Northampton County is a county in Virginia, United States, on the southern tip of the Delmarva Peninsula’s Eastern Shore. It had a population of 12,282 at the 2020 census and covers 795 square miles (2,060 km2), of which only 212 square miles (550 km2) is land — 73.4% of the county is open water — centred near 37\u00b018\u203203\u2033N 75\u00b055\u203243\u2033W.<\/p>\n
Eastville is the county seat, and its postal code is 23347. The county has 6 incorporated towns (Belle Haven, Cape Charles, Cheriton, Eastville, Exmore and Nassawadox) plus several dozen unincorporated communities, hamlets and landings. Northampton runs on Eastern Time (UTC−5, UTC−4 during daylight saving) and carries FIPS code 51131.<\/p>\n
Roughly 70 named places are recognized across the county, from its six incorporated towns down to old fishing landings and farm crossroads on the bayside and seaside necks. Unincorporated places below are marked Unincorp.<\/strong>; a handful of modern subdivision names from an earlier version of this list (developments such as “Cardinal Estates” or “Vaucluse Shores”) have been dropped — see the note at the end of this section.<\/p>\n Oyster and Willis Wharf are still working watermen’s landings on the seaside marshes; Kiptopeke, at the county’s southern tip, is a former ferry terminal now anchoring a state park. Virginia does not use civil townships, so no township grouping applies here.<\/p>\n Belle Haven and most of the smaller landings and crossroads share a rural-route ZIP with the nearest post office town above rather than carrying one of their own.<\/p>\n Northampton occupies the narrow southern end of the Delmarva Peninsula, bounded by the Chesapeake Bay to the west and the Atlantic Ocean’s barrier-island lagoons to the east — which is why the county is nearly three-quarters water. The land itself is flat, low-lying farm and marsh country cut by numerous tidal creeks (Hungars Creek, Cherrystone Creek, Nassawadox Creek). The county sits at the center of the Chesapeake Bay impact crater, formed by a bolide strike in the late Eocene roughly 35 million years ago. Its only land neighbor is Accomack County<\/a> to the north, sharing the rest of the Eastern Shore; the independent city of Virginia Beach lies across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay form the county’s entire eastern and western edges.<\/p>\n The county’s 2020 census population was 12,282, spread across a land area of just 212 square miles — a density of roughly 58 people per square mile. Cape Charles (1,178) and Exmore are the two largest communities; the county seat, Eastville, is much smaller. Northampton’s median household income runs well below the Virginia median of $89,931, reflecting a rural, agriculture- and fisheries-based economy with a large share of retirees and seasonal residents on the bayside.<\/p>\n Agriculture (tomatoes, potatoes, soybeans) and commercial seafood — oysters, clams and blue crab out of Willis Wharf and Oyster — anchor the working economy, alongside Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital in Nassawadox and Eastern Shore Community College nearby in Accomack County. Cape Charles, a former Chesapeake Bay ferry and rail terminus, has rebuilt itself around tourism: a public beach, a golf resort, and a walkable historic downtown draw weekend visitors from Hampton Roads via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.<\/p>\n Northampton was one of the first eight shires formed in the Virginia colony in 1634, originally as Accomac Shire, and was renamed Northampton County in 1642; Accomack County was split off to its north in 1663. Eastville has held the county’s court continuously since the 17th century, and the Northampton County Courthouse Historic District preserves what is often cited as the oldest continuous set of court records in the United States.<\/p>\n U.S. Route 13 runs the length of the county and connects to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel at its southern end.<\/p>\n The nearest commercial airport is Norfolk International Airport, roughly 30 miles south across the bridge-tunnel.<\/p>\n Where is Northampton County, Virginia?<\/strong> What is the population of Northampton County?<\/strong> How big is Northampton County?<\/strong> What is the Northampton County seat?<\/strong> How many towns are in Northampton County?<\/strong> What ZIP codes are in Northampton County?<\/strong>\n\n
\n \nPlace<\/th>\n Type<\/th>\n Pop.<\/th>\n ZIP<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n Eastville<\/td>\n Town · seat<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23347<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Cape Charles<\/td>\n Town<\/td>\n 1,178<\/td>\n 23310<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Cheriton<\/td>\n Town<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23316<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Exmore<\/td>\n Town<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23350<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Nassawadox<\/td>\n Town<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23413<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Belle Haven<\/td>\n Town<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Arlington<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Bacon Hill<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Bay Ridge<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Bayford<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Bayleys Neck<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Bayview<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Beverly<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Birdsnest<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23307<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Bridgetown<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Broadwater<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Bulls Landing<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Cape Junction<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Capeville<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23313<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Cedar Grove<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Cheapside<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Cherrystone<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Church Creek Point<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Clearview<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Culls<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Dalbys<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Eastville Station<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Fairview<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Franktown<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23354<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Hadlock<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Hare Valley<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Highland Heights<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Hungars Point<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n James Crossroads<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Jamesville<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23398<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Johnson Cove<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Johnsontown<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Kendall Grove<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Kiptopeke<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Little Johnsontown<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Little Salisbury<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Machipongo<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23405<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Magotha<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Marionville<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23408<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Martins Siding<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Middletown<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Nottingham<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Oakland Park<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Old Neck Landing<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Oyster<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23419<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Pat Town<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Peaceful Beach<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Peaceful Shores<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Red Bank<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Reedtown<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Seaview<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23429<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Shadyside<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Sheps End<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Silver Beach<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Simpkins<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Smith Beach<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Stewarts Landing<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Stumptown<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n TB Crossroads<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Townsend<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23443<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Treherneville<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Wardtown<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23482<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Weirwood<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Willis Wharf<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n 23486<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Woodstock<\/td>\n Unincorp.<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n —<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n ZIP Codes<\/h2>\n
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Geography<\/h2>\n
Demographics<\/h2>\n
Economy & Local Life<\/h2>\n
History<\/h2>\n
Getting There<\/h2>\n
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Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
It occupies the southern tip of the Eastern Shore’s Delmarva Peninsula, between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, just north of Virginia Beach across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.<\/p>\n
It had a population of 12,282 at the 2020 census.<\/p>\n
It covers 795 square miles (2,060 km2) in total, but only 212 square miles is land — the rest is Chesapeake Bay and ocean water.<\/p>\n
Eastville is the county seat.<\/p>\n
Six towns are incorporated — Belle Haven, Cape Charles, Cheriton, Eastville, Exmore and Nassawadox — plus dozens of smaller unincorporated communities.<\/p>\n
Sixteen ZIP codes serve the county, from 23347 (Eastville) to 23486 (Willis Wharf); see the ZIP Codes section above for the full list.<\/p>\n