Independent city · code 51840
Winchester cityVirginia
Winchester city is an independent city in Virginia, founded in 1752.
- Founded1752
- Named forWinchester, England
- Land area9.2 sq mi
- Population28,120 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped10,266 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Winchester on the map of Virginia
Virginia has 133 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Founded in 1752
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Winchester was separated from Frederick County as an independent city of the second class on July 10, 1902. In 1921, it gained additional territory from Frederick County, and its status changed from second class to first class on January 21, 1932. The city gained further area from Frederick County in 1971.
- 1902Independent city separated Winchester made an independent city, 2d class, from Frederick. · Bain, "Body Incorporate," 18-21; Swindler, 10:166, 169
- 1905Gained territory Independent city of Winchester gained small area from Frederick. · Bain, Annexation, [240]; Winchester Planning Dept., correspondence, December 1989
- 1921Gained territory Independent city of Winchester gained from Frederick. · Winchester Planning Dept., correspondence, December 1989; Bain, Annexation, [242]
- 1932Changed Independent city of Winchester's status changed from 2d class to 1st class. · Dodson, Cities, "Winchester"
- c. 1971Gained territory Independent city of Winchester gained from Frederick. · Winchester Planning Dept., correspondence, December 1989
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Winchester
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 10,266 parcels from Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 15 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 16,512 in all from Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Dept of Emergency Management (VDEM; VGIN moved from VITA to VDEM).
checked 14 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Winchester by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Zoning and code
County government
- County government
The official website of Winchester city.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Winchester city on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Winchester city
- When was Winchester city founded?
- Winchester city was founded in 1752, and named after Winchester, England.
- Is there an online parcel map for Winchester city?
- Yes. Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), Virginia Department of Emergency Management publishes a parcel map of 10,266 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Winchester city's boundary or name changed?
- Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 5 changes for Winchester city. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 5 later changes, most of them small boundary adjustments, chiefly involving Frederick County.
- Who issues building permits in Winchester city?
- The county's page on building permits: Permits, Licensing & Applications - City of Winchester, VA. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Winchester city yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby