Population397,148 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate)
Two River Boundaries South of the Capital
Chesterfield County, VirginiaChesterfield County sits south of Richmond between landscapes shaped by the James and Appomattox rivers. Its communities combine metropolitan connections with places where visitors can explore early settlement, industrial history and outdoor recreation. Chesterfield Court House provides a civic reference, but a county visit need not revolve around a single center. Henricus, the Midlothian mining story and Pocahontas State Park suggest three different themes. Choosing one of them gives a day more depth than treating the county simply as the suburban edge of Virginia’s capital.
Chesterfield County at a Glance
Population397,148 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate)
County SeatChesterfield Court House
Largest municipalityNone - no incorporated municipalities
Established1749
ZIP coverage count18 (whole or partial coverage; Oct. 2026)
Total Area, Including Water437.007 square miles, including water (2020 Census geography)
Major routesI-95; I-295; SR 288; US 60; US 360
Main area codes804 / 686
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Discover Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County
Created from Henrico County in 1749, Chesterfield was named for the Earl of Chesterfield. Its historical landscape reaches further back, including the Indigenous community of Arrohateck and the English settlement at Henricus, founded in 1611. Later coal mining and transportation brought another pattern of work and movement. Those episodes belong to different periods and should not collapse into a single founding story. The county’s historical timeline helps connect them while leaving room to consider the people whose labor, displacement and daily decisions shaped each chapter of development.
An outing can move between interpretation and observation. At a historical destination, ask how people used the river or transported materials; in a park, notice how water, woods and terrain shape the experience today. The county’s spread of communities makes travel planning important, so group nearby stops and consult each destination’s current information. Pocahontas provides a substantial outdoor option, while Henricus offers a more concentrated historical setting. A successful visit leaves enough time for questions, a walk or a program rather than measuring the day only by distance covered.
What Shapes Us
Several Historical Layers
Indigenous communities, colonial settlement and industrial work offer distinct lenses on Chesterfield. Comparing the evidence from each period helps visitors understand change without suggesting that the county’s history began with its government.
Rivers And Routes
The James and Appomattox give the county an enduring geographic frame. Their importance becomes clearer when you connect a local site with the wider movement of people, goods and ideas through Virginia.
Choose Your Pace
A museum-oriented day and a trail-oriented day need different plans. Chesterfield’s range allows visitors to choose a concentrated experience, with room for a community stop instead of an overly ambitious countywide circuit.
Two rivers frame a county with distinct local connections.
A Closer Look
Chesterfield County
Places and perspectives from Chesterfield County
WRIC 8News — regional
Witnesses testify in Chesterfield court, charges certified against Gumfork Place shooting suspect
The man facing nine charges in relation to the May 31 death of a police K-9 and the…
Read the Story Oct 16, 2026 • 2 min readAround Chesterfield County
Stories from every corner of Chesterfield County.
Witnesses testify in Chesterfield court, charges certified against Gumfork Place shooting suspect
The man facing nine charges in relation to the May 31 death of a police K-9 and the…
Oct 16, 2026 • 2 min read
Lynchburg Councilman Misjuns says he received death threat after resident criticized his social media as ‘hate speech’
A video went viral, bringing hundreds of thousands of eyes to the at-large representative who’s up for reelection…
Oct 17, 2026 • 2 min read
U.S. energy secretary announces electric grid upgrades across parts of APCo’s service area
Up to $50 million in federal money will go toward transmission line work to increase energy supply, U.S.…
Oct 17, 2026 • 2 min read
Perriello holds 2-1 cash advantage over McGuire. He’s the only Democratic challenger in Virginia with financial edge.
The latest round of campaign finance reports came out Friday. Here's what they show in Virginia's U.S. House…
Oct 17, 2026 • 2 min read
Google confirmed as parent company for data center project in Roanoke County
The Western Virginia Regional Industrial Facility Authority recently pulled out of an NDA on the project at I-81/581…
Oct 16, 2026 • 2 min read
Shop - Dine - Discover
Meet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
County Resources
Find the Right Local Connection
Start with the organization responsible for the service you need. Follow its official link for current requirements, office locations and availability.
Government
Local
Departments — Locate county departments and the office responsible for the service you need.
Board of Supervisors — Learn about the county governing board and find its official information.
Boards and Commissions — Find county boards, commissions or committees and their areas of responsibility.
Building Inspection — Start with the county’s building-permit or inspection guidance.
Commissioner of the Revenue — Locate the county revenue office and its assessment information.
County Administration — Contact county administration and learn about its responsibilities.
Economic Development — Find local business-development information and the responsible county partner.
Planning — Find the county’s land-use planning or zoning information and contacts.
Procurement — Find county purchasing information and guidance for prospective vendors.
Chesterfield County government — Find county notices, public meetings and official service information.
Schools
Local
Schools — Find official schools information and service contacts.
Special Education — Find local special-education services and family contacts.
Calendars — Check the school division calendar for school days and scheduled breaks.
Transportation — Find transportation services and current department information.
Local contacts
Bon Air Elementary — Elementary; grades PK-05. 8701 Polk St, Bon Air, VA 23235. 804-560-2700 . Contact listing: NCES 2024–2025; confirm hours and services directly.
C.C. Wells Elementary — Elementary; grades PK-05. 13101 S. Chester Rd., Chester, VA 23831. 804-768-6265 . Contact listing: NCES 2024–2025; confirm hours and services directly.
Thomas Dale High — High; grades 09-12. 3626 W. Hundred Rd., Chester, VA 23831. 804-768-6245 . Contact listing: NCES 2024–2025; confirm hours and services directly.
Carver Middle — Middle; grades 06-08. 3800 Cougar Trail, Chester, VA 23831. 804-524-3620 . Contact listing: NCES 2024–2025; confirm hours and services directly.
Chester Early Childhood Learning Academy — Prekindergarten; grades PK-PK. 155501 Harrowgate Road, Chester, VA 23831. 804-748-1405 . Contact listing: NCES 2024–2025; confirm hours and services directly.
J.A. Chalkley Elementary — Elementary; grades PK-05. 3301 Turner Road, Chesterfield, VA 23832. 804-674-1300 . Contact listing: NCES 2024–2025; confirm hours and services directly.
Hospitals
For an emergency, call 911.
Local and regional hospitals
Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center — Midlothian, Chesterfield County. View hospital services and visitor information. This is a regional option, not a nearest-hospital ranking.
Virginia statewide
Virginia local health districts — Find the public health district and offices serving your locality.
VDH health facility oversight — Find licensing information and facility oversight contacts.
Virginia Medicaid — Find official coverage and member-service information.
Virginia health insurance marketplace — Review coverage options through the state marketplace.
Virginia 211 — Find local assistance with health access, transportation and basic needs.
Virginia immunization services — Find public vaccination information and service resources.
Virginia maternal health — Find state maternal-health resources and support.
National locator
HRSA health center locator — Search nearby federally supported health centers.
Medicare Care Compare — Compare participating hospitals and other providers by location.
Public Safety
For an emergency, call 911.
Local
Police — Find the local law-enforcement office and its public services.
Sheriff's Office — Find the local law-enforcement office and its public services.
Report or Request Police Information — Find official police report and records-request guidance.
Non-Emergency Crime Reporting — Read the police department’s instructions for reporting eligible non-emergency incidents.
Police Records — Find official police report and records-request guidance.
Virginia statewide
Active Alerts — Check current statewide public-safety alerts.
Missing Persons — View official missing-person notices and reporting information.
Criminal Record Check — Find state criminal-history record request procedures.
Fingerprinting — Review official fingerprinting service information.
Aggressive/Reckless Driver: How to Report — Read the State Police procedure for reporting dangerous driving.
Emergency Services
For an emergency, call 911.
Local
Emergency Management — Find local emergency planning, alerts and preparedness information.
Fire and EMS — Find local fire, rescue or emergency-services information and contacts.
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) — Find official emergency services information and service contacts.
Fire and Life Safety, Community Programs — Find local fire-prevention information and public safety programs.
Virginia statewide
VDEM preparedness — Find Virginia household emergency planning resources.
Virginia 511 — Check traffic incidents and road conditions before travel.
National service
National Weather Service — Enter your location for official forecasts, watches and warnings.
Ready.gov emergency kit — Use the federal checklist to assemble household emergency supplies.
Ready.gov family plan — Prepare a household communication and meeting plan.
Flood preparation — Find preparation and response guidance for flooding.
State Parks
Local
Pocahontas State Park — Chesterfield park with extensive trails, camping and recreation facilities.
Virginia statewide
Find a Park — Compare Virginia state parks by location when planning a regional outing.
Park trail maps — Download park maps before choosing a walking or riding route.
Find programs and events — Check ranger programs and scheduled activities by park and date.
Reservation information — Review how to reserve campsites, cabins and other facilities.
Prices — Check the official fee schedule before your visit.
Search by amenity — Find parks with the facilities your group needs.
Accessibility — Review accessible facilities and visitor assistance.
Become a Junior Ranger — Find children's learning activities available through the state park system.
Rules and regulations — Check visitor rules, permitted activities and restrictions.
Trails
Local
Pocahontas trail information — Chesterfield park with extensive trails, camping and recreation facilities. Use the official maps to plan a route.
Parks and Recreation — Find local recreation facilities and information for planning an outdoor visit.
Fall Line Trail — Find trail planning information, maps or current project status.
Parks and Facilities — Find local recreation facilities and information for planning an outdoor visit.
Trail Systems — Find trail planning information, maps or current project status.
Virginia statewide
Park trail maps — Download official state park trail maps and choose an appropriate route.
Hiking — Find state park walking opportunities and planning information.
Biking — Identify parks with cycling opportunities and check permitted use.
Equestrian — Find horse-trail and horse-camping information.
Accessibility — Check accessibility information before choosing a trail.
Utilities
Local
Utilities — Find public utility or public works contacts and service information; coverage varies by address.
Utilities Water Outage Map — Check the utility’s water-service disruption information.
Virginia statewide
Regulated Electric Companies & Service Map — Identify electric service territories; confirm service for your specific address.
Regulated Gas Companies & Service Map — Identify regulated gas providers and their service areas.
Regulated Water/Sewer Companies — Find regulated water and sewer companies; municipal systems may be separate.
Universal Service: Lifeline — Review the telephone affordability program and application resources.
Electricity FAQs — Find answers about electric utility service and billing.
Natural Gas FAQs — Find answers about gas service and customer responsibilities.
Water/Sewer FAQs — Review state guidance on water and sewer utility service.
Virginia 811 — Request underground utility marking before digging.
Libraries
Local
Chesterfield County Public Library — Find library branches, borrowing information and local library programs.
Local contacts
Central Library — 7051 Lucy Corr Blvd., Chesterfield, VA 23832. 804-751-2275 . Contact listing: IMLS FY2024; confirm hours and services directly.
Virginia statewide
Get a Library Card — Check eligibility for a Library of Virginia account and remote resources.
Catalog Search — Search the state library catalog for books and archival material.
Databases & eBooks — Explore online research databases and electronic books; access rules vary.
Research Guides & Indexes — Find guidance for Virginia genealogy and historical research.
Ask a Research Question — Ask state library staff for help locating research material.
Interlibrary Loan — Review options for borrowing state library material through a local library.
Digital Collections — Browse digitized photographs, records and historical documents.
Virginia Chronicle — Search digitized historical Virginia newspapers.
Courts
Local
Circuit Court — Find court contacts, office information and guidance for court business.
General District Court — Find court contacts, office information and guidance for court business.
Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court — Find court contacts, office information and guidance for court business.
Virginia statewide
Find a Local Court — Identify the court serving your locality and its official contact page.
Case Status and Information — Choose the appropriate court system to look up case information.
Pay Traffic Tickets and Other Offenses — Review official payment options and participating courts.
Access to Justice Self-Help — Find court-approved self-help information and forms.
Other Court-Related Forms — Locate forms by court and proceeding type.
Assistance with Protective Orders (I-CAN!) — Find the court system's protective-order assistance resources.
Mediation — Learn about court-connected mediation services.
DMV
Local
DMV Select — Check locally offered DMV services before visiting; DMV Select has limited transactions.
Virginia statewide
Locations — Find a customer service center and check the services offered before traveling.
Reserve Your Spot — Check appointment options for a DMV visit.
Driver's License — Find instructions for obtaining, renewing or replacing a Virginia license.
Title Your Vehicle or Trailer — Review the documents needed to establish vehicle ownership.
Registration — Find vehicle registration and renewal instructions.
REAL ID — Review the identity documents needed for a REAL ID credential.
Disability Programs — Find parking placard and license plate information.
Change my address — Update the address attached to your DMV records.
Request a Copy of Your Driver or Vehicle Record — Request an official driving or vehicle record.
Transportation
Local
Transportation — Find transportation services and current department information.
Public Transportation – GRTC — Find official transportation information and service contacts.
Virginia statewide
Traffic conditions — Check road incidents, closures and traffic cameras before travel.
Travel advisories — Read current VDOT travel notices and planned restrictions.
Road maps — Download official highway and county road maps.
Toll roads — Identify toll facilities and their payment information.
Rest areas — Locate state-maintained rest stops along major highways.
Virginia Breeze routes — Compare intercity bus stops and schedules; service does not reach every county.
Virginia Breeze passenger information — Check luggage, accessibility and trip-planning information.
Commuting and public transit — Find Commonwealth public-transportation resources.
Postal Services
USPS nationwide service
Locations — Locate post offices and collection boxes by your address or ZIP Code.
Forwarding Mail — Review mail-forwarding and change-of-address options.
Rent/Renew a PO Box — Check PO Box availability, rental and renewal options.
Schedule a Pickup — Check address eligibility and arrange collection of qualifying packages.
Schedule a Redelivery — Request another delivery attempt for eligible missed mail.
Track a Package — Check delivery progress using a USPS tracking number.
Calculate a Price — Compare postage costs for the size and destination of your mailing.
Finding Missing Mail — Follow the official steps for a delayed or missing item.
Passports — Locate passport acceptance services and review appointment preparation.
USPS Service Updates — Check disruptions affecting postal operations before visiting or shipping.
Veterans
Local
Veterans Resources — Find county-provided veteran support resources.
Virginia statewide
Virginia Department of Veterans Services — Find state benefits offices and veteran support programs.
Virginia Veterans Network employment services — Connect with Virginia veteran employment and transition assistance.
National VA service
VA facility locator — Find nearby VA medical centers, clinics and benefit offices.
Accredited claims representatives — Find accredited assistance with VA benefit claims.
VA health care enrollment — Review health care enrollment and application options.
Disability claims — Find the official steps for filing a disability claim.
Education benefits — Review application steps for VA education benefits.
Careers and employment — Explore VA career counseling and employment support.
VA housing assistance — Find veteran home-loan and housing assistance programs.
Employment
Local
Human Resources — Find county employment information and the human resources office.
Employment Services — View employment opportunities and application guidance from this local employer.
Virginia statewide
Virginia Works job-seeker services — Find career assistance, training and job-search support.
Virginia Workforce Connection — Learn how to register for the state job-search system.
Registered apprenticeships — Search approved apprenticeship opportunities.
Virginia state jobs — Search current Commonwealth employment openings.
Unemployment applications — Find official application steps for unemployment benefits.
VEC reemployment services — Review the state reemployment and eligibility-assessment program.
Virginia community colleges — Find community colleges and workforce-training pathways.
Virginia DARS — Find vocational rehabilitation and employment support for people with disabilities.
Get to Know Chesterfield County
Useful answers for residents, visitors and anyone planning their next step.
Local Questions
Chesterfield County Questions, Answered
Explore practical details about the county and the organizations that serve it.
397,148 (July 1, 2025 Census estimate). This is a dated Census Bureau estimate, rather than a live resident count.
437.007 square miles, including water (2020 Census geography). The total combines land and water area.
Henricus interprets the English settlement founded in 1611 and the Indigenous community of Arrohateck. Its reconstructed setting offers a way to discuss daily work, cultural encounters and the changes colonization brought. Henricus history.
Pocahontas State Park is a major outdoor destination in Chesterfield. Consult the park’s current trail guide and activity information to choose an outing that fits your group’s time and abilities. Pocahontas State Park.
Chesterfield’s history timeline traces the Mid-Lothian mining area and its transportation connections. Use that industrial story as a theme for exploring the county, rather than viewing its historic landscape only through colonial settlements. Chesterfield industrial history.
Compare the materials and everyday tasks described for the settlement and Arrohateck. Asking how people obtained food, built shelter and used the river gives a family visit a concrete focus beyond dates and names. Explore life at Henricus.
Chesterfield County was formed from Henrico County in 1749 and named for Philip Stanhope, the Earl of Chesterfield. Chesterfield Court House serves as its county seat. The James and Appomattox rivers define much of the county’s boundary, placing its history within the wider Richmond region. Nearby communities developed around the fall line, where Piedmont terrain meets the coastal plain. That geographic transition provides context for the county’s settlement patterns and later metropolitan connections.
Chesterfield Court House supplies a civic reference point, while the county’s northern and southern river boundaries help orient the wider landscape. Presquile National Wildlife Refuge and part of Richmond National Battlefield Park add distinct protected places. A visit benefits from identifying a specific community or site, particularly within the larger Richmond metropolitan setting. The relationship between rivers, terrain, and local centers gives the county more definition than a suburban label alone.
The 2020 Census geography figures record 423.506 square miles of land and 13.501 square miles of water in Chesterfield County. The county’s total area includes both. These are geographic measurements for that Census vintage, not a measurement of current water levels or public recreation access.
In the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate series, Chesterfield County had an estimated 365,330 residents on July 1, 2020, and 397,148 on July 1, 2025. Over that interval, the estimated population increased by 31,818 residents, or about 8.7%. Both figures come from the same estimate vintage, which revises earlier years for a consistent comparison.
Use the county timeline to choose one early settlement theme and one later industrial theme. Pairing those subjects shows how the same county’s rivers and routes served changing communities over time. Chesterfield history timeline.
Shop - Dine - Discover
Meet Local Businesses
Support the businesses that help make our communities thrive. From family-owned shops and restaurants to trusted local services, discover businesses worth visiting throughout the county.
My Local Guide
Find Something Fun
Make Time to ExploreBrowse local places by the kind of day you have in mind.
Kids’ Fun
- Metro Richmond Zoo
Chesterfield County — in Chesterfield County
Animal exhibits and family activities; admission and optional activities are paid. - Central Library
Chesterfield County — in Chesterfield County
Browse children’s books together and check the branch calendar for family activities. - Pocahontas State Park
Chesterfield County — in Chesterfield County
A family outdoor outing; check facilities, ranger programs and applicable fees before visiting.
Restaurants
- The Boathouse at Sunday Park
Midlothian — in Chesterfield County
Reservoir-side seafood restaurant at Sunday Park. - Brick House Diner
Midlothian — in Chesterfield County
Diner with breakfast and family meals; select the Midlothian location. - Latitude Seafood Co.
Midlothian — in Chesterfield County
Seafood restaurant with Midlothian and Chesterfield location menus.
Shopping & Retail
- The Great Big Greenhouse
Midlothian — in Chesterfield County
Garden-center plants, garden supplies and seasonal displays. - Chesterfield Towne Center
Chesterfield County — in Chesterfield County
Shopping center with a current store directory and visitor information. - Sassy Bee
Midlothian — in Chesterfield County
Gifts and home decor at the Midlothian store.
Clothing & Boutiques
- The S.E.E. Boutique
Midlothian — in Chesterfield County
Women’s clothing, jewelry and accessories in Midlothian. - Sassy Bee
Midlothian — in Chesterfield County
Apparel and accessories at the Midlothian boutique. - Penelope
Midlothian — in Chesterfield County
Women’s clothing, jewelry and accessories; choose the Midlothian store.
Outdoor Fun
- Pocahontas State Park
Chesterfield County — in Chesterfield County
Plan a walk on the park’s designated trails and review current access, parking and activity fees. - Five Forks Battlefield
Dinwiddie — nearby region; outside Chesterfield County
Walk the Five Forks unit’s battlefield trails; check visitor-station hours. - Grant’s Headquarters at City Point
Hopewell — nearby region; outside Chesterfield County
Visit the historic grounds above the meeting of the James and Appomattox rivers.
Free Things To Do
- Central Library
Chesterfield County — in Chesterfield County
Enjoy reading and browsing in the public library; borrowing eligibility and optional service charges are separate. - Five Forks Battlefield
Dinwiddie — nearby region; outside Chesterfield County
Explore the Five Forks battlefield; Petersburg National Battlefield charges no entrance fee. - Grant’s Headquarters at City Point
Hopewell — nearby region; outside Chesterfield County
Explore the NPS grounds without an entrance fee; building hours vary.
A New Stop, a Local ConnectionExplore the Listings Below