Orange County is a county in Virginia, United States, in the Piedmont region between the Blue Ridge foothills and the Rappahannock River basin. It had a population of 36,254 at the 2020 census and covers 341 square miles (880 km2) of land centred near 38°14′N 78°01′W.
Orange is the county seat and its postal code is 22960. The county has 2 incorporated towns, several unincorporated communities, and census-designated places (CDPs) including two lakeside and highway-corridor communities. Orange County observes Eastern time.
Towns & Villages in Orange County
Orange County has 40 named places on record: 2 incorporated towns (Orange, the seat, and Gordonsville), a handful of census-designated places (CDPs) that show up separately in Census Bureau data, and roughly three dozen smaller unincorporated communities and crossroads. Population and ZIP figures are given only where verified; unverified cells are marked with a dash.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | Town · seat | 4,880 | 22960 |
| Gordonsville | Town | 1,402 | 22942 |
| Lake of the Woods | CDP | 8,081 | — |
| Locust Grove | CDP | — | — |
| Wilderness | CDP | — | — |
| Unionville | CDP | — | — |
| Albano | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Barboursville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bledsoe Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Burr Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clifton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Daniel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Danton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dickensons Store | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eheart | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Everona | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Flat Run | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gold Dale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grassland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Indian Town | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lahore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Larmand | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Liberty Mills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Madison Run | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mine Run | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Monrovia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Montford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Montpelier Station | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nasons | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Somerset | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rapidan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rhoadesville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Scuffletown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Somerset | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tatum | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Thornhill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tibbstown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Trimmers Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| True Blue | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Verdiersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vulcan | Unincorp. | — | — |
Somerset and Old Somerset are two distinct, nearby communities northeast of the town of Orange — not a single duplicated entry.
ZIP Codes
- 22960 — Orange (also serves most of the county’s central and northern communities)
- 22942 — Gordonsville (also serves Barboursville and the county’s southwestern corner)
Most of Orange County’s smaller unincorporated communities and CDPs share a ZIP code with the nearest post-office town rather than having their own; those individual ZIPs are not published here where unverified.
Geography
Orange County sits in Virginia’s Piedmont, rolling farmland and low ridges rising toward the Blue Ridge foothills on its western edge. The Rapidan River forms much of the county’s northern boundary before it joins the Rappahannock, and the Rapidan and its tributaries — Mine Run, Flat Run, Madison Run — drain most of the county toward the Chesapeake Bay. Lake of the Woods, a large private reservoir and residential community in the county’s northeast, is the county’s principal built lake.
Orange County borders Madison County to the northwest, Culpeper County to the north, Spotsylvania County to the east, Louisa County to the south, Albemarle County to the southwest, and Greene County to the west.
Demographics
Orange County’s population was 36,254 at the 2020 census, a density of about 106 people per square mile. Orange (4,880) and Gordonsville (1,402) are its two incorporated towns; Lake of the Woods (8,081) is its largest census-designated place, outnumbering both towns combined. Virginia’s 2023 ACS median household income is $89,931; county-level income figures for Orange County are not verified here, so no direct comparison is published.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, especially cattle and hay farming, remains part of the county’s economic base alongside light manufacturing and a growing residential-commuter population drawn by Lake of the Woods and Gordonsville’s proximity to US 15/US 33. James Madison’s Montpelier, a 2,650-acre National Trust for Historic Preservation property near the town of Orange, is the county’s best-known visitor attraction and employer in the heritage-tourism sector. Gordonsville’s historic role as a rail junction (the Virginia Central and Orange & Alexandria lines crossed there) still shapes its small-town commercial core.
History
Orange County was formed in 1734 from Spotsylvania County and named for William, Prince of Orange, stadtholder of the Netherlands. The county was the boyhood home of James Madison, fourth president of the United States, whose Montpelier estate remains in the county. Two major Civil War engagements were fought partly within the county: the Battle of Mine Run in November 1863 and the Battle of the Wilderness in May 1864, part of Grant’s Overland Campaign against Lee’s army.
Getting There
US 15, US 33, and US 522 cross the county, along with state routes 3, 20, and 231.
- Culpeper — about 20 miles north
- Charlottesville — about 25 miles southwest
- Fredericksburg — about 28 miles east
- Richmond — about 70 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (CHO); Orange County Airport (OMH), a general-aviation field, is inside the county near the town of Orange.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Orange County, Virginia?
It is in Virginia’s Piedmont region, roughly midway between Charlottesville and Fredericksburg.
What is the population of Orange County?
36,254 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Orange County?
341 square miles (880 km2) of land plus 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2) of water.
What is the county seat of Orange County?
Orange is the county seat.
How many towns are in Orange County?
Two incorporated towns — Orange and Gordonsville — plus census-designated places like Lake of the Woods and dozens of smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Orange County?
The main ZIPs are 22960 (Orange) and 22942 (Gordonsville); most smaller communities share one of these.
What historic site is Orange County known for?
Montpelier, the home of President James Madison, is located just outside the town of Orange.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Virginia.