kids encyclopedia robot

List of unincorporated communities in Virginia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Have you ever heard of a place that isn't quite a city or a town, but still has people living there? In the Commonwealth of Virginia, these places are called unincorporated communities. They are areas where people live, work, and go to school, but they don't have their own local government like a city or a town does. Instead, they are managed by the larger county they are part of. As of 2005, Virginia has many of these communities.

Some of these communities are also known as census-designated places (CDPs). This means the United States Census Bureau (the group that counts people in the U.S.) has drawn boundaries around them just for gathering information. It helps them collect data about how many people live there and what the area is like, even though it's not an official city or town. In 2010, there were 362 of these special CDPs in Virginia.

What is an Unincorporated Community?

An unincorporated community is a place where people live together, but it doesn't have its own separate government. Think of it like a neighborhood that's part of a bigger county.

Cities and Towns vs. Unincorporated Areas

In Virginia, cities and towns are different from unincorporated communities.

  • Cities in Virginia are completely separate from any county. They have their own mayor, city council, and local services like police and fire departments.
  • Towns are part of a county, but they still have some of their own local government and services.
  • Unincorporated communities do not have their own local government. The county government provides all the services for these areas. This includes things like roads, schools, and public safety.

Why Do Unincorporated Communities Exist?

Many unincorporated communities grew over time around a crossroads, a store, or a church. They might have started as small settlements that never officially became a town or city.

How They Are Governed

Since these communities don't have their own government, the county they are in takes care of everything. For example, if you live in an unincorporated community in Fairfax County, the Fairfax County government handles your local services. This can be a simpler way to manage areas that are not big enough to be a city or a town on their own.

Census-Designated Places (CDPs)

The U.S. Census Bureau identifies some unincorporated communities as "census-designated places" (CDPs).

  • Purpose of CDPs: CDPs are created just for collecting statistics during the census. This helps researchers and governments understand population patterns in areas that aren't official cities or towns.
  • No Legal Status: Being a CDP doesn't give a community any special legal powers or its own government. It's purely for data collection.

Examples of Unincorporated Communities in Virginia

Virginia has many unincorporated communities, some of which are very well-known. Here are just a few examples:

These are just a few of the many unincorporated communities across Virginia. Each one has its own unique character and history, even without its own city hall!

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of unincorporated communities in Virginia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.