1st Advantage MortgageIn Fairfax County, Virginia, the typical household earns $153,637 a year and the typical rent is $2,276. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Fairfax County at a glance
- What Fairfax County households earn
- Rent, home values and ownership in Fairfax County
- How Fairfax County residents earn a living
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Fairfax County
- Fairfax County households compared
- Before borrowing in Fairfax County
- What a median Fairfax County budget can carry
- Steps before you apply in Fairfax County
- Checking a lender's license in Virginia
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Fairfax County at a glance
Fairfax County is home to about 1,147,837 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 1st most populous of 133 county-level areas in Virginia. Packed into 391 square miles, that is close to 2,935 residents for every square mile of land. It is one of the counties that make up the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Of the 70 Census places inside Fairfax County, Centreville leads by population with about 71,706; 4 of the 70 are incorporated.
What Fairfax County households earn
Fairfax County households have a median income of $153,637 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 2nd of 133 in Virginia.
| Household income | Fairfax County | vs Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 8.4% | -9.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 22.7% | -12.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 32.6% | +3.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 36.3% | +18.6 pts |
The spread is wide: 69% of Fairfax County households make $100,000 or more, and 8% make less than $35,000. Census counts 5.9% of Fairfax County residents in poverty, against 9.9% across Virginia. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.430 here. A household earning below the $153,637 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Rent, home values and ownership in Fairfax County
Renters in Fairfax County pay a median of $2,276 a month, 44% above the Virginia figure of $1,579. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 46% of renter households here. Home values center on $732,800, or 4.8 years of median income. The ownership rate is 69%.
| Measure | Fairfax County | Virginia | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $2,276/mo | $1,579/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $732,800 | $383,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 69% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 46% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 24% | 25% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 4% | 9% | n/a |
How Fairfax County residents earn a living
By the Census industry count, 27% of employed Fairfax County residents work in professional and administrative services and 18% in education and health care. Compared with Virginia, the county leans toward professional and administrative services (27% against 17%). Averaged over the five survey years, 4.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are common here: 19% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 4.8% of the total (6.1% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Fairfax County | Gap to Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Professional and administrative services | 27.2% | +10.4 pts |
| Education and health care | 18.1% | -4.2 pts |
| Public administration | 11.9% | +3.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.3% | -0.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 7.2% | -2.6 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.2% | +0.7 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Neighboring counties at a glance
Fairfax city is closest, 2 miles from center to center; the sixth, Manassas city, is 13 miles off. Falls Church city leads the group on income ($143,262), Manassas Park city trails ($103,250), and Fairfax County out-earns 6 of the six.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County | - | $153,637 | $2,276/mo | 69% |
| Fairfax city, VA | 2 mi | $132,348 | $2,245/mo | 70% |
| Falls Church city, VA | 6 mi | $143,262 | $2,190/mo | 53% |
| Arlington County, VA | 10 mi | $142,114 | $2,322/mo | 41% |
| Manassas Park city, VA | 10 mi | $103,250 | $2,146/mo | 66% |
| Alexandria city, VA | 10 mi | $119,681 | $2,089/mo | 42% |
| Manassas city, VA | 13 mi | $113,590 | $1,850/mo | 71% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Fairfax County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 70 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 99% of Fairfax County residents live in one of the 70. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $77,400 in Seven Corners to $250,001 in McLean. 2 of them have a separate city guide (linked). For the rest, this is the local guide.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centreville | CDP | 71,706 | $139,510 | $2,299 | 9 mi |
| Reston | CDP | 64,414 | $148,710 | $2,231 | 9 mi |
| McLean | CDP | 49,627 | $250,001 | $3,422 | 9 mi |
| Burke | CDP | 44,029 | $185,818 | $2,894 | 4 mi |
| Annandale | CDP | 41,705 | $116,263 | $1,933 | 4 mi |
| Oakton | CDP | 36,528 | $160,663 | $2,276 | 4 mi |
| Fair Oaks | CDP | 35,545 | $123,947 | $2,275 | 5 mi |
| West Falls Church | CDP | 31,279 | $134,978 | $2,066 | 5 mi |
| Springfield | CDP | 31,154 | $125,999 | $2,656 | 6 mi |
| Tysons | CDP | 28,936 | $129,818 | $2,497 | 7 mi |
| Herndon | town | 24,672 | $148,000 | $2,259 | 11 mi |
| Bailey's Crossroads | CDP | 24,271 | $88,483 | $2,021 | 8 mi |
| Chantilly | CDP | 24,036 | $157,124 | $2,312 | 10 mi |
| McNair | CDP | 22,655 | $122,778 | $2,287 | 11 mi |
Fairfax County households compared
65% of Fairfax County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 7% go without health insurance.
| Fairfax County | Virginia | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 65.0% | 42.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.8% | 8.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.1% | 6.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.8% | 6.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 28.7% | 18.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 9.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.2% | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Fairfax County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 16.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 36.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 27.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 10.5% |
| 60+ min | 8.7% |
Before borrowing in Fairfax County
Based on the Fairfax County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Long drives. With 19% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Fairfax County budgets.
- Higher earners. 69% of households clear $100,000; shop at least three lenders and pick the shortest term.
- 46% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
What a median Fairfax County budget can carry
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Fairfax County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Monthly gross at the median, Fairfax County: $12,803
- Housing at the median rent of $2,276 uses 18%
- Under a 43% cap, $5,505 total minus rent leaves $3,229
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Fairfax County's.
Steps before you apply in Fairfax County
Steps that save money for Fairfax County residents:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Virginia.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Checking a lender's license in Virginia
Fairfax County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. Statewide data and rules: Virginia guide.
Nearby and statewide guides
Guides that cover parts of Fairfax County:
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Fairfax County earn?
The median is $153,637; 69% earn $100,000 or more and 8% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Fairfax County?
$2,276 a month at the median, about 18% of median household income.
I live in a small Fairfax County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Centreville, Reston, McLean, Burke, Annandale and 65 more.
Are Fairfax County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Where can someone in Fairfax County check a lender's license?
With the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.