Pallets in Northern Virginia

• Inner ring: Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Springfield, Lorton.
• Route 28 and Loudoun: Chantilly, Sterling, Ashburn, Loudoun County.
• Prince William and south: Manassas, Prince William County, Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania County.
• The outer ring: Culpeper, Front Royal, Warrenton.

I-95, I-66, Route 28 and the Dulles corridor all back up. Dock hours and traffic both matter, so say when the dock is open and when a vehicle can get in. A load that is ready at a time of day the roads allow is a load that moves.

Northern Virginia’s industrial inventory is about 38.5 million square feet, with sizable recent leases in Springfield, Sterling and Manassas. Loudoun County has about 233 data center buildings, and the construction and equipment traffic they generate is a separate source of pallets.

The Virginia Inland Port in Front Royal, a 159-acre rail-served terminal, reaches into the region from the west.

• Inner ring: Alexandria, Arlington, Springfield, Lorton and Fairfax County.
• Outer ring: Sterling, Ashburn, Chantilly, Manassas and Prince William County.
• South and west: Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Warrenton, Culpeper and Front Royal.

Loudoun County issued permits for over 10 million square feet of data center space in 2025 and then ended by-right data center development, so new ones need special exception approval. Construction on that scale means equipment deliveries on pallets for years, which is why the county has its own page.

Northern Virginia towns share ZIP codes unevenly and county lines cut through them. The ZIP of the dock decides which lane a load belongs to, so include it.

The Virginia Inland Port in Front Royal covers 159 acres, has capacity for 78,000 containers a year and is served by Norfolk Southern rail. It is positioned to serve Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and DC. Containers moving through it arrive on and leave with pallets, so the port is a source of both heat-treated stock and empties.

Stafford County’s largest employers include Amazon fulfillment and logistics, McLane Mid Atlantic, Federal Express and Hilldrup Transfer and Storage. A moving and storage company leaves a very different pile from a grocery wholesaler: odd sizes, crates, skids and furniture pads. Warren County adds a rail-served inland port. The farther south and west the pickup, the more useful an early heads-up about timing becomes.

Arlington and Alexandria are dense, with limited loading space and short windows, like the District. Fairfax County has industrial pockets such as Lorton and Springfield where trailers can reach a dock. The first group calls for small trucks and clear access notes; the second calls for a count and a dock schedule.

Where in Northern Virginia do you work?

From Alexandria and Arlington out through Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William to Stafford, Fredericksburg, Culpeper and Front Royal.

Which part of Virginia has the most pallets?

Springfield, Sterling and Manassas had the sizable industrial leases in Q3 2026, and Prince William and Stafford carry the food and parcel distributors.

Which part of Northern Virginia is closest to the District?

Alexandria, Arlington and Springfield, with Lorton just south.

What is the Virginia Inland Port?

A 159-acre intermodal terminal in Front Royal, served by Norfolk Southern rail.