Fairfax County, Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Fairfax County, VA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A+
Health Top gradeAmong the top 3 healthiest counties in Virginia
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A+
Income Top gradeAmong the top 5 wealthiest counties in Virginia
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A+
Education Top gradeAmong the top 5 best educated counties in Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Fairfax County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,147,383 | 8,702,460 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 2822.2 | 203.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.14% | 0.57% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.5 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 413,934 | 3,364,625 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Fairfax County grew by 12.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 1,147,383 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Fairfax County is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 22.8% of residents. That is 0.4 points above Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 238,068 20.7% -0.6 pts
- Millennials 29–44 261,744 22.8% +0.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 250,683 21.8% +1.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 173,046 15.1% -1.5 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Virginia, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.0% of the people living in Fairfax County and men 50.0%.
- Women 50.0% Virginia 50.6%
- Men 50.0% Virginia 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Fairfax County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Fairfax County has a the economy index of A+, which means it is exceptionally prosperous.
| Metric | Fairfax County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $153,857 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.68% | 4.33% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Fairfax County is about 65% higher than in Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Fairfax County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $654,572 | $256,082 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,275 | $1,579 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 68.6% | 67.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Fairfax County is about 24.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,275 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Fairfax County spend about 55 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 230 hours, about 9.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Fairfax County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 27.5 | 23.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 55.1 | 46.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 230 | 193 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $7,116 | $5,986 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 28.7% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 17,824 | 10,059 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,144 | 1,531 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Virginia:
Lexington city (10.6 min), Covington city (12.2 min), Norton city (13.1 min).
Slowest:
Amelia County (43.7 min), Craig County (41.3 min), Buckingham County (41.3 min).
The average commute time in Fairfax County is 28 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Virginia.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Fairfax County has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Fairfax County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.6% | 37.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.75 | 2.52 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Virginia:
Falls Church city (0.6), Arlington County (0.6), Alexandria city (0.5).
Lowest:
Greensville County (0.2), Lunenburg County (0.2), Buchanan County (0.2).
Health
Fairfax County has a health index of A+, which means it is exceptionally healthy.
| Metric | Fairfax County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 82.6 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 9.6% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 10.0% | 19.0% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Virginia:
Falls Church city (0.8), Arlington County (0.8), Fairfax County (0.8).
Lowest:
Emporia city (0.7), Petersburg city (0.8), Galax city (0.8).
Fairfax County, VA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Fairfax County, VA compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County, VA | 1,147,383 | $153,857 #1/2 | $654,572 #1/2 | 27.5 min #2/2 |
| Arlington County, VA | 236,150 | $141,911 | $370,061 | 25.4 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Fairfax County, Virginia.
What is the population of Fairfax County, Virginia?
About 1,147,383 people live in Fairfax County, Virginia, in 413,934 households of 2.7 people on average. The median age is 37.5, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Fairfax County, Virginia urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Fairfax County, Virginia has 2,822 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 33 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Fairfax County, Virginia?
The median home costs 4.3 times the median household income ($654,572 against $153,857), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $2,275 a month takes about 18% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Fairfax County, Virginia?
Unemployment in Fairfax County, Virginia is only 4.2%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Fairfax County, Virginia?
59.6% of adults in Fairfax County, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 6 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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