Median Income
$250,001
household / year
Median Home Value
$1,257,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$3,319
gross / month
Cost of Living
109
national avg = 100

Is McLean, VA a Good Place to Live?

McLean is a small city of 49,587 in Virginia, with a median household income of $250,001 and a 2.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

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

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

All McLean 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

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

Metric McLean, VA National Avg
Median Home Value $1,257,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $3,319 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 87.6% 65.9%
Median Household Income $250,001 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

McLean's violent crime rate is 113.0 per 100,000 residents — 70% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
113.0 /100k
Property Crime
1530.7 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

McLean 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 McLean, 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 85.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 97.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

McLean sees average highs of 42.9°F in January and 88.2°F in July, with 46.2 inches of annual precipitation and 5.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricMcLean, VA
Average High — January42.9°F
Average High — July88.2°F
Annual Precipitation46.2"
Annual Snowfall5.8"

Demographics

MetricMcLean, VANational Avg
Population49,587—
Median Age46.738.9
Unemployment Rate2.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time28.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)69.1%59.3%
Black or African American2.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino3.4%18.9%
Asian20.3%6.3%
Under 1825.5%22.2%
65 and over19.3%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Pimmit Hills, VA 2 mi Tysons, VA 2 mi Cabin John, MD 3 mi Glen Echo, MD 3 mi Brookmont, MD 4 mi

ZIP Codes in McLean

McLean, VA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

22101 22102

McLean vs Other Cities

McLean, VA vs Pimmit Hills, VA McLean, VA vs Tysons, VA McLean, VA vs Cabin John, MD McLean, VA vs Glen Echo, MD McLean, VA vs Brookmont, MD

Frequently Asked Questions

McLean's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts McLean roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $1,257,900 and median rent is $3,319/month.
McLean's violent crime rate is 113.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1530.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in McLean 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. 85.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
McLean, VA has a population of 49,587, a median household income of $250,001, and an unemployment rate of 2.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
McLean averages 42.9°F in January and 88.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 46.2 inches with about 5.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
McLean, VA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 22101, 22102.
The population of McLean, Virginia is 49,587 with a median age of 46.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in McLean: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $1,257,900, median household income $250,001, crime index 47 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare McLean side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.