Editing Mount Vernon, Virginia

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Mount Vernon, Virginia
| settlement_type    = [[Census-designated place]]

<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = MountVernonPO.jpg
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = Mount Vernon post office (2009)
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         =

<!-- Maps -->
| pushpin_map        = USA Virginia Northern#USA Virginia#USA
| image_map          = Fairfax County Virginia Incorporated and Unincorporated Areas Mount Vernon highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 200px
| map_caption        = Location of Mount Vernon in [[Fairfax County, Virginia|Fairfax County]], [[Virginia]]

<!-- Location -->
| coordinates        = {{coord|38|44|07|N|77|05|43|W|region:US-VA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Virginia]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Virginia|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Fairfax County, Virginia|Fairfax]]
| government_type    =

<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        =

<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 
| area_total_sq_mi   = 6.07
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_land_sq_mi    = 5.24
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.83
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 24
| elevation_ft       = 69

<!-- Population -->
| population_total   = 12,914
| population_as_of   = [[United States Census, 2020|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=QuickFacts: Mount Vernon CDP, Virginia|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/mountvernoncdpvirginia|access-date=March 20, 2024}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = 
| population_density_sq_mi = auto

<!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset         = &minus;5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = &minus;4

<!-- Area/postal codes & others -->
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 22309, 22121
| area_code          = [[Area code 703|703]], [[Area code 571|571]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 51-54144<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2391234
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
| named_for          = [[Mount Vernon]]
}}
'''Mount Vernon''' is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) and [[unincorporated community]] in [[Fairfax County, Virginia|Fairfax County]], [[Virginia]], United States. The population was 12,914 at the 2020 census.<ref name="QF"/>  Primarily due to its historical significance and natural recreation and beauty, the Mount Vernon area receives over one million tourists each year.

While the name "Mount Vernon"—drawn from the [[Mount Vernon estate]], the home of [[George Washington]] located south of [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]]—is often used locally to refer to the entire unincorporated area between Old Town Alexandria and [[Fort Belvoir]], Mount Vernon as defined by the Census Bureau encompasses only the portion bounded by the [[Potomac River]] to the south, Fort Belvoir to the west, [[U.S. Route 1]] to the north, and [[Little Hunting Creek]] to the east.<ref name=Census2/>

==History==
The Mount Vernon area is all land which was once a part of the farms of George and Martha Washington's expansive Mount Vernon estate. Much of the land was gradually donated through the dying wishes of George and Martha Washington to the public and others who are affiliated with the Washington family. The Neighboring/incorporated Woodlawn Plantation and area which was given to Martha Washington's granddaughter, Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis. The [[Gum Springs, Virginia|Gum Springs]] portion was established by slaves and blacks which were generally escaped or freed slaves from the Mount Vernon Estate and area.

Beginning with the [[2010 United States Census]], the U.S. Census Bureau defined the portion of Mount Vernon north of [[U.S. Route 1]] as a separate CDP, [[Woodlawn, Fairfax County, Virginia|Woodlawn]], reducing Mount Vernon's land area by approximately a third and its population by more than half.<ref name="Census2" />

==Geography==
Mount Vernon is located at {{coord|38.7351590|-77.0953670|region:US-VA_type:city|format=dms}} (38.7351590, −77.0953670) at an elevation of {{convert|79|ft|m}}.<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2015-02-27|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2008-02-19}}</ref> Located on [[U.S. Route 1]] in [[Northern Virginia]], Mount Vernon is {{convert|13|mi|km}} south-southwest of downtown [[Washington, D.C.]] and {{convert|13|mi|km}} southeast of [[Fairfax, Virginia|Fairfax]], the [[county seat]].<ref>{{cite map | title = Mount Vernon, VA | publisher = [[Google Earth]]}}</ref>

Mount Vernon sits on the [[Atlantic Coastal Plain]] on the north side of the [[Potomac River]].<ref name=GoogleMaps/><ref>{{cite web | title = Physiographic Map of Virginia | publisher = [[College of William & Mary]] | date = 1999 | url = http://web.wm.edu/geology/virginia/provinces/phys_regions.html | access-date = 2015-02-27 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080915054734/http://web.wm.edu/geology/virginia/provinces/phys_regions.html | archive-date = 2008-09-15 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Two small tributaries of the river flow south through the CDP: [[Dogue Creek]] runs through the western part of the CDP, and [[Little Hunting Creek]] forms the CDP's eastern border.<ref name=GoogleMaps/>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|6.07|sqmi|km2}} of which {{convert|5.24|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.83|sqmi|km2}} (14%) is water.<ref name=Census2>{{cite web | title = Virginia: 2010 – Population and Housing Unit Counts | publisher = [[U.S. Census Bureau]] | url = https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-48.pdf | date = July 2012 | access-date = 2015-02-27}}</ref>

As a suburb of Washington, D.C., Mount Vernon is a part of both the [[Washington Metropolitan Area]] and the larger [[Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area]]. It borders other Washington suburbs on all sides, including: [[Woodlawn, Fairfax County, Virginia|Woodlawn]] and [[Hybla Valley, Virginia|Hybla Valley]] to the north, [[Fort Hunt, Virginia|Fort Hunt]] to the east, [[Accokeek, Maryland|Accokeek]] and [[Bryans Road, Maryland]] across the Potomac River to the southeast, and [[Fort Belvoir, Virginia|Fort Belvoir]] to the west.<ref name=GoogleMaps>{{cite web | title = Mount Vernon, VA | publisher = [[Google Maps]] | url = https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mt+Vernon,+VA/@38.716235,-77.1069494,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x89b7ac25f140bf7f:0x76bda38852639af1 | access-date = 2015-02-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Virginia: 2010 – Summary Population and Housing Characteristics | date = July 2012 | url = https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-1-48.pdf | access-date = 2015-02-27}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1980 = 24058
| 1990 = 27485
| 2000 = 28582
| 2010 = 12416
| estyear  = 2013
| estimate = 12849
|align= left
| align-fn = center
| footnote = [https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html * U.S. Decennial Census]}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 28,582 people, 10,575 households, and 7,487 families residing in the CDP. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1,450.1|/km2|/mi2|disp=preunit|people|people|abbr=on}}. There were 10,926 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,435.7|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 54.42% [[Race (U.S. Census)|White]], 27.65% [[Race (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.33% [[Race (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 6.33% [[Race (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.13% [[Race (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 6.87% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 4.26% from two or more races. [[Race (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 14.50% of the population.

There were 10,575 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males.

The [[median income]] for a household in the CDP was $61,119, and the median income for a family was $67,892. Males had a median income of $42,049 versus $33,543 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $29,299. About 5.3% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Mount Vernon is within [[Fairfax County Public Schools]]. [[Mount Vernon High School (Alexandria, Virginia)|Mount Vernon High School]] serves the community.

Previously [[The Islamic Saudi Academy of Washington]] had a campus in Mount Vernon.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20120307171055/http://www.saudiacademy.net/2008AboutISA.html About ISA]." [[The Islamic Saudi Academy of Washington]]. Retrieved on July 25, 2016. "8333 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, Virginia 22309"</ref><ref>"[http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/GUBlock/st51_va/place/p5154144_mount_vernon/DC10BLK_P5154144_001.pdf 2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Mount Vernon CDP, VA]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20170202023408/http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/GUBlock/st51_va/place/p5154144_mount_vernon/DC10BLK_P5154144_001.pdf Archive]). [[U.S. Census Bureau]]. Retrieved on July 25, 2016.</ref>

==Notable locations==
The Mount Vernon area is known for its historical and tourist sites and includes several notable locations including:
* George and Martha Washington's Mount Vernon Estate.
* The George Washington Gristmill and Distillery. 
* The National Library for the Study of George Washington
* The Scenic George Washington Memorial Parkway and Trail
* Potomac docks, beaches, trails, and wildlife habitats
* The Gristmill park and Gunston Soccer Club field
* The George Washington Community Recreation Center
* Neighboring Fort Belvoir
* Neighboring Woodlawn Estate
* Neighboring Pope-Leighey House by Frank Lloyd Wright.

==Notable people==
Mount Vernon is, most famously, the home of the first [[President of the United States]], [[General of the Armies]], and tobacco planter [[George Washington]] and his wife [[Martha Washington|Martha Dandridge Custis Washington]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Biography of George Washington | publisher = George Washington's Mount Vernon | url = http://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/biography/ | access-date = 2015-02-27}}</ref>

Other notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Mount Vernon include:
*[[George Allen (U.S. politician)|George Allen]], 67th [[governor of Virginia]], [[U.S. senator]] from Virginia
*[[Kristen J. Amundson]], Virginia state legislator
*[[Charles B. Brownson]], [[U.S. representative]] from Indiana
*[[Herbert Harris]], U.S. representative from Virginia
*[[Oney Judge]], escaped slave
*[[Thomas Posey]], second [[governor of Indiana Territory]], U.S. senator from Louisiana
*[[Toddy Puller]], Virginia state legislator
*[[Chuck Robb]], 64th governor of Virginia, U.S. senator from Virginia

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline|Mount Vernon, Virginia}}
*{{wikivoyage inline|Mount Vernon (Virginia)|Mount Vernon, Virginia}}

{{Fairfax County, Virginia}}
{{South Alexandria}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Fairfax County, Virginia]]
[[Category:Unincorporated communities in Virginia]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Virginia]]
[[Category:Washington metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Virginia populated places on the Potomac River]]