Fairfax County vs Prince William County
Fairfax County, Virginia versus Prince William County, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Fairfax County and Prince William County score about the same overall (42 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fairfax County | Prince William County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $145k | $123k |
| Cost of Living | $79k | $74k |
| Home Value | $667k | $472k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.03% | 1.00% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.42% | 11.55% |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 36°F | 36°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1 in | 46.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 14.9 in | 12.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 167 days | 177 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 78 days | 79 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 94.7 | 83.2 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 37 AQI |
| School Quality | 74.1 | 54.9 |
| Violent Crime | 859/100k | 1123/100k |
| Property Crime | 1540/100k | 1340/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,145,354 | 481,114 |
| Median Age | 38.6 | 35.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.64 | 0.68 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+43 | D+28 |
| White (%) | 48.6% | 40.1% |
| Black (%) | 9.7% | 20.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 16.5% | 25.0% |
| Asian (%) | 20.1% | 9.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 38 min |
| Walkability | 12.0/20 | 8.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 16 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.9% | 96.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 5.55 | 4.84 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
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 Fairfax County or Prince William County more affordable?
- Prince William County has the lower cost of living: its index is $74k, compared with Fairfax County's $79k and Prince William County's $74k. Median rent is $2k in Fairfax County versus $2k in Prince William County.
- Is Fairfax County or Prince William County safer?
- Fairfax County has the lower violent crime rate. Fairfax County reports 859/100k and Prince William County reports 1123/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fairfax County or Prince William County?
- The median home value is $667k in Fairfax County and $472k in Prince William County, so homes are more affordable in Prince William County.