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Living in
Fairfax.
About
Life in Fairfax
The City of Fairfax is a small independent city at the center of Fairfax County, next to George Mason University, and it combines a historic downtown with Northern Virginia's high incomes. The median household income is $132,348, about 64% above the national median, and 62% of adults hold a college degree. Professional and business services employ the largest share of workers, and about 29% work from home.
Fairfax at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.1%
Foreign-Born
30.6%
Broadband Internet
96.7%
of households
Population Growth
+10.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics30.6% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador
Who lives in Fairfax: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Fairfax, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (16.9%), and 16.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.8%
of residents
65 and Older
14.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.1%
of households
Married Couples
51.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.68
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 42% above VA average
Rent, home values, and income in Fairfax
In Fairfax, rent runs 42% above the VA average, and home values are 88% above the VA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,515
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
69.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1967
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $774,572 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below VA average
Unemployment in Fairfax and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Fairfax is 0.5 percentage points lower than the VA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Fairfax Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area
Commute28 min avg
How Fairfax residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Fairfax, most residents drive alone to work (53%), and 51% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 11 mi
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Major hub13.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 80% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Fairfax runs 80% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
66.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,920.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Fairfax City Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 12 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
5.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Fairfax County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Fairfax, the most common type is winter weather, with 12 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | Winter Weather | $3,000 |
| 2024 | 5 | Winter Weather | Not estimated |
| 2023 | 3 | High Wind | $3,000 |
| 2022 | 8 | Winter Weather | Not estimated |
| 2021 | 13 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2020 | 16 | Dense Fog | Not estimated |
| 2019 | 19 | Dense Fog | Not estimated |
| 2018 | 22 | Winter Weather | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Fairfax city, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Fairfax County, VA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 2 miles from Fairfax) is typically good — 284 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
284
per year
Moderate Days
80
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Fairfax County, VA (2 mi away)
Climate82°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Fairfax has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
63°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
43.6"
Annual Snowfall
18.5"
Hot Days/Year
13
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
99
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
124
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 23°F | 3.28" |
| Feb | 45°F | 24°F | 2.62" |
| Mar | 53°F | 32°F | 3.84" |
| Apr | 65°F | 41°F | 3.39" |
| May | 72°F | 52°F | 4.28" |
| Jun | 80°F | 61°F | 4.13" |
| Jul | 84°F | 67°F | 4.26" |
| Aug | 82°F | 65°F | 3.54" |
| Sep | 76°F | 57°F | 4.16" |
| Oct | 65°F | 45°F | 3.51" |
| Nov | 56°F | 35°F | 3.13" |
| Dec | 46°F | 28°F | 3.43" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Fairfax
Uninsured
8.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Fairfax's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Inova Fairfax Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.8 mi away · Falls Church
Northern Virginia Mental Health Insti
Psychiatric · 4 mi away · Falls Church
Inova Fair Oaks Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 4.8 mi away · Fairfax
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Fairfax
Fairfax's student/teacher ratio is 15.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 62.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
62.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Fairfax (within 15 miles)
Northern Virginia Community College
3.7 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 33,048 students · in-state tuition $6,062 · 30% graduate · median earnings $56,892 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 11,182 students · in-state tuition $70,170 · 86% graduate · median earnings $96,691 (10 yrs after entry)
Strayer University-Global Region
14.7 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 9,376 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 14% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,569 students · in-state tuition $71,338 · 95% graduate · median earnings $110,516 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,266 students · in-state tuition $62,242 · 79% graduate · median earnings $85,458 (10 yrs after entry)
University of the District of Columbia
14 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 3,351 students · in-state tuition $8,636 · 32% graduate · median earnings $49,165 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, 6 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Fairfax
Fairfax has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts (6 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
National Park Site
6 mi awayGreat Falls Park
Park
10 mi awayChesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
National Historical Park
11 mi awayGeorge Washington Memorial Parkway
Memorial Parkway
11 mi awayArlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
National Park Site
12 mi awayClara Barton National Historic Site
National Historic Site
12 mi awayGlen Echo Park
Park
12 mi awayLBJ Memorial Grove on the Potomac
National Park Site
13 mi awayPublic Libraries in Fairfax
Fairfax City Regional Library
3915 Chain Bridge Rd., Fairfax
Cities Near Fairfax
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Fairfax?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Fairfax FAQ
Is Fairfax, Virginia affordable?⌄
Fairfax's median rent is $2,245/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $132,348/year. Median home value is $722,600.
Is Fairfax, Virginia safe?⌄
Fairfax's violent crime rate was 67 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2921 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Fairfax, Virginia?⌄
Fairfax has an unemployment rate of 2.9%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Fairfax, Virginia?⌄
The cost of living in Fairfax is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,245/month and median household income is $132,348/year. The median home value is $722,600. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Fairfax, Virginia?⌄
The average commute in Fairfax is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from