The Town Files

Franconia, Virginia

Community in Fairfax County · population 18,943 (2020 Census)

Map: where Franconia is in VirginiaFranconia
Median home
$567,100
Household income
$152,474
Jan low / Jul high
30° / 90°
Snow a year
13 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
25
Median age
40.9

Franconia is a community of 18,943 people in Fairfax County, Virginia. The median home is worth $567,100, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks more upscale than 90% of Virginia towns, better transit than 90% of Virginia towns, more vibrant than 89% of Virginia towns.

How Franconia 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.

Franconia lifestyle rankings vs other Virginia townsRetirement23rd pctFamilies36th pctQuiet16th pctWalkability85th pctFirst-time buyers79th pctYoung professionals84th pctVibrancy89th pctHip & trendy85th pctCollege town86th pctUpscale90th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling78th pctTransit90th pctDriving3rd 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 Franconia is worth $567,100, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $152,474, which is more affordable than 57% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $2,605 a month. 76.0% of households own their home.

Franconia vs Fairfax County vs typical Virginia townFranconiaFairfax CountyTypical Virginia townHome value$567,100$732,800$298,050Household income$152,474$153,637$78,595Monthly rent$2,605$2,276$1,254
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Virginia towns with 500+ people.
HousingFranconiaTypical Virginia town
Median home value$567,100$298,050
Median rent$2,605$1,254
Median household income$152,474$78,595
Home value ÷ income3.7×3.8×
Homeownership76.0%69.2%
Median year built19881980
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Franconia

PeopleFranconiaTypical Virginia town
Median age40.939.8
Age 65 and over14.7%17.3%
Under 1818.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher66.8%31.2%
Below the poverty line2.8%8.8%
Veterans9.2%—
Born outside the U.S.28.0%—
Work from home39.7%12.8%
Average commute31.1 min26.3 min
Homes with broadband98.9%91.8%

Weather in Franconia

July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 30.1°F. About 41.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.4 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 40 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 60 nights at or below freezing.

Franconia monthly temperatures and precipitation30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing45°30°Jan48°32°Feb57°39°Mar68°48°Apr77°58°May85°68°Jun90°72°Jul88°71°Aug81°64°Sep69°52°Oct58°42°Nov49°35°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.94.82.63.53.52.83.23.94.24.33.33.93.72.90.13.42.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Washington Reagan Ap station (8.7 mi away); snow from Franconia 1.3 Sse (1.9 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Franconia since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on September 24, 2001 about 8.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 47 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 1, 2021.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Franconia by decade11950s11960s41970s21980s31990s62000s62010s22020s
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 85 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 11, 2004.

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 Franconia itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.

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 Franconia

Franconia questions

Is Franconia, Virginia a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Franconia scores better for retirees than 23% of Virginia towns and quieter than 16%. 14.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.9).

How much does a house cost in Franconia?

The median owner-occupied home in Franconia is valued at $567,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $152,474, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $2,605 a month.

What is the weather like in Franconia?

July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 30.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.8 inches of precipitation a year and 13.4 inches of snow.

Does Franconia get tornadoes?

25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Franconia since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on September 24, 2001. The typical Virginia town has had 11.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Franconia's Census boundary (GEOID 5129552). 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 2026-11-13.