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Living in
Herndon.
About
Life in Herndon
Herndon is a Northern Virginia town on the Dulles tech corridor, about 4 miles from Washington Dulles International Airport, and its economy shows it: professional and business services employ about 31% of working residents. The median household income is $148,000, about 83% above the national median, and 53% of adults hold a college degree. Housing is expensive, with a median home value of $599,100 and rent around $2,259 a month.
Herndon at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.1%
Foreign-Born
42.2%
Broadband Internet
96.0%
of households
Population Growth
+3.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics42.2% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador
Who lives in Herndon: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Herndon, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (23.8%), and 29.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.2%
of residents
65 and Older
9.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
18.1%
of households
Married Couples
57.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.16
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 43% above VA average
Rent, home values, and income in Herndon
In Herndon, rent runs 43% above the VA average, and home values are 56% above the VA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
29.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
13.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,680
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1983
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $722,139 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below VA average
Unemployment in Herndon and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Herndon is 0.6 percentage points lower than the VA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
What Herndon 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
Commute27.5 min avg
How Herndon residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Herndon, most residents drive alone to work (56%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 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 17% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Herndon runs 17% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
272.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,322.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Herndon Police Department
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 Herndon, 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
Herndon is about 2% 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 Herndon, 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
Herndon is about 2% of Fairfax 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
Herndon 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
46.4"
Annual Snowfall
21.0"
Hot Days/Year
33
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
102
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
121
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 Herndon
Uninsured
16.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Herndon's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Reston Hospital Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 1.4 mi away · Reston
Inova Fair Oaks Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 5.9 mi away · Fairfax
Stonesprings Hospital Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.6 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.
Education12.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Herndon
Herndon's student/teacher ratio is 12.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 53.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
2
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
53.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Herndon (within 15 miles)
Northern Virginia Community College
12.4 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 · 1,810 students · in-state tuition $42,986 · 66% graduate · median earnings $74,032 (10 yrs after entry)
Chamberlain University-Virginia
9.8 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 557 students · in-state tuition $20,845 · 70% graduate · median earnings $96,897 (10 yrs after entry)
Arizona College of Nursing-Falls Church
11.8 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 348 students · in-state tuition $25,133 · median earnings $41,223 (10 yrs after entry)
University of the Potomac-VA Campus
10.2 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 157 students · in-state tuition $6,660 · 80% graduate · median earnings $43,211 (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: Great Falls Park, 7 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Herndon
Herndon has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Great Falls Park (7 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Great Falls Park
Park
7 mi awayWolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
National Park Site
7 mi awayChesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
National Historical Park
8 mi awayClara Barton National Historic Site
National Historic Site
13 mi awayGeorge Washington Memorial Parkway
Memorial Parkway
13 mi awayGlen Echo Park
Park
13 mi awayManassas National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
13 mi awayPotomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
14 mi awayPublic Libraries in Herndon
Herndon Fortnightly Community Library
768 Center St., Herndon
Cities Near Herndon
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Herndon?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Herndon FAQ
Is Herndon, Virginia affordable?⌄
Herndon's median rent is $2,259/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $148,000/year. Median home value is $599,100.
Is Herndon, Virginia safe?⌄
Herndon's violent crime rate was 272 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1322 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Herndon, Virginia?⌄
Herndon has an unemployment rate of 2.8%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Herndon, Virginia?⌄
The cost of living in Herndon is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,259/month and median household income is $148,000/year. The median home value is $599,100. About 29% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Herndon, Virginia?⌄
The average commute in Herndon 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