Fairfax County, VA

County

Add Comparison

2021 Population

1.15M

0.227% 1-year decline

US Senator

Mark Warner

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tim Kaine

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

38.3

0.525% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

6.13%

4.11% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$133,974

4.78% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$594,500

3.09% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

610,056

0.282% 1-year decline

About

In 2021, Fairfax County, VA had a population of 1.15M people with a median age of 38.3 and a median household income of $133,974. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Fairfax County, VA declined from 1.15M to 1.15M, a −0.227% decrease and its median household income grew from $127,866 to $133,974, a 4.78% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Fairfax County, VA are White (Non-Hispanic) (49.3%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (19.9%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (9.54%), White (Hispanic) (7.32%), and Other (Hispanic) (4.94%).

None of the households in Fairfax County, VA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

87.4% of the residents in Fairfax County, VA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Fairfax County, VA are George Mason University (10,774 degrees awarded in 2021), Northern Virginia Community College (8,894 degrees), and Columbia College (455983) (268 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Fairfax County, VA was $594,500, and the homeownership rate was 68.5%.

Most people in Fairfax County, VA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 31.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Fairfax County, VA was 2 cars per household.

Fairfax County, VA borders District of Columbia, DC, Charles County, MD, Montgomery County, MD, Prince George's County, MD, Arlington County, VA, Loudoun County, VA, Prince William County, VA, Alexandria city, VA, Fairfax city, VA, and Falls Church city, VA.

Photo by J. Sibiga Photography

United States Virginia Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

Population & Diversity

Fairfax County, VA is home to a population of 1.15M people, from which 87.4% are citizens. As of 2021, 30.6% of Fairfax County, VA residents were born outside of the country (351k people).

In 2021, there were 2.47 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (566k people) in Fairfax County, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 229k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 109k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

87.4%

2021 Citizenship

86.9%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 87.4% of Fairfax County, VA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Fairfax County, VA was 86.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Fairfax County, VA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Fairfax County, VA

White (Non-Hispanic)
566k ± 885
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
229k ± 1.86k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
109k ± 1.25k

16.4%

Hispanic Population

188k people

16.4% of the people in Fairfax County, VA are hispanic (188k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Fairfax County, VA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Virginia.

Most Common Origin

El Salvador
109,039 ± 8,055 people
India
96,011 ± 7,565 people
Mexico
59,097 ± 5,948 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Virginia was El Salvador, the natal country of 109,039 Virginia residents, followed by India with 96,011 and Mexico with 59,097.

Foreign-Born Population

30.6%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

351k people

30.9%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

356k people

As of 2021, 30.6% of Fairfax County, VA residents (351k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Fairfax County, VA was 30.9%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Fairfax County, VA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
29,330 ± 1,293
Vietnam
15,973 ± 683
Gulf War (1990s)
13,378 ± 851

Fairfax County, VA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.84 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Fairfax County, VA employs 610k people. The largest industries in Fairfax County, VA are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (137,948 people), Public Administration (73,055 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (56,710 people), and the highest paying industries are Public Administration ($124,115), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($110,350), and Finance & Insurance ($107,521).

Males in Virginia have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $63,894. The income inequality in Virginia (measured using the Gini index) is 0.476, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

610k

2021 Value

± 5,741

−0.282%

1 Year decline

± 1.36%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Fairfax County, VA declined at a rate of −0.282%, from 612k employees to 610k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Fairfax County, VA, are Management Occupations (94,828 people), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (71,898 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (65,221 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Fairfax County, VA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Virginia (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

610k

2021 Value

± 5,741

−0.282%

1 Year decline

± 1.36%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Fairfax County, VA declined at a rate of −0.282%, from 612k employees to 610k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Fairfax County, VA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (137,948 people), Public Administration (73,055 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (56,710 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Fairfax County, VA, though some of these residents may live in Fairfax County, VA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$81,703

Median earning men ± $1,480

$56,372

Median earning women ± $945

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Public Administration ($132,050), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($112,879), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($111,308).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($112,723), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($83,279), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($81,132).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Virginia. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Virginia.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

14,196
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
12,579
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
6,593
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$27.2M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
$13.3M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$11.7M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Virginia to other states, or from other states to Virginia.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Virginia product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $37.7B, followed by Electronics ($29B) and Machinery ($23.6B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Virginia products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Virginia.

$313B

2020 Value in Virginia

$612B

Projected 2050 Value in Virginia

95.3% growth

In 2020, total outbound Virginia trade was $313B. This is expected to increase 95.3% to $612B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Virginia trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Virginia to other states, or from other states to Virginia.

Most Common Trade Partners

In 2020, the top outbound Virginia domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was North Carolina with $26B, followed by Maryland with $18.5B and Pennsylvania and $12.4B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Virginia shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Fairfax County, VA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 71.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (28.7%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.37%).

Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are the senators currently representing the state of Virginia. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Virginia is currently represented by 11 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (71.4%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (28.7%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.37%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Fairfax County, VA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Virginia

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Mark Warner

Senator from Virginia

Assumed office on January 3, 2009

Tim Kaine

Senator from Virginia

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are the senators currently representing Virginia.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Virginia over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Virginia

Virginia is currently represented by 11 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Virginia have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Fairfax County, VA awarded 21,440 degrees. The student population of Fairfax County, VA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 42,518 male students and 48,921 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Fairfax County, VA are White (7,929 and 40%), followed by Asian (3,794 and 19.1%), Hispanic or Latino (3,588 and 18.1%), and Black or African American (2,940 and 14.8%).

The largest universities in Fairfax County, VA by number of degrees awarded are George Mason University (10,774 and 50.3%), Northern Virginia Community College (8,894 and 41.5%), and Columbia College (455983) (268 and 1.25%).

The most popular majors in Fairfax County, VA are Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities (2,228 and 10.4%), General Business Administration & Management (1,558 and 7.27%), and General Studies (1,395 and 6.51%).

The median tuition costs in Fairfax County, VA are $10,128 for private four year colleges, and $9,510 and $32,970 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Fairfax County, VA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 90.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 21.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 91,439 (46.5% men and 53.5% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 91,439 students enrolled in Fairfax County, VA, 46.5% men and 53.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 32,441 records, of which 51.3% were women and 48.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Information Technology
407 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
371 degree-majors awarded
Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
428 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Fairfax County, VA was Information Technology with 407 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Fairfax County, VA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

George Mason University
10,774 degrees awarded
Northern Virginia Community College
8,894 degrees awarded
Columbia College (455983)
268 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was George Mason University with 10,774 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 9,157 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Fairfax County, VA, which is 0.746 times less than the 12,283 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 7,929 degrees mean that there were 2.09 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 3,794 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($13,500) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,609) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,800) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Measure

In 2021, 0.836% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.859% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (1.68M), Bachelors Degree (1.44M), and Some college (1.41M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Fairfax County, VA was $594,500 in 2021, which is 2.43 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $576,700 to $594,500, a 3.09% increase. The homeownership rate in Fairfax County, VA is 68.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Fairfax County, VA have an average commute time of 31.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Fairfax County, VA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Fairfax County, VA is $133,974. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Fairfax County, VA was Census Tract 4612.01 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 4701 and Census Tract 4703, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

In 2022, 14.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Fairfax County, VA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 0.285%.

Housing

Property

$594,500

Median Property Value 2021

±$3,180

$280,077

Median Property Taxes

±$2,897

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Fairfax County, VA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Fairfax County, VA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

68.5%

Homeownership

2021

69.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 68.5% of the housing units in Fairfax County, VA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 68.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Fairfax County, VA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 4612.01
Census Tract 4701
Census Tract 4703

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Fairfax County, VA was Census Tract 4612.01 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 4701 and Census Tract 4703, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Fairfax County, VA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$133,974

Median Household Income

± $1,433

409k

Number of Households

± 4,500

In 2021, the median household income of the 409k households in Fairfax County, VA grew to $133,974 from the previous year's value of $127,866.

The following chart displays the households in Fairfax County, VA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Fairfax County, VA is from Virginia.

0.476

2021 Wage GINI in Virginia

0.478

2020 Wage GINI in Virginia

In 2021, the income inequality in Virginia was 0.476 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.381% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Virginia in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Virginia across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (63%)
Worked At Home (17.6%)
Carpooled (8.67%)

In 2021, 63% of workers in Fairfax County, VA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (17.6%) and those who carpooled to work (8.67%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

31.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Fairfax County, VA have a longer commute time (31.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.59% of the workforce in Fairfax County, VA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Fairfax County, VA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Fairfax County, VA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Fairfax County, VA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 14.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Fairfax County, VA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 0.285%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

6.13% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Fairfax County, VA (69.7k out of 1.14M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Fairfax County, VA is White, followed by Hispanic and Asian.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 7% of the children was living in poverty in Fairfax County, VA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.9%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 95.6 in Fairfax County, VA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 6.96 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

92.4% of the population of Fairfax County, VA has health coverage, with 59.6% on employee plans, 6.37% on Medicaid, 8.91% on Medicare, 13.9% on non-group plans, and 3.71% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Fairfax County, VA see 901 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.12% decrease from the previous year (930 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 918 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 486 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

901 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Fairfax County, VA

Primary care physicians in Fairfax County, VA see an average of 901 patients per year. This represents a 3.12% decrease from the previous year (930 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Fairfax County, VA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.2% under 18 years, 19.9% between 18 and 34 years, 41.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.6%

Uninsured

59.6%

Employer Coverage

6.37%

Medicaid

8.91%

Medicare

13.9%

Non-Group

3.71%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Fairfax County, VA declined by 5.94% from 8.09% to 7.6%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Fairfax County, VA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 31.9 in Fairfax County, VA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Fairfax County, VA.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 24.2% in Fairfax County, VA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Fairfax County, VA.

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