Home Explore Our Area Prince William County Haymarket
Prince William County town
Living in Haymarket
Haymarket is two things at once: a small incorporated town with a historic core, and a much larger area of newer communities that share its mailing address. Knowing which one a home is in matters.
The short answer
What is it like to live in Haymarket?
Haymarket is a small incorporated town of about half a square mile in western Prince William County, at I-66 and Route 15 below the Bull Run Mountains. The town has its own council, a modest town real estate tax on top of the county rate, and a historic district overlay that covers the entire town. Most homes with a Haymarket address, including large golf communities such as Dominion Valley and Piedmont, sit outside town limits and pay county taxes only.
- Jurisdiction: Town of Haymarket, or unincorporated Prince William County
- Town tax: Applies only inside town limits; check the current rate
- Main roads: I-66 (Exit 40), Route 15, Route 55
- Typical homes: Historic town houses; newer HOA communities outside town
- Nearest rail: VRE Broad Run station in Bristow
- Public schools: Prince William County Public Schools (verify boundaries)
Haymarket
What it's like to live in Haymarket
The town was laid out in 1799 and incorporated in 1882. Union troops burned it on November 4, 1862, and only four buildings survived, so most of what you see in the historic core dates from the rebuilding that followed. The old Town Hall, built in 1883 as a combined schoolhouse and town hall, now houses the Haymarket Museum.
Outside the town’s roughly 0.58 square miles, the Haymarket ZIP code (20169) covers about 32 square miles of subdivisions, farms and woods running up to the Bull Run Mountains. When buyers tell me they want to live in Haymarket, my first question is whether they mean the town or the address.
Haymarket
Homes and housing types in Haymarket
Inside town limits, you’ll find older homes on small-town lots plus a few newer sections. Beyond the town line, most housing is master-planned and built since the late 1990s.
| Housing type | What you’ll find | Things to check |
|---|---|---|
| Historic homes in town | Late 1800s and early 1900s houses near the town center | Architectural Review Board approval for exterior work, older systems |
| Golf and amenity communities | Single-family homes in Dominion Valley, Piedmont and similar communities | HOA dues, any club fees, architectural rules |
| Townhomes | Garage townhomes in planned neighborhoods | HOA rules, parking, sub-association fees |
| Larger lots and acreage | Rural parcels toward the mountains | Well and septic inspections, road maintenance agreements |
For homes on wells or septic, read my guide to well and septic inspections. Current pricing varies widely by community; see the Prince William County market report or ask me for recent sales.
Haymarket
Getting around Haymarket
- I-66: Exit 40 at Route 15 serves the town. The tolled I-66 Express Lanes begin one exit east at Route 29 in Gainesville and run 22.5 miles to the Beltway.
- Route 15: heads north into Loudoun County toward Leesburg and south toward Warrenton.
- VRE: No station in Haymarket. The nearest is Broad Run in Bristow, the first stop on the weekday Manassas Line.
- Dulles Airport: reached by driving north through Loudoun County or east to Route 28.
Drive your commute at your real departure time before you commit. My commute guide covers Express Lanes and park and ride options.
Haymarket
Parks, shopping and things to do in Haymarket
- Haymarket Day: the town’s annual festival on the third Saturday of October, with a morning parade, food and craft vendors, and live music. In 2026 it fell on October 17.
- Silver Lake Regional Park: a 230-acre county park just outside town with a 23-acre lake, four miles of hiking and equestrian trails, bank fishing and a self-serve kayak rental kiosk.
- Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve: managed by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, with about seven miles of trails in the South Section, open to the public on weekends.
- Manassas National Battlefield Park and the Virginia Gateway shops in Gainesville are a short drive east.
- Wineries: vineyards in nearby Loudoun and Fauquier counties make easy weekend trips; see my Loudoun wine country guide.
Haymarket
Owning a home in Haymarket
Town or county: Confirm on the Prince William County parcel record whether a home is inside town limits. Inside, you pay a town real estate tax in addition to county taxes and receive some town services. Outside, you pay county taxes only. The town sets its rate each year with its budget, so check the Town of Haymarket’s finance page for the current figure.
Historic district: In 1994 the town placed its entire area under a historic district overlay. Buildings constructed before 1950 are considered historic, and new construction, additions, demolition, signs and exterior changes visible from a public street need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Architectural Review Board. Work done without one can be ordered removed.
HOAs: Most communities outside town have an HOA, and golf communities may add club costs. Read the resale certificate carefully.
Land use: Western Prince William has had high-profile data center debates. Review county planning maps near any home you like, and ask a Virginia real estate attorney about anything unclear in the title or survey.
Haymarket
Is Haymarket a good fit?
If you want a historic small-town address with a festival calendar, or a newer golf community near the mountains, Haymarket offers both. If you’d rather be closer to shopping and the start of the Express Lanes, compare it with Gainesville. My article Living in Gainesville and Haymarket goes deeper on both.
Haymarket
Keep exploring Haymarket
Read more about Haymarket and the area
- Living in Gainesville and Haymarket, VA: New Communities at the Edge of the Region
- Buying a Home With a Well or Septic System: Inspections You Shouldn’t Skip
- Loudoun Wine Country for New Residents: How to Plan a Weekend
- Data Centers Near Homes: What Northern Virginia Buyers and Owners Should Know
- Northern Virginia Property Taxes: Rates, Real Bills and What Newcomers Miss
Run the numbers
- Mortgage Calculator
- Closing Cost Estimator
- Neighborhood Match Quiz
- Prince William County housing market report (updated monthly)
- More neighborhoods in Prince William County
Sources: Town of Haymarket: Architectural Review Board; Town of Haymarket: Haymarket Day; Town of Haymarket: Haymarket Museum; Prince William County: Silver Lake Regional Park; Virginia Outdoors Foundation: Bull Run Mountains; Transform 66 Outside the Beltway. Details checked October 2026; confirm anything time-sensitive with the source.
Neighborhood Advice
Not sure which neighborhood fits?
Book a call and I’ll help you compare neighborhoods around your commute, budget and lifestyle, and figure out where you’ll be happiest living.
Haymarket FAQ
Questions about living in Haymarket
Does a Haymarket, VA address mean I pay town taxes?
Not necessarily. Only properties inside the Town of Haymarket's limits pay the town real estate tax, and many homes with a Haymarket mailing address are outside town. Check the county parcel record for the property.
Is all of Haymarket a historic district?
Yes. Since 1994 the entire town has been under a historic district overlay, and exterior changes visible from a public street need Architectural Review Board approval. Communities outside town limits follow county rules and their own HOA guidelines instead.
Which schools serve Haymarket homes?
Haymarket is served by Prince William County Public Schools. Check the exact address with the PWCS Find Your School tool and confirm with the division; my guide at /school-boundaries-and-home-values/ shows how to verify.
When is Haymarket Day?
Haymarket Day is held on the third Saturday of October each year, starting with a parade at 10 a.m. Check the town's website for the current schedule and parking.
Let's Chat
Let’s find your place in Haymarket.
Whether you’re buying, selling, renting or investing, tell me what worries you most. We’ll talk through your goals and build a clear plan, with no pressure and no obligation.
한국어 상담 가능: Consultation available in Korean.