Signals
Fairfax Station
Gainesville
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs58 · Top 46%
Climate
74 · Top 31%
vs74 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 22%
vs71 · Top 34%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs88 · Top 37%
Schools
75 · Top 20%
vs74 · Top 22%
Access
95 · Top 35%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
85 · Top 2%
vs85 · Top 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairfax Station | Gainesville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,566 | 18,196 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $212,224 | $174,410 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $83,260 | $63,896 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,384/sq mi | 1,799/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $897,000 | $712,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,794 | $2,283 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 94.3% | 83.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 74.5% | 58.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 1.7% | 4.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.2" | 43.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 37.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.9 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.20 | 16.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 68.3% | 69.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 78.4% | 82.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 18.4% | 24.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Your best match
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Fairfax Station
80
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Area Score
Gainesville
78
Your Score
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Fairfax Station, VA · Gainesville, VA · How this is calculated: methodology