Arlington County vs Fairfax County, VA: growth, jobs and income compared
Arlington County is growing faster than Fairfax County: +1.8% vs +0.7% between 2024 and 2025. Arlington County gained 4,244 residents and Fairfax County gained 8,067 residents (Census Bureau population estimates).
Data as of 2025 · updated
Side by side
| Measure | Arlington County | Fairfax County |
|---|---|---|
| Population2025 | 243,931 | 1,167,873 Larger |
| Population change2020–25 | +2.1% Higher | +1.7% |
| Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025 | 0.3 Higher | −8.4 |
| Private-sector job growth2018–23 | +10.4% Higher | +9.3% |
| Median household income2020–24 | $142,114 | $153,637 Higher |
| Unemployment rate2025 | 2.9% Lower | 3.2% |
| New homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025 | 5.4 Higher | 2.5 |
The tag marks the stronger figure in each row: the higher one, or the lower one for the unemployment rate ("Larger" is only the head count). Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.
The two counties share a border, and both are part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area.
Each county in full
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Questions
Is Arlington County or Fairfax County growing faster?
Arlington County is growing faster than Fairfax County: +1.8% vs +0.7% between 2024 and 2025. Arlington County gained 4,244 residents and Fairfax County gained 8,067 residents (Census Bureau population estimates).
Which has the higher median household income, Arlington County or Fairfax County?
Fairfax County: $153,637, against $142,114 in Arlington County (American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–24).
Which has the lower unemployment rate, Arlington County or Fairfax County?
Arlington County: 2.9%, against 3.2% in Fairfax County (2025 annual average, BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics).
Where they rank in the state
More comparisons
- Arlington County vs Alexandria
- Arlington County, VA vs District of Columbia, DC
- Arlington County, VA vs Montgomery County, MD
- Fairfax County vs Alexandria
- Fairfax County, VA vs Charles County, MD
- Fairfax County vs Loudoun County
- Fairfax County, VA vs Montgomery County, MD
- Fairfax County, VA vs Prince George's County, MD
- Fairfax County vs Prince William County
Sources and method
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.