Prince William County
Occoquan, Virginia
A walkable historic river town of a few hundred people at the head of the Occoquan River, with a main street of shops and restaurants and a housing market measured in single sales.
Occoquan is a few hundred people, a hill, and a river. The incorporated town covers well under a square mile at the head of the Occoquan River, and it is one of the few places in Prince William County where the phrase “walkable historic village” is simply accurate rather than a marketing line.
The town
Mill Street runs along the river with independent shops, restaurants, and galleries, and a handful of houses above and behind the storefronts. Washington and Union streets climb the hill and hold most of the town’s residential stock — 19th-century houses, some carefully restored, with small pockets of newer building at the edges. River Mill Park occupies the eastern end, with a boat ramp nearby.
The town has its own mayor, council, and town tax on top of county taxes.
A market of single sales
Houses inside the town limits come up a few times a year. Averages and price-per-foot figures are close to meaningless at that volume; the honest way to read this market is one sale at a time, in person. The Occoquan mailing address also reaches beyond the town into county subdivisions toward Route 123, and those homes pay county taxes only.
The river
Occoquan sits at the head of tidal water and has flooded historically. Any property near the river deserves a look at its flood zone designation and insurance requirement before an offer, and older buildings near the water can carry both flood and historic-review considerations at once.
Getting around
Route 123 crosses the river just east of town and reaches I-95 in a few minutes, with the Prince William Parkway close by. Woodbridge and Rippon VRE are a short drive. Parking in town is limited, and the craft shows and seasonal events bring visitor traffic that residents feel — an amenity and a nuisance in the same weekend.
Schools
Prince William County Public Schools serves the town and the surrounding area, generally through the Woodbridge high school pyramid. Confirm the current assignment for a specific address with PWCS.
Buying or selling here
This is a market where the specific property matters far more than the comparables. Buyers should establish whether an address is inside the town limits, check flood designation near the river, and be honest about parking and weekend traffic. Sellers have the advantage of scarcity and should expect the right buyer to be looking for exactly this and nothing else.
Communities in Occoquan
- Mill Street
- The town's main street along the river, with shops, restaurants, and a handful of houses above and behind the storefronts.
- Washington and Union streets
- The short residential streets climbing the hill from the river, holding most of the town's houses.
- Ellicott and Poplar Lane
- Small pockets of newer in-town houses and townhouses at the town's edges.
- River Mill Park area
- The streets nearest the park and the riverfront at the eastern end of town.
- Occoquan-addressed county land
- Neighborhoods outside the town limits carrying an Occoquan mailing address, mostly newer subdivisions toward Route 123.
Schools
Prince William County Public Schools serves the town and the surrounding area, generally through the Woodbridge high school pyramid. Confirm the current attendance area for a specific address with PWCS.
Commuting
Route 123 crosses the river immediately east of the town and reaches I-95 in a few minutes; the Prince William Parkway is close by. The Woodbridge and Rippon VRE stations are a short drive, and the I-95 express lanes and the Horner Road commuter lot serve the corridor north. Parking in town is limited and weekend visitor traffic is real.
Market
Occoquan is one of the smallest markets in Northern Virginia — a few hundred residents in well under a square mile — and listings inside the town limits are rare enough that averages mean very little. The stock ranges from 19th-century houses on the hill to a handful of newer in-town builds and townhouses. Town residents pay a town tax on top of county taxes. Buyers come for a genuinely walkable historic village with a river at the end of the street, and accept limited parking and weekend crowds in exchange.
Common questions
How small is Occoquan?
Very. The incorporated town holds a few hundred residents in well under a square mile, with its own mayor, council, and town tax on top of Prince William County taxes. Homes for sale inside the town limits come up a few times a year, so the market is best read one sale at a time rather than by averages.
What is there to do in Occoquan?
Mill Street is the draw: independent shops, restaurants, and galleries along the river, with River Mill Park at the eastern end and a boat ramp nearby. The town runs craft shows and seasonal events that bring substantial visitor traffic, which residents experience as both an amenity and a parking problem.
Are Occoquan-addressed homes in the town?
Often not. The mailing address reaches beyond the town limits into Prince William County, mostly newer subdivisions toward Route 123. Those homes pay county taxes only and are assigned through ordinary PWCS boundaries. Check the jurisdiction before the tax estimate.
Is flooding a concern by the river?
It deserves attention. The town sits at the head of the Occoquan River and has flooded historically. Any property near the water should be checked for its flood zone designation and insurance requirements before an offer, and older buildings near the river may carry both flood and historic-review considerations.
What schools serve Occoquan?
Prince William County Public Schools, generally through the Woodbridge high school pyramid. Confirm the current assignment for a specific address with PWCS.
Current Occoquan listings are available through my search site.
Last updated 2026-09-08.