Virginia

James City

78,254
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About James City

James City, Virginia, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 4,070. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 78,254.

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

On the ground today, 34 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them First Anglo-Powhatan War 1609-1614, Powhatan Siege of Jamestown 1609, Battle of Jamestown — Anglo-Powhatan War I (1609-1610), and 19 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202078,254
201067,009
200048,102
199046,389
198032,633
197026,922
196018,371
195013,052
19408,849
19307,657
19206,138
19106,338
19005,732
18905,643
18805,422
18704,425
18605,798
18504,020
18403,779
18303,838
18204,563
18104,094
18003,931
17904,070
Source

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

Battles & engagements in James City

Military engagements that took place in James City, Virginia.

First Anglo-Powhatan War 1609-1614
1609
Powhatan Siege of Jamestown 1609
1609
Battle of Jamestown — Anglo-Powhatan War I (1609-1610)
1609
Powhatan Siege of Jamestown 1610
1610
Jamestown Massacre of 1622
1622
Second Anglo-Powhatan War 1622-1632
1622
Indian Massacre of 1622 (Jamestown colony)
1622
First Anglo-Powhatan War (Attack on Jamestown)
1622
Jamestown Massacre 1622 (Second Anglo-Powhatan War Opening)
1622
Massacre of 1622 - Attack on Martin's Hundred
1622
Powhatan Wars — Second Anglo-Powhatan War
1622
Powhatan Wars — Third Anglo-Powhatan War
1644
Bacon's Siege of Jamestown 1676
1676
Bacon's Rebellion – Burning of Jamestown
1676
Bacon's Rebellion — Battle at Jamestown 1676
1676
Siege of Jamestown
1676
Bacon's Rebellion and Burning of Jamestown 1676
1676
Bacon's Rebellion — Battle at Jamestown
1676
Burning of Jamestown by Bacon
1676
Bacon's Rebellion - Siege of Jamestown 1676
1676
Bacon's Rebellion — Battle of Jamestown
1676
Bacon's Rebellion — Siege of Jamestown
1676
Battle of Spencer's Ordinary (1781)
1781
Battle of James River / Jamestown Ford Jul 6 1781
1781
Battle of Spencer's Ordinary
1781
Battle of Green Spring Farm (1781)
1781
Battle of Green Spring
1781
Battle of Jamestown Ford
1781
Battle of Green Spring Farm
1781
Battle of Green Spring (Jamestown Ford)
1781
Action at Jamestown Island
1862
Eltham's Landing
1862
Battle of Eltham's Landing
1862
Engagement at Lee's Mill
1862

Historic places in James City

National Register of Historic Places listings in James City, Virginia.

Colonial National Historical Park
Jamestown and
Jamestown National Historic Site
Jamestown
Pinewoods
Lightfoot
Windsor Castle
Toano
Hickory Neck Church
Toano
White Hall
Toano
Carter's Grove
Williamsburg
Governor's Land Archeological District
Jamestown
Kingsmill Plantation
Williamsburg
Green Spring
Williamsburg
Powhatan
Five Forks
Riverview
Williamsburg
Amblers
Jamestown
Chickahominy Shipyard Archeological Site
Toano
Norge Train Depot
Williamsburg
Croaker Landing Archaeological Site (44JC70)
Croaker
Archeological Site No. 44JC308
Williamsburg
Stone House Site
Toano
Browse all Virginiahistoric sites ›

Other counties in Virginia

Explore census history and historic records for more Virginia counties.

Clifton ForgeClifton Forge cityColonial HeightsColonial Heights cityCovingtonCovington cityCraigCulpeperCumberlandDanvilleDanville cityDickensonDinwiddieElizabeth CityEmporiaEmporia cityEssexFairfaxFairfax cityFalls Church
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Everything a full report reveals about James City County, Virginia

This page charts the census history of James City 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 James City

When does James City first appear in the US census?
James City, Virginia first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 4,070.
What is the population of James City?
At the most recent federal census (2020), James City had a recorded population of 78,254.
Were any battles fought in James City?
34 documented military engagements took place in James City, including First Anglo-Powhatan War 1609-1614, Powhatan Siege of Jamestown 1609, Battle of Jamestown — Anglo-Powhatan War I (1609-1610).
How many historic places are in James City?
19 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in James City, Virginia.
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