Page County is a county in Virginia, United States, set in the Shenandoah Valley between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Massanutten Mountain. It had a population of 23,709 at the 2020 census and covers 314 square miles (810 km2) centred near 38°37′N 78°30′W.
Luray is the county seat, and its postal code is 22835. Page County has three incorporated towns — Luray, Shenandoah and Stanley — plus dozens of unincorporated communities. The county observes Eastern time and carries FIPS code 51139.
Towns & Villages in Page County
Page County’s population is concentrated in its three incorporated towns, with the rest spread across small unincorporated communities along US 211, US 340 and the South Fork Shenandoah River. Only Luray, Shenandoah and Stanley are legally incorporated towns; every other place below is an unincorporated community with no municipal government of its own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luray | Town · seat | 4,831 | 22835 |
| Shenandoah | Town | 2,486 | 22849 |
| Stanley | Town | — | 22851 |
| Alma | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Battle Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Big Spring | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blaineville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brookside | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Catherine Furnace | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cavetown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Comertown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Compton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Egypt Bend Estates | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fleeburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Forest Hills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Furnace | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Goods Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grove Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hamburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hilldale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Honeyville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ida | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ingham | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jollett | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kimball | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Leaksville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marksville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mauck | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Morning Star | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Newport | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Overall | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pine Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rileyville | Unincorp. | — | 22650 |
| Salem | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shenandoah Forest | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Skyland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spring View | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Springfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stony Man | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Valleyburgh | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vaughn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Verbena | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Westlu | Unincorp. | — | — |
| White House | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Whitehouse Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Woodland Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
Skyland and Stony Man sit inside Shenandoah National Park on the crest of the Blue Ridge, both named for the peak above them, and have no permanent civilian population — they are National Park Service lodging and overlook sites, not residential settlements.
ZIP Codes
- 22835 — Luray (also serves most of central Page County)
- 22849 — Shenandoah (also serves Shenandoah Forest)
- 22851 — Stanley
- 22650 — Rileyville
Most of the county’s smaller unincorporated communities share the postal address of the nearest of these four post offices rather than having a ZIP code of their own.
Geography
Page County lies entirely within the Shenandoah Valley, hemmed in on both sides — Massanutten Mountain forms its western edge and the Blue Ridge, including Hawksbill Mountain, the highest point in the county, forms its eastern edge inside Shenandoah National Park. The South Fork Shenandoah River runs the length of the valley floor and drains the county north toward the Potomac. Skyline Drive, the scenic highway that runs the ridge of Shenandoah National Park, follows the county’s eastern boundary.
Page County borders Shenandoah County to the northwest, Warren County to the north, Rappahannock County to the northeast, Madison County and Greene County to the southeast, and Rockingham County to the southwest.
Demographics
Page County had 23,709 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 75 people per square mile. Luray (4,831) and Shenandoah (2,486) are the two largest communities; Stanley is the third and smallest of the county’s incorporated towns. Median household income in Page County runs well below the Virginia median of $89,931, consistent with a rural, majority-white Shenandoah Valley county where roughly four in five residents live outside any incorporated town.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism and agriculture anchor the local economy. Luray Caverns, the largest and most visited cave system in the eastern United States, draws visitors from across the region and is Page County’s best-known employer in the visitor economy; the surrounding Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive bring additional seasonal tourism traffic. Poultry farming and turkey processing are longstanding parts of the county’s agricultural base, centred on the town of Shenandoah. The county fairgrounds and downtown Luray host the annual Page County Heritage Festival and other community events tied to the valley’s farming calendar.
History
Page County was formed in 1831 from parts of Shenandoah and Rockingham counties and named for John Page, who served as governor of Virginia from 1802 to 1805. Luray was chosen as the county seat at its founding. The county’s modern identity was reshaped in 1878, when local resident Andrew Campbell discovered Luray Caverns, turning the town into a tourist destination that still drives the local economy today. Like the rest of the Shenandoah Valley, Page County saw Union and Confederate troop movements during the Civil War, including engagements connected to Stonewall Jackson’s 1862 Valley Campaign.
Getting There
US 211 crosses the county east-west through Luray, connecting to Skyline Drive at Thornton Gap; US 340 runs north-south through the valley, linking Luray, Stanley and Shenandoah.
- Harrisonburg, Virginia — 28 miles southwest
- Front Royal, Virginia — 25 miles north
- Charlottesville, Virginia — 45 miles southeast
- Washington, D.C. — 90 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport in Weyers Cave, about 30 miles southwest of Luray.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Page County, Virginia?
It sits in the Shenandoah Valley in northwestern Virginia, between Massanutten Mountain and the Blue Ridge Mountains, about 90 miles west of Washington, D.C.
What is the population of Page County?
Page County had a population of 23,709 at the 2020 census.
How big is Page County?
The county covers 314 square miles (810 km2), most of it land, in a narrow strip of the Shenandoah Valley.
What is the county seat of Page County?
Luray is the county seat.
How many towns are in Page County?
Three: Luray, Shenandoah and Stanley, plus dozens of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Page County?
The main ZIP codes are 22835 (Luray), 22849 (Shenandoah), 22851 (Stanley) and 22650 (Rileyville).
What is Page County known for?
Luray Caverns, the largest cave system open to the public in the eastern United States, and its stretch of Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Virginia.