2014-05-13 08 32 55 Eastern Red Cedar at South Riding Golf Club in, 2014
South Riding’s story
South Riding in pictures
The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2014 and 2 maps from 1968 on.
Explore the history →South RidingVA
34,352 residents make their home in this town in Virginia.
Population
34,352
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$746K
Census ACS
Household income
$196K
median
Median age
38.5
years
Jobs based here
5,319
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#23 of 249 in VA
Why does South Riding grade so well?
South Riding’s strongest is health (A+) — it is healthier than 97% of U.S. towns. Its overall A puts it 23rd of 249 in Virginia. On that grade it does better than 95% of U.S. towns. It also does well on incomes: the median household earns $196K. What counts against it is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $746K, 5.9 years of the Washington metro’s $127K median household income. The biggest park or preserve is Elk Lick Park, at 21 acres. The town’s midpoint rent is $2,905 a month, above both the Virginia town median ($1,760 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). This Virginia town is more walkable than just over three quarters of U.S. towns.
Figures: health, CDC PLACES · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · home values, Zillow · OpenStreetMap.
What makes South Riding stand out
Where South Riding beats most towns.
Loudoun County Public Schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Liberty Elementary | PK–5 | 813 |
| Little River Elementary | PK–5 | 701 |
| Hutchison Farm Elementary | PK–5 | 672 |
SchoolsA
#19 of the 250 Virginia towns we grade for schools
NCES · EDFacts.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 76% of U.S. towns
2.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A growing town
South Riding has grown 40% from 2010 to 2020
24,256 counted in 2010 and 33,877 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How South Riding grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Virginia), ordered by how far South Riding is from typical.
HealthStonesprings Hospital Center 2.6 miles awayA+Open →Jobs & incomeGraded on incomes, poverty and employmentAOpen →SchoolsSchools rank among the strongest comparedAOpen →Cost of livingIn the bottom fifth of the towns comparedC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.3 of 20; 1.8% of households have no carA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 31% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 308 attractions →White House and 244 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around South Riding. Close and well known come first.
Big draw26 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw26 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw24 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw24 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
4 mi MuseumSteven F. Udvar-Hazy Center1.6M visitors a year
Big draw26 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain
Getting set up
Moving to South Riding: who provides what
South Riding is unincorporated, so Loudoun County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerDominion Energy15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLoudoun Water - Central SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesLoudoun CountyLoudoun County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Virginia you can register online until 11 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 11 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLoudoun General RegistrarLoudoun County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code2015220152 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in South Riding.
South Riding has less COPD than most of Virginia, pairs an A for schools with high home prices and has household incomes well above the Virginia norm.
HealthA+
South Riding’s grade for health is an A+
Its widest gap with Virginia is COPD: 3.1% of its 23,112 adults have COPD, against 6.2% statewide. Against the 1,009 U.S. towns with household incomes like South Riding’s, it is healthier than 58%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
18% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in South Riding. On the CDC’s 32 measures, South Riding is ahead of Virginia on 23 and behind on 2. In South Riding, 13% of adults report frequent mental distress, and 26% have obesity.
97%healthier than U.S. townsA+Health Grade
| South Riding | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 9.1% | 12% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 34% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 22% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Virginia
23 better7 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | South Riding | VA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with COPD | 3.1% | 6.2% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 3.3% | 6.1% |
| Fewer adults screened for colon cancer | 58.4% | 67.4% |
Stonesprings Hospital Center
2.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
83rd
percentile among VA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsA
On state tests, South Riding’s schools beat 88% of Virginia districts
Its A for schools comes with a C− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $746K.
Three of its 11 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed. Its public schools are run by the Loudoun County Public Schools. Public school enrollment in South Riding: 2,186 students across 3 schools.
88%of VA districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 813 | A |
| Freedom HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,885 | A |
| Little River ElementaryTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 701 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
South Riding has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Jobs based here grew from 3,310 in 2013 to 5,319. 30.4% of workers work from home, against 18.3% across Virginia.
The top destinations are Chantilly (7%), Tysons (6%) and Reston (6%). Only 5% of working residents stay in South Riding for work; the rest commute out. Jobs in South Riding grew by 2,009 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 5,319. Among workers in the town, 30% do their job from home.
5%work in town
| South Riding | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $196,000 | $101,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 30% | 17% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 3.8% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In South Riding5%
Chantilly7%
Tysons6%
Reston6%
Washington6%
12 mi
median commute distance
5,319
jobs based in South Riding
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 76% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Top of a low hazard risk in South Riding: inland flooding
The national flood insurance program has paid 2 claims in South Riding since 2006. Expected damage from storms and floods is lower here than in 69% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 68% come from inland flooding and 9% from heat waves.
31risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHeat wavesTornadoes
2
paid flood claims since 2006
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in South Riding
July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 25° and about 21 inches of snow falls in a winter.
21″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–45°
Spring43–66°
Summer64–86°
Fall46–68°
Oct 24
typical first frost
Apr 15
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsC+
1.8% of South Riding is conserved land
Among 242 Virginia towns, just 9 have a lower concentration of trails than South Riding. Count the trails in 6 parks and preserves and they come to 0.6 miles. Parks and preserves in the town: 6, covering 38 acres.
1.8%conserved
| South Riding | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.8% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
1.8%
conserved · 78 of 4,406 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Elk Lick Park | — | 21 |
| 2. Preserve | — | 7 |
| 3. Eastgate Park | 0.1 mi | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade C−
A home in South Riding sells for about $750K at the median
The median property tax bill is $6,164, against $2,790 across Virginia, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
For households in South Riding, the share who live in a home they own is 83%. On the market locally: a median 42 days to sell. In South Riding, the typical sale closed at 99.5% of the list price.
$750Kmedian sale price
| South Riding | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,905 a month | $1,760 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 83% | 68% | 73% |
Market temperature
42
days on market
99.5%
sale-to-list price
27
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about South Riding
18pages on South Riding
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of South Riding
Divine Mercy UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Sterling6.2 miAscent CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Gainesville9.4 mi$8,550 tuitionGeorge Mason UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Fairfax12.4 mi$14,220 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 South Riding residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Virginia.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave South Riding for work
Where South Riding’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
5,319jobs based in South Riding
5%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
South Riding’s neighbors
One town shares a border with South Riding.
Stone RidgeSouth Riding
How the neighbors grade
| Town | VA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Riding | #23 | A | C− | — | A | A+ |
| Stone Ridge | #9 | A+ | C− | — | A | A+ |
South Riding and Stone Ridge report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare South Riding with a neighbor →
Questions about South Riding
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is South Riding, VA a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. South Riding grades A overall, better than 95% of U.S. towns and #23 of 249 in Virginia. It grades A+ for health and A for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is South Riding, VA expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $746,000, 81% above the Virginia typical home.