About Louisa

Location

Ideally located in the rolling Central Piedmont region near the heart of Virginia in the prosperous Richmond, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg Eastern U.S.triangle, Louisa County is within 500 miles of one half of the nation's population. The 514 square miles are predominantly farm and forest lands, mixed with business, industrial, and residential properties.

The county seat, the Town of Louisa, is located just 50 miles from the state capital in Richmond, 95 miles from the nation's capital in Washington, D.C., 35 miles from Charlottesville, home of Thomas Jefferson's University, and 45 miles from Fredericksburg. The town of Mineral is the county's other incorporated town. The county population numbers about 33,000.

Climate

Louisa County has a moderate climate with an average temperature of 56 degrees Fahrenheit. January highs average 47 degrees with lows of 26 degrees and July averages are 88 degrees high and 65 degrees low. The annual precipitation averages 41.6 inches with a 14 inch average snowfall.

Land Use

The County is largely rural with a population density of about 64 people per square mile. About 10% of the county is developed as urban, residential, or industrial; 71% in natural and planted forest lands; 16% in crop, pasture, and open land; and 3% in water bodies.

Education

The County's public school system provides education for nearly 5,400 students in four elementary schools, one middle school (right), and one high school. With a pupil-teacher ratio of 22 to 1 in the elementary schools and 17 to 1 in the secondary schools, per-pupil expenditure is $5,349. TAP achievement scores are: Reading, 47; Math, 49; Science, 61. (50 is the nationwide average.)

Two community colleges, Piedmont Virginia Community College and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, are within easy reach; as are the University of Virginia and several institutions in Richmond.

Community Facilities

Medical

A University of Virginia-affiliated medical clinic in Louisa provides outpatient medical care. County residents rely on hospitals in either Charlottesville or Richmond for excellent medical care. The University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville and the Medical College of Virginia Hospital in Richmond are State teaching and research hospitals offering the latest in technology, services, and facilities. Many additional hospitals in Richmond, Charlottesville, and Fredericksburg offer quality medical care.

A private medical clinic in Louisa provides outpatient medical care. Various other physicians and dentists practice in the county, and specialists from Charlottesville and Richmond visit the county on a regular basis. The Louisa Health Department provides a wide range of public health services for county residents. A nursing home serving long-term care needs of 90 patients is located in the town of Louisa.

Religious

Almost 60 churches, representing most Protestant denominations and the Catholic faith are located in Louisa County. Jewish synagogues are established in the neighboring cities.

Commerce

Retail and service needs of county residents are met through three commercial areas in the towns of Louisa and Mineral and numerous rural shops and stores. In addition, the many shopping malls and centers in the Fredericksburg- Richmond- Charlottesville metropolitan areas are easily accessed by Louisa residents.

Library

A branch of the Charlottesville-based Jefferson-Madison Regional Library is centrally located on Rt 22 between Louisa and Mineral in the High School area. A wide range of services to citizens of all ages is offered by the library with its new 15,000 square foot state of the art building dedicated in December 1999.

Wireless Internet Connection Now Available at the Louisa County. Bring your laptops to the Louisa County Library and have free wireless connection to the Internet. Although there are many public computers, with internet access, at the library, patrons often like to have their own files available. Now that is possible.