Woodbridge, Virginia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Woodbridge, Virginia
Census-designated place
Woodbridge Railway Station
Location of Woodbridge in Prince William County and Virginia
Woodbridge, Virginia Location in Virginia Show map of Virginia Woodbridge, Virginia Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Virginia
County	Prince William
Area
• Total	10.8 sq mi (28.0 km²)
• Land	10.5 sq mi (27.1 km²)
• Water	0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
Elevation	75 ft (23 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	44,668
• Density	4,132/sq mi (1,595.3/km²)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	22191–22193
Area code(s)	571, 703
FIPS code	51-87312
GNIS feature ID	1497222

Woodbridge is a community in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. It is located about 20 miles (32 km) south of Washington, D.C.. Woodbridge is bordered by the Occoquan and Potomac rivers. In 2020, about 44,668 people lived there.

Woodbridge has many things for people to do. You can visit Potomac Mills shopping mall or Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center. Students in Woodbridge go to schools run by the Prince William County Public Schools. There is also a campus of Northern Virginia Community College nearby. Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center is a hospital that serves the area.

Getting around Woodbridge is easy. You can use Interstate 95, ride the VRE commuter train, or take a bus. There's even a local "slugging" system, which is like carpooling.

Woodbridge also has lots of outdoor fun. The Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a home for many plants and animals, including bald eagles. Veteran's Park and Leesylvania State Park are on the Potomac River. They offer swimming, boating, picnics, and hiking trails. You can also visit Rippon Lodge, the oldest house in Prince William County, which is open for tours in the summer.

History of Woodbridge

Woodbridge started as a small village with large farms. It officially began around 1731 when Prince William County was formed. The first county courthouse was in Woodbridge because it was between Dumfries, Virginia and Alexandria, Virginia. Later, the county government moved to other towns.

The area got its name from a wooden toll bridge built in 1795 by Thomas Mason. This bridge helped traffic cross the Occoquan River. Mason's farm, called Woodbridge Plantation, was near where the Belmont Bay golf course is today. A big storm washed away the original bridge in 1807. For a long time, people used other river crossings. A new iron bridge was built in the 20th century, but it was damaged by Hurricane Agnes in 1972. The bridge you see today replaced it.

Two important historical places, the Freestone Point Confederate Battery and Rippon Lodge, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography and Climate

Woodbridge is located at 38.643517 degrees north and -77.260843 degrees west. It is on a piece of land called Linton Neck. The community covers about 10.8 square miles (28.0 km²), with most of it being land. Woodbridge is about 20 miles (32 km) from Washington, D.C.

Woodbridge has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters.

Weather chart for Woodbridge

2.8

2.7

3.6

3.5

4.4

3.9

3.8

3.5

3.4

3.5

3.1

temperatures in °F
precipitation totals in inches
source: USA.com (13 March, 2021)

Metric conversion

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
71 6 -4	69 8 -3	91 13 1	89 19 6	112 23 11	99 29 16	97 31 19	89 30 18	102 27 14	86 20 7	89 14 2	79 8 -2
temperatures in °C • precipitation totals in mm

Nearby Communities

Woodbridge is close to several other towns and communities:

Population in Woodbridge

In 2020, Woodbridge had 44,668 residents living in 13,107 homes. The community is diverse, with people from many different backgrounds.

Here's a look at the different groups of people living in Woodbridge in 2020:

42.3% were Hispanic or Latino
23.5% were White
22.2% were Black or African American
8.6% were Asian
8.1% were from two or more races
0.2% were American Indian or Alaska Native
0.2% were Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

Education in Woodbridge

Woodbridge has many schools for students of all ages.

Public Schools

The public schools in Woodbridge are part of the Prince William County Public Schools system.

Public High Schools

Forest Park Senior High School
Freedom High School
Gar-Field Senior High School
C.D. Hylton Senior High School
Potomac Senior High School
Woodbridge Senior High School

Public Middle Schools

Fred Lynn Middle School
Lake Ridge Middle School
Rippon Middle School
Woodbridge Middle School

Public Elementary Schools

Antietam Elementary School
Belmont Elementary School
Elizabeth Vaughan Elementary School
Featherstone Elementary School
Lake Ridge Elementary School
Marumsco Hills Elementary School
Neabsco Elementary School
Occoquan Elementary School
Potomac View Elementary School
R. Dean Kilby Elementary School
River Oaks Elementary School
Springwoods Elementary School
West Ridge Elementary School

Private Schools

There are also private schools in Woodbridge.

Private High Schools

Christ Chapel Academy (Pre-kindergarten through 12th grade)
Heritage Christian School (Kindergarten through 12th grade)
Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School

Private Middle, Elementary, and Preschools

Academy Day Care (Preschool through 1st grade)
Cardinal Montessori School (Preschool through 4th grade)
Christ Chapel Academy (Preschool through 12th grade)
Cloverdale School (Preschool through 2nd grade)
Manassas Christian School
Manassas Christian School Academy
Minnieland Private Day School (Preschool)
Prince William Academy (Preschool through 8th grade)
Riverview Baptist Day School (Preschool)
Saint Thomas Aquinas Regional School (Preschool through 8th grade)
Young World Development Center (Preschool through 4th grade)

Colleges and Universities

Northern Virginia Community College, Woodbridge Campus
Stratford University

Attractions and Culture

Woodbridge grew a lot in the mid-1980s. Before that, it was mostly farms and factories. It became a busy suburban area, with many people working in nearby Washington, D.C.

One of the biggest attractions is Potomac Mills Mall. It's one of the largest shopping centers in northern Virginia.

Another cultural spot is Rippon Lodge. This is the oldest house in Prince William County. It opened as a park and museum in October 2007, where you can learn about its history.

Sports in Woodbridge

Woodbridge used to be home to the Potomac Nationals, a minor league baseball team. They played at Pfitzner Stadium. Even though the team moved, the stadium is still used for many community events.

In 2022, the Washington Commanders football team announced they might build a new stadium complex in Woodbridge. This plan could include a new stadium, an outdoor music venue (amphitheater), shops, and offices.

Transportation

Major Roads

The VA Route 294 Woodbridge exit on I-95

U.S. Route 1 runs through Woodbridge from north to south. Interstate 95 runs next to it, forming the western edge of the community. Other important roads include VA 123 (Gordon Boulevard), VA 294 (Prince William Parkway), and SR 784 (Dale Boulevard).

Buses and Trains

The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) has its main office in Woodbridge. They run bus services called OmniRide and OmniRide Local throughout Prince William County. Two bus routes serve Woodbridge: the Woodbridge/Lake Ridge route and the Route 1 route.

The Woodbridge train station is owned by Virginia Railway Express (VRE). You can catch Amtrak's Northeast Regional train or VRE's Fredericksburg Line train here. Buses also stop at the train station.

Notable People

Many interesting people have connections to Woodbridge:

Jeff Baker, a former professional baseball player
Brandon Brown, a professional race car driver
Benita Fitzgerald-Brown, an Olympic gold medalist in track and field
Russell Davis, a former professional football player
Christine Fox, a former acting U.S. Secretary of Defense
Da'Shawn Hand, a professional football player
Emmylou Harris, a famous singer and songwriter
Meyers Leonard, a former professional basketball player
Tony Lilly, a former professional football player
Nelson Martinez, a professional soccer player
David Robinson, a former professional basketball player
Zuill Bailey, a Grammy Award-winning cellist
Shaboozey, a musician, singer-songwriter, and filmmaker
Tommy Richman, a singer and songwriter

Images for kids

Remains of the Route 1 Bridge following Hurricane Agnes
Damage to the Route 1 Bridge over the Occoquan during hurricane Agnes.