Fairfax County, VA

County

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2023 Population

1.14M

0.0768% 1-year decline

US Senator

Mark Warner

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tim Kaine

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

38.9

0.777% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

5.94%

0.78% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$150,113

3.41% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$699,700

4.92% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

610,330

0.0107% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Fairfax County, VA had a population of 1.14M people with a median age of 38.9 and a median household income of $150,113. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Fairfax County, VA declined from 1.15M to 1.14M, a −0.0768% decrease and its median household income grew from $145,165 to $150,113, a 3.41% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Fairfax County, VA are White (Non-Hispanic) (47.5%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (19.9%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (9.6%), Two+ (Hispanic) (6.52%), and Other (Hispanic) (6.35%).

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.

87.9% of the residents in Fairfax County, VA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Fairfax County, VA are George Mason University (232186) (10,335 degrees awarded in 2022), Northern Virginia Community College (232946) (9,087 degrees), and Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing (483814) (260 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Fairfax County, VA was $699,700, and the homeownership rate was 68.3%.

Most people in Fairfax County, VA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.5 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 1.14M people, from which 87.9% are citizens. As of 2023, 30.6% of Fairfax County, VA residents were born outside of the country (350k people).

In 2023, there were 2.39 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (544k people) in Fairfax County, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 227k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 110k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

87.9%

2023 Citizenship

87.9%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 87.9% of Fairfax County, VA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Fairfax County, VA was 87.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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)
544k ± 1.25k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
227k ± 1.97k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
110k ± 1.5k

17.4%

Hispanic Population

199k people

17.4% of the people in Fairfax County, VA are hispanic (199k 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
107,605 ± 8,003 people
India
98,735 ± 7,670 people
Mexico
59,855 ± 5,986 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Virginia was El Salvador, the natal country of 107,605 Virginia residents, followed by India with 98,735 and Mexico with 59,855.

Foreign-Born Population

30.6%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

350k people

30.4%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

349k people

As of 2023, 30.6% of Fairfax County, VA residents (350k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Fairfax County, VA was 30.4%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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-)
29,599 ± 1,282
Vietnam
15,098 ± 808
Gulf War (1990s)
12,984 ± 966

Fairfax County, VA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.96 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 (140,394 people), Public Administration (72,491 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (57,508 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($250,001), Public Administration ($136,189), and Finance & Insurance ($123,964).

Males in Virginia have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $69,674. The income inequality in Virginia (measured using the Gini index) is 0.475, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

610k

2023 Value

± 5,958

0.0107%

1 Year growth

± 1.37%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Fairfax County, VA grew at a rate of 0.0107%, from 610k employees to 610k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Fairfax County, VA, are Management Occupations (96,097 people), Computer & Mathematical Occupations (74,672 people), and Business & Financial Operations Occupations (67,660 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

2023 Value

± 5,958

0.0107%

1 Year growth

± 1.37%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Fairfax County, VA grew at a rate of 0.0107%, from 610k employees to 610k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Fairfax County, VA, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (140,394 people), Public Administration (72,491 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (57,508 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

$91,152

Median earning men ± $1,569

$64,640

Median earning women ± $1,252

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($145,124), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($130,325), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($126,674).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($125,073), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($96,389), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($91,054).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.48%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.1M people employed in Virginia. This represents a 2.48% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.8%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

5,467
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
1,730
Health Care and Social Assistance
1,682
Other Services (except Public Administration)

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

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$28.7M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$6.47M
Information
$5.49M
Finance and Insurance

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

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 2022, universities in Fairfax County, VA awarded 20,737 degrees. The student population of Fairfax County, VA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 45,071 male students and 49,745 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Fairfax County, VA are White (7,250 and 37.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (3,766 and 19.4%), Asian (3,737 and 19.2%), and Black or African American (2,948 and 15.1%).

The largest universities in Fairfax County, VA by number of degrees awarded are George Mason University (232186) (10,335 and 49.8%), Northern Virginia Community College (232946) (9,087 and 43.8%), and Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing (483814) (260 and 1.25%).

The most popular majors in Fairfax County, VA are Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities (2,510 and 12.1%), General Business Administration & Management (1,288 and 6.21%), and General Studies (1,213 and 5.85%).

The median tuition costs in Fairfax County, VA are $10,128 for private four year colleges, and $9,795 and $33,960 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Fairfax County, VA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 88%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 94,816 (47.5% men and 52.5% 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 2022 there were 94,816 students enrolled in Fairfax County, VA, 47.5% men and 52.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 31,963 records, of which 50.9% were women and 49.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Information Technology
398 degrees awarded
Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods
371 degrees awarded
General Psychology
405 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Fairfax County, VA was Information Technology with 398 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 (232186)
10,335 degrees awarded
Northern Virginia Community College (232946)
9,087 degrees awarded
Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing (483814)
260 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was George Mason University (232186) with 10,335 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 9,026 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Fairfax County, VA, which is 0.771 times less than the 11,711 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 7,250 degrees mean that there were 1.93 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 3,766 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 ($19,572) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,606) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

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 2022, 0.884% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.904% 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 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.71M), Bachelors Degree (1.47M), and Some college (1.4M).

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 $699,700 in 2023, which is 2.31 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $666,900 to $699,700, a 4.92% increase. The homeownership rate in Fairfax County, VA is 68.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Fairfax County, VA have an average commute time of 29.5 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 $150,113. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Fairfax County, VA was Census Tract 4156 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 4602 and Census Tract 4607.02, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

In 2023, 14.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Fairfax County, VA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.311%.

Housing

Property

$699,700

Median Property Value 2023

±$3,872

$282,039

Median Property Taxes

±$3,284

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

68.3%

Homeownership

2023

69.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 68.3% 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 4156
Census Tract 4602
Census Tract 4607.02

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Fairfax County, VA was Census Tract 4156 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 4602 and Census Tract 4607.02, 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.

$150,113

Median Household Income

± $1,612

413k

Number of Households

± 4,195

In 2023, the median household income of the 413k households in Fairfax County, VA grew to $150,113 from the previous year's value of $145,165.

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.

0.475

2022 Wage GINI in Virginia

0.476

2021 Wage GINI in Virginia

In 2022, the income inequality in Virginia was 0.475 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.164% decline from 2021 to 2022, 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 2023

Drove Alone (57.9%)
Worked At Home (25.1%)
Carpooled (8.03%)

In 2023, 57.9% of workers in Fairfax County, VA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (25.1%) and those who carpooled to work (8.03%).

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

29.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Fairfax County, VA have a longer commute time (29.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.06% 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 2023, 14.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Fairfax County, VA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.311%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

5.94% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Fairfax County, VA (67.3k out of 1.13M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 18 - 24.

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 2023, 8.8% of the children was living in poverty in Fairfax County, VA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 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.

Health

92.6% of the population of Fairfax County, VA has health coverage, with 59% on employee plans, 7.19% on Medicaid, 9.45% on Medicare, 13.4% on non-group plans, and 3.55% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Fairfax County, VA see 905 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.444% increase from the previous year (901 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 884 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 440 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

905 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Fairfax County, VA

Primary care physicians in Fairfax County, VA see an average of 905 patients per year. This represents a 0.444% increase from the previous year (901 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 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.8% under 18 years, 19.8% between 18 and 34 years, 40.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.6% 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

7.39%

Uninsured

59%

Employer Coverage

7.19%

Medicaid

9.45%

Medicare

13.4%

Non-Group

3.55%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Fairfax County, VA declined by 1.58% from 7.51% to 7.39%.

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 2023, 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.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, 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 22.1% in Fairfax County, VA.

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