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Living in
Great Falls.
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
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
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
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)
Median home value
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
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 Falls: Fairfax County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
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
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
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
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 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 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).
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:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.3M |
| 2024 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $18,000 |
| 2023 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.9M |
| 2022 | 38 | Thunderstorm Wind | $442,500 |
| 2021 | 56 | Thunderstorm Wind | $613,500 |
| 2020 | 56 | Thunderstorm Wind | $307,000 |
| 2019 | 55 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 53 | Flood | 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 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
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 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
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 awayPublic · 2-year · 33,048 students · in-state tuition $6,062 · 30% graduate · median earnings $56,892 (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 · 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
12.5 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: 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 awayGreat Falls Park
Park
2 mi awayWolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
National Park Site
4 mi awayClara Barton National Historic Site
National Historic Site
8 mi awayGeorge Washington Memorial Parkway
Memorial Parkway
8 mi awayGlen Echo Park
Park
8 mi awayRock Creek Park
Park
13 mi awayArlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
National Park Site
14 mi awayPublic Libraries in Great Falls
Great Falls Community Library
9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls
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.
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