Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
At A overall, University Center ranks 63rd of 249 in Virginia. Set against the rest, it does better than 89% of U.S. towns. Schools are where it shines: its schools rank ahead of 88% of Virginia towns. What holds it back is cost of living — the typical home is worth about $508K, 4 years of the Washington metro’s $127K median household income. The town’s trail network density is 4.1 miles per square mile, above both the Virginia town median (0.7) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Only 34 of Virginia’s 371 towns score lower on history. The biggest place to walk is Bles Park, 69 acres with 1.4 miles of trail. Just over a fifth of the land in the town is conserved, above both Virginia’s towns (4.6%) and U.S. towns (4.3%).
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · OpenStreetMap · National Register of Historic Places · USGS PAD-US.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Virginia), ordered by how far University Center is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Where University Center beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Primrose School of Ashburn | PK–K | 152 |
| Goddard School-Ashburn | PK–K | 106 |
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2017 and 7 maps from 1908 on.
Explore the history →3,586 counted in 2010 and 3,969 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
Ordered by what stands out in University Center.
University Center trades workers with Ashburn and other neighbors, is one of Virginia’s best towns for the outdoors and has less heart disease than most of Virginia.
Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #7 of 253 in Virginia.
3.7 miles of trail wind through 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bles Park | 1.4 mi | 69 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
One of its 2 schools is below, with the reason it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primrose School of Ashburn PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades PK–K | Grades PK–K | 152 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VA on state tests and graduation
Its widest gap with Virginia is heart disease: 3.3% of its 3,134 adults have heart disease, against 6.1% statewide.
For adults in University Center, the share who get no exercise outside work is 21%. This Virginia town beats the Virginia average on 11 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. Among adults here, 8.3% have diabetes and 10% report frequent physical distress.
| University Center | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 33% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 8.3% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 12% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 76% | 79% | 79% |
| What stands out | University Center | VA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 3.3% | 6.1% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.4% | 7.7% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 67.6% | 76.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The natural-hazard score from FEMA for University Center comes to 8 of 100. 62% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by tornadoes at 8%. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 92% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
July afternoons reach 88°, January nights drop to 25° and about 21 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
University Center has about as many jobs (2,198) as working residents, but only 58 people both live and work here. Jobs based here grew from 1,323 in 2013 to 2,198.
Among working residents in University Center, 2.7% work locally. Jobs based in University Center grew to 2,198 in 2023, 875 more than in 2013. Its typical household income stands at $121,000. Half commute less than 13 miles.
| University Center | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $121,000 | $101,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.7% | 5% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The median property tax bill is $4,356, against $2,790 across Virginia, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
In University Center, the going rate for rent is $2,094 a month.
| University Center | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 29% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $2,094 a month | $1,760 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around University Center. Close and well known come first.
Big draw25 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw25 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw24 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw24 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw26 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw24 mi National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a yearWhite 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 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain
University Center is unincorporated, so Loudoun County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
2 within 15 miles of the center of University Center
About 6 of every 100 University Center residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Virginia.
Census-designated place in Virginia
University Center is a census-designated place (CDP) in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, University Center had a population of 3,969. Mailing addresses in the community are for Ashburn.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with University Center.
| Town | VA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Center | #63 | A | C | — | A | A |
| Ashburn | #13 | A+ | C− | — | A | A+ |
University Center and Ashburn report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare University Center with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. University Center grades A overall, better than 89% of U.S. towns and #63 of 249 in Virginia. It grades A for health and A for schools.
The typical home is worth about $508,000, 23% above the Virginia typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
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