15,228people live here$250,000+median household income$3,500+median rent per month$1,411,000median home value

The Census tops out at $3,500+ for rent and $250,000+ for household income; it doesn't publish exact figures above those.

Great Falls is an unincorporated community in Fairfax County, VA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.

About

Life in Great Falls

Living in Great Falls means settling into one of Northern Virginia's most affluent and established communities, where you're just 15 miles from D.C. but tucked into a distinctly suburban, family-oriented pocket that feels removed from the chaos. This is decidedly not a place to move for job diversity or a bustling downtown scene—it's a bedroom community where most people commute to federal government jobs, tech firms, or consulting companies in the District and surrounding areas, with the average commute running about 33 minutes. You'll notice immediately that 85% of residents have college degrees, nearly 40% of households include children, and the median age is 46—this is a place where people sink roots, marry, raise kids, and stay for decades.

Great Falls at a Glance

Population, income, housing and more

Median Age

45.7 yrs

Poverty Rate

2.2%

Foreign-Born

23.0%

Broadband Internet

98.8%

of households

Population Growth

-0.1%

recent change · Census Bureau

Median household income

Great Falls$250,000+
Virginia avg$93,170
US$80,734

Demographics23.0% foreign-born, most often from India

Who lives in Great Falls: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin

In Great Falls, the largest foreign-born group is from India (18.7%), and 11.9% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.

Under 18

26.3%

of residents

65 and Older

18.1%

of residents

Households with Kids

39.5%

anyone under 18

Living Alone

9.1%

of households

Married Couples

82.4%

of households

Avg Household Size

3.06

people

Race & Ethnicity

White63.8%
Asian23.7%
Two or more races5.0%
Hispanic or Latino3.6%
Other2.2%
Black1.6%

Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic

Top countries of origin (foreign-born)

India18.7%
China16.7%
Iran14.3%
Korea8.7%
Pakistan3.9%
Brazil3.7%
Vietnam3.3%
Taiwan2.6%
Mexico2.3%
United Kingdom1.7%

Languages Spoken at Home

English only70.5%
Other Indo-European11.9%
Chinese7.7%
Spanish2.7%
Korean2.0%
Other Asian/Pacific1.7%
German/Germanic0.8%
Vietnamese0.7%

Cost of Livingrent 122% above VA average

Rent, home values, and income in Great Falls

In Great Falls, rent runs 122% above the VA average, and home values are 268% above the VA average.

Median rent (per month)

Great Falls$3,500+
Virginia avg$1,579
US$1,413

Median home value

Great Falls$1,411,000
Virginia avg$383,700
US$332,700

Rent Burdened

19.4%

spending 30%+ of income on rent

Severely Rent Burdened

13.8%

spending 50%+

Cost of Living Index

108.9

metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100

Homeowners

95.0%

of occupied homes are owned

Typical Home Built

1985

median year built

Vacant Homes

2.5%

of housing units

Home Value Trend

$1,320,221
$1,675,993
202120222023202420252026

Latest: $1,675,993 (September 2026)

Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for VA

Unemployment in Great Falls and typical pay across the metro area

Unemployment in Fairfax County, which includes Great Falls, is close to the VA average.

Unemployment rate

Great Falls3.2%
Virginia avg3.4%
US4.3%

Great Falls: Fairfax County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average

Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend

3.2%
3%
2.4%
2.3%
6.1%
3.4%
2.3%
2.3%
2.6%
3.2%
2016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Fairfax County (county-wide) · Annual averages

Great Falls is about 1% of Fairfax County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

What Great Falls Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry

Professional & business services35.5%
Education & health care16.7%
Finance & real estate11.5%
Public administration10.1%
Information6.1%
Arts, hospitality & food service4.8%
Other services4.5%
Retail3.4%

City residents, wherever they work

Median Salary by Occupation · metro area

Management$154,420
Computer & Math$129,790
Business & Finance$101,420
Healthcare$96,680
Education$64,110
Construction$58,650
Office & Admin$48,960
Transportation$43,540

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area

Commute33.5 min avg

How Great Falls residents get to work, and the nearest airports

In Great Falls, most residents drive alone to work (48%), and 45% get there in under 30 minutes.

How People Get to Work

Drive alone47.8%
Carpool3.2%
Public transit2.1%
Walk0.7%
Work from home44.2%
Other2.0%

Commute Time Distribution

Under 15 min9.4%
15–29 min36.0%
30–44 min27.8%
45–59 min13.6%
60+ min13.2%

Nearest airports · with airline service

  • Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)

    Major hub13.9M passengers boarded in 2025

    10 mi

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 67% below national average

Crime rates for 2025

Violent crime in the area policed by the Fairfax County Police Department, which covers Great Falls, runs 67% below the national average.

Violent Crime Rate

109.5

per 100,000 residents

Below average (329 national, 2025)

Property Crime Rate

1,437.9

per 100,000 residents

Below average (1,552 national, 2025)

Policed by Fairfax County Police Department (county-wide rate)

Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 29 events in 2025

Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes

FEMA National Risk Index

Relatively High

94.7 / 100

Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).

Lightning · Very HighWinter weather · Very HighHail · HighHeat wave · HighInland flooding · High

Fairfax County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025

In Fairfax County, which includes Great Falls, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 29 recorded events in 2025.

Most common events:

Thunderstorm WindFloodWinter WeatherFlash FloodDense Fog

Storm events by year

YearEventsTop TypeProperty Damage
202529Thunderstorm Wind$1.3M
202417Thunderstorm Wind$18,000
202319Thunderstorm Wind$1.9M
202238Thunderstorm Wind$442,500
202156Thunderstorm Wind$613,500
202056Thunderstorm Wind$307,000
201955Thunderstorm WindNone reported
201853FloodNone 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 County, county-wide

Great Falls is about 1% of Fairfax County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

Air Quality42 median AQI — Good

Days by air quality category (2025)

Air quality in Fairfax County, which includes Great Falls, 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

Fairfax County, county-wide

Great Falls is about 1% of Fairfax County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.

Climate82°F summers, 25°F winters

30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation

Great Falls 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

44.7"

Annual Snowfall

18.5"

Hot Days/Year

13

days above 90°F

Freeze Days/Year

99

days below 32°F

Rainy Days/Year

116

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)
10°30°50°70°90°4.5"Jan: 3.28" precipitationFeb: 2.62" precipitationMar: 3.84" precipitationApr: 3.39" precipitationMay: 4.28" precipitationJun: 4.13" precipitationJul: 4.26" precipitationAug: 3.54" precipitationSep: 4.16" precipitationOct: 3.51" precipitationNov: 3.13" precipitationDec: 3.43" precipitation23°JJan: high 42°F, low 23°FFFeb: high 45°F, low 24°FMMar: high 53°F, low 32°FAApr: high 65°F, low 41°FMMay: high 72°F, low 52°FJJun: high 80°F, low 61°F84°JJul: high 84°F, low 67°FAAug: high 82°F, low 65°FSSep: high 76°F, low 57°FOOct: high 65°F, low 45°FNNov: high 56°F, low 35°FDDec: high 46°F, low 28°F
Show month-by-month table ↓
MonthHighLowPrecip
Jan42°F23°F3.28"
Feb45°F24°F2.62"
Mar53°F32°F3.84"
Apr65°F41°F3.39"
May72°F52°F4.28"
Jun80°F61°F4.13"
Jul84°F67°F4.26"
Aug82°F65°F3.54"
Sep76°F57°F4.16"
Oct65°F45°F3.51"
Nov56°F35°F3.13"
Dec46°F28°F3.43"

Healthcare

Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Great Falls

Uninsured

2.3%

of residents

No hospitals inside Great Falls's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles

Reston Hospital Center

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.7 mi away · Reston

Adventist Healthcare Shady Grove Medical Center

Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.3 mi away · Rockville

Inova Fair Oaks Hospital

Acute Care Hospitals · 9.2 mi away · Fairfax

Adult Health · vs. the typical US place

Obesity20.8%US 36.8%
Diabetes9.7%US 12.6%
High blood pressure30.1%US 37.1%
Current smoking5.4%US 15.0%
No leisure-time physical activity14.4%US 26.6%
Depression17.9%US 23.0%
Asthma8.8%US 10.7%
Routine checkup in past year80.7%US 78.2%

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.

Education15.0:1 student/teacher ratio

Schools and degree attainment in Great Falls

Great Falls's student/teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 85.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Public Schools

2

within city limits

Private Schools

2

within city limits

College Degree Rate

85.3%

adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher

Student/Teacher Ratio

15.0:1

National avg 16:1

Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year

Colleges Near Great Falls (within 15 miles)

Northern Virginia Community College

11.7 mi away

Public · 2-year · 33,048 students · in-state tuition $6,062 · 30% graduate · median earnings $56,892 (10 yrs after entry)

Montgomery College

9.8 mi away

Public · 2-year · 13,773 students · in-state tuition $5,394 · 23% graduate · median earnings $55,378 (10 yrs after entry)

George Washington University

14.6 mi away

Private nonprofit · 4-year · 11,182 students · in-state tuition $70,170 · 86% graduate · median earnings $96,691 (10 yrs after entry)

Georgetown University

13.1 mi away

Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,569 students · in-state tuition $71,338 · 95% graduate · median earnings $110,516 (10 yrs after entry)

American University

11.5 mi away

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

12.5 mi away

Public · 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: Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, 2 mi

Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Great Falls

Great Falls has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (2 mi away).

Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

National Historical Park

2 mi away

Great Falls Park

Park

2 mi away

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts

National Park Site

4 mi away

Clara Barton National Historic Site

National Historic Site

8 mi away

George Washington Memorial Parkway

Memorial Parkway

8 mi away

Glen Echo Park

Park

8 mi away

Rock Creek Park

Park

13 mi away

Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial

National Park Site

14 mi away

Public Libraries in Great Falls

Great Falls Community Library

9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls

Branch~65 hrs/week

Cities Near Great Falls

The closest cities within 60 miles

Planning a move to Great Falls?

Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.

Moving to Great Falls →

Great Falls FAQ

Is Great Falls, Virginia affordable?⌄

Great Falls's median rent is $3,500+/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $250,000+/year. Median home value is $1,411,000.

Is Great Falls, Virginia safe?⌄

Great Falls is policed by the Fairfax County Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 110 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 1438 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.

What is the job market like in Great Falls, Virginia?⌄

Fairfax County, which includes Great Falls, 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 Great Falls, Virginia?⌄

The cost of living in Great Falls is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $3,500+/month and median household income is $250,000+/year. The median home value is $1,411,000. About 19% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

How is the commute in Great Falls, Virginia?⌄

The average commute in Great Falls is 34 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