Median Income
$128,708
household / year
Median Home Value
$649,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,972
gross / month
Cost of Living
109
national avg = 100

Is Fairfax, VA a Good Place to Live?

Fairfax is a small city of 24,242 in Virginia, with a median household income of $128,708 and a 3.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

Strengths: Fairfax stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Fairfax is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Fairfax city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 108.6

Fairfax's overall cost of living index is 108.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Fairfax costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.

Metric Fairfax, VA National Avg
Median Home Value $649,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,972 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 68.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $128,708 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Crime data for Fairfax is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.

Schools & Education

Fairfax is served primarily by Fairfax County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Fairfax, VA National Avg
School District Fairfax County Public Schools —
Elementary Schools 141 —
Middle Schools 24 —
High Schools 28 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 13.3:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 60.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 92.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Fairfax sees average highs of 42.3°F in January and 83.8°F in July, with 43.6 inches of annual precipitation and 18.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricFairfax, VA
Average High — January42.3°F
Average High — July83.8°F
Annual Precipitation43.6"
Annual Snowfall18.5"

Demographics

MetricFairfax, VANational Avg
Population24,242—
Median Age37.538.9
Unemployment Rate3.7%3.7%
Avg Commute Time28.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)59.6%59.3%
Black or African American5.9%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino12.8%18.9%
Asian17.4%6.3%
Under 1823.1%22.2%
65 and over14.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

George Mason, VA 2 mi Long Branch, VA 2 mi Mantua, VA 2 mi Oakton, VA 3 mi Kings Park West, VA 3 mi

Fairfax vs Other Cities

Fairfax, VA vs George Mason, VA Fairfax, VA vs Long Branch, VA Fairfax, VA vs Mantua, VA Fairfax, VA vs Oakton, VA Fairfax, VA vs Kings Park West, VA

Frequently Asked Questions

Fairfax's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts Fairfax roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $649,600 and median rent is $1,972/month.
Crime data for Fairfax is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
Public schools in Fairfax are operated by Fairfax County Public Schools. The district has 141 elementary, 24 middle, and 28 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.3:1. 60.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Fairfax, VA has a population of 24,242, a median household income of $128,708, and an unemployment rate of 3.7%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Fairfax averages 42.3°F in January and 83.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.6 inches with about 18.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Fairfax, Virginia is 24,242 with a median age of 37.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Fairfax: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $649,600, median household income $128,708, schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Fairfax side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.