Alexandria is located approximately 6 miles south of downtown Washington, D.C. in northern Virginia. The Potomac River borders Alexandria to the east. Arlington County borders Alexandria to the north and northwest, while Fairfax County borders Alexandria to the south. In the 1930s, the western portions of Alexandria were annexed from Arlington and Fairfax counties.
As of 2000, there were 128,283 people residing in Alexandria, 61,889 households, and 27,726 families. The majority of Alexandria residents, 59.79%, are white, while 24.54% are African American, 0.28% are Native American, 5.65% are Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 7.38% from other races, and 4.27% from two or more races. In addition, 14.27% of the population are any race of Hispanic. The average family size is 2.87 while the average household size is 2.04.
Alexandria is the seventh largest independent city in Virginia, and it has the highest income. In 2006, a household’s median income was $80,449. Meanwhile, the median income for a family was $102,388. The per capita income for Alexandria was $37,645. In Alexandria, 8.9% of the population live below the poverty line, and 6.8% of families live below the poverty line.
Alexandria thrives from its proximity to Washington D.C. Professionals in the federal civil service, U.S. military, or one of the private companies contracted by the federal government largely occupy Alexandria. The U.S. Department of Defense is one of Alexandria’s largest employers. The institute for Defense Analyses, the Center for Naval Analyses, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office employ a great deal of Alexandria residents.
Many charities and non-profit organizations started in Alexandria. The national headquarters for the Salvation Army still resides in Alexandria. Alexandria also became one of the first cities of its size to install free wireless Internet access to some of its residents and visitors.