Leesburg | |
|---|---|
 Center of Leesburg in 2012 | |
 Seal  Logo | |
  Leesburg  Leesburg  Leesburg | |
| Coordinates: 39°6′56″N 77°33′52″W / 39.11556°N 77.56444°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Loudoun |
| Founded | October 12, 1758 |
| Named for | Lee family |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Mayor | Kelly Burk (D) [1] |
| • Vice Mayor | Fernando Martinez (D) [2] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 12.47 sq mi (32.29 km2) |
| • Land | 12.40 sq mi (32.11 km2) |
| • Water | 0.07 sq mi (0.18 km2) |
| Elevation | 341 ft (104 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 48,250 |
| • Estimate (2021)[3] | 48,908 |
| • Density | 4,333.17/sq mi (1,673.07/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 20175-20178 |
| Area code(s) | 703, 571 |
| FIPS code | 51-44984 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1498505[4] |
| Website | www |
Leesburg is a town in and the county seat of Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. It is part of both the Northern Virginia region of the state and the Washington metropolitan area, including Washington, D.C., the nation's capital.
European settlement in the area began around 1740[citation needed], when it was named for the Lee family, early colonial leaders of the town.[5] Located in the far northeast of the state, in the War of 1812 it was a refuge for important federal documents evacuated from Washington, D.C., and in the Civil War, it changed hands several times.
Leesburg is 33 miles (53 km) west-northwest of Washington, D.C., along the base of Catoctin Mountain and close to the Potomac River.[6] The town is the northwestern terminus of the Dulles Greenway, a private toll road that connects to the Dulles Toll Road at Dulles International Airport. Its population was 48,250 as of the 2020 Census[2] and an estimated 48,908 in 2021. It is Virginia's largest incorporated town within a county.
Like much of Loudoun County, Leesburg has undergone considerable growth and development over the last 30 years, transforming from a small, rural, Piedmont town to a suburban bedroom community for commuters to the national capital. Growth in the town and its immediate area to the east (Lansdowne/Ashburn) concentrates along the Dulles Greenway and State Route 7, which roughly parallels the Potomac River between Winchester to the west and Alexandria to the east.
Leesburg is home to professional soccer team Loudoun United FC of the USL Championship division who play their home matches at Segra Field.
The Federal Aviation Administration's Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center is in Leesburg.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files –Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Leesburg town, Virginia". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
- ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
- ^ "Leesburg". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Early Settlement & Founding". Town of Leesburg. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
- ^ Head, James W. History and Comprehensive Description of Loudoun County, Virginia.