Sterling, Virginia

Sterling, Virginia is a census-designated place in Loudoun County. It is one of the smaller towns in the Northern Virginia / Washington D.C. metro area, sporting a population of just under 28,000. Geographically it is surrounded by Herndon, Ashburn, and Great Falls. It is known for including part of Washington Dulles International Airport and for being the former home of AOL’s company headquarters. Sterling is a town with fascinating history and more to do than you might think, given its size. It is also a great place to live.

Sterling’s history dates back to 1959, when Washington Dulles International Airport was being built and water/sewer lines were being run for the airport’s use. The land that is now Sterling was largely farmland. Land prices soared when the airport was under construction, literally tripling what they were before. Marvin T. Broyhill, Jr., and his father, under the corporation name of M.T. Broyhill & Sons Corporation, decided to buy up and incorporate what is now the community of Sterling Park. Broyhill’s plan was to set up a neighborhood of prefabricated homes with air-conditioning that, without a separate charge for a homeowners’ association, would have free access to local parks, pools, and golfing. With the exception of the free golf, that is the reality in Sterling Park today. Of course, the homes cost quite a bit more than the $17,000 price point that Broyhill targeted to make Sterling Park competitive with homes in nearby Fairfax County!

Today, the median home price in Sterling is $353,300. The median age of residents there is 32.8 and the married population is 49.6%. In short, this means that Sterling is a haven for young families. Communities in Sterling include the above-mentioned Sterling Park, the planned community of Cascades, the CountrySide subdivision, Dulles, Lowes Island, Potomac Falls, and Sugarland Run.

Major employers in Sterling include Neustar, Electronic Instrumentation and Technology, Paxfire, Alcatel-Lucent, Geo Trans, HR Solutions LLC, M.C. Dean, Inc., National Electronics Warranty Corp, N E W Customer Service Companies Inc, and Orbital Science. The National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office is in Sterling, along with the National Weather Service test, research, and evaluation center for weather instruments.

Notable stops in town include the Heritage Farm Museum, where visitors can milk a lifelike cow, visit the General Store, and take part in hands-on classes dedicated to preserving Sterling’s extensive agricultural heritage. Then there’s the water park of Downpour Algonkian, which features a pool with children’s slides and an “interactive splash tower.” It’s the perfect family destination in warm weather. Bring the family dog along for a day at the Claude Moore Park and Recreation Sportsplex, where you can enjoy all sorts of outdoor pursuits from hiking and fishing to biking and baseball. Guilford Signal Station is part of the Civil War Trails.

To learn more about the fascinating and enticing community of Sterling, contact a qualified real estate professional today!