Chesterfield County vs Fairfax County
Chesterfield County, Virginia versus Fairfax County, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Chesterfield County and Fairfax County score about the same overall (41 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Chesterfield County | Fairfax County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $96k | $145k |
| Cost of Living | $65k | $79k |
| Home Value | $307k | $667k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $104k | $282k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.82% | 1.03% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.32% | 12.42% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 4.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 38°F | 36°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3 in | 47.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 9.8 in | 14.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 192 days | 167 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 73 days | 78 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 84.8 | 94.7 |
| Air Quality | 41 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 43.5 | 74.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1563/100k | 859/100k |
| Property Crime | 1399/100k | 1540/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 366,019 | 1,145,354 |
| Median Age | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.55 | 0.64 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+43 |
| White (%) | 59.1% | 48.6% |
| Black (%) | 23.2% | 9.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.9% | 16.5% |
| Asian (%) | 3.5% | 20.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.4% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 30 min |
| Walkability | 7.0/20 | 12.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 15 mi | 12 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.7% | 95.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 2.46 | 5.55 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Chesterfield County or Fairfax County more affordable?
- Chesterfield County has the lower cost of living: its index is $65k, compared with Chesterfield County's $65k and Fairfax County's $79k. Median rent is $1k in Chesterfield County versus $2k in Fairfax County.
- Is Chesterfield County or Fairfax County safer?
- Fairfax County has the lower violent crime rate. Chesterfield County reports 1563/100k and Fairfax County reports 859/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Chesterfield County or Fairfax County?
- The median home value is $307k in Chesterfield County and $667k in Fairfax County, so homes are more affordable in Chesterfield County.