Fairfax County, Virginia Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Fairfax County, Virginia, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Fairfax County, Virginia. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Fairfax County, Virginia. The estimated population of Fairfax County, Virginia is 1,146,825 people, with a median age of 38.3.

We can look at the total population in Fairfax County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
1,146,825
 -0.23% +0.42%
2020
1,149,439
+0.31%
-
2019
1,145,862
+0.2%
-
2018
1,143,529
+0.13%
-
2017
1,142,004
 - -

Population of Fairfax County, Virginia by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
49.3%
51.7%
 -4.64%
Black/African American
9.5%
9.3%
 +2.15%
Native
0.1%
0.1%
 0.00%
Hispanic
16.4%
16.2%
 +1.23%
Asian
19.9%
18.8%
 +5.85%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.1%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
4.1%
3.6%
 +13.89%
Other
0.5%
0.3%
 +66.67%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Fairfax County, Virginia by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 38.3 +0.52% 37.6 +1.08% 39 -0.26%
2020 38.1 +0.26% 37.2 +0.27% 39.1 +0.51%
2019 38 +0.26% 37.1 +0.27% 38.9 +0.26%
2018 37.9 0% 37 +0.27% 38.8 +0.26%
2017 37.9 - 36.9 - 38.7 -

The median age of Fairfax County, Virginia gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 76,965 -1.87% 74,786 -6.15% 75,523 70,293
10 to 19 75,666 +2.17% 70,537 +5.31% 77,315 74,354
20 to 29 72,227 -1.03% 69,032 -0.46% 71,477 68,713
30 to 39 83,296 -1.04% 84,060 -1.44% 82,429 82,856
40 to 49 81,894 -1.3% 85,340 -5.88% 80,809 80,436
50 to 59 79,784 -2.63% 83,320 -4.62% 77,693 79,535
60 to 69 57,592 +4.84% 60,856 +2.38% 60,421 62,299
70+ 38,169 +20.34% 48,480 +15.05% 46,523 56,149

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Fairfax County, Virginia is $133,974.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Fairfax County.

  • Under 25
    $55,515.00
  • 25 to 44
    $131,061.00
  • 45 to 64
    $159,440.00
  • 65 and over
    $104,556.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Fairfax County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Fairfax County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Fairfax County, Virginia is currently $170,527.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

28.79% of households in Fairfax County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Fairfax County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    6.52%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    9.17%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    10.10%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    10.69%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    19.29%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    15.44%
  • $200,000 or more
    28.79%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Fairfax County is $61,957.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Fairfax County by the total population of Fairfax County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Fairfax County, Virginia, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Fairfax County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    33.08%
  • Bachelor's degree
    44.36%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    5.06%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    15.48%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.01%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Fairfax County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Fairfax County over the age of 16 is 906,551.

Of those people, a total of 71.50% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Fairfax County is 67.30%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 57,211 34.70% 17.10%
20 to 24 years 67,543 76.30% 8.60%
25 to 29 years 72,647 87.50% 5.30%
30 to 34 years 77,816 87.50% 3.80%
35 to 44 years 166,681 87.70% 2.50%
45 to 54 years 162,124 87.90% 3.00%
55 to 59 years 77,137 83.50% 3.20%
60 to 64 years 69,178 72.40% 2.90%
65 to 74 years 95,781 37.90% 4.10%
75 years and over 60,433 9.60% 1.90%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Fairfax County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 526,096 70.10% 3.50%
Black or African American 88,702 75.50% 7.20%
American Indian and Alaska Native 3,153 75.50% 7.70%
Asian 186,921 70.80% 3.70%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 602 81.90% 18.20%
Other 44,878 78.50% 4.60%
Two or more races 56,199 74.70% 5.80%
Hispanic or Latino 136,159 78.00% 4.50%
Not Hispanic or Latino 464,418 69.00% 3.50%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Fairfax County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Fairfax County is 610,056, with median earnings of $67,516.00.

Women in Fairfax County, Virginia earning approximately 69.00% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 610,056 $67,516.00
Male 325,931 $81,703.00
Female 284,125 $56,372.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 94,828 $122,944.00
Business and Financial 65,221 $99,308.00
Computer and Mathematical 71,898 $113,068.00
Architecture and Engineering 16,343 $112,275.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 11,419 $109,330.00
Community and Social Service 8,424 $57,191.00
Legal 17,297 $158,131.00
Educational and Library 38,306 $51,571.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 17,526 $66,924.00
Healthcare Practitioners 27,291 $77,517.00
Healthcare Support 10,184 $28,347.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 7,531 $47,015.00
Law Enforcement 5,239 $102,286.00
Food Preparation and Serving 25,177 $19,707.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 18,682 $24,507.00
Personal Care and Service 17,591 $20,207.00
Sales 45,113 $33,926.00
Office and Administrative Support 50,691 $43,569.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 196 $19,434.00
Construction and Extraction 19,643 $37,791.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 8,983 $52,886.00
Production 9,319 $36,945.00
Transportation and Material Moving 14,793 $34,256.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 55,771 $138,341.00 39,057 $105,605.00
Business and Financial 31,892 $109,669.00 33,329 $89,054.00
Computer and Mathematical 51,335 $118,547.00 20,563 $102,370.00
Architecture and Engineering 12,794 $119,185.00 3,549 $92,436.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 6,012 $125,946.00 5,407 $97,035.00
Community and Social Service 2,796 $59,096.00 5,628 $56,516.00
Legal 10,278 $171,806.00 7,019 $135,236.00
Educational and Library 10,517 $60,617.00 27,789 $46,888.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 7,641 $80,625.00 9,885 $58,905.00
Healthcare Practitioners 6,955 $113,614.00 20,336 $70,750.00
Healthcare Support 2,151 $29,196.00 8,033 $28,276.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 5,469 $47,569.00 2,062 $43,600.00
Law Enforcement 4,169 $103,923.00 1,070 $95,278.00
Food Preparation and Serving 12,263 $22,904.00 12,914 $16,501.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 9,150 $30,959.00 9,532 $20,982.00
Personal Care and Service 3,697 $21,305.00 13,894 $20,014.00
Sales 23,851 $43,270.00 21,262 $26,237.00
Office and Administrative Support 16,109 $49,240.00 34,582 $41,244.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 161 $19,599.00 35 $16,771.00
Construction and Extraction 19,056 $38,150.00 587 $21,736.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 8,772 $53,142.00 211 $36,406.00
Production 5,959 $43,528.00 3,360 $26,931.00
Transportation and Material Moving 12,746 $33,931.00 2,047 $39,724.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 408,673 households in Fairfax County, with an average household size of 2.79 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 287,653 families in Fairfax County with an average family size of 3.32 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 235,827 16,095 35,731 121,020
Average Household Size 3.4 3.46 3.44 1.31
Total Families 235,827 16,095 35,731 0
Average Household Size 3.36 3.07 3.22 0

Poverty

Of the 287,653 families in Fairfax County, 4.40% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Fairfax County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 425,294 housing units in Fairfax County, Virginia.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 408,673 96.09%
Vacant 16,621 3.91%

29.50% of the total 425,294 housing units in Fairfax County are rental units. This is approximately 125,445 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 280,077 are occupied by the owner - or 65.85% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Fairfax County is $1,977.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Fairfax County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    3,151
  • Less than $500
    3,200
  • $500 to $999
    4,014
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    12,182
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    45,375
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    33,166
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    14,880
  • $3,000 or more
    12,628

Property Value

The median value of a property in Fairfax County is $594,500.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Fairfax County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    2,946
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,431
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    1,441
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4,819
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    16,019
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    75,329
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    149,415
  • $1,000,000 or more
    28,677

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Fairfax County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Fairfax County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    3,957
  • 1940 to 1949
    8,404
  • 1950 to 1959
    35,959
  • 1960 to 1969
    57,194
  • 1970 to 1979
    85,675
  • 1980 to 1989
    97,444
  • 1990 to 1999
    66,125
  • 2000 to 2009
    46,765
  • 2010 to 2013
    23,336
  • 2014 or later
    435

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Fairfax County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    18,018
  • 1 vehicle available
    124,263
  • 2 vehicles available
    174,324
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    92,068

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Fairfax County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Fairfax County that commute to work in a particular way.

31.4 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Fairfax County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    5,683
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    25,279
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    43,516
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    60,763
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    68,378
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    36,224
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    85,587
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    23,088
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    31,803
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    63,691
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    46,818
  • 90 or more minutes
    13,075

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Fairfax County, Virginia in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Fairfax County, Virginia

We have data for 68 places in Fairfax County, Virginia. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.