Dulles Greenway Exit 5 on to Claiborne Parkway toward Ashburn Farm
The name Ashburn is believed to have originated from "Ashburn Farm," a 1,236-acre estate originally owned by John Janney, a prominent 19th-century Quaker lawyer and politician who served as president of Virginia's Secession Convention in 1861. The property was later purchased by George Lee III in the 1870s, who is thought to have named it "Ashburn" either for the ash trees that dotted the landscape or possibly as a reference to the ash-colored soil or barn fires that had previously occurred in the area.[7]
Originally a quiet farming village known as Farmwell, the area became a part of a larger plantation economy in Loudoun County. Ashburn remained largely rural through the early 20th century. It began to change significantly in the 1980s and 1990s with the expansion of the Dulles Technology Corridor and the construction of large neighborhoods such as Ashburn Village and Ashburn Farm.[8]
Today, Ashburn is a central part of Loudoun County's high-tech economy and suburban expansion with preserved natural and historic landscapes such as the W&OD Trail and nearby farms and battlefields.[9]
Ashburn, located in eastern Loudoun County, Virginia, was originally part of a rural agricultural region known as Farmwell. The land was divided among several estates during the 18th and 19th centuries, forming part of the broader plantation economy that defined much of northern Virginia. During the Civil War, Loudoun County was deeply divided, and while Ashburn did not see major battles, it was affected by nearby troop movements, raids, and the broader regional instability at the time.[12]
Exterior of a cart on the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad
In the late 19th century, the arrival of the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad provided a transportation link that supported local farms and small industries, although Ashburn itself remained sparsely populated and primarily agricultural well into the 20th century. The W&OD rail corridor, now a regional trail, is one of the area's key preserved historical routes. Following the American Civil War, land ownership changed and farming practices shifted, but Ashburn continued to be defined by its rural character for many decades.[13]
Main Terminal of Washington Dulles International Airport at dusk in Virginia, USA
Significant change began in the second half of the 20th century, particularly after the opening of Washington Dulles International Airport in 1962. This major infrastructure project spurred development throughout the surrounding region, and Ashburn's location made it a strategic site for future suburban and technological expansion. Major development in the 1980s and 1990s that came in the form of suburban neighborhoods and planned communities transformed the area into a major residential zone within Northern Virginia's growing suburban region.[14]
By the early 2000s, Ashburn had become a hub for global internet infrastructure. A combination of reliable electricity and access to fiber-optic networks attracted major technology firms. The region developed the highest concentration of data centers in the world, earning the nickname "Data Center Alley." Today, Ashburn is a central component of Loudoun County's tech economy, supporting various technological industries in areas such as cloud computing and cybersecurity while also serving as a key residential area for workers in the greater Washington, D.C. metro region.[15]
According to the 2020 United States census, the Ashburn CDP has a total area of 15.55 square miles (40.27km2), of which 15.30 square miles (39.63km2) are land and 0.25 square miles (0.65km2) are water.[2] The area is drained by Broad Run, which flows northward through the eastern part of the CDP toward the Potomac River.
Subdivisions
The Ashburn CDP consists of many major and minor subdivisions such as Ashbrook, Ashburn Farm, Ashburn Village, the Courts and Ridges at Ashburn, and the Village of Waxpool.
As of the 2020 census, Ashburn had a population of 46,349. The median age was 39.7 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.8 males age 18 and over.[19][20]
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.[21]
There were 17,210 households in Ashburn, of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 58.5% were married-couple households, 12.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[19]
There were 17,906 housing units, of which 3.9% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.2%.[19]
Many of its residents commute into Washington, D.C. and the surrounding suburbs such as Tysons Corner and Reston to their places of employment.[25] The median household income as of 2009 was $100,719.[26] The median household size is 2.9 persons.[26] 98% of Ashburn residents have a high school degree.[26] Some 42 percent of Ashburn's population holds a four-year bachelor's degree;[26] 18 percent holds graduate degrees.[26]
Homeowners formed 80% of the population,[26] renters made up 13% of the population,[26] and 7% of housing units were listed as vacancies.[26] The median age of housing was 5.0 years.[26] The median housing value is at $630,000.[27]
Airbus Group, Inc., a defense contractor headed by former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, has a second location in Ashburn in addition to its main office in Herndon, Virginia.
There are six private schools in Ashburn: Loudoun School for Advanced Studies, St. Theresa Catholic School, Virginia Academy, Leport School, The Loudoun Country Day School, and County Christian School.
Ashburn is served by two Washington MetroSilver Line stations. After passing through Dulles Airport, the Silver Line enters Ashburn in the median of the Dulles Greenway.[44] The first stop in Ashburn is Loudoun Gateway station, with Ashburn station serving as the terminus. Originally planned to open in 2016, the opening was pushed back by multiple delays and finally opened on November 15, 2022.[45][46]
Emergency services
Ashburn's fire and emergency medical services are provided by the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System. Ashburn Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department (AVFRD) is a volunteer company under LC-CFRS, and serves Ashburn with Stations 6 and 22, which are located near Inova Loudoun Hospital. LC-CFRS career staff operate Moorefield Station 23, near Ashburn station (Washington Metro). The Ashburn area is served by the Inova Ashburn Healthplex Emergency Room at the corner of the Dulles Greenway and Loudoun County Parkway as well as Inova Loudoun Hospital, located less than 2 miles (3.2km) from Ashburn in neighboring Lansdowne, and by larger hospitals in the Washington suburbs and city.
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