Fairfax, VA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Fairfax, VA Summary
Cost of living in Fairfax research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Fairfax is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Virginia, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Fairfax is 147, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Fairfax is 1.5x higher than the national average.
Fairfax ranks as the #141 cheapest in Virginia out of 186.
Fairfax ranks as the #5,771 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in Fairfax is $596,800.
The median income in Fairfax is $118,492.
Table Of Contents
Fairfax's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Fairfax, VA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fairfax has an overall cost of living index of 147, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Virginia, Fairfax has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Virginia's index of 102.
The standard of living in Fairfax ranks as #141 most affordable out of the 186 places we measured in Virginia. By definition, that implies Fairfax ranks as the #45 most expensive place in the Old Dominion.
For more reading on life in Fairfax, check out:
- Living In Fairfax
- Search Homes For Sale In Fairfax, VA
In Virginia
In America
Fairfax Cost Of Living Vs. Virginia
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Fairfax. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Fairfax is 114.
The Groceries index in Fairfax is 123.
The Health index in Fairfax is 93.
The Housing index in Fairfax is 242.
The Transportation index in Fairfax is 106.
The Utilities index in Fairfax is 99.
| Living Expense | Fairfax | Virginia | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 147 | 102 | 100 | |
| Services | 114 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 123 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 93 | 102 | 100 | |
| Housing | 242 | 107 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 106 | 95 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 99 | 102 | 100 | |
Fairfax, VA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Virginia, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Fairfax is $596,800.
The Median Rent in Fairfax is $1,841.
The Median Income in Fairfax is $118,492.
The Home Value To Income in Fairfax is 5.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Fairfax is 0.19x.
| Statistic | Fairfax | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $596,800 | $295,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Rent | $1,841 | $1,326 | $1,163 |
| Median Income | $118,492 | $80,615 | $69,021 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.0x | 3.7x | 3.5x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.2x | 0.2x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Fairfax, VA Costs By Category
Detailed Fairfax Services Costs Vs. Virginia
Detailed Fairfax Groceries Costs Vs. Virginia
Detailed Fairfax Health Costs Vs. Virginia
Detailed Fairfax Transportation Costs Vs. Virginia
Detailed Fairfax Utilities Costs Vs. Virginia
Fairfax SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Fairfax
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Fairfax. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Oakton, VA has a cost of living index of 163, 1.1x Fairfax.
Fair Oaks, VA has a cost of living index of 147, 1.0x Fairfax.
North Potomac, MD has a cost of living index of 167, 1.1x Fairfax.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakton, VA | 36,675 | 163 | 1.1x |
| Fair Oaks, VA | 34,437 | 147 | 1.0x |
| North Potomac, MD | 24,449 | 167 | 1.1x |
| Merrifield, VA | 19,075 | 150 | 1.0x |
| Franklin Farm, VA | 18,906 | 167 | 1.1x |
| Vienna, VA | 16,465 | 170 | 1.2x |
| Kemp Mill, MD | 14,509 | 141 | 1.0x |
| Kings Park West, VA | 13,812 | 158 | 1.1x |
| Wakefield, VA | 11,534 | 172 | 1.2x |
| Travilah, MD | 11,052 | 227 | 1.5x |
