Signals
Gainesville
Fairfax Station
Opportunity
58 · Top 46%
vs61 · Top 40%
Climate
74 · Top 31%
vs74 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
71 · Top 34%
vs81 · Top 22%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs86 · Top 40%
Schools
74 · Top 22%
vs75 · Top 20%
Access
94 · Top 42%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
85 · Top 2%
vs85 · Top 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Gainesville | Fairfax Station | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,196 | 12,566 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $174,410 | $212,224 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $63,896 | $83,260 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,799/sq mi | 1,384/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $712,600 | $897,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,283 | $2,794 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.5% | 94.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.0% | 74.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.0% | 1.7% | 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 | 14 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 37.8 min | 33.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 43.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.89 | 14.20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 69.6% | 68.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 82.5% | 78.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.2% | 18.4% | 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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Gainesville
78
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Area Score
Fairfax Station
80
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Gainesville, VA · Fairfax Station, VA · How this is calculated: methodology