Annandale, Virginia

Annandale is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia. The population was 41,008 at the 2010 United States Census, down from 54,994 in 2000 due to the splitting off of the western part of it to form Wakefield and Woodburn CDPs.

Etymology
Annandale derives its name from Annandale in the United Kingdom.

Geography
Annandale is located at 38.83417°N, -77.21139°W (38.834134, -77.211277). Annandale is mostly traversed by the Capital Beltway and Virginia State Route 236. The center of town is considered to be where Route 236, Columbia Pike, and Backlick Road meet around two miles (3 km) east of Interstate 495 on Route 236.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 13.8 sqmi, of which, 13.8 sqmi of it is land and 0.17% is water. The area is part of the coastal plain located just east of the Fall Line separating the coastal plain of Virginia from the piedmont. It is characterized by rolling hills, stream valleys, and heavy red clay soils.

The Annandale region is bisected by Accotink Creek, which in Colonial times was a primary link for ocean-going ships that would load tobacco and other goods where Little River Turnpike - Annandale's oldest road and the first toll road in America - crosses it. Accotink Creek was dammed in the 1960s to create Lake Accotink, a water supply for the U.S. Army's Fort Belvior Proving Ground located just downstream. Today, Lake Accotink is now a popular recreation area with fishing and boat rentals, and the Proving Ground is closed.

Also along Accotink Creek runs the Fairfax Cross County Trail (CCT) which provides uninterrupted hiking, biking, running and cross-country skiing for 20 mi in Annandale. The CCT meanders through parks and forests filled with deer, fox, geese and numerous species of native birds. In the spring, Accotink Creek is stocked with trout and fishermen are often seen wading in its waters.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 54,994 people, 19,927 households, and 14,088 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,984.5 people per square mile (1,538.6/km2). There were 20,243 housing units at an average density of 1,466.7/sq mi (566.4/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 64.50% White, 5.86% African American, 0.30% Native American, 19.36% Asian American, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 5.94% from other races, and 3.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.49% of the population.

There were 19,927 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the CDP was $90,711, and the median income for a family was $111,514. Males had a median income of $50,628 versus $39,360 for females. The per capita income for the community was $31,623. About 4.5% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
DynCorp, ENSCO, Inc., Noblis and Computer Sciences Corporation are headquartered in Annandale, and ExxonMobil operates Downstream Operations business headquarters, basestocks marketing, and ExxonMobil Aviation in the Annandale CDP. The 118 acre ExxonMobil campus, with 2,600 employees, was originally owned by Mobil; Exxon acquired Mobil in 1999, forming ExxonMobil. ExxonMobil is planning to relocate Annandale operations and its 2,100 jobs to Houston.

Downtown Annandale is also referred to as Koreatown as there are roughly 929 Korean businesses as of 2006 and 67 South Korean-owned restaurants as of July 1, 2010 operating according to the GIANT Directory for South Korean-owned and Korean-American businesses in the Washington Metropolitan Area. Although these businesses appear to cater only to South Korean expatriates, recently, they have been trying to cater to all demographic backgrounds.

Popular restaurants in Annandale include Honey Pig, Chicken Pollo, Kogiya, as well as many other Korean restaurants.

Public schools
Educational institutions in Annandale include facilities operated by the Fairfax County Public Schools. Annandale High School, founded in 1954, is the main area public high school although Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Falls Church High School, Woodson High School, and J. E. B. Stuart High School also take in small portions of Annandale. Other schools include Holmes Middle School, Edgar Allan Poe Middle School, Annandale Terrace Elementary School, Braddock Elementary School, Woodburn Elementary School, Camelot Elementary School, Columbia Elementary School, Canterbury Woods Elementary School and Wakefield Forest Elementary School.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, (TJHSST), a Virginia Governor's Schools Program is a located along the eastern section of Annandale. TJHSST has an Alexandria postal address, its physical location is in Fairfax County. TJHSST has been ranked the #1 public high school in the country by the U.S. News & World Report in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

Annandale High School has one of the area's few International Baccalaureate Degree programs. Ensembles within the school's choral program have performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., as well as many European venues.

Private schools
Private schools located in Annandale include Grasshopper Green, Kenwood School, Holy Spirit Catholic School, Hope Montessori School, Montessori School of Northern Virginia, Oakwood School, Pinecrest School, St. Ambrose Catholic School, St. Michael's Catholic School, Wei Hwa Chinese School, and Westminster School.

Colleges and universities
The oldest and largest branch of the Northern Virginia Community College system is also located within Annandale and was founded in 1965. A focal point of "NOVA", a commonly used nickname of the community college, is the Richard J. Ernst Community Cultural Center which is a 66000 sqft facility containing a 525 seat, state-of-the-art theater with satellite downlink and video projection capability, an 11000 sqft gymnasium/exhibition hall, a light-filled atrium entrance and a two-story art gallery. The college opened with 761 students, and today has more than 75,000 students and 2,600 faculty and staff members, and has six permanent campus sites across Northern Virginia. The student body consists of people from more than 180 countries.

Fire department
The Faifax County Fire & Rescue department staffs two stations in Annandale; downtown at Station 8, and in West Annandale, at Station 23, that operate within Annandale and surrounding areas within and around the county when needed. The Annandale Volunteer Fire Department (AVFD), a non-profit organization started in 1940, owns and maintains stations 8 and 23. Through a partnership with Fairfax County, both stations are now staffed full-time with career personnel employed by Faifax County. Volunteers also provide regular emergency services at both stations. Vehicles owned by AVFD display "Annandale Volunteer Fire Department" markings and include Medic 408, Medic 408B, Ambulance 408, Engine 408, Canteen 408, & Medic 423. Engine 423, Light and Air 423, Tower 408 and BC404 are owned by Fairfax County and marked as such.

Public libraries
Fairfax County Public Library operates the George Mason Regional Library in the CDP.

Recreational centers
The Audrey Moore RECenter (formerly known as the Wakefield RECenter), located in Wakefield Park, houses an indoor pool measuring 76000 sqft in size and a 50m x 25yd pool. The REC center offers more than 40 group fitness classes each week.

Parks
Annandale has parks scattered across its geographical region and a number of them are maintained by the Fairfax County Park Authority. The following parks are located in Annandale: Mason District Park, The Wakefield Chapel Park, Turkeycock Run Stream Valley Park, Annandale Community Park, Ossian Hall Park, Kendale Woods Park, Mill Creek Park, Wilburdale Park, Broyhill Crest Park, Larchmont Park, Canterbury Woods Park, Hidden Oaks Nature Center (Fairfax County Government Park Authority), Pine Ridge High School Site Park, Camelot School Site Park, Oak Hill Park, Backlick Park, Willow Woods Park, Valley Crest Park, Long Branch Falls Park, Manassas Gap Park, Fairfax Hills Park, Masonville Park, Howery Field Park, Poe Terrace Park, Rose Lane Park, Indian Run Stream Valley Park, and Accotink Stream Valley Park.

The Wakefield Skate Park is also located within Wakefield Park. The skate park also offers skateboarding, BMX classes and camps for children of all ages and skills.

Notable people
Notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Annandale include actor Mark Hamill, country music performer Kelly Willis, and Christopher McCandless, the subject of author Jon Krakauer's 1996 book, Into the Wild.