State rank#1 of 133
Smallest county1,147,837 residentsFairfax County
Published county profile · Official data · FIPS 51059
Fairfax County, Virginia
County-level income, housing, jobs, education, health, and population with transparent statewide comparisons and source periods.
Population1,147,837
Household income$153,637
Unemployment2.5%
Life expectancy84.5 years
County overview
Living metrics at a glance
Fairfax County has 1,147,837 residents and ranks #1 by population among Virginia county equivalents. Median household income is $153,637. The annual-average unemployment rate is 2.5%. Its clearest relative strength is median household income. Its county population is above the state county median. Every figure below stays at county scope.
Within Virginia
County population range
The marker places this county between the smallest and largest county populations in the state.
Relocation guide
Moving to Fairfax County: what to check
Data narrows the search; municipality, neighborhood, commute, schools, and current listings complete the decision.
Before moving
Before moving, compare municipalities inside Fairfax County, because county averages do not describe every neighborhood. Review current housing inventory, commute destinations, school districts, healthcare access, and job locations. Its clearest relative strength is median household income.
Cost and housing
Housing benchmarks are $732,800 median home value and $2,276/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $153,637, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
Who it may suit
Fairfax County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing median household income, life expectancy, and poor or fair health. College attainment is 65% and life expectancy is 84.5 years.
Potential advantages
- Median household income: $153,637, rank #2 of 133 available Virginia counties.
- Life expectancy: 84.5 years, rank #2 of 133 available Virginia counties.
- Poor or fair health: 11.6%, rank #2 of 133 available Virginia counties.
Trade-offs to check
- Median gross rent: $2,276/mo, rank #131 of 133; investigate local variation before moving.
- Median home value: $732,800, rank #129 of 133; investigate local variation before moving.
- Uninsured: 7.6%, rank #60 of 133; investigate local variation before moving.
Income, housing, jobs, education & health
County metrics within Virginia
Rank and range use only counties in Virginia with that field available. A lower rank number is stronger when the metric has a clear direction.
Median household income
$153,637
$153,637; above the state county median of $68,724.
State rank #2 of 133 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median home value
$732,800
$732,800; above the state county median of $258,600.
State rank #129 of 133 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median gross rent
$2,276/mo
$2,276/mo; above the state county median of $1,059/mo.
State rank #131 of 133 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Unemployment rate
2.5%
2.5%; below the state county median of 3%.
State rank #12 of 133 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Bachelor’s degree or higher
65%
65%; above the state county median of 27%.
State rank #4 of 133 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Life expectancy
84.5 years
84.5 years; above the state county median of 75.2 years.
State rank #2 of 133 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Poor or fair health
11.6%
11.6%; below the state county median of 18.4%.
State rank #2 of 133 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Uninsured
7.6%
7.6%; below the state county median of 7.8%.
State rank #60 of 133 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Primary care access
1 per 898 residents
1 per 898 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 2,231 residents.
State rank #14 of 125 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Mental health access
1 per 364 residents
1 per 364 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 780 residents.
State rank #32 of 129 · County Health Rankings & RoadmapsCommon questions
Fairfax County FAQ
Is Fairfax County a good place to live?
Fairfax County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing median household income, life expectancy, and poor or fair health. College attainment is 65% and life expectancy is 84.5 years.
What should I know before moving to Fairfax County?
Start with housing, employment, commute, schools, healthcare access, and the specific municipality. Housing benchmarks are $732,800 median home value and $2,276/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $153,637, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the population of Fairfax County?
Fairfax County has 1,147,837 residents in the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year dataset.
What is the FIPS code for Fairfax County?
The five-digit county FIPS code is 51059; the parent state FIPS is 51.
What is the median household income in Fairfax County?
The ACS median household income is $153,637.
How much does housing cost in Fairfax County?
Housing benchmarks are $732,800 median home value and $2,276/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $153,637, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the unemployment rate in Fairfax County?
The BLS LAUS annual-average unemployment rate is 2.5%.
Similar population
Nearby counties in the state ranking
Source and gate
Methodology and source periods
All records join by five-digit FIPS. Profiles publish when ACS county population is at least 100,000 or the county is the state’s largest. Missing source values remain unavailable and are excluded from ranks. Runtime data was generated 2026-07-26.
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