Sterling refers most specifically to 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
Loudoun County, Virginia
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. The county seat is Leesburg. Loudoun County ...
. The population of the CDP as of the
2020 United States Census was 30,337
The CDP boundaries are confined to a relatively small area between
Virginia State Route 28 on the west and
Virginia State Route 7
Virginia State Route 7 (VA 7) is a major primary state highway and busy commuter route in northern Virginia, United States. It travels southeast from downtown Winchester to SR 400 (Washington Street) in downtown Alexandria. It ...
on the northeast, excluding areas near
SR 606 and the
Dulles Town Center.
Etymology
The name Sterling was adopted in 1887 after several changes to the village’s name. Originally, the area was known as Guilford and later Loudoun. The
post office
A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letter (message), letters and parcel (package), parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post o ...
, established in the mid-1800s, was initially named Guilford Station. As the
railroad
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
expanded, the name Loudoun was briefly used for the village due to its proximity to the “Loudoun” station. This created confusion with the wider
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 ...
, prompting a name change in 1887 to Sterling.
The name “Sterling” is believed to reference Norman silver coins known as sterlings, minted during the 11th and 12th centuries. These coins were known for their consistency and quality and eventually gave rise to the term "
pound sterling
Sterling (symbol: £; currency code: GBP) is the currency of the United Kingdom and nine of its associated territories. The pound is the main unit of sterling, and the word '' pound'' is also used to refer to the British currency general ...
" used in British currency.
The village developed as a local commercial center along the Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire Railroad, with an economy rooted in agriculture and small businesses. Its growth accelerated with the construction of
Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport ( ) – commonly known by its former name of Dulles International Airport, by its airport code of IAD, or simply as Dulles Airport – is an international airport in the Eastern United States, located w ...
in the 1960s and the suburban expansion of the Washington Metropolitan Area.

According to the
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 ...
, Sterling is classified as 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) located in eastern
Loudoun County, Virginia
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. The county seat is Leesburg. Loudoun County ...
. While the CDP has officially defined boundaries, the term “Sterling” is often used more broadly to describe surrounding communities that share Sterling ZIP codes such as 20164, 20165, and 20166.
This broader understanding includes communities such as
Oak Grove,
Dulles Town Center, and the Potomac Falls area, which encompasses
Cascades,
Countryside
In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry are typically describ ...
,
Lowes Island, and
Sugarland Run. Loudoun County Public Schools and regional real estate sources frequently refer to these areas under the general label of “Sterling,” reflecting the influence of shared ZIP codes on regional identity.
History
In 1962, large farms made up the of what today is called Sterling Park. Route7, also known as Leesburg Pike, bordered what used to be Jesse Hughes's dairy farm. Hughes arrived in Loudoun County in the early 20th century and was a longtime head of the county's
Democrats. Fred Franklin Tavenner, who was somewhat related to
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...
, operated vast stretches of Sterling Farm at the southwest fringes of Sterling Park. Tavenner had purchased land from Albert Shaw Jr., who had inherited it from his father
Albert B. Shaw, editor and publisher of the American ''
Review of Reviews
The ''Review of Reviews'' was a noted family of monthly journals founded in 1890–1893 by British reform journalist William Thomas Stead (1849–1912). Established across three continents in London (1891), New York (1892) and Melbourne (1893), ...
''. One of Shaw's spreads, totaling , was called "The Experimental Farm" because it was one of the first area farms to receive a U.S. grant for applying "scientific methods", as Tavenner called them. According to Tavenner, refugees from the
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
ran the farm while Shaw remained in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.
Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport ( ) – commonly known by its former name of Dulles International Airport, by its airport code of IAD, or simply as Dulles Airport – is an international airport in the Eastern United States, located w ...
and the extension of water and sewer lines to the airport began to change the landscape when construction started in 1959. Land prices rose from an average to . During the same year, Marvin T. Broyhill Jr. and his father made plans to develop land in the airport area under the company
M.T. Broyhill & Sons Corporation. In late 1961, they decided to buy and incorporated Sterling Park Development Corporation with his son Marvin T. Broyhill as president, and cousin Thomas J. Broyhill as vice president. Between April 28 and December 29 of 1961, they purchased in 14parcels for $2,115,784. For the Hughes farm along Route7, they paid .
M.T. Broyhill & Sons Corporation learned where the right-of-way for
Route28 (Sully Road) would be, and hoped to develop Sterling Park on both sides of it, so they would not have to build a road through Sterling Park. However, Powell B. Harrison, who was instrumental in planning Route28, insisted that the road be kept generally free of development, for easy access to the airport. Therefore, the Broyhills developed Sterling Park east of Route28, and had to build their own through road, today's Sterling Boulevard.
Marvin Broyhill, Jr.'s marketing thoughts were to "put together a prefabricated home marketed by
U.S. Steel and sell it for about $17,000 $3,000 less than a comparable residence in
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 ...
... All homes to have air conditioning. Homeowners to have access without membership fees to golf and tennis courts and pools."
Air conditioning was uncommon in homes of that price range at the time. Broyhill's ideas, except for free golf, are realities today. As selling points, Loudoun's taxes were less than half of Fairfax's taxes, Washington was a half-hour away, and the elder Broyhill had envisioned
commuter train
Commuter rail or suburban rail is a passenger rail service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Commuter rail systems can use locomotive-hauled tr ...
s on the
Washington and Old Dominion Railroad
The Washington and Old Dominion Railroad (colloquially referred to as the W&OD) was an intrastate short-line railroad located in Northern Virginia, United States. The rail transport, railroad was a successor to the bankruptcy, bankrupt Washingt ...
(which, since 1951, had carried only freight). The railroad tracks were the southern boundary of the present Sterling Park.
Sterling Park residents had to be of the "
Caucasian race
The Caucasian race (also Caucasoid, Europid, or Europoid) is an Historical race concepts, obsolete racial classification of humans based on a now-disproven theory of biological race. The ''Caucasian race'' was historically regarded as a biologi ...
."
No board member or speaker before the board raised an objection to the clause, a common one in the United States before the 1960s, when discriminatory housing was outlawed by the
Fair Housing Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1968 () is a Lists of landmark court decisions, landmark law in the United States signed into law by President of the United States, United States President Lyndon B. Johnson during the King assassination riots.
Titles ...
, which was enacted as a follow-up to the
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 () is a landmark civil rights and United States labor law, labor law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on Race (human categorization), race, Person of color, color, religion, sex, and nationa ...
. No
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 ...
family moved into Sterling Park until August 1966, when the illegality of the clause became apparent. By then, the population of "The Park", as it had come to be known, had reached 5,000.
The
Broad Run Bridge and Tollhouse,
Vestal's Gap Road and Lanesville Historic District, and
Arcola Elementary School are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
.
Geography
Sterling is part of the
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula, including parts of the Ea ...
watershed.
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 divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Sterling has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
Sterling was first listed as 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 ...
in the
2010 U.S. Census.
[
]American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
estimates, there were people and households. 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 . There were housing units at an average density of .[To calculate density we use the land area figure from the places file in ][ The racial makeup of the city was 42.0% White, 22.1% some other race, 15.2% Asian, 6.6% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American or Alaskan Native, and 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, with 13.4% from two or more races.][ Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 47.1% of the population.][
Of the households, 40.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 24.9% had seniors 65 years or older living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 4.5% were couples cohabitating, 15.9% had a male householder with no partner present, and 23.1% had a female householder with no partner present.][ The median household size was and the median family size was .][
The age distribution was 24.1% under 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was years.] For every 100 females, there were males.[
The median income for a household was $, with family households having a median income of $ and non-family households $. The ]per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
was $. Males working full-time job
A full-time job is employment in which workers work a minimum number of hours defined as such by their employer.
Overview
Fulltime employment often comes with benefits that are not typically offered to part-time, temporary, or flexible worke ...
s had median earnings of $ compared to $ for females. Out of the people with a determined poverty status, 7.4% were 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 ...
. Further, 7.5% of minors and 11.3% of seniors were below the poverty line.
In the survey, residents self-identified with various ethnic ancestries. People of German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
descent made up 6.0% of the population of the town, followed by Irish at 5.1%, English at 4.9%, American at 4.7%, Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
at 2.3%, Arab
Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world.
Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
at 1.9%, French at 1.2%, Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lie south of the Sahara. These include Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the list of sovereign states and ...
n at 1.1%, Polish at 0.9%, Scottish
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
at 0.8%, Caribbean (excluding Hispanics) at 0.6%, and Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
at 0.5%.[
]
2020 Census
Economy
Companies with annual revenues of $20million or more, and that have headquarters in Sterling, include Neustar
Neustar, Inc. is an American technology company that provides real-time information and analytics for risk, digital performance, defense, telecommunications, entertainment, and marketing industries, and also provides clearinghouse and directory se ...
and Electronic Instrumentation and Technology. Companies that have a branch office or headquarters in Sterling, with a total number of employees over 1,000 or more, include Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent S.A. () was a multinational telecommunications equipment company, headquartered in Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris, France. The company focused on Fixed line telephone, fixed, Mobile phone, mobile and telecommunications convergence, ...
, Geo Trans, HR Solutions LLC, M.C. Dean, Inc., National Electronics Warranty Corp, Service Companies Inc, and Orbital Science.
Federal agencies with offices in Sterling include U.S. Customs and Border Protection
United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the largest federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. It is the country's primary border control organization, charged with regulating and facilita ...
, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE "Bessie") is an agency under the United States Department of the Interior.
Established in 2011, BSEE is an agency responsible for improving safety and ensuring environmental protection ...
, and the Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit Illegal drug trade, drug trafficking a ...
.
Atlantic Coast Airlines previously had its headquarters in Sterling.
Parks and recreation
Claude Moore Park occupies in Sterling and features an indoor pool, gymnasium, sports fields, hiking trails and a park. The last known undeveloped section of Vestal's Gap Road runs across the park. Originally a trail first used by Native Americans, it was a major route for settlers between Alexandria
Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
and the Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley () is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia in the United States. The Valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the east ...
. George Washington
George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
used the road frequently in his travels between Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon is the former residence and plantation of George Washington, a Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. An American landmar ...
and the western frontier. General Braddock's troops, including Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone (, 1734September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyo ...
, traveled Vestal's Gap Road during the French and Indian War
The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...
.
Other recreation areas include Algonkian Regional Park, Dulles Golf Center and Sports Park, and Sterling Golf Club.
Education
Public high schools in Sterling include Dominion High School, Park View High School, and Potomac Falls High School.
Middle schools include River Bend Middle School, Seneca Ridge Middle School, and Sterling Middle School.
Elementary schools include: Algonkian Elementary School, Countryside Elementary School, Forest Grove Elementary School, Guilford Elementary School, Horizon Elementary School, Lowes Island Elementary School, Meadlowland Elementary School, Potowmack Elementary School, Rolling Ridge Elementary School, Sterling Elementary School, Sugarland Elementary School, and Sully Elementary School.
Higher education
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC and, informally, NOVA) is a public community college with six campuses and four centers in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. It is the third-largest multi-campus community college in t ...
has a Loudoun County in Sterling.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Roads include Virginia State Route 28 and Leesburg Pike.
Emergency services
Fire protection is provided by the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company. Technical Rescue and Emergency Medical Services are provided by the Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad. Both are part of the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System, and share three stations.
The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office and the Virginia State Police provide law enforcement.
Notable people
* James Buchanan
James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was the 15th president of the United States, serving from 1857 to 1861. He also served as the United States Secretary of State, secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and represented Pennsylvan ...
, 15th President of the United States, had a summer home near what is now Ruritan Circle.
* Hilarie Burton, actress from the television programs '' One Tree Hill'' and '' White Collar''
* Jalen Coker
Jalen Coker (born October 30, 2001) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Holy Cross Crusaders.
Early life
Coker attended Potomac ...
, NFL wide receiver
* Billy King, former general manager for the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), ...
of the NBA
* Patton Oswalt
Patton Peter Oswalt (born January 27, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. His acting roles include Spence Olchin in the sitcom ''The King of Queens'' (1998–2007) and narrating the sitcom '' The Goldbergs'' (2013–2023) as adult ...
, stand-up comedian
* Pg. 99, a screamo
Screamo (also referred to as skramz) is a subgenre of emo that emerged in the early 1990s and emphasizes "willfully experimental dissonance and dynamics".Jason Heller, "Feast of Reason". ''Denver Westword'', June 20, 2002 Access date: June 15, 2 ...
band formed in 1999
* Stuart C. Satterwhite, United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
rear admiral
* Conor Shanosky, a former United States men's national under-20 soccer team
The United States U-20 men's national soccer team is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation. The highest level of competition in which the team competes is the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is held every two years.
The United States' b ...
player, who operated commonly as midfielder and defender; formerly a D.C. United player and currently plays for the Richmond Kickers
Richmond Kickers is an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia. The Kickers compete as a member of USL League One (USL1). The club was established in 1993, and began play that same year as a United States Interregional S ...
* Austin St. John, actor and martial artist from the ''Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
''Mighty Power Rangers'' (''MMPR'') is an American superhero television series that premiered on August 28, 1993, on the Fox Kids programming block. It is the first entry of the ''Power Rangers'' franchise, and became a 1990s popular culture, ...
'' television series, who left acting to work as a paramedic and study martial arts
* Dondrea Tillman, NFL outside linebacker
* Cameron Whitten, community activist
See also
* Willard, Virginia, adjacent village displaced for construction of Dulles Airport
* Algonkian Writers Conference, at Algonkian Park in Sterling
References
External links
Dulles International Airport History
{{Authority control
Census-designated places in Loudoun County, Virginia
Census-designated places in Virginia
Washington metropolitan area
Virginia populated places on the Potomac River