Westmoreland County is a county in Virginia, United States, on the Northern Neck peninsula between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers. It had a population of 18,477 at the 2020 census and covers 253 square miles (660 km2), of which 229 square miles are land, centred near 38°07′N 76°48′W.
Montross is the county seat, and its postal code is 22520. The county has two incorporated towns (Montross and Colonial Beach) and roughly five dozen unincorporated communities and rural crossroads. Westmoreland County is in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County has just two incorporated towns — Montross, the seat, and Colonial Beach, its largest place on the Potomac River — plus dozens of small unincorporated communities and crossroads scattered across the peninsula. The table below lists every named place carried forward from the county’s settlement record; most have no separately reported census population, shown as —.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montross | Town · seat | — | 22520 |
| Colonial Beach | Town | — | 22443 |
| Acorn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Baynesville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bayside | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bryant Town | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bull Neck | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Carys Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chiltons | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chisford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Classic Shore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coles Point | Unincorp. | — | 22442 |
| Currioman Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| East End | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Erica | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Flat Iron | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grays Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Griffiths Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hague | Unincorp. | — | 22469 |
| Hinnom | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hogans Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Horners | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kinsale | Unincorp. | — | 22488 |
| Kremlin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Latanes | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Laurel Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Leedstown | Unincorp. | — | 22443 |
| Leesville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lerty | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Machodoc | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Maple Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mattox Bridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Meter | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Monroe Hall | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Holly | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Narrow Beach | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nash Town | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Neenah | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nomini | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nomini Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Grove | Unincorp. | — | 22443 |
| Oldhams | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Palmtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Peeds | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pomona | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Potomac Beach | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Potomac Mills | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ragged Point Beach | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sandy Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shady Harbor Shores | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Smith Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Springfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stratford Hall | Unincorp. | — | 22421 |
| Stratford Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Templeman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Threeway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tidwells | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tucker Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wakefield Corner | Unincorp. | — | 22443 |
| Wilberts Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Zacata | Unincorp. | — | — |
Two entries deserve a note: Stratford Hall is not a residential village but the plantation-museum birthplace of Robert E. Lee, listed here because it is a named, mapped place in the county; and Wakefield is the birthplace of George Washington, commemorated a few miles east at George Washington Birthplace National Monument near Oak Grove.
ZIP Codes
- 22520 — Montross (also serves the county courthouse area)
- 22443 — Colonial Beach (also serves Leedstown, Oak Grove and Wakefield Corner)
- 22488 — Kinsale
- 22469 — Hague
- 22442 — Coles Point
- 22421 — Stratford Hall
Most of the smaller crossroads communities share a ZIP with the nearest post-office town rather than having their own code.
Geography
Westmoreland County occupies the Northern Neck, the narrow peninsula between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, with the Potomac forming its northern boundary and shoreline running roughly 24 square miles of tidal water and creeks. The terrain is gently rolling coastal plain, cut by tidal inlets such as Nomini Creek and the Machodoc, and the county is part of the Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace federally recognized wine-growing region (AVA).
Westmoreland County borders King George County to the northwest, Essex County to the southwest, Richmond County to the south and Northumberland County to the southeast. Across the Potomac to the north and northeast lie Charles County and St. Mary’s County, Maryland.
Demographics
Westmoreland County had 18,477 residents at the 2020 census. Colonial Beach and the Montross/Oak Grove area are the largest population centers. Median household income in the county runs below the Virginia median of $89,931, reflecting the county’s largely rural, agricultural economic base. Population density is about 81 people per square mile of land area.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, forestry and the seafood industry anchor the local economy, alongside tourism drawn by the county’s Colonial-era historic sites. George Washington Birthplace National Monument and Stratford Hall, the Lee family plantation, are the two largest visitor attractions and employers in the heritage sector. Colonial Beach, on the Potomac, functions as the county’s recreation and second-home hub, with a public beach, marina and boardwalk.
History
Westmoreland County was formed in 1653 from Northumberland County and named for the English county of Westmorland, itself an English coastal county. It is one of Virginia’s oldest counties and the birthplace of two U.S. presidents, George Washington and James Monroe, as well as Confederate general Robert E. Lee, all born within a few miles of each other along the Potomac shore. In 1791, planter Robert Carter III began manumitting nearly 500 enslaved people held at his Nomini Hall estate in the county, one of the largest single acts of emancipation in pre-Civil War America.
Getting There
U.S. Route 3 and Virginia Route 205 are the county’s principal roads, connecting Montross and Colonial Beach to the rest of the Northern Neck.
- Fredericksburg — 40 miles northwest
- Richmond — 65 miles southwest
- Washington, D.C. — 70 miles north
- Tappahannock — 25 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Richmond International Airport; Fredericksburg Regional Airport is closer for general aviation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Westmoreland County, Virginia?
It is on the Northern Neck of Virginia, between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers, roughly 65 miles southeast of Richmond.
What is the population of Westmoreland County?
18,477, according to the 2020 census.
How big is Westmoreland County?
253 square miles (660 km2), of which 229 square miles are land and 24 square miles are water.
What is the county seat of Westmoreland County?
Montross is the county seat.
How many towns are in Westmoreland County?
Two incorporated towns, Montross and Colonial Beach, plus about five dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Westmoreland County?
Main ones include 22520 (Montross), 22443 (Colonial Beach), 22488 (Kinsale), 22469 (Hague), 22442 (Coles Point) and 22421 (Stratford Hall).
What historic sites are in Westmoreland County?
George Washington Birthplace National Monument near Oak Grove and Stratford Hall, birthplace of Robert E. Lee, are both in the county.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Virginia.