The Town FilesFairfax, Virginia
City in Fairfax city · population 24,146 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $722,600
- Household income
- $132,348
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 19 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 36.6
Fairfax is a city of 24,146 people in Fairfax city, Virginia. The median home is worth $722,600, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks more vibrant than 98% of Virginia towns, better transit than 95% of Virginia towns, better for young professionals than 89% of Virginia towns.
How Fairfax 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fairfax is worth $722,600, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 5.5 times the median household income of $132,348, which is more affordable than 9% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $2,245 a month. 69.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fairfax | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $722,600 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $2,245 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $132,348 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.5× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 69.9% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Fairfax
| People | Fairfax | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.6 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.1% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.4% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 30.6% | — |
| Work from home | 29.1% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.7% | 91.8% |
Weather in Fairfax
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 23.4°F. About 43.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.5 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 99 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairfax since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 5, 1979 about 7.0 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 45 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 31, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 111 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 11, 2004.
Severe weather in Fairfax city since 1996
Fairfax city has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
| September 11, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3403: Hurricane Florence |
| March 7, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4262: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Fairfax city
Fairfax city had 24,181 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,382 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Fairfax itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Fairfax
27 public schools with 23,810 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robinson Secondary | 7-12 | 3,665 | 20.5 |
| Woodson High | 9-12 | 2,473 | 12.5 |
| Fairfax High | 9-12 | 2,351 | 17.5 |
| Frost Middle | 7-8 | 1,246 | 13.3 |
| Johnson Middle | 7-8 | 1,137 | 12.6 |
| Mosaic Elementary | PK-6 | 966 | 16.7 |
| Mantua Elementary | PK-6 | 964 | 15.8 |
| Greenbriar East Elementary | PK-6 | 911 | 15.4 |
| Providence Elementary | PK-6 | 893 | 15.1 |
| Willow Springs Elementary | PK-6 | 859 | 15.6 |
| Navy Elementary | PK-6 | 851 | 16.4 |
| Bonnie Brae Elementary | PK-6 | 828 | 15.6 |
Towns near Fairfax
- George Mason, VA1.5 mi · 11,162 people · home $728,000
- Long Branch, VA2.2 mi · 7,890 people · home $842,400
- Mantua, VA2.2 mi · 7,503 people · home $1,001,200
- Oakton, VA2.5 mi · 36,732 people · home $792,100
- Kings Park West, VA2.7 mi · 13,465 people · home $742,800
- Fair Oaks, VA3.2 mi · 34,052 people · home $608,200
- Braddock, VA3.4 mi · 6,549 people · home $941,600
- Merrifield, VA3.4 mi · 20,488 people · home $660,800
Fairfax questions
Is Fairfax, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fairfax scores better for retirees than 25% of Virginia towns and quieter than 12%. 14.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.6).
How much does a house cost in Fairfax?
The median owner-occupied home in Fairfax is valued at $722,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $132,348, so homes cost about 5.5 times income. Median rent is $2,245 a month.
What is the weather like in Fairfax?
July highs average 83.8°F and January lows 23.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.6 inches of precipitation a year and 18.5 inches of snow.
Does Fairfax get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairfax since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 5, 1979. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)