Fairfax County vs Virginia Beach
Fairfax County, Virginia versus Virginia Beach, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Virginia Beach edges out Fairfax County on overall objective livability (50 vs 42 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fairfax County | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $145k | $88k |
| Cost of Living | $79k | $64k |
| Home Value | $667k | $344k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.03% | 0.82% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.42% | 10.93% |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 4.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 36°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1 in | 50.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 14.9 in | 3.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 167 days | 198 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 78 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 94.7 | 57.9 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 74.1 | 52.3 |
| Violent Crime | 859/100k | 1016/100k |
| Property Crime | 1540/100k | 1747/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,145,354 | 457,900 |
| Median Age | 38.6 | 37.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.64 | 0.56 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+43 | Even |
| White (%) | 48.6% | 59.9% |
| Black (%) | 9.7% | 18.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 16.5% | 8.8% |
| Asian (%) | 20.1% | 6.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.1% | 6.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 12.0/20 | 10.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 14 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.9% | 93.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 5.55 | 3.93 |
| 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 Virginia Beach more affordable?
- Virginia Beach has the lower cost of living: its index is $64k, compared with Fairfax County's $79k and Virginia Beach's $64k. Median rent is $2k in Fairfax County versus $2k in Virginia Beach.
- Is Fairfax County or Virginia Beach safer?
- Fairfax County has the lower violent crime rate. Fairfax County reports 859/100k and Virginia Beach reports 1016/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fairfax County or Virginia Beach?
- The median home value is $667k in Fairfax County and $344k in Virginia Beach, so homes are more affordable in Virginia Beach.