Harrisonburg is situated in the Shenandoah region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Harrisonburg is also the county seat of Rockingham County despite it being under two jurisdictions. Estimates carried out in 2018 recorded the city of having a population of 53901. The city is home to James Madison University, a research higher learning institution with an enrollment of approximately 20,000 students and Eastern Mennonite University, a private liberal arts institution. Harrisonburg has no affiliates with President James Madison despite the University being named in his honor. It was only until 1977 when the University changed its name from Madison University to James Madison University.