Potomac News Online | Prince William Demographics

From everywhere around the world, they are coming to … Prince William County.

The county has grown increasingly diverse over the last few decades, as is evident in the area’s demographics.

The county’s population is 67.9 percent white, 19.6 percent black, 4.2 percent Asian or Pacific Islander, 4.3 percent bi- or multiracial, 0.1 percent Native American and 4 percent other, according to 2001 statistics. The county population is 11.2 percent Hispanic, which is an ethnic, not racial, designation.

As of June 2003, there were 321,570 people living in Prince William and the population is forecasted to balloon to over 400,000 by the year 2020.

The population of Prince William is overwhelmingly middle class. Nearly 24 percent of county households earn more than $100,000 and only 4.4 percent of individuals and 3.3 percent of families live below the poverty line. Everyone else falls somewhere in-between.

According to Virginia Employment Commission December 2002 statistics, the county had a civilian labor force of 155,107 and an unemployment rate of 2.9 percent.

County residents have a median family income of $71,622 and a median household income of $65,960, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

There are an estimated 111,945 housing units, of which an estimated 56.2 percent are single-family dwellings.

The median value of a home in the county is $149,600, while the typical home houses three people. The median mortgage payment is $1,385 and the typical rent is around $862 per month.

The latest county projections indicate Prince William will have 150,700 jobs in 2020.

The population is split almost evenly along gender lines, with men reaching a slight edge at 51 percent.

About 30.4 percent of county residents are 18 years old or younger. Nearly five percent are 65 years or older. The median age is 31.9 years old. The county’s population grew by more than 30 percent between the years 1990 and 2000.

THE CITIES

About 36,000 people live in Manassas, a population that has more than doubled in the last 20 years. About 72 percent of city residents are white, 12.9 percent are black, 3.5 percent are Asian and 15 percent are Hispanic.

Meanwhile, Manassas Park’s population has grown to about 10,300, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. Seventy-two percent of the population is white, 11 percent is black, 4 percent is Asian and 15 percent is Hispanic.

The average household size in Manassas is 2.92 people per home, while Manassas Park leads the area with about 3 people per home.

The median family income in Manassas Park is $61,075. In Manassas, it is $70,141, according to census statistics.

There are about 12,500 housing units in Manassas and the median value of a single family home is $257,000. The median values of a townhouse and a condominium are $148,000 and $115,000 respectively.

In Manassas Park, there are 3,365 housing units and the median value of a home is $116,000.