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Fair Oaks vs South Riding

Fair Oaks, Virginia versus South Riding, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Fair Oaks

Mixed · objective livability43/100

South Riding

Mixed · objective livability45/100

Fair Oaks and South Riding score about the same overall (43 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorFair OaksSouth Riding
Affordability
Median Household Income$119k$183k
Cost of Living$76k$80k
Home Value$553k$652k
Monthly Rent$2k$3k
Monthly Owner Costs$3k$3k
Property Tax Rate1.04%0.89%
Income Tax5.80%5.80%
Sales Tax5.77%5.77%
Estimated total tax burden12.56%10.88%
Unemployment5.9%4.3%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)35°F35°F
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F78°F
Annual Precipitation46.4 in43.2 in
Annual Snowfall18.5 in21.0 in
Sunny Days181 days181 days
Summer Humidity65°F65°F
Comfortable Days77 days75 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk7.520.9
Air Quality50 AQI48 AQI
School Quality74.179.1
Violent Crime1310/100k1383/100k
Property Crime2664/100k1324/100k
Community
Population35,13033,358
Median Age34.337.4
Racial Diversity0.640.68
Male/Female Ratio0.971.05
Political LeaningD+39D+34
White (%)47.9%40.6%
Black (%)10.1%8.9%
Hispanic (%)10.7%9.5%
Asian (%)27.4%34.5%
Other / Multiracial (%)3.9%6.6%
Getting Around
Commute Time31 min37 min
Walkability12.9/209.1/20
Airport Distance8 mi4 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access97.3%98.5%
Amenities Nearby152.8670.75
Park & Nature AccessLimitedModerate

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Fair Oaks or South Riding more affordable?
Fair Oaks has the lower cost of living: its index is $76k, compared with Fair Oaks's $76k and South Riding's $80k. Median rent is $2k in Fair Oaks versus $3k in South Riding.
Is Fair Oaks or South Riding safer?
Fair Oaks has the lower violent crime rate. Fair Oaks reports 1310/100k and South Riding reports 1383/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Fair Oaks or South Riding?
The median home value is $553k in Fair Oaks and $652k in South Riding, so homes are more affordable in Fair Oaks.
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