What it's like to live in Woodlawn (Fairfax County)
Woodlawn (Fairfax County) is a small city in Virginia with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Woodlawn (Fairfax County) deals with rent well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, a population that has been shrinking, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Above-average commute times
- Shrinking population
- High rent burden for renters
How Woodlawn (Fairfax County) compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Woodlawn (Fairfax County)
Based on Woodlawn (Fairfax County)'s median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,656
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $73,120 a year
- 67% of Woodlawn (Fairfax County) renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$73,440
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $36,720
- Homes cost 4.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 29% above US
$1,828/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,828 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $367,200. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $367,200 · 67% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.2% county unemployment
Unemployment in Fairfax County is 3.2%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Fairfax County (county-wide)
Safety
110 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Woodlawn (Fairfax County) doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Fairfax County Police Department jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 1438/100k · Policed by Fairfax County Police Department (county-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 25% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 32.4 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% take public transit; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 29°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
33% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 33% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
2 public schools inside the boundary
There are 2 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Piscataway Park (4 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Woodlawn (Fairfax County)'s strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,828/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.
See all the data for Woodlawn (Fairfax County) →·All Virginia cities →
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