© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Falls Church.
About
Life in Falls Church
This tiny independent city—just 2.1 square miles wedged between Arlington and Fairfax County—isn't for everyone, but if you're considering it, you need to know what you're actually signing up for. Falls Church is genuinely wealthy; with a median household income of $143,262, you're looking at one of the richest places in America, which immediately tells you something about the cost of living. The community itself is genuinely tight-knit: 51.5% of households are married couples with kids, the median age is 39, and locals stay put because the schools are exceptional and the walkable village center with its Saturday farmers market (ranked the best in its category nationally) and State Theatre venue actually functions as a gathering place.
Falls Church at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Foreign-Born
16.6%
Broadband Internet
98.3%
of households
Population Growth
+3.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics16.6% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador
Who lives in Falls Church: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Falls Church, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (8.9%), and 6.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Households with Kids
30.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.4%
of households
Married Couples
47.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.32
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 39% above VA average
Rent, home values, and income in Falls Church
In Falls Church, rent runs 39% above the VA average, and home values are 175% above the VA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
52.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $767,624 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for VA
Unemployment in Falls Church and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Falls Church is close to the VA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Falls Church 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
Commute28.7 min avg
How Falls Church residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Falls Church, most residents drive alone to work (49%), and 57% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Major hub12.0M 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 78% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Falls Church runs 78% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
72.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,483.6
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Falls Church Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very Low
1.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Falls Church County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Falls Church, the most common type is winter weather, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Winter Weather | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 12 | Coastal Flood | Not estimated |
| 2023 | 4 | High Wind | $25,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | Winter Weather | Not estimated |
| 2021 | 9 | Winter Weather | $22,000 |
| 2020 | 10 | Dense Fog | Not estimated |
| 2019 | 19 | Winter Weather | Not estimated |
| 2018 | 18 | Winter Weather | Not estimated |
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
Falls Church city, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Arlington County, VA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 4 miles from Falls Church) is typically good — 319 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
319
per year
Moderate Days
44
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Arlington County, VA (4 mi away)
Climate86°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Falls Church has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.7"
Annual Snowfall
5.8"
Hot Days/Year
44
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
95
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
123
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 26°F | 3.32" |
| Feb | 46°F | 27°F | 3.24" |
| Mar | 55°F | 34°F | 4.15" |
| Apr | 68°F | 44°F | 3.53" |
| May | 76°F | 54°F | 4.44" |
| Jun | 84°F | 63°F | 4.24" |
| Jul | 88°F | 68°F | 5.11" |
| Aug | 86°F | 66°F | 4.42" |
| Sep | 79°F | 59°F | 4.54" |
| Oct | 68°F | 47°F | 4.40" |
| Nov | 56°F | 36°F | 3.32" |
| Dec | 47°F | 30°F | 3.81" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Falls Church
Uninsured
1.7%
of residents
No hospitals inside Falls Church's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Dominion Hospital
Psychiatric · 1.4 mi away · Falls Church
Virginia Hospital Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.5 mi away · Arlington
Northern Virginia Mental Health Insti
Psychiatric · 3.3 mi away · Falls Church
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.
Education14.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Falls Church
Falls Church's student/teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 80.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
80.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Falls Church (within 15 miles)
Northern Virginia Community College
4.9 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 33,048 students · in-state tuition $6,062 · 30% graduate · median earnings $56,892 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Maryland-College Park
14.3 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 30,760 students · in-state tuition $12,290 · 86% graduate · median earnings $89,228 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 13,773 students · in-state tuition $5,394 · 23% graduate · median earnings $55,378 (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)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 10,108 students · in-state tuition $38,936 · 69% graduate · median earnings $69,682 (10 yrs after entry)
Strayer University-Global Region
7.7 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 9,376 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 14% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, 5 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Falls Church
Falls Church has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial (5 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
National Park Site
5 mi awayClara Barton National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awayGeorge Washington Memorial Parkway
Memorial Parkway
6 mi awayGlen Echo Park
Park
6 mi awayTheodore Roosevelt Island
National Park Site
6 mi awayWolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
National Park Site
6 mi awayConstitution Gardens
National Park Site
7 mi awayFranklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
National Park Site
7 mi awayPublic Libraries in Falls Church
Mary Riley Styles Public Library
120 North Virginia Avenue, Falls Church
Cities Near Falls Church
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Falls Church?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Falls Church FAQ
Is Falls Church, Virginia affordable?⌄
Falls Church's median rent is $2,190/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $143,262/year. Median home value is $1,055,600.
Is Falls Church, Virginia safe?⌄
Falls Church's violent crime rate was 73 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 1484 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Falls Church, Virginia?⌄
Falls Church has an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Falls Church, Virginia?⌄
The cost of living in Falls Church is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,190/month and median household income is $143,262/year. The median home value is $1,055,600. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Falls Church, Virginia?⌄
The average commute in Falls Church is 29 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