Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia | |
|---|---|
Downtown Lynchburg in 2025 | |
| Nicknames: City of Seven Hills, The Hill City | |
Location in Virginia | |
Lynchburg Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 37°24′13″N 79°10′12″W / 37.40361°N 79.17000°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| Founded | 1786 |
| Incorporated (town) | January 10, 1805 |
| Incorporated (city) | 1852 |
| Named after | John Lynch |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–Manager |
| • Mayor | Larry Taylor (R) |
| • Vice Mayor | Curt Diemer (R) |
| • Council | Lynchburg City Council |
| Area | |
| 49.53 sq mi (128.27 km2) | |
| • Land | 48.97 sq mi (126.84 km2) |
| • Water | 0.55 sq mi (1.43 km2) |
| Elevation | 630 ft (192 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| 79,009 | |
• Estimate (2024) | 80,301 |
| • Rank | 11th in Virginia |
| • Density | 1,613.3/sq mi (622.90/km2) |
| • Urban | 125,596 (US: 268th) |
| • Metro | 261,593 (US: 190th) |
| • Demonym | Lynchburger |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) | 24501, 24502, 24503, 24504, 24505, 24551 |
| Area code(s) | 434 |
| FIPS code | 51-680 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1479007 |
| Website | lynchburgva |
Lynchburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the James River, it had a population of 79,009 at the 2020 census, making it the 11th-most populous city in Virginia. It is nicknamed the "City of Seven Hills" or the "Hill City." Lynchburg was founded in 1757 by John Lynch, a Quaker ferry operator and abolitionist. During the American Civil War, Lynchburg's strategic importance helped it remain the only major city in Virginia not recaptured by Union forces before the war's end.
Lynchburg anchors the Lynchburg metropolitan area, which lies near the geographic center of Virginia and is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the state, with a population of 261,593. The city is a regional hub for education, home to several institutions of higher learning, including Liberty University, the University of Lynchburg, Randolph College, Virginia University of Lynchburg, and Central Virginia Community College.