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Living in
Gainesville.
Gainesville is an unincorporated community in Prince William County, VA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Gainesville
The job market is solid with unemployment at just 3.2%, though many residents commute 35+ minutes to federal jobs, tech hubs, or Northern Virginia employers, so understand that this isn't a place where you'll necessarily work locally. The community skews toward married couples with children (about half of all households have kids under 18), and with 57% of residents holding college degrees, you'll find a well-educated neighborhood that values stability—the median age is 36.6, and people tend to stay put here rather than treat it as a temporary stop. Housing costs are steep; median home prices sit around $713,000 with median rent at $2,283 a month, which reflects the broader Northern Virginia real estate market and the area's desirability, so budget accordingly.
Gainesville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Foreign-Born
17.3%
Broadband Internet
99.3%
of households
Population Growth
+4.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics17.3% foreign-born, most often from Korea
Who lives in Gainesville: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Gainesville, the largest foreign-born group is from Korea (10.3%), and 7.7% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
27.0%
of residents
65 and Older
9.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
43.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
19.9%
of households
Married Couples
66.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.05
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 45% above VA average
Rent, home values, and income in Gainesville
In Gainesville, rent runs 45% above the VA average, and home values are 86% above the VA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,520
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
83.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2007
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $751,016 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for VA
Unemployment in Gainesville and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Prince William County, which includes Gainesville, is close to the VA average.
Unemployment rate
Gainesville: Prince William County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Prince William County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Gainesville is about 4% of Prince William County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Gainesville 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
Commute34.5 min avg
How Gainesville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Gainesville, most residents drive alone to work (64%), and 38% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 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 35% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Prince William County Police Department, which covers Gainesville, runs 35% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
213.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,281.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Prince William County Police Department (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 27 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
83.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Prince William County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Prince William County, which includes Gainesville, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 27 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 | Winter Weather | $143,000 |
| 2024 | 17 | Winter Weather | $31,000 |
| 2023 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $4.5M |
| 2022 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2021 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $104,000 |
| 2020 | 19 | Flood | $121,000 |
| 2019 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 24 | Flood | $200,000 |
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
Prince William County, county-wide
Gainesville is about 4% of Prince William County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality35 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Prince William County, which includes Gainesville, is typically good — 349 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
35
Good Days
349
per year
Moderate Days
16
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Prince William County, county-wide
Gainesville is about 4% of Prince William County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate86°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Gainesville has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/43°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.5"
Annual Snowfall
19.8"
Hot Days/Year
41
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
94
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
108
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 25°F | 2.94" |
| Feb | 46°F | 27°F | 2.61" |
| Mar | 55°F | 34°F | 3.50" |
| Apr | 67°F | 43°F | 3.47" |
| May | 75°F | 53°F | 4.72" |
| Jun | 83°F | 62°F | 4.30" |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 4.15" |
| Aug | 86°F | 65°F | 3.53" |
| Sep | 79°F | 58°F | 3.94" |
| Oct | 68°F | 45°F | 3.65" |
| Nov | 57°F | 36°F | 3.13" |
| Dec | 47°F | 29°F | 3.30" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Gainesville
Uninsured
4.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Gainesville's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Uva Health Haymarket Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.4 mi away · Haymarket
Uva Health Prince William Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.2 mi away · Manassas
Stonesprings Hospital Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.8 mi away · Dulles
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.
Education17.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Gainesville
Gainesville's student/teacher ratio is 17.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 58.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
58.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Manassas National Battlefield Park, 4 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Gainesville
Gainesville has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Manassas National Battlefield Park (4 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Manassas National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
4 mi awayPrince William Forest Park
Park
19 mi awayWolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
National Park Site
21 mi awayChesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
National Historical Park
24 mi awayGreat Falls Park
Park
24 mi awayPotomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
25 mi awayGeorge Washington Memorial Parkway
Memorial Parkway
27 mi awayClara Barton National Historic Site
National Historic Site
28 mi awayCities Near Gainesville
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Gainesville?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Gainesville FAQ
Is Gainesville, Virginia affordable?⌄
Gainesville's median rent is $2,283/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $174,410/year. Median home value is $712,600.
Is Gainesville, Virginia safe?⌄
Gainesville is policed by the Prince William County Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 214 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1282 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Gainesville, Virginia?⌄
Prince William County, which includes Gainesville, has an unemployment rate of 3.2%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Gainesville, Virginia?⌄
The cost of living in Gainesville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,283/month and median household income is $174,410/year. The median home value is $712,600. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Gainesville, Virginia?⌄
The average commute in Gainesville is 35 minutes, which is longer than 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