Virginia

Culpeper

52,552
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About Culpeper

Culpeper, Virginia, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 22,105. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 52,552.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 40 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Battle of Elk Run (Virginia Piedmont, 1781), Battle of Brandy Station Preliminary, Hart's Ford Skirmish, and 30 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202052,552
201046,689
200034,262
199027,791
198022,620
197018,218
196015,088
195013,242
194013,365
193013,306
192013,292
191013,472
190014,123
189013,233
188013,408
187012,227
186012,063
185012,282
184011,393
183024,027
182020,944
181018,967
180018,100
179022,105
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Culpeper

Military engagements that took place in Culpeper, Virginia.

Battle of Elk Run (Virginia Piedmont, 1781)
1781
Battle of Brandy Station Preliminary
1862
Hart's Ford Skirmish
1862
Engagement at Freeman's Ford
1862
Cedar Run Church Skirmish
1862
Rappahannock Outpost Fighting (Winter 1862-63)
1862
Cavalry Fight at Beverly Ford — August 1862
1862
Battle of Cedar Mountain — Stonewall Jackson vs Banks
1862
Freeman's Ford Fight
1862
Hazel River Skirmish
1862
Kelly's Ford Fight (August 1862)
1862
First Battle of Brandy Station (August 20 1862)
1862
Culpeper Court House Skirmish (1862)
1862
Brandy Station (August 1862 First Action)
1862
Kelly's Ford — Second Fight (November 7, 1863)
1863
Engagement at Stevensburg
1863
Skirmish at Rapidan Station (Culpeper County)
1863
Cavalry Fight at Culpeper Court House — September 1863
1863
Culpeper Court House Fight (Sept 1863)
1863
Engagement at Kelly's Ford (Second)
1863
James City Skirmish (Oct 1863)
1863
Battle of Kelly's Ford
1863
Battle of Brandy Station — Yew Ridge
1863
Jack's Shop (Liberty Mills) Cavalry Fight (September 22, 1863)
1863
Battle of Brandy Station — Beverly Ford
1863
Brandy Station Sub-action: Fleetwood Hill
1863
Engagement at Brandy Station (Second, November 1863)
1863
Battle of Brandy Station – Stevensburg Action
1863
St. James Church Fight (Brandy Station)
1863
Battle of Brandy Station
1863
Brandy Station — Pleasonton's Second Visit (September 13, 1863)
1863
Engagement at Robertson's River
1863
Engagement at James City (Culpeper)
1863
Battle of Brandy Station — Hazel Run Skirmish
1863
Brandy Station Sub-action: Beverly Ford
1863
Skirmish at Stevensburg (Culpeper County, 1863)
1863
Brandy Station — Stuart's Review (June 8, 1863)
1863
Battle of Brandy Station – St. James Church
1863
Fleetwood Hill Cavalry Fight
1863
Engagement at Culpeper Court House (April 1863)
1863

Historic places in Culpeper

National Register of Historic Places listings in Culpeper, Virginia.

Maple Springs
Jeffersonton
Hill, A. P., Boyhood Home
Culpeper
Graffiti House
Brandy Station
Hill Mansion
Culpeper
Elmwood
Culpeper
Signal Hill
Culpeper
Culpeper Historic District
Culpeper
Little Fork Church
Rixeyville
South East Street Historic District
Culpeper
Farley
Brandy Station
Greenwood
Culpeper
Culpeper National Cemetery
Culpeper
Rapidan Historic District
Rapidan
Eckington School
Culpeper
Slaughter-Hill House
Culpeper
Fairview Cemetery
Culpeper
Salubria
Stevensburg
Pitts Theatre
Culpeper
Auburn
Brandy Station
Clifton
Rixeyville
Mitchells Presbyterian Church
Mitchells
Madden's Tavern
Lignum
Locust Grove
Rapidan
Lord Culpeper Hotel
Culpeper
Browse all Virginiahistoric sites ›

Other counties in Virginia

Explore census history and historic records for more Virginia counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Culpeper County, Virginia

This page charts the census history of Culpeper County, Virginia. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Culpeper

When does Culpeper first appear in the US census?
Culpeper, Virginia first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 22,105.
What is the population of Culpeper?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Culpeper had a recorded population of 52,552.
Were any battles fought in Culpeper?
40 documented military engagements took place in Culpeper, including Battle of Elk Run (Virginia Piedmont, 1781), Battle of Brandy Station Preliminary, Hart's Ford Skirmish.
How many historic places are in Culpeper?
30 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Culpeper, Virginia.
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