The Town Files

Dranesville, Virginia

Community in Fairfax County · population 11,785 (2020 Census)

Map: where Dranesville is in VirginiaDranesville
Median home
$744,500
Household income
$214,688
Jan low / Jul high
25° / 88°
Snow a year
21 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
21
Median age
39.8

Dranesville is a community of 11,785 people in Fairfax County, Virginia. The median home is worth $744,500, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks more upscale than 96% of Virginia towns, better for families than 93% of Virginia towns, better for cycling than 83% of Virginia towns.

How Dranesville ranks

Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.

Dranesville lifestyle rankings vs other Virginia townsRetirement44th pctFamilies93rd pctQuiet33rd pctWalkability65th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals76th pctVibrancy62nd pctHip & trendy45th pctCollege town74th pctUpscale96th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling83rd pctTransit74th pctDriving13th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Dranesville is worth $744,500, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $214,688, which is more affordable than 67% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $3,187 a month. 93.1% of households own their home.

Dranesville vs Fairfax County vs typical Virginia townDranesvilleFairfax CountyTypical Virginia townHome value$744,500$732,800$298,050Household income$214,688$153,637$78,595Monthly rent$3,187$2,276$1,254
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Virginia towns with 500+ people.
HousingDranesvilleTypical Virginia town
Median home value$744,500$298,050
Median rent$3,187$1,254
Median household income$214,688$78,595
Home value ÷ income3.5×3.8×
Homeownership93.1%69.2%
Median year built19841980
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Dranesville

PeopleDranesvilleTypical Virginia town
Median age39.839.8
Age 65 and over15.7%17.3%
Under 1823.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher75.2%31.2%
Below the poverty line2.8%8.8%
Veterans7.8%—
Born outside the U.S.17.4%—
Work from home39.7%12.8%
Average commute28.6 min26.3 min
Homes with broadband99.5%91.8%

Weather in Dranesville

July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 25.2°F. About 43.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.0 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 102 nights at or below freezing.

Dranesville monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing43°25°Jan46°27°Feb55°34°Mar67°43°Apr75°53°May83°62°Jun88°67°Jul86°65°Aug79°58°Sep68°45°Oct57°36°Nov47°29°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.96.92.67.03.53.93.50.14.74.34.23.53.93.63.10.33.32.8
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Washington Dc Dulles Ap station (6.3 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dranesville since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 5, 1979 about 5.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 7 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 5, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Dranesville by decade11950s01960s11970s31980s31990s22000s72010s42020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 116 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on July 2, 1968.

Severe weather in Fairfax County since 1996

Storm events in Fairfax County since 1996 by typeHail145Heat50Flood292Dense Fog70High Wind19Heavy Rain21Flash Flood238Strong Wind24
NOAA Storm Events Database, Fairfax County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 12 deaths recorded.

Fairfax County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 23, 2026Winter StormEM-3631: Severe Winter Storm
April 2, 2020BiologicalDR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3448: Covid-19
September 11, 2018HurricaneEM-3403: Hurricane Florence
March 7, 2016SnowstormDR-4262: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm

Jobs and pay in Fairfax County

Fairfax County had 636,430 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $114,100 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Dranesville itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.

Largest industries in Fairfax CountyProfessional & technical serv…158,868 jobs · $166,553Health care & social assistan…72,266 jobs · $80,261Retail48,953 jobs · $50,278Administrative & support45,826 jobs · $93,929Hotels & restaurants44,130 jobs · $34,579Finance & insurance25,572 jobs · $173,276
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Fairfax County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%2000200420082012201620202023Fairfax 2.5%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Dranesville

Dranesville questions

Is Dranesville, Virginia a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dranesville scores better for retirees than 44% of Virginia towns and quieter than 33%. 15.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.8).

How much does a house cost in Dranesville?

The median owner-occupied home in Dranesville is valued at $744,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $214,688, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $3,187 a month.

What is the weather like in Dranesville?

July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 25.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.2 inches of precipitation a year and 21.0 inches of snow.

Does Dranesville get tornadoes?

21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dranesville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 5, 1979. The typical Virginia town has had 11.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Dranesville's Census boundary (GEOID 5123392). Comparisons use the median of Virginia towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.