About The County

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Hanover tomatoes

To learn more about major industries in Hanover County visit the Economic Development website.

Hanover County is approximately 12 miles north of Richmond and 90 miles south of Washington, D.C. In 2007, Forbes magazine recognized Hanover County for providing the "Biggest Bang for Your Buck" because it ranks in the top 50 counties in the nation in terms of student achievement vs. cost per pupil. As one of the largest counties in the state, Hanover County is a community that offers an extraordinary blend of rural and civic pride with suburban living. In January 2007, Hanover County was named one of the Top 100 Communities in America for Youth by America's Promise.

Located at the center point of the Eastern seaboard near the crossroads of I-95 and I-64, Hanover boasts a strategic position within the state's transportation network on the newly constructed I-295. This premier perimeter highway for the metro-Richmond area presents exciting new development opportunities. And within a 12-hour driving radius, Hanover County has access to 50 percent of the nation's population and U.S. markets. There is one incorporated town in the county, which is the Town of Ashland. Residents enjoy living within a two-hour drive east to the Atlantic Coast and Chesapeake Bay as well as within a ninety minute drive west to the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains.

Countryside The County has a population of approximately 86,000. This includes those residing in the Town of Ashland, an authentic railroad town. Trains still rumble through the center of town, past Randolph-Macon College, lovely Victorian homes, and various shops. Randolph-Macon College is the oldest Methodist College in the United States.

Mechanicsville is another popular community within Hanover County, located just minutes from downtown in the eastern part of the county. CNN.com ranked Mechanicsville as one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live, based upon economic conditions, good schools, safe streets, things to do, and a sense of community. It ranked among the top 3 in Virginia.

Horses Hanover is an excellent environment in which to live. In fact, the editors of the Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote, "Hanover County has reason to think of itself as the jewel in the crown of Richmond-area localities. With low taxes, little crime, good schools, and a bucolic atmosphere only a few minutes from downtown Richmond, it enjoys the best of both the urban and rural worlds." (October 26, 1999) Hanover offers a taste of rural America (it is the home of the internationally renowned Hanover Tomato) in the greater Richmond area. Hanover County also is great horse country and boasts some of the finest livestock farms in central Virginia. The County continues to be an exciting community where history is preserved for the future.

Hanover openly shares with curious visitors a unique glimpse of history. Patrick Henry, one of the more vocal leaders of the American Revolution and famous for his "Give me liberty or give me death" speech, was born in Hanover and lived at his Scotchtown home in Hanover, one of the oldest plantations dating back to 1736. The Hanover Courthouse is more than 250 years old and is the second oldest continuously used courthouse in America. The Civil War era, with preserved Civil War battlefields, holds memories of historic moments such as the Seven Days Battle and the Battle of Cold Harbor.

The area abounds with a wide spectrum of cultural, recreational and entertainment activities. Our moderate, four-season climate allows for a variety of outdoor enjoyment and sensory excitement. Paramount's King's Dominion is a well-known amusement park at the northern tip of Hanover County, off Interstate 95.

Paramount's Kings Dominion

Information/Photos are courtesy of Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau and Hanover County Government Online.

The Hanover County School Board does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, disability or national origin in its employment practices or educational programs and activities. The Director for Special Education is designated as coordinator for non-discrimination for access to and implementation of programs under Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources is designated as coordinator for non-discrimination regarding personnel matters under Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. To contact Hanover County Public Schools by phone, you may call (804) 365-4500.

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