Charlotte County, Virginia

Charlotte County is a county in Virginia, United States, about 60 miles southwest of Richmond
in the state’s south-central Piedmont. It had a population of 11,529 at the 2020 census, an
estimated 11,422 by 2024, and covers 475 square miles (1,230 km2) centred near 37°01′N 78°39′W.

Charlotte Court House is the county seat; its postal code is 23923. The county holds 4
incorporated towns and 8 unincorporated communities, and it runs on Eastern Time. Its FIPS code
is 51037.

Towns & Villages in Charlotte County

Charlotte County has 12 named places on record: Charlotte Court House, Drakes Branch, Keysville
and Phenix are incorporated towns with their own governments; the rest are unincorporated
communities with no formal boundary or local government. Virginia has no civil townships, so
places here are organized directly under the county.

Keysville, the county’s largest town, sits entirely inside Charlotte County; it is not
split with neighboring Lunenburg County despite lying close to the line. There is also a
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and dozens of other Harrisburgs nationwide — this one is a small
rural crossroads community, unrelated to any of them.

ZIP Codes

• 23923 — Charlotte Court House
• 23937 — Drakes Branch
• 23947 — Keysville
• 23959 — Phenix

Cullen, Harrisburg, Randolph, Red House, Red Oak, Saxe, Wren and Wylliesburg have no ZIP code
of their own; mail there is delivered under the nearest incorporated town’s code.

Geography

Charlotte County lies in Virginia’s south-central Piedmont, a belt of gently rolling hills
between the Blue Ridge and the coastal plain — not mountainous, despite what older
descriptions of the county have claimed. Of its 475 square miles of land, water covers only
2.2 square miles (5.7 km2), about half a percent of the total. The Roanoke River, known locally
as the Staunton River, forms the county’s southwestern border and is the largest waterway
in the county.

Prince Edward County lies to the north, Lunenburg County to the east, Mecklenburg County to
the southeast, Halifax County to the southwest, Campbell County to the west and Appomattox
County to the northwest. Of these, Prince Edward County,
Lunenburg County,
Mecklenburg County,
Halifax County,
Campbell County and
Appomattox County all have their own
pages on this site.

Demographics

Charlotte County had a population of 11,529 at the 2020 census, and the latest estimate puts
the county near 11,422 residents in 2024, a slight decline typical of rural Southside Virginia.
Keysville and Drakes Branch are the two largest incorporated towns. Median household income
runs about $58,000 (2024 estimate), below Virginia’s statewide figure of $89,931 (2023
ACS). Population density works out to roughly 24 people per square mile of land, low even by
rural Virginia standards.

Economy & Local Life

Health care and social assistance is the county’s largest employment sector, with about
774 workers, followed by retail trade at 630 and manufacturing at 545. Southside Virginia
Community College operates a campus in Keysville, serving the county and its neighbors.
Agriculture remains central to local life — tobacco and mixed farming have shaped the
county’s economy for generations, and the Tobacco Indemnification and Community
Revitalization Fund has backed local infrastructure projects including a fiber-optic broadband
link. Red Hill, the Patrick Henry National Memorial near Brookneal on the county’s western
edge, draws history visitors to the Founding Father’s grave and former home.

History

Virginia’s colonial assembly formed Charlotte County in 1764 out of Lunenburg County. It
was named for Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, queen consort to King George III. Charlotte
Court House became the county seat, taking its name from the courthouse built there.

Patrick Henry, the Founding Father famous for his “Give me liberty, or give me
death” speech, lived out his final years at Red Hill plantation in the county and died there
on 6 June 1799. He is buried on the property, now preserved as the Red Hill Patrick Henry
National Memorial.

Getting There

US 15 and US 360 cross the county and intersect at Keysville; US 360 is known locally as Kings
Highway. State Routes 40, 47, 59 and 92 connect Charlotte Court House, Drakes Branch and the
county’s smaller communities. No interstate highway crosses Charlotte County.

• Farmville — about 20 miles north
• South Boston — about 25 miles southwest
• Lynchburg — about 35 miles northwest
• South Hill — about 30 miles east

Lynchburg Regional Airport, roughly 35 miles northwest of Charlotte Court House, is the
nearest commercial airport. There is no Amtrak station in the county; the nearest is in
Lynchburg.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Charlotte County located?
It sits in Virginia’s south-central Piedmont, about 60 miles southwest of Richmond, bordered
by Prince Edward, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Halifax, Campbell and Appomattox counties.

What is the population of Charlotte County?
11,529 at the 2020 census, with a 2024 estimate near 11,422.

How big is Charlotte County?
475 square miles (1,230 km2) of land, plus 2.2 square miles of water.

What is the county seat of Charlotte County?
Charlotte Court House has been the seat of county government since the county’s formation
in 1764.

How many towns are in Charlotte County?
Four incorporated towns — Keysville, Drakes Branch, Charlotte Court House and Phenix
— plus eight unincorporated communities: Cullen, Harrisburg, Randolph, Red House, Red Oak,
Saxe, Wren and Wylliesburg.

What ZIP codes does Charlotte County use?
23923 for Charlotte Court House, 23937 for Drakes Branch, 23947 for Keysville and 23959 for
Phenix.

What is Charlotte County known for?
Red Hill, the Patrick Henry National Memorial, where the Founding Father lived out his final
years and is buried.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Virginia.