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Living in
Wakefield.
The Census tops out at $3,500+ for rent; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.
Wakefield 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 Wakefield
Wakefield is a community of 12,024 people in Virginia. The median household income is $237,975, median rent runs about $3,501 per month, and median home values are around $861,600. Unemployment is low at 3.2%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Wakefield at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
1.8%
Foreign-Born
20.5%
Broadband Internet
98.2%
of households
Population Growth
+4.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics20.5% foreign-born, most often from Korea
Who lives in Wakefield: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Wakefield, the largest foreign-born group is from Korea (14.0%), and 5.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.1%
of residents
65 and Older
16.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
41.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
12.4%
of households
Married Couples
78.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.17
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 Wakefield
In Wakefield, rent runs 122% above the VA average, and home values are 125% above the VA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
9.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
0.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,608
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
91.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1968
median year built
Vacant Homes
0.0%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for VA
Unemployment in Wakefield and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Fairfax County, which includes Wakefield, is close to the VA average.
Unemployment rate
Wakefield: Fairfax County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Fairfax County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Wakefield is about 1% of Fairfax County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Wakefield Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Richmond, VA metro area
Commute28.3 min avg
How Wakefield residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Wakefield, most residents drive alone to work (62%), and 53% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 11 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 67% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Fairfax County Police Department, which covers Wakefield, 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 Wakefield, 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
Wakefield 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 Wakefield, 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
Wakefield 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
Wakefield 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
46.7"
Annual Snowfall
18.5"
Hot Days/Year
13
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
99
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
124
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 Wakefield
Uninsured
1.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Wakefield's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Inova Fairfax Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.4 mi away · Falls Church
Northern Virginia Mental Health Insti
Psychiatric · 2.4 mi away · Falls Church
Dominion Hospital
Psychiatric · 5.5 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.
Education16.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Wakefield
Wakefield's student/teacher ratio is 16.4:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 73.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
2
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
73.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Wakefield
Northern Virginia Community College
Public · 2-year · 33,048 students · in-state tuition $6,062 · 30% graduate · median earnings $56,892 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
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
12.5 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 9,376 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 14% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (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
12.6 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: Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, 8 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Wakefield
Wakefield has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts (8 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
National Park Site
8 mi awayArlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
National Park Site
10 mi awayClara Barton National Historic Site
National Historic Site
11 mi awayFranklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
National Park Site
11 mi awayGeorge Washington Memorial Parkway
Memorial Parkway
11 mi awayGlen Echo Park
Park
11 mi awayGreat Falls Park
Park
11 mi awayKorean War Veterans Memorial
National Park Site
11 mi awayCities Near Wakefield
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Wakefield?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Wakefield FAQ
Is Wakefield, Virginia affordable?⌄
Wakefield's median rent is $3,500+/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $237,975/year. Median home value is $861,600.
Is Wakefield, Virginia safe?⌄
Wakefield 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 Wakefield, Virginia?⌄
Fairfax County, which includes Wakefield, 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 Wakefield, Virginia?⌄
The cost of living in Wakefield is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $3,500+/month and median household income is $237,975/year. The median home value is $861,600. About 10% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Wakefield, Virginia?⌄
The average commute in Wakefield 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