Shopping Center. Historical evidence strongly suggests the Stone House was an overseer's quarters before the Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, and became a tavern later.
Civil War

During the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
on September 1, 1862, the
Battle of Chantilly (or Ox Hill) was fought nearby. Following his victory at the
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate ...
(or Second Manassas),
Confederate General
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a general officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War, who was appointed the General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate ...
directed Major General
Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson to cross
Bull Run on August 31 and sweep around the position of Major General
John Pope's Union Army of Virginia at
Centreville. Reaching the Little River Turnpike (now U.S. Route 50) northwest of Centreville, Jackson turned southeastward toward Fairfax Court House (now the city of
Fairfax) to strike in rear of Pope's army.
During September 1, Pope, apprised of Jackson's movement, began to withdraw toward Fairfax Court House. Late in the day, Jackson clashed with Union forces under Brigadier General
Isaac Stevens
Isaac Ingalls Stevens (March 25, 1818 – September 1, 1862) was an American military officer and politician who served as governor of the Territory of Washington from 1853 to 1857, and later as its delegate to the United States House of Represe ...
and Major General
Philip Kearny
Philip Kearny Jr. (; June 1, 1815 – September 1, 1862) was a United States Army officer, notable for his leadership in the Mexican–American War and American Civil War. He served in Emperor of the French, French Emperor Napoleon III's Imperial ...
near Ox Hill, west of Fairfax. During the ensuing battle, which was fought amid a raging storm, both Union generals Stevens and Kearny were killed. The fighting ended at dusk, and Pope's army continued its withdrawal to Fairfax and subsequently to the Washington defenses.
Although commercial and residential development now covers most of the Chantilly (Ox Hill) battlefield, the small
Ox Hill Battlefield Park preserves a portion of the battle site.
Geography
Chantilly is located in western Fairfax County at (38.894146, −77.431407).
It is bordered to the west by the
South Riding in
Loudoun County
Loudoun County () is in the northern part of the Virginia, 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. The county seat is Leesburg, Virgi ...
, to the north by
Washington Dulles International Airport, to the northeast by the
Franklin Farm (CDP), to the east by the
Greenbriar, and to the south by
Centreville. To the southwest is Schneider Crossroads, not part of any census-designated area.
The present center of Chantilly is located around the intersection of
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 Atlantic ...
(Lee Jackson Memorial Highway) and
Virginia Route 28 (Sully Road).
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.07%, is water.
Governance
Chantilly is part of Sully District in Fairfax County and is governed by the
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. The current supervisor for Sully District is Kathy Smith.
Demographics
2020 Census
At the
2020 census (some information from the
2022 American Community Survey) there were 24,301 people, 7,716 housing units and 7,187 households residing in the CDP. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was 2,025.1 inhabitants per square mile (781.6/km
2). The average housing unit density was 643.0 per square mile (248.2/km
2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 38.75%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 6.07%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.62%
Native American, 33.57%
Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 9.82% from
other races, and 11.14% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino people of any race were 20.13% of the population.
Of the households, 68.9% were married couple families, 10.4% were a male family householder with no spouse, and 17.6% were a female family householder with no spouse. The average family household had 3.56 people.
The median age was 40.4, 24.2% of people were under the age of 18, and 12.8% were 65 years of age or older. The largest ancestry is the 7.3% who had
English ancestry, 54.6% spoke a language other than
English at home, and 45.1% were born outside the United States, 60.1% of whom were
naturalized citizens.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $137,722, and the median income for a family was $155,000. 4.8% of the population were
military veterans, and 59.2% had a
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...
or
higher. In the CDP3.8% of the population was below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over, with 9.8% of the population without
health insurance
Health insurance or medical insurance (also known as medical aid in South Africa) is a type of insurance that covers the whole or a part of the risk of a person incurring medical expenses. As with other types of insurance, risk is shared among ma ...
.
2010 Census
As of the
census of 2010, there were 23,039 people, 7,218 households, and 5,939 families residing in the CDP. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was 1,916.7 people per square mile (740.1/km
2). There were 7,403 housing units at an average density of 615.9/sq mi (237.8/km
2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 57.6%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 6.5%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.3%
Native American, 25.2%
Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 6.1%
some other race, and 4.3% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino people of any race were 15.9% of the population.
There were 7,218 households, out of which 47.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.0% were headed by
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.7% were non-families. Of all households 13.0% were made up of individuals, and 2.4% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.19, and the average family size was 3.46.
In the CDP the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 29.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.1 years. For every 100 females there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.7 males.
For the period 2010 through 2014, the estimated median annual income for a household in the CDP was $118,991, and the median income for a family was $130,280. Male full-time workers had a median income of $81,596 versus $62,228 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $46,341. About 7.5% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
The
American Registry for Internet Numbers
The American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) is the regional Internet registry for the United States, Canada, and many Caribbean and North Atlantic islands. ARIN manages the distribution of Internet number resources, including IPv4 and IPv ...
is headquartered adjacent to
Washington Dulles International Airport, near Chantilly.
[Chantilly CDP, Virginia]
." U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
. Retrieved on September 16, 2009.
At one time,
Compass Airlines was headquartered near Chantilly. The headquarters was relocated to
Minnesota
Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
in late 2009.
Notable local organizations

*
Ellanor C. Lawrence Park – Along Route 28 between Chantilly and Centreville, the park grounds include the historic farmhouse and mill, trails, fitness stations, and athletic fields.
Coyote
The coyote (''Canis latrans''), also known as the American jackal, prairie wolf, or brush wolf, is a species of canis, canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the Wolf, gray wolf, and slightly smaller than the c ...
sightings have been reported within the park.
* Flat Lick Stream Valley Park
* The
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center annex of the
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the Smithsonian Institution is a museum in Washington, D.C., in the United States, dedicated to history of aviation, human flight and space exploration.
Established in 1946 as the National Air Museum, ...
* The headquarters of the
National Reconnaissance Office
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is a member of the United States Intelligence Community and an agency of the United States Department of Defense which designs, builds, launches, and operates the reconnaissance satellites of the U.S. f ...
(NRO), which is one of the
17 U.S. intelligence agencies and considered, along with the
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...
(CIA),
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency (NSA) is an intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the director of national intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collection, and proces ...
(NSA),
Defense Intelligence Agency
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is an intelligence agency and combat support agency of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) specializing in military intelligence.
A component of the Department of Defense and the United States In ...
(DIA), and
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is a combat support agency within the United States Department of Defense whose primary mission is collecting, analyzing, and distributing geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) to support national se ...
(NGA), to be one of the "big five" U.S. Intelligence agencies.
It designs, builds, and operates the
spy satellites of the United States government, and provides satellite intelligence to several government agencies, particularly
signals intelligence
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is the act and field of intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly u ...
(SIGINT) to the NSA,
imagery intelligence
Imagery intelligence (IMINT), pronounced as either as ''Im-Int'' or ''I-Mint'', is an intelligence gathering discipline wherein imagery is analyzed (or "exploited") to identify information of intelligence value. Imagery used for defense intell ...
(IMINT) to the NGA, and
measurement and signature intelligence
Measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT) is a technical branch of intelligence gathering, which serves to detect, track, identify or describe the distinctive characteristics (signatures) of fixed or dynamic target sources. This often inc ...
(MASINT) to the DIA.
* The Westfields Marriott in Chantilly hosted the annual
Bilderberg summit in 2002, 2008, 2012, and 2017, which inspired protests.
Education
Primary and secondary schools
Residents of the CDP go to
Fairfax County Public Schools.
Elementary schools serving the CDP include Brookfield Elementary School, Bull Run Elementary School, Greenbriar East Elementary School, Greenbriar West Elementary School, Lees Corner Elementary School, Navy Elementary School, and Poplar Tree Elementary School.
Rocky Run Middle School,
Franklin Middle School, and
Chantilly High School are located within the CDP.
Westfield High School is a large high school located outside of the CDP.
St. Timothy School and St. Veronica School, private Catholic schools, are located in the CDP.
Public libraries
Fairfax County Public Library operates the Chantilly Regional Library in the CDP.
[Library Branches]
" Fairfax County Public Library. Retrieved on October 21, 2009.
Media
Chantilly is served by ''The CentreView'' newspaper.
Notable people
*
Chris Beatty, American football coach
*
Chuck Caputo, Virginia House of Delegates
*
Kaye Dacus, author
*
Phil Hubbard, former professional basketball player
*
Bhawoh Jue, former professional American football player
*
Joe Koshansky, professional baseball player
*
Alessandra Marc, dramatic soprano
*
Jimmy Martin
James Henry Martin (August 10, 1927 – May 14, 2005) was an American bluegrass singer and musician, known as the "King of Bluegrass".
Early years
Martin was born in Sneedville, Tennessee, United States, and was raised in the hard farming l ...
, former professional American football player
*
Cameron Nizialek, professional American football player
*
Eddie Royal, former professional American football player
*
Evan Royster, former professional American football player
See also
*
Mitchell-Weeks House, log cabin with historic marker
*
Willard, Virginia, adjacent town displaced for construction of Dulles Airport
References
External links
Chantilly High SchoolDulles South area community portal serving Chantilly and South RidingCensus Tract Outline Map—Fairfax County
{{authority control
Census-designated places in Fairfax County, Virginia
Washington metropolitan area
Census-designated places in Virginia