Sterling, Virginia refers most specifically to a census-designated place in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population of the CDP as of the 2010 United States Census was 27,822. The CDP boundaries are confined to a relatively small area between Virginia State Route 28 on the west and Virginia State Route 7 on the northeast, excluding areas near SR 606 and the Dulles Town Center.
A much wider region has a preferred mailing address of "Sterling, Virginia", per the United States Postal Service. Other localities included within this larger area include Arcola, Cascades, Countryside, Dulles, Dulles Town Center, Oak Grove, and Sugarland Run. The "Greater Sterling" region includes part of Washington Dulles International Airport and the former AOL corporate headquarters. Greater Sterling is also home to the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office LWX, as well as the Sterling Field Support Center, the National Weather Service test, research, and evaluation center for weather instruments.
The following includes information covering both the CDP and the wider "Greater Sterling" region.