About Lancaster County

Origins

Lancaster County was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1651 on the same day as Gloucester County making them the 12th and 13th counties established in the Virginia Colony. The present Courthouse was built in 2010 and houses county records maintained virtually intact since 1652.

Demographics

According to the 2020 census, the population of Lancaster County is 10, 919. For detailed demographic data, please visit the Lancaster County Profile on the U.S. Census Bureau web site.

Geography

Lancaster County lies in Virginia's coastal plain and is bounded on the east by the Chesapeake Bay and to the south and west by the Rappahannock River. Both water bodies are major contributors to the county's 180 miles of shoreline. The terrain is generally flat with the highest elevations around 100 feet above sea level.