Formed January 1, 1654 (12th county)
New Kent County (18,429), New Kent* (239)
The Modern Greek Revival red brick courthouse was erected in 1992. The courthouse is on Courthouse Circle at New Kent Highway. Virginia State Highway 249 is New Kent Highway. MMM Design Group are the architects. The earlier courthouse was built in 1909. Veteran memorials are at the earlier courthouse. Many of the Virginia counties have their county seat at a location named after the county followed by the words Court House. Some counties maintain this in their official name. The county was formed on January 1, 1654 from York County as the 12th county with New Kent as the only county seat. New Kent County and its county seat are named for Kent, England.
New Kent County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Supervisors. Four Circuit Court Judges and Six District Court Judges serve New Kent, Charles City, Gloucester, James City, King and Queen, King William, Mathews, Middlesex, and York counties and Poquoson and Williamsburg cities and Sixty-two Magistrate Court Judges serve New Kent, Caroline, Charles City, Essex, Gloucester, Hanover, Henrico, James City, King and Queen, King George, King William, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Westmoreland, and York counties and Fredericksburg, Poquoson, Richmond, and Williamsburg cities. The county is located in the eastern part of the state. Richmond, Virginia is west and Virginia Beach, Virginia is southeast of the county. The county center is 7.2 miles South of New Kent nearer Providence Forge. The county is surrounded clockwise by King William, King and Queen, James City, Charles City, Henrico, and Hanover counties.
The area of the county is 223 square miles. It is 88 out of 133 in the state. It ranks 82 out of 133 in population in the state. It has a density of 82.64 persons per square mile making it 73 out of 133 in the state. New Kent County has 0.0% of its population in its incorporated areas since there are no incorporated cities. Interstate Highway 64 crosses the county east to west from James City County to Henrico County. United States Highway 60 parallels Interstate Highway 64 from James City to Henrico counties. The county resembles a caterpillar with a nose sticking out to the southeast. The City of New Kent is located near the center of the county. New Kent is the county seat and the largest populated area. It is 1.3% of the county population. This county is in the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area.
New Kent (unincorporated)
