Henrico County, Virginia | |
|---|---|
 The Old Henrico County Courthouse inRichmond. | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofVirginia | |
 Virginia's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:37°33′N77°24′W / 37.55°N 77.40°W /37.55; -77.40 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Virginia |
| Founded | 1611[1] |
| Named after | Henricus |
| Seat | Laurel |
| Largest city | Tuckahoe |
| Government | |
| • Manager | John Vithoulkas |
| Area | |
• Total | 245 sq mi (630 km2) |
| • Land | 237.65 sq mi (615.5 km2) |
| • Water | 7.35 sq mi (19.0 km2) 3 (approx)[2]% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 334,389 |
• Estimate (2024) | 338,696 |
| • Density | 1,407.1/sq mi (543.27/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional districts | 4th,1st |
| Website | henrico |
Henrico County/hɛnˈraɪkoʊ/, officially theCounty of Henrico, is acounty located in theCommonwealth ofVirginia in the United States. As of the2020 census, the population was 334,389[3] making it thefifth-most populous county in Virginia. Henrico County is included in theGreater Richmond Region. There is no incorporated community within Henrico County; therefore, there is no incorporated county seat either.Laurel, an unincorporatedCDP, serves this function.
Named after thesettlement of Henricus, Henrico was first incorporated as the City of Henrico. In 1634, Henrico was reorganized as Henrico Shire, one of the eight originalShires of Virginia.[1] It is one of the United States' oldest counties. TheCity of Richmond was officially part of Henrico County until 1842, when it became a fullyindependent city.[4]
The present-day Henrico County curves around the City of Richmond, surrounding it to the west, the north, and the east. The county is bounded by theChickahominy River to the north, Tuckahoe Creek to the west, and theJames River and Richmond to the south.[5]
Richmond International Airport is located in the eastern portion of Henrico County inSandston. Top private employers in the county includeCapital One,Bon Secours, andElevance Health.[6]
In 1611,Thomas Dale founded theCitie of Henricus on a peninsula in theJames River that is now calledFarrar's Island.[7] Henricus was named forHenry Frederick, Prince of Wales, but it was destroyed during theIndian massacre of 1622, during which local Native American warriors of the Powhatan confederacy attacked the English settlers to drive them from the area.[8]
In 1634, Henrico Shire was one of the eight originalShires of Virginia established in theVirginia Colony.[1] Since then, 10 counties and three independent cities have been formed from the original territory of Henrico Shire.[4]
| County/City | Year founded |
|---|---|
| Goochland County | 1728 |
| Albemarle County | 1744 |
| Chesterfield County | 1749 |
| Cumberland County | 1749 |
| Amherst County | 1761 |
| Buckingham County | 1761 |
| Fluvanna County | 1777 |
| Powhatan County | 1777 |
| Nelson County | 1807 |
| City of Richmond | 1842 |
| Appomattox County (part) | 1845 |
| City of Charlottesville | 1888 |
| City of Colonial Heights | 1948 |
In 1776, Richard Adams and Nathaniel Wilkenson participated in the Fifth Virginia Convention, which voted to send delegates to the Continental Congress to propose separation from the British. That proposal led to theDeclaration of Independence.During the Revolutionary War, when Benedict Arnold's invading army occupied Richmond in January 1781, the Henrico militia was called to active duty. During the brief British occupation of Richmond, many Henrico court records were destroyed. Three months later when Arnold's men, now part of British forces led by General William Phillips, approached Richmond for a second time, the British were stopped by the sight of local militiamen and American Continental troops led by a young Frenchman, the Marquis de Lafayette. Outnumbered, Lafayette abandoned Richmond when General Charles Cornwallis occupied the town in June 1781. Cornwallis then retired to Williamsburg and later to Yorktown. After being surrounded there by General George Washington and his French allies, Cornwallis surrendered, effectively ending the American Revolution.[9]
Since becoming independent in 1842, theCity of Richmond has successfullyannexed portions of Henrico five times.[10]Chesterfield County annexed the site ofHenricus in 1922.[4]
Henrico was badly hurt in theCivil War. During theReconstruction era, Virginia Estelle Randolph was a pioneer educator and humanitarian who lived from 1874 to 1958. She opened the old Mountain Road School in 1892 and was named the first Jeanes Supervisor Industrial Teacher in Henrico County Schools in 1908. She conducted the first Arbor Day program in Virginia.
TheUSS Henrico was a Bayfield-class attack transport involved in World War Two and subsequent conflicts.[11]
Richmond attempted to completely merge with Henrico in 1961, but 61% of the votes in a referendum in Henrico county voted against the merger.[12] In 1965, Richmond attempted to annex 145 square miles of Henrico County. However, after a lengthy court battle, the city was given permission to annex only 17 square miles. Since the city would have had to reimburse Henrico a hefty $55 million, Richmond opted against annexing the 17 square miles.[2][12]
In 1981, theVirginia General Assembly placed a moratorium on all annexations throughout the state.[13] Henrico's borders have not changed since Richmond's 1942 annexation.
The originalcounty seat was atVarina, at theVarina Farmsplantation across the James River from Henricus. ColonistJohn Rolfe built this plantation, where he lived with his wife,Pocahontas.[14] Henrico's government was located at Varina from around 1640 until 1752.[2]
In 1752, Henrico relocated its seat to a more central location inside the city of Richmond, betweenChurch Hill and what is nowTobacco Row. The county seat remained at 22nd and Main St in Richmond even after the city's government became fully independent of the county in 1842.[4] It was not until 1974 when the county moved out of theHenrico County Courthouse to a complex in the western portion of the county at the intersection of Parham Road and Hungary Springs Road inLaurel.[2]
In addition to the 1974 complex, in 1988 the county opened its Eastern Government Center to be more convenient to county residents in the eastern portion of the county. It is located on Nine Mile Road.[2]
During theCivil War, in 1862 Henrico County was the site of numerous battles during thePeninsula Campaign, including:
Additional significant battles took place in 1864 during theOverland Campaign prior to and during theSiege of Petersburg, which led to the fall of Richmond. Confederate GeneralJ.E.B. Stuart was mortally wounded in Henrico County at theBattle of Yellow Tavern on May 12, 1864.
Henrico County is one of only two counties in Virginia that maintains its own roads, with the other beingArlington County. This special status was due to the existence of county highway departments prior to the creation in 1927 of the state agency that is nowVDOT; and the assumption by that agency in 1932 of local roads in most counties. (Henrico and Arlington were grandfathered and allowed to continue pre-existing arrangements.) The control of the roads system is considered a powerful advantage for community urban planners, who can require developers to contribute to funding needed for road needs serving the planners' and developers' projects.
Henrico County is the site ofRichmond International Airport. It hosts anAmtrak rail passenger station,Richmond Staples Mill Road station. It purchases public bus route services fromGreater Richmond Transit Company, an FTA-funded public service company that is owned equally by the City of Richmond and neighboring Chesterfield County.
AfterReconstruction, Henrico County usedconvict leasing to build roads in 1878.[15]
Some old roads continue to be in use today, such as Horsepen Road,Three Chopt Road, and Quiocassin Road.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 245 square miles (630 km2), of which 234 square miles (610 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (4.6%) is water.[16]
Henrico County is located within thehumid subtropical climate zone and has hot and humid summers with moderately cold winters. Henrico County on average has 8 snow days. Henrico County has 88 days when the low falls below freezing, 50 days when the high exceeds 90 degrees, and 8 days when the high does not exceed freezing.
| Climate data for Tuckahoe, Virginia (1980-2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 46.9 (8.3) | 50.8 (10.4) | 59.4 (15.2) | 70.1 (21.2) | 77.4 (25.2) | 85.1 (29.5) | 88.5 (31.4) | 87.1 (30.6) | 80.9 (27.2) | 70.7 (21.5) | 60.7 (15.9) | 50.1 (10.1) | 69.0 (20.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 25.2 (−3.8) | 27.4 (−2.6) | 33.6 (0.9) | 42.9 (6.1) | 51.8 (11.0) | 61.3 (16.3) | 65.6 (18.7) | 64.4 (18.0) | 56.8 (13.8) | 45.1 (7.3) | 36.0 (2.2) | 28.1 (−2.2) | 44.8 (7.1) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.2 (81) | 2.9 (74) | 3.9 (99) | 3.3 (84) | 3.9 (99) | 3.5 (89) | 4.3 (110) | 4.2 (110) | 3.7 (94) | 3.3 (84) | 3.6 (91) | 3.4 (86) | 43.2 (1,101) |
| Source: USA.com[17] | |||||||||||||
Source: Climate-data.org
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 12,000 | — | |
| 1800 | 14,886 | 24.1% | |
| 1810 | 19,680 | 32.2% | |
| 1820 | 23,667 | 20.3% | |
| 1830 | 28,797 | 21.7% | |
| 1840 | 33,076 | 14.9% | |
| 1850 | 43,572 | 31.7% | |
| 1860 | 61,616 | 41.4% | |
| 1870 | 66,179 | 7.4% | |
| 1880 | 82,703 | 25.0% | |
| 1890 | 103,394 | 25.0% | |
| 1900 | 30,062 | −70.9% | |
| 1910 | 23,437 | −22.0% | |
| 1920 | 18,972 | −19.1% | |
| 1930 | 30,310 | 59.8% | |
| 1940 | 41,960 | 38.4% | |
| 1950 | 57,340 | 36.7% | |
| 1960 | 117,339 | 104.6% | |
| 1970 | 154,364 | 31.6% | |
| 1980 | 180,735 | 17.1% | |
| 1990 | 217,881 | 20.6% | |
| 2000 | 262,300 | 20.4% | |
| 2010 | 306,935 | 17.0% | |
| 2020 | 334,389 | 8.9% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 334,760 | [18] | 0.1% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[19] 1790–1960[20] 1900–1990[21] 1990–2000[22] 2000-2010[23] 2010-2020[24] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010[25] | Pop 2020[24] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 174,799 | 167,030 | 56.95% | 49.95% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 89,449 | 96,332 | 29.14% | 28.81% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 844 | 888 | 0.27% | 0.27% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 19,956 | 32,175 | 6.50% | 9.62% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 112 | 127 | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 792 | 1,955 | 0.26% | 0.58% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 5,982 | 13,797 | 1.95% | 4.13% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 15,001 | 22,085 | 4.89% | 6.60% |
| Total | 306,935 | 334,389 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of thecensus[26] of 2010, there were 306,935 people, 127,111 households, and 69,846 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 1,252 people per square mile (483 people/km2). As of 2019, there were 139,274 housing units at an average density of 568 units per square mile (219 units/km2). In 2018, the racial makeup of the county was 57% (185,772)White, 29.5% (96,112)Black orAfrican American, 0.2% (728)Native American, 8.2% (26,557)Asian, 0.03% (95)Pacific Islander, 0.98% (3,106) fromother races, and 3.1% (10,232) from two or more races. About 5.5% (17,959) of the population wasHispanic orLatino of any race.[27]
The largest ancestry groups in Henrico County are:Black or African American (25%),English American (14%),German (11%),Irish (10%) andItalian (4%)[28]
In 2000, there were 108,121 households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.30% weremarried couples living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.40% were non-families. 28.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 19, 7.80% from 20 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.5 years. For every 100 females there were 90.11 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.60 males.
In 2019, the median income for a household in the county was $68,024, and the median income for a family was $91,956. Theper capita income for the county was $40,222. 9% of the population were below thepoverty line.[29]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1880 | 1,032 | 46.65% | 1,180 | 53.35% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1884 | 2,174 | 55.25% | 1,755 | 44.60% | 6 | 0.15% |
| 1888 | 2,326 | 57.60% | 1,712 | 42.40% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1892 | 1,849 | 42.43% | 2,374 | 54.47% | 135 | 3.10% |
| 1896 | 1,817 | 43.16% | 2,332 | 55.39% | 61 | 1.45% |
| 1900 | 1,049 | 31.87% | 2,189 | 66.51% | 53 | 1.61% |
| 1904 | 248 | 21.25% | 890 | 76.26% | 29 | 2.49% |
| 1908 | 215 | 25.41% | 627 | 74.11% | 4 | 0.47% |
| 1912 | 93 | 7.91% | 952 | 81.02% | 130 | 11.06% |
| 1916 | 140 | 16.47% | 690 | 81.18% | 20 | 2.35% |
| 1920 | 338 | 23.26% | 1,078 | 74.19% | 37 | 2.55% |
| 1924 | 416 | 25.92% | 1,052 | 65.55% | 137 | 8.54% |
| 1928 | 1,887 | 58.31% | 1,349 | 41.69% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 1,291 | 33.32% | 2,458 | 63.43% | 126 | 3.25% |
| 1936 | 1,285 | 26.12% | 3,610 | 73.39% | 24 | 0.49% |
| 1940 | 2,005 | 33.27% | 3,993 | 66.25% | 29 | 0.48% |
| 1944 | 1,263 | 29.16% | 3,056 | 70.56% | 12 | 0.28% |
| 1948 | 2,092 | 42.09% | 2,321 | 46.70% | 557 | 11.21% |
| 1952 | 10,682 | 66.62% | 5,339 | 33.30% | 14 | 0.09% |
| 1956 | 12,702 | 60.20% | 5,032 | 23.85% | 3,367 | 15.96% |
| 1960 | 19,446 | 66.52% | 9,626 | 32.93% | 163 | 0.56% |
| 1964 | 29,286 | 69.59% | 12,779 | 30.37% | 17 | 0.04% |
| 1968 | 34,212 | 62.52% | 8,600 | 15.71% | 11,914 | 21.77% |
| 1972 | 52,536 | 84.87% | 8,420 | 13.60% | 948 | 1.53% |
| 1976 | 45,405 | 65.82% | 21,729 | 31.50% | 1,847 | 2.68% |
| 1980 | 50,505 | 66.85% | 21,023 | 27.83% | 4,023 | 5.32% |
| 1984 | 63,864 | 74.74% | 21,336 | 24.97% | 248 | 0.29% |
| 1988 | 62,284 | 69.29% | 26,980 | 30.02% | 623 | 0.69% |
| 1992 | 56,910 | 52.27% | 36,807 | 33.81% | 15,151 | 13.92% |
| 1996 | 54,430 | 53.37% | 41,121 | 40.32% | 6,441 | 6.32% |
| 2000 | 62,887 | 55.04% | 48,645 | 42.58% | 2,720 | 2.38% |
| 2004 | 71,809 | 53.82% | 60,864 | 45.62% | 745 | 0.56% |
| 2008 | 67,381 | 43.48% | 86,323 | 55.70% | 1,262 | 0.81% |
| 2012 | 70,449 | 43.42% | 89,594 | 55.22% | 2,198 | 1.35% |
| 2016 | 59,857 | 36.60% | 93,935 | 57.44% | 9,744 | 5.96% |
| 2020 | 63,440 | 34.64% | 116,572 | 63.65% | 3,140 | 1.71% |
| 2024 | 62,882 | 34.65% | 115,040 | 63.39% | 3,567 | 1.97% |
Henrico County is managed by an appointed county manager who answers directly to the board of supervisors. The current county manager is John A. Vithoulkas.
The Board of Supervisors are:
In 2014, Henrico County won 'Best in Government' fromRichmond Magazine.[31]
There are several elected constitutional officers.
There are also several legislative representatives.
In the U.S. House of Representatives:
In the Virginia Senate:
In the Virginia House of Delegates:
From the 1950s until the early 2000s, Henrico County was solidly Republican in presidential elections, and was considered a classic bastion of suburban conservatism. However,Barack Obama won the county in 2008, becoming the first Democrat to do so sinceHarry Truman in 1948, and it has voted for the Democratic nominee in every subsequent presidential election. Mirroring the shift towards Democrats seen in many affluent suburban counties across the country,Joe Biden won Henrico County by nearly 30 points in 2020.
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The Henrico County Sheriff's Office and Henrico County Police are Henrico County's county-level law enforcement agencies.Thomas Dale led the county militia and was the first law enforcement officer in the county: the sheriff's department considers him the first sheriff of Henrico County.[32] The county police were founded in 1915. In 1938, the board of supervisors put the police under the direct control of the county manager, rather than under the sheriff.[33]
The elected Sheriff's primary duties are managing the jail, court security, and the service of civil process. In 1880, the first courthouse and jail was constructed and housed the Sheriff's Office and Jail until 1980. In 1980, in the need for a more technological advanced and more spacious area, the Jail West at the Henrico County Government Complex was constructed. In 1996, Henrico's Sheriff's Office opened Jail East inNew Kent County.[32]
The Henrico County Police Division is fully accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies and Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission.[33]
The Division of Fire is responsible for fire suppression, emergency medical services, hazardous materials response, technical rescue, water rescue, fire prevention, fire investigation, public education, disaster preparedness and emergency management. The Henrico County Fire Department includes 548 members, of whom 526 are sworn firefighters. The division operates 68fire apparatus at 20 community fire stations. The division is rated ISO class 1.[34]
Additionally, the department encompasses several specialized units, including a Water Rescue Team, Technical Rescue Team, Hazardous Incident Team, and special events resources. In 2014, the Division of Fire responded to 41,759 emergency incidents.
The department was awarded the 2024 Governor's Fire Service Award by Glenn Youngkin, who, in a press release, praised it for its work in training and regional partnerships, particularly in supporting statewide training events.[35]
Altria Group (formerly Philip Morris) had its corporate headquarters in anunincorporated area in Henrico County.[36] In 2003, Philip Morris announced that it would move its headquarters from New York City to Virginia. The company said that it planned to keep around 750 employees in its former headquarters. Brendan McCormick, a spokesperson for Philip Morris, said that the company estimated that the move would save the company over $60 million each year.[37] This relocation was made with the help of the Henrico County Economic Development Authority and the Greater Richmond Partnership,[38] regional economic development organizations who also helped locateAditya Birla Minacs,Alfa Laval,Genworth Financial, andBlue Bell Creameries to the county.
According to the county's 2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[39] the top employers in the county are:
| # | Employer | # of employees | Community |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henrico County Public Schools (Henrico County government) | 5,000–9,999 | |
| 2 | Capital One | 5,000–9,999 | |
| 3 | Henrico County government | 1,000–4,999 | Laurel |
| 4 | Henrico Doctors' Hospital | 1,000–4,999 | |
| 5 | Anthem | 1,000–4,999 | |
| 6 | Bank of America | 1,000–4,999 | |
| 7 | Wells Fargo | 1,000–4,999 | Innsbrook |
| 8 | Walmart | 1,000–4,999 | |
| 9 | United States Postal Service (The US Government) | 1,000–4,999 | Sandston |
| 10 | Genworth Financial | 1,000–4,999 | |
| 11 | Kroger | 1,000–4,999 | |
| 12 | SunTrust Banks | 500–999 | |
| 13 | Apex Systems | 500–999 | |
| 14 | Markel | 500–999 | |
| 15 | Virginia Department of Social Services (Commonwealth of Virginia Government) | 500–999 | |
| 16 | Dominion Resources | 500–999 | |
| 17 | Verizon Virginia | 500–999 | |
| 18 | J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College | 500–999 | |
| 19 | EAB (company) | 500–999 |
Theschool division known asHenrico County Public Schools consists of 45 elementary schools, 13 middle schools, 10 high schools and two technical centers within one school division. In 2001, HCPS began distributingAppleiBooks to every high school student. In 2003, they extended the program to middle schools. In 2005, the HCPS School Board decided to replace the iBooks withDell'sInspiron 600M at the high school level. In 2006, the HCPS School Board decided to continue using Apple iBooks at the middle school level, purchasing nearly 13,000 laptops in a contract worth $15.8 million. In 2010, HCPS School Board opened a new middle school, Holman Middle School, and opened a new high school,Glen Allen High School.
There are no existing incorporated towns, and no new municipalities can be created within the county. Henrico was the third Virginia county (afterArlington andFairfax counties) to be affected by a state law that prohibits the creation of any new towns or cities within the boundaries of a county with apopulation density of 1,000 or more per square mile.[40]
Prior to 1870, the Town and later City of Richmond was located within Henrico County. Under a new Virginia state constitution in 1870, and as further clarified by the rewritten one in 1902, Richmond became anindependent city.
At the end of the 19th century and in the early 20th century, several small incorporated towns were chartered by Acts of Assembly, primarily in areas of the county near to, but outside of, the city limits. As listed by the secretary of the Commonwealth, these included:
For many years, theUnited States Postal Service considered most of Henrico County to be unincorporated Richmond, and the majority of locations in the county had a Richmond address. However, in 2008 county residents won the right to recognize Henrico County as the locality to which they pay the majority of their taxes. As of October 1, 2008, the primary mailing address for the majority of the county was officially changed to Henrico. It was estimated that the county would recover $5 million in misdirected tax dollars due to the address change.[43] This move has set a precedent causing many other localities in Virginia who are officially recognized by the United States Postal Service as the nearest major city to consider petitioning the United States Postal Service for their own official mailing address bearing the name of the locality to which residents actually pay their taxes.
Henrico County is the location ofRichmond Raceway, which is home toNASCAR Cup Series races twice a year.
Henrico County is the county that handles hazardous material spills and related problems (with three HAZMAT Teams) for the entire Central Virginia Region. Partly because of this, Central Virginia has total interoperability of Emergency Communications (Police, Fire, Recreation and Parks, Volunteer Rescue Squads, etc.) between the cities and more than ten counties.
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Henrico County has the highest bond rating (Triple, triple-A) from the three bond rating agencies in the United States, which means Henrico is known nationwide for its solid fiscal responsibility.[44]
Henrico County residents are served by the Henrico Area Mental Health and Developmental Services, which has a CARF three-year accreditation.[45] All fees for services rendered are based on financial need, providing mental health and recovery support services to thousands who otherwise would not be able to afford this due to their own limited financial resources. Nobody is denied service due to an inability to pay.[46]
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden was founded in 1984 and has 80 acres (320,000 m2). It is one of only two independent public botanical gardens in Virginia, and designated a state botanical garden. A public place for the display and scientific study of plants, it features a glass conservatory, rose garden, healing garden, and accessible-to-all children's garden.[47]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Places adjacent to Henrico County, Virginia | ||||||||||||||||
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