Hey, I am from out of state but head to the NoVa area to visit people I know there from time to time, I was just curious to know how far west on 66 or how far south on 95 you need to go to be considered "out of the area" In other words, where is the real cultural border between the more wealthy Washington influenced part of Virginia and the rest of the state which is more like the south.

I'm just curious about the area, thanks for all your replies!

Welcome to our area. we hope you enjoy the visit. Your question is an interesting one. I was born in DC and have lived in No. Va. my entire life. Growing up in Arlington in the 1970's anything outside of the Beltway was considered "out of the area". That drastically changed in the 1980s and 1990s. Today you can live as far west as Leesburg, southwest as Haymarket and south as Fredericksburg and still consider yourself part of the DC Metro area. However, those who live in the closer in suburbs (Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax) would argue that the limits are much closer in. Perhaps Herndon, Manassas and Quantico being the outer limits.

At this point, just about everything north of the Rappahannock River is influenced by DC, either in the form of bedroom communities full of commuters, the military, or the rapidly expanding wine industry.

Really interesting responses, thanks for them...it's great to learn more about the area, I'll be heading down there again in a few weeks

Be vigilant, expect culture shock, have concealed, be single so you can watch out for yourself, been here all my life 50 percent of friends dead before 40, the rest saw the writeing on the wall, good luck, my father was a IRS agent starting in 63 shot in the back in arligton in 64, we have been through the riots when dc burned, this place is difficult, marriages dont last,heartattack city, no friends, in this area only assosiates

forever stuck here Wrote:
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> Be vigilant, expect culture shock, have concealed,
> be single so you can watch out for yourself, been
> here all my life 50 percent of friends dead before
> 40, the rest saw the writeing on the wall, good
> luck, my father was a IRS agent starting in 63
> shot in the back in arligton in 64, we have been
> through the riots when dc burned, this place is
> difficult, marriages dont last,heartattack city,
> no friends, in this area only assosiates


You forgot to mention the illegal spics.

Forgot a big problem Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> forever stuck here Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Be vigilant, expect culture shock, have
> concealed,
> > be single so you can watch out for yourself,
> been
> > here all my life 50 percent of friends dead
> before
> > 40, the rest saw the writeing on the wall, good
> > luck, my father was a IRS agent starting in 63
> > shot in the back in arligton in 64, we have
> been
> > through the riots when dc burned, this place is
> > difficult, marriages dont last,heartattack
> city,
> > no friends, in this area only assosiates
>
>
> You forgot to mention the illegal spics.

And Jihadi's.

The western farthest borders of Loudoun County and Prince William County. Once you go farthest South or West into Stafford or Fauquier Counties.

I'd say you have to go south of Fredericksburg on 95, and west of Haymarket on 66.

The magic crack in I95 south that used to show where NOVA ends has been inching its way south for many years, It was hard for it to get past Fredericksburg and was stopped at the Rappahannock. Right now its at the Spotsylvania Caroline Co Line.Lots of feds from NOVA and others in Fredricksburg or is it Fedricksburg by eateries and shopping centers, Oh well some of it is still Rednecksburg by the hi wheel 4x4,s
.
In the 1970,s it was a far away place, Harpers Ferry W.VA the same, people at my job lived in both places carpooled in rode in the back of pickups sleeping in the camper shells. I hought they lived on the moon! Arcola was way out in Loudon Co back then, Greenbriar in west FXCO also! Manassas was out there Gainsville, Catlet too Warrenton a weekend spot to visit. today commuters come easy up to 60- 75 miles to DC or Fairfax Co from all directions some push that to 80- 90 miles 1 way. FX Co Fire dept has a 24 hour shift , firefighters come from Lewis De. Pa, Maryland way out, Va its said some live down near Hampton roads, Richmond, they come in at 7 am work 24 hrs go home and dont come back till the next day so they drive every 24 hr.

Like a couple of earlier posters, I was also born and raised here, and when I was a kid in the late 60's and 70's growing up off of route 1, we considered anything south of the Occoquan or west of Fairfax City weird and foreign.

The Census Bureau looks at things a bit differently, however. As of 2010, the MSA (metropolitan statistical area, the area "influenced by") for DC is :

Washington, D.C.

Maryland

Calvert County
Charles County
Frederick County
Montgomery County
Prince George's County

Virginia

Arlington County
Clarke County
Fairfax County
Fauquier County
Loudoun County
Prince William County
Spotsylvania County
Stafford County
Warren County

West Virginia

Jefferson County

Warren County? ...not so much, except maybe the bedroom developments off the I66 exits.