Health Profile of Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
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A+
Fairfax County Top gradeAmong the top 3 healthiest counties in Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Fairfax County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 82.6 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 7.1% | 6.9% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 9.6% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Fairfax County is 82.6 years, about 5.3 years longer than the Virginia average of 77.3 years. The uninsured rate is 7.1%, higher than the Virginia average of 6.9%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 9.6% of residents, lower than the Virginia average of 16.9%.
Population by Age
Older residents
377,470 residents in Fairfax County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 16,910 5,981 men · 10,929 women
- 75–84 44,025 19,825 men · 24,200 women
- 65–74 91,740 43,911 men · 47,829 women
- 50–64 224,794 112,384 men · 112,411 women
Younger residents
254,063 residents in Fairfax County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 80,610 40,728 boys · 39,881 girls
- 7–12 75,502 39,154 boys · 36,348 girls
- 3–7 56,653 29,694 boys · 26,959 girls
- 0–3 41,298 21,136 boys · 20,162 girls
About 25,387 residents in Fairfax County (2.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 82.6 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Fairfax County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 7.9% | 12.2% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.5% | 6.8% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 4.0% | 6.8% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 22.6% | 36.3% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Fairfax County is about 41% lower than in Virginia. The rate of obesity in Fairfax County is about 38% lower than in Virginia. The rate of diabetes in Fairfax County is about 35% lower than in Virginia.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Fairfax County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 10.0% | 19.0% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.1% | 15.2% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 15.8% | 24.8% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Fairfax County is about 47% lower than in Virginia. The rate of sedentary lifestyle in Fairfax County is about 36% lower than in Virginia.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 881,849 cigarettes a day, 26.5 million a month, or 321.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 9.7 million minutes a day and 3.5 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Fairfax County is 82.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.22 lifetimes a day, or 82 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Fairfax County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.78 | 6.12 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.8 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Fairfax County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Fairfax County, VA Health Compared With Nearby Counties
How Fairfax County, VA compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County, VA | 1,147,383 | 82.6 yrs #1/2 | 7.1% #2/2 | 22.6% #1/2 |
| Arlington County, VA | 236,150 | 81.8 yrs | 5.3% | 27.1% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Fairfax County, Virginia has an overall health index grade of A+, making it far better than Virginia, and far better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Fairfax County, Virginia.
What is the health grade for Fairfax County, Virginia?
Fairfax County, Virginia has a Map AI Health Index grade of A+, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; an A+ grade means residents are among the healthiest and longest-living in the country.
Is Fairfax County, Virginia one of the healthiest counties in Virginia?
Fairfax County ranks 3rd healthiest out of 133 counties in Virginia by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
How long do people live in Fairfax County, Virginia?
People in Fairfax County, Virginia can expect to live 82.6 years on average, 5.3 years longer than the Virginia average of 77.3.
How many people lack health insurance in Fairfax County, Virginia?
7.1% of residents in Fairfax County, Virginia have no health insurance, about 1 in 14 people, about the same as the Virginia rate of 6.9%.
What percentage of Fairfax County, Virginia residents are obese?
22.6% of adults in Fairfax County, Virginia are classified as obese, about 1 in 4, 13.7 points below the Virginia rate of 36.3%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Fairfax County, Virginia go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 881,849 cigarettes a day, 26.5 million a month, or 321.9 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 9.7 million minutes a day and 3.5 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Fairfax County is 82.6 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.22 lifetimes a day, or 82 lifetimes a year.
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