Просмотр кода страницы Английская Википедия:Fairfax County, Virginia

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{{short description|County in Virginia, United States}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Fairfax County
 | state                = Virginia
 | type                 = [[County (United States)|County]]
 | flag                 = Flag of Fairfax County, Virginia.svg
 | seal                 = Seal of Fairfax County, Virginia.svg
 | logo                 = Coat of arms of Fairfax County, Virginia.svg
 | founded year         = 1742
 | founded date         = June 19
 | seat                 = [[Fairfax, Virginia|Fairfax]] <small>([[Independent city (United States)#Virginia|independent city]])</small><sup>1</sup>
 | coordinates          = {{Coord|38.83|-77.28|display=title,inline|type:adm2nd_region:US-VA_source:UScensus1990}}
 | largest city wl      = Herndon
 | city type            = [[Administrative divisions of Virginia#Towns|town]]
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 406
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 391.02
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 15.47
 | area percentage      = 3.8
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 1150309
 | pop_est_as_of        = 
 | population_est       = 
 | population_density_sq_mi = 2941.82
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | footnotes            = <sup>1</sup> Administrative and court offices are located in [[unincorporated area]]s in Fairfax County
 | web                  = http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/
 | named for            = [[Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron]]
 | ex image             = Mount Vernon Estate Mansion 2.JPG
 | ex image cap         = [[Mount Vernon]] mansion 
 | ex image size        = 270px
 | district             = 8th
 | district2            = 10th
 | district3            = 11th
 | ZIP codes            = 20120, 20121, 20122, 20124, 20151, 20152, 20153, 20164, 20166, 20170, 20171, 20172, 20190, 20191, 20192, 20194, 20195, 20196, 22003, 22009, 22015, 22018, 22019, 22027, 22030, 22031, 22032, 22033, 22035, 22037, 22038, 22039, 22041, 22042, 22043, 22044, 22046, 22060, 22066, 22067, 22079, 22081, 22082, 22101, 22102, 22106, 22116, 22121, 22124, 22150, 22151, 22152, 22153, 22158, 22159, 22160, 22161, 22180, 22181, 22182, 22183, 22185, 22199, 22203, 22204, 22205, 22206, 22207, 22213, 22302, 22303, 22304, 22306, 22307, 22308, 22309, 22310, 22311, 22312, 22315
 | area codes           = 703, 571
}}

'''Fairfax County''', officially the '''County of Fairfax''', is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[Commonwealth (U.S. state)|Commonwealth]] of [[Virginia]]. It is part of [[Northern Virginia]] and borders both the city of [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]] and [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington County]] and forms part of the [[suburb]]an ring of [[Washington, D.C.]], the nation's capital. The county is predominantly [[suburb|suburban]] in character with some [[Urban area|urban]] and [[Rural area|rural]] pockets.

As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 1,150,309,<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Fairfax County, Virginia|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/fairfaxcountyvirginia/POP010220|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 7, 2021}}</ref> making it the  most populous jurisdiction in Virginia, with around 13% of the state's population, the most populous jurisdiction in the [[Washington metropolitan area]], with around 20% of the [[Metropolitan statistical area|MSA]] population, and the most populous location in the [[Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area]], with around 13% of the [[Combined statistical area|CSA]] population. The [[county seat]] is [[Fairfax, Virginia|Fairfax]]; however, because it is an [[Independent city (United States)#Virginia|independent city]] under Virginia law, the city of Fairfax is not part of the county.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=https://ce.naco.org/?county_info=51059 |access-date=September 15, 2019 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties }}</ref>

Fairfax was the first U.S. county to reach a six-figure median household income and has the [[List of highest-income counties in the United States|fifth-highest median household income]] among all U.S. counties as of 2020.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/14/AR2010121407680.html|title=D.C. region is nation's richest, most educated|last=Morello|first=Carol|author2=Keating, Dan|date=December 2010|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=December 18, 2010}}</ref><ref name="survey07">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/acs-09.pdf|title=Income, Earnings, and Poverty Data From the 2007 American Community Survey|last=Bishaw|first=Alemayehu|author2=Semega, Jessica|date=August 2008|publisher=American Community Survey Reports|page=7|access-date=April 25, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505163232/http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/acs-09.pdf|archive-date=May 5, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> As part of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, it is usually included atop or near the top of lists of the wealthiest areas in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stebbins |first1=Samuel |last2=Sauter |first2=Michael B. |title=25 richest cities in America: Does your metro area make the list? |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2018/05/17/25-richest-cities-in-america/34991163/ |website=USA Today |publisher=Gannett |access-date=30 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Schmidt |first1=Ann |title=The 20 wealthiest counties in the U.S., including these Washington, DC, suburbs: Report |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/money/washington-dc-suburbs-richest-counties |website=Fox Business |date=December 18, 2019 |publisher=Fox News Media |access-date=12 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Burrows |first1=Dan |title=The 10 "Real" Richest Counties in the U.S. |url=https://www.kiplinger.com/real-estate/603232/the-real-richest-counties-in-the-us |website=Kiplinger |date=August 2, 2021 |publisher=Future plc |access-date=25 September 2022}}</ref>

The county is home to the headquarters of four [[United States Intelligence Community|intelligence agencies]]: the [[Central Intelligence Agency]], the [[National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency]], the [[National Reconnaissance Office]], and the [[National Counterterrorism Center]]. The [[Director of National Intelligence|Office of the Director of National Intelligence]] is also based in the county. In academia, the county is home to the flagship campus of [[George Mason University]], [[CIA University]]-[[Sherman Kent School for Intelligence Analysis]], and several [[Northern Virginia Community College]] campuses. Seven [[Fortune 500|''Fortune'' 500]] companies are headquartered in the county as of 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2012/states/VA.html|title=Fortune 500 |author=Brett Krasnove|date=May 9, 2014|work=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]|access-date=March 16, 2016}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Piney Branch Mill.jpg|thumb|Piney Branch Mill in the county]]
[[File:Mount Vernon 1858.jpg|thumb|[[Mount Vernon]], the home of [[George Washington]], pictured in 1858]]
[[File:Battles on Fairfax and Prince William border.jpg|thumb|Map of the [[First Battle of Bull Run]], an [[American Civil War]] battle fought near [[Manassas, Virginia|Manassas]] on July 21, 1861, between the [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] and of the [[Union Army|Union]] armies<ref>Bamberger, Shelomoh, ha-Le?vi, Waters-Son, and West & Johnston. "Map of battles on Bull Run, near Manassas, on the line of Fairfax & Prince William Counties, in Virginia, fought between the forces of the Confederate States and of the United States of America." Map. 1861. Norman B. Leventhal Map Center, https://collections.leventhalmap.org/search/commonwealth:xg94j217q (accessed June 26, 2017).</ref>]]
Present-day Fairfax County was initially inhabited by the [[Algonquian languages|Algonquian]]-speaking [[Doeg tribe]]. 

===17th century===
In 1608, [[Captain John Smith]] documented the Doeg tribe's villages, which included ''Namassingakent'' and ''Nemaroughquand'' on the south bank of the [[Potomac River]] in present-day Fairfax County.<ref name=swanton>{{citation| last=Swanton| first=John R.| title=The Indian Tribes of North America| publisher=Smithsonian Institution| year=1952| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vtHI5pkJOGMC| isbn=978-0-8063-1730-4| pages=67–69| oclc=52230544}}</ref> By 1670, Virginian colonists from the [[Northern Neck]] region drove the Doeg Tribe out of present-day Fairfax County and into [[Maryland]].

===18th century===
Fairfax County was formed in 1742 from the northern part of [[Prince William County, Virginia|Prince William County]], and was named after [[Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron]], proprietor of the [[Northern Neck Proprietary|Northern Neck]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n122 123]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url= http://www.fairfaxhistoricalsociety.org/index.html
|title= The Historical Society of Fairfax County Virginia
|publisher= Fairfax County Historical Society
|access-date=January 25, 2010}}</ref> The Fairfax family name is derived from the Old English phrase for "[[blond]] hair", ''Fæger-feax''.

The county's initial settlements were along the Potomac River. [[George Washington]] settled in Fairfax County and built his home, [[Mount Vernon]], facing the Potomac. [[Gunston Hall]], the home of [[George Mason]], is nearby. [[Fort Belvoir]] is partly on the estate of Belvoir Manor, built along the Potomac by William Fairfax in 1741.

[[Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron|Thomas Fairfax]], the only member of the British nobility ever to reside in the colonies, lived at [[Belvoir, Virginia|Belvoir]] before moving to the [[Shenandoah Valley]]. The Belvoir mansion and several of its outbuildings were destroyed by fire immediately after the [[American Revolution|Revolutionary War]] in 1783, and [[George Washington]] noted the plantation complex deteriorated into ruins.

In 1757, the northwestern two-thirds of Fairfax County became [[Loudoun County, Virginia|Loudoun County]]. In 1789, part of Fairfax County was ceded to the [[Federal government of the United States|federal government]] to form [[Alexandria County, Virginia|Alexandria County]], then part of the [[Washington, D.C.|District of Columbia]]. 

===19th century===
Alexandria County was [[District of Columbia retrocession|returned]] to Virginia in 1846, reduced in size by the secession of the [[Independent city (United States)#Virginia|independent city]] of [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]] in 1870, and renamed [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington County]] in 1920. 

During the [[American Civil War]] the [[Battle of Chantilly]], also known as Ox Hill, part of the [[Second Battle of Bull Run]], was fought within Fairfax County. Other areas of Civil War conflict in the county included [[Minor's Hill]], [[Munson's Hill]], and [[Upton's Hill]].

===20th century===
The Fairfax County town of [[Falls Church, Virginia|Falls Church]] became an independent city in 1948.<ref>[http://www.fallschurchva.gov/Content/CultureRecreation/AboutFallsChurch.aspx?cnlid=529 About Falls Church] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090721054556/http://www.fallschurchva.gov/Content/CultureRecreation/AboutFallsChurch.aspx?cnlid=529 |date=July 21, 2009 }} Retrieved June 10, 2009</ref> The Fairfax County town of Fairfax was named an independent city in 1961.<ref name="City History">{{cite web |url=http://www.fairfaxva.gov/museumVC/History.asp |title=City History |publisher=City of Fairfax |access-date=April 25, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060505151456/http://www.fairfaxva.gov/MuseumVC/History.asp |archive-date=May 5, 2006 }}</ref>

The [[Federal government of the United States|federal government]]'s growth during and after [[World War II]] spurred rapid growth in the county and transformed it from a rural to suburban region. Large businesses began settling in the county, and the opening of [[Tysons Corner Center]] spurred the rise of [[Tysons Corner]]. The technology boom and a steady government-driven economy created rapid growth and an increasingly large and diverse population. The economy has also made Fairfax County one of the nation's wealthiest counties.<ref>{{cite magazine
|url= https://www.forbes.com/2008/01/22/counties-rich-income-forbeslife-cx_mw_0122realestate.html
|title= America's Richest Counties
|author= Matt Woolsey
|date= January 22, 2008
|magazine= [[Forbes]]
|access-date=January 25, 2010}}</ref>

A general aviation airport along [[U.S. Route 50]] west of [[Seven Corners, Virginia|Seven Corners]], [[Falls Church Airpark]], operated in the county from 1948 to 1960. The facility's 2,650-foot unpaved runway was used extensively by private pilots and civil defense officials. Residential development, multiple accidents, and the demand for retail space led to its closure in 1960.<ref name="Paul">Freeman, Paul "Falls Church Airpark, Falls Church, VA" ''Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields''. Retrieved March 19, 2014 [http://www.airfields-freeman.com/VA/Airfields_VA_Fairfax_W.htm]</ref><ref name="Rollo">Rollo, Vera (2003) ''Virginia Airports: A Historical Survey of Airports and Aviation From the Earliest Days''. Richmond, VA: Virginia Aviation Historical Society [http://vahsonline.publishpath.com/Default.aspx?shortcut=history] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723235549/http://vahsonline.publishpath.com/Default.aspx?shortcut=history|date=July 23, 2015}}</ref><ref>Day, Kathleen (September 21, 1987) "Small Airports Nosediving in Number" ''The Washington Post'', page B1</ref>

== Geography ==
{{Location map+ | Fairfax Area
| caption =
|width=400
| places =
 {{Location map~ | Fairfax Area
 | label =[[Montgomery County, Maryland|Montgomery]]
 | label_size=100
 | marksize=0
 | position =left
 | lat_deg =38.98
 | lon_deg =-77.119
 }}
 {{Location map~ | Fairfax Area
 | label =[[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]]
 | label_size=100
 | marksize=5
 | position =left
 | lat_deg =38.804722
 | lon_deg =-77.047222
 }}
 {{Location map~ | Fairfax Area
 | label =[[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington]]
 | label_size=100
 | marksize=0
 | position =left
 | lat_deg =38.87
 | lon_deg =-77.110839
 }}
 {{Location map~ | Fairfax Area
 | label =[[Fairfax, Virginia|Fairfax]]
 | label_size=100
 | marksize=5
 | position =left
 | lat_deg =38.87
 | lon_deg =-77.304377
 }}
 {{Location map~ | Fairfax Area
 | label =Fairfax{{nbsp}}County
 | label_size=100
 | marksize=0
 | position =right
 | lat_deg =38.83
 | lon_deg =-77.28
 }}
 {{Location map~ | Fairfax Area
 | label =[[Falls Church, Virginia|Falls{{nbsp}}Church]]
 | label_size=100
 | marksize=5
 | position =left
 | lat_deg =38.882222
 | lon_deg =-77.171111
 }}
 {{Location map~ | Fairfax Area
 | label =[[Loudoun County, Virginia|Loudoun]]
 | label_size=100
 | marksize=0
 | position =right
 | lat_deg =38.946264
 | lon_deg =-77.456541
 }}
 {{Location map~ | Fairfax Area
 | label =[[Manassas, Virginia|Manassas]]
 | label_size=100
 | marksize=5
 | position =right
 | lat_deg =38.754427
 | lon_deg =-77.463920
 }}
 {{Location map~ | Fairfax Area
 | label =[[Manassas Park, Virginia|Manassas{{nbsp}}Park]]
 | label_size=100
 | marksize=5
 | position =right
 | lat_deg =38.781529
 | lon_deg =-77.440528
 }}
 {{Location map~ | Fairfax Area
 | label =[[Prince William County, Virginia|Prince{{nbsp}}William]]
 | label_size=100
 | marksize=0
 | position =right
 | lat_deg =38.722645
 | lon_deg =-77.356234
 }}
 {{Location map~ | Fairfax Area
 | label =[[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]
 | label_size=100
 | marksize=0
 | position =left
 | lat_deg =38.910748
 | lon_deg =-77.07
 }}
}}

According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has an area of {{convert|406|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|391|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|15|sqmi}} (3.8%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

Fairfax County is bounded on the north and southeast by the [[Potomac River]]. Across the river to the northeast is [[Washington, D.C.]], across the river to the north is [[Montgomery County, Maryland]], and across the river to the southeast are [[Prince George's County, Maryland]] and [[Charles County, Maryland]]. The county is partially bounded on the north and east by [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington County]] and the independent cities of [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]] and [[Falls Church, Virginia|Falls Church]]. It is bounded on the west by [[Loudoun County, Virginia|Loudoun County]], and on the south by [[Prince William County, Virginia|Prince William County]].

Most of the county lies in the [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]] region, with rolling hills and deep stream valleys such as [[Difficult Run]] and its tributaries. West of [[Virginia State Route 28|Route 28]], the hills give way to a flat, gentle valley that stretches west to the [[Bull Run Mountains]] in Loudoun County. Elevations in the county range from near sea level along the tidal sections of the Potomac River in the southeast portion of the county to more than {{convert|500|ft|m}} in the [[Tysons Corner, Virginia|Tysons Corner]] area.

=== Adjacent jurisdictions ===
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em| 
* [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington County]] – east
* [[Charles County, Maryland]] – southeast
* City of [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]] – east
* City of [[Fairfax, Virginia|Fairfax]] – surrounded by Fairfax County
* City of [[Falls Church, Virginia|Falls Church]] – east
* [[Loudoun County, Virginia|Loudoun County]] – northwest
* [[Montgomery County, Maryland]] – north
* [[Prince George's County, Maryland]] – east
* [[Prince William County, Virginia|Prince William County]] – southwest
}}

== Geology ==
The Piedmont hills in the central county are made up of ancient [[metamorphic rocks]] such as [[schist]], the roots of several ancestral ranges of the Appalachians. The western valley is floored with more recent [[shale]] and [[sandstone]]. This geology is similar to adjacent bands of rocks in [[Maryland]] and further south in [[Virginia]] along the eastern front of the [[Appalachian Mountains|Appalachians]].

An area of {{convert|11|sqmi|km2|sigfig=1}} of the county is known to be underlain with natural [[asbestos]].<ref name="asbestos">{{cite web|url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/asb/|title=Naturally Occurring Asbestos in Fairfax County, Virginia|publisher=Fairfax County|access-date=September 5, 2016}}</ref> Much of the asbestos is known to emanate from fibrous [[tremolite]] or [[actinolite]]. The threat was discovered in 1987, prompting the county to establish laws to monitor air quality at construction sites, control soil taken from affected areas, and require freshly developed sites to lay {{convert|6|in|mm}} of clean, stable material over the ground.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20060708/bob9.asp |title=Dirty Little Secret |author=Janet Raloff |date=July 8, 2006 |work=Science News Online | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20080116130144/http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20060708/bob9.asp |archive-date=January 16, 2008|access-date=April 26, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/hdpdf/tbrdpubfin.pdf |title=Control and Prevention of Asbestos Exposure from Construction in Naturally Occurring Asbestos |author=C. James Dusek and John M. Yetman| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20060927184034/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/hdpdf/tbrdpubfin.pdf |archive-date=September 27, 2006|access-date=July 12, 2013}}</ref>

For instance, during the construction of [[Centreville High School (Fairfax County, Virginia)|Centreville High School]] a large amount of asbestos-laden soil was removed and then trucked to Vienna for the construction of the I-66/Nutley Street interchange. Fill dirt then had to be trucked in to make the site level.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}} <!-- I know there is a reference for this, i saw it on a county website discussing the asbestos, but i can't find it now -->[[Marine clay]]s can be found in widespread areas of the county east of Interstate 95, mostly in the Lee and Mount Vernon districts. These clays contribute to soil instability, leading to significant construction challenges for builders.<ref name="marine clays">{{cite web|url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/publications/marineclay.htm|title=Overcoming Problems with Marine Clays|publisher=Fairfax County|access-date=April 25, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100407034317/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/publications/marineclay.htm|archive-date=April 7, 2010}}</ref>

==Government and politics==
[[File:Fairfax County Government Center 2020b.jpg|thumb|[[Fairfax County Government Center]]]]
Fairfax County uses the urban county executive form of government, which county voters approved in a 1966 referendum.<ref name="WaPo10-13-1966">{{cite news|title=Voters in Fairfax Will Get 5 Ballots|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 13, 1966|id={{ProQuest|142900460}}}}</ref><ref name=Burchard1967>{{cite news|last=Burchard|first=Hank|title=Redistricting of Fairfax Offers Something to Please Everyone|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=February 8, 1967|id={{ProQuest|143222311}}}}</ref>

Under the urban county executive plan, the county is governed by the 10-member [[Fairfax County Board of Supervisors]] with the day-to-day running of the county tasked to the appointed Fairfax County executive.

Nine of the board members are elected from the single-member districts of Braddock, Dranesville, Franconia, Hunter Mill, Mason, Mount Vernon, Providence, Springfield, and Sully, while the chairman is elected at-large.

In addition to the Board of Supervisors, three constitutional officers—the [[Commonwealth's Attorney]], clerk of the Circuit Court and [[Fairfax County Sheriff's Office|sheriff]]—and the 12 members of the [[Fairfax County Public Schools|Fairfax County School Board]] are directly elected by the voters of Fairfax County.

Fairfax County also has a Consumer Protection Commission. The Commission advises the Board of Supervisors and the Department of Cable and Consumer Services on consumer affairs, investigates illegal, fraudulent, deceptive, or dangerous consumer practices, and refers apparent violations of Virginia law to the Commonwealth Attorney or County Attorney for investigation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Consumer Protection Commission {{!}} Cable and Consumer Services |url=https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cableconsumer/csd/consumer-protection-commission |access-date=2023-08-08 |website=www.fairfaxcounty.gov}}</ref>

The [[Fairfax County Government Center]] is west of the City of Fairfax in an [[unincorporated area]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/facilities/ |title=Facilities & Locations |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322033524/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/facilities/ |archive-date=March 22, 2009 |publisher=Fairfax County |access-date=April 4, 2009}}</ref> Fairfax County contains an [[exclave]] [[unincorporated area]] in the City of Fairfax's central business district, where many county facilities (including the courthouses and jail) are.<ref name="Fairfaxcitymap">{{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=05000US51600&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on |title=Fairfax city, Virginia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051218114852/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=05000US51600&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=saff&_lang=en&_sse=on |archive-date=December 18, 2005 |publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]] |access-date=April 4, 2009}}</ref><ref name="Courtadd">{{cite web |url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/courts/gendist/ |title=Fairfax County General District Court |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090331143756/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/courts/gendist/ |archive-date=March 31, 2009 |publisher=Fairfax County |access-date=April 4, 2009}}</ref>

Fairfax County was once considered a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] bastion, but in recent years [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] have made significant inroads, gaining control of the Board of Supervisors and the School Board (officially nonpartisan) as well as the offices of sheriff and Commonwealth's Attorney. Democrats also hold all the Fairfax seats in the [[Virginia House of Delegates]] and every seat in the [[Virginia State Senate|Senate]].

Fairfax County encompasses parts of three [[congressional districts]], the [[Virginia's 8th congressional district|8th District]], the [[Virginia's 10th congressional district|10th District]], and the [[Virginia's 11th congressional district|11th District]]. Democrats represent all three districts, with [[Jennifer Wexton]] representing the 10th, [[Don Beyer]] representing the 8th, and [[Gerry Connolly]] representing the 11th.

Communities closer to Washington, D.C., generally favor Democrats by a larger margin than outlying communities. In elections in 2000, 2001, and 2005, Fairfax County supported Democrats for U.S. Senate and governor. In [[2004 United States presidential election in Virginia|2004]], Democratic presidential nominee [[John Kerry]] won the county, becoming the first Democrat to do so since [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] in 1964 (the last time Democrats carried the state until [[2008 United States presidential election in Virginia|2008]]). Kerry defeated [[George W. Bush]] in the county, 53% to 46%.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate [[Tim Kaine]] carried Fairfax County with over 60% of the vote in [[2005 Virginia gubernatorial election|2005]], helping him win 51.7% of the statewide vote. In [[2006 United States Senate election in Virginia|2006]], U.S. Senate candidate [[Jim Webb]] carried the county with 58.9% of the vote while winning the statewide election.

In the state and local elections of November 2007, Fairfax Democrats picked up one seat in the [[Virginia House of Delegates|House of Delegates]], two seats in the [[Virginia State Senate|Senate]], and one seat on the Board of Supervisors, making their majority there 8–2.

On November 4, 2008, Fairfax County continued its shift towards the Democrats, with [[Barack Obama]] and [[Mark Warner]] each garnering over 60% of the vote for president and U.S. Senate, respectively. Also, the Fairfax-anchored 11th District United States House of Representatives seat held by [[Thomas M. Davis]] for 14 years was won by [[Gerry Connolly]], the Democratic chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

Braddock supervisor [[Sharon Bulova]] won a special election on February 3, 2009, to succeed Connolly as chairman of the Board of Supervisors, continuing a Democratic hold on the office that dates to 1995. Delegate David Marsden won a special election on January 12, 2010, to succeed [[Ken Cuccinelli]] in the 37th State Senate district.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/local-breaking-news/virginia/democrats-claim-gop-fairfax-se.html?wprss=local-breaking-news&hpid=topbar_hottips | title=Democrats claim GOP Fairfax seat in Virginia Senate | newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> Fairfax County is now represented in the [[Virginia State Senate]] by an all-Democratic delegation.<ref name="dem wins">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/12/AR2010011203717.html|title=Democrat wins Va. Senate race|last=Kravitz|first=Denny|date=January 13, 2010|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=April 25, 2010}}</ref>

In the [[2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia|2010 congressional elections]], Republican challenger [[Keith Fimian]] nearly won [[Virginia's 11th congressional district election, 2010|the election for the 11th District seat]], losing to Connolly by 981 votes out of over 225,000 cast (a margin of 0.4%). Jim Moran and Frank Wolf were reelected, 61%–37% and 63%–35%, respectively.

In 2012, Fairfax County solidly backed Obama for reelection as president, as he nearly matched his 2008 performance, winning the county 59.6% to 39.1%. Former Governor Tim Kaine, running for the U.S. Senate in 2012, carried Fairfax County with 61% of the vote as part of his statewide victory. Representatives Connolly, Moran, and Wolf were also reelected.

Although Republican governor [[Bob McDonnell]] won Fairfax County with 51% of the vote in 2009, the Republican resurgence in Fairfax was short-lived. In the [[2013 Virginia elections|2013 election]], Democratic gubernatorial candidate [[Terry McAuliffe]] won Fairfax County with 58% of the vote, defeating incumbent state attorney general and former Republican state senator from Fairfax [[Ken Cuccinelli]]. McAuliffe's running mates, [[Ralph Northam]] and [[Mark Herring]], also carried Fairfax County in their respective bids for [[Lieutenant Governor of Virginia|lieutenant governor]] and [[Attorney General of Virginia|attorney general]]. These Democratic victories mirrored the Democratic ticket's sweep of the state's three executive offices for the first time since 1989.

In the 2016 general election, Fairfax continued its trend towards Democratic candidates. Representatives Beyer and Connolly were reelected, the latter unopposed. Fairfax County supported [[Hillary Clinton]] for president with 64.4% of the vote to [[Donald Trump]]'s 28.6%, exemplifying a heavy swing toward Democrats across Northern Virginia.

In 2020, Democratic presidential nominee [[Joe Biden]] won the county with 69.89% of the vote, the best percentage for a Democrat in the county since 1916.

{{PresHead|place=Fairfax County, Virginia|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|168,401|419,943|12,479|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|157,710|355,133|38,340|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|206,773|315,273|7,241|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|200,994|310,359|4,901|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|211,980|245,671|3,728|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|202,181|196,501|15,093|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|176,033|170,150|19,080|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|170,488|160,186|54,544|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|200,641|125,711|2,013|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|183,181|107,295|822|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|137,620|73,734|28,351|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|110,424|92,037|3,496|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|112,135|54,844|2,267|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|57,462|44,796|15,061|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|30,755|48,680|82|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|28,006|26,064|149|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|20,761|15,633|873|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|13,020|8,329|30|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|4,930|3,719|840|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|4,046|3,582|34|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|2,371|3,263|26|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,584|2,913|30|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,368|2,714|72|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,507|1,229|0|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|765|1,586|199|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|987|1,598|32|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|472|1,179|15|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|187|992|159|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|404|1,143|13|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|422|774|12|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|1,507|2,135|14|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|1,877|2,109|30|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|1,537|2,168|25|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|1,824|2,010|16|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1884|Democratic|1,681|1,883|0|Virginia}}
{{PresFoot|1880|Democratic|1,399|1,726|0|Virginia}}

{| class=wikitable
|+County Board of Supervisors
|-
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:bottom;"| Position
! style="text-align:center;" | Name
! valign=bottom | Party
! style="vertical-align:bottom; text-align:center;"| First Election
! style="vertical-align:bottom; text-align:center;"| District
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Chairman
| [[Jeff McKay]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2019
| style="text-align:center;" | At-large
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Supervisor
| James R. Walkinshaw
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2019
| style="text-align:center;" | Braddock
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Supervisor
| [[James N. Bierman, Jr. ]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2023
| style="text-align:center;" | Dranesville
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Supervisor
| Walter L. Alcorn
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2019
| style="text-align:center;" | Hunter Mill
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Supervisor
| Rodney L. Lusk
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2019
| style="text-align:center;" | Lee (now Franconia)
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Supervisor
| Andres Jimenez
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2023
| style="text-align:center;" | Mason
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Supervisor
| Daniel "Dan" Storck
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2015
| style="text-align:center;" | Mount Vernon
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Supervisor
| Dalia A. Palchik
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2019
| style="text-align:center;" | Providence
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Supervisor
| Patrick "Pat" Herrity
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Republican Party (Virginia)|Republican]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2007
| style="text-align:center;" | Springfield
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Supervisor
| [[Kathy Smith (American politician)|Kathy Smith]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2015
| style="text-align:center;" | Sully
|}

{| class=wikitable
|+Constitutional Officers
|-
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:bottom;"| Position
! style="text-align:center;" | Name
! valign=bottom | Party
! style="vertical-align:bottom; text-align:center;"| First Election
! style="vertical-align:bottom; text-align:center;"| District
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Sheriff
| Stacey Kincaid
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2013
| style="text-align:center;" | At-large
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Commonwealth's Attorney
| Steve Descano
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2019
| style="text-align:center;" | At-large
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Clerk of Circuit Court
| Christopher Falcon
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2023
| style="text-align:center;" | At-large
|}

{| class=wikitable
|+[[Virginia House of Delegates|Delegates]]
|-
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:bottom;"| Position
! style="text-align:center;" | Name
! valign=bottom | Party
! style="vertical-align:bottom; text-align:center;"| First Election
! style="vertical-align:bottom; text-align:center;"| District
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |
| Delegate
|[[Charniele Herring]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2009
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 4th House of Delegates district|4]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
| [[Rip Sullivan]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2014
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 6th House of Delegates district|6]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
| [[Karen Keys-Gamarra]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2023
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 7th House of Delegates district|7]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
| [[Irene Shin]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2021
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 8th House of Delegates district|8]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
| [[Karrie Delaney]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2017
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 9th House of Delegates district|9]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
| [[Dan Helmer]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2019
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 10th House of Delegates district|10]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
| [[David Bulova]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2005
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 11th House of Delegates district|11]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
| [[Holly Seibold]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2023
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 12th House of Delegates district|12]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
|  [[Marcus Simon]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2013
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 13th House of Delegates district|13]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
|  [[Vivian Watts]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 1995
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 14th House of Delegates district|14]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
| [[Laura Jane Cohen]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2023
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 15th House of Delegates district|15]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
| [[Paul Krizek]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2015
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 16th House of Delegates district|16]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
| [[Mark Sickles]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2003
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 17th House of Delegates district|17]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
| [[Kathy Tran]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2017
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 18th House of Delegates district|18]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |&nbsp;
| Delegate
| [[Rozia Henson]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2023
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 19th House of Delegates district|19]]
|-

{| class=wikitable
|+[[Senate of Virginia|Senators]]
|-
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center; vertical-align:bottom;"| Position
! style="text-align:center;" | Name
! valign=bottom | Party
! style="vertical-align:bottom; text-align:center;"| First Election
! style="vertical-align:bottom; text-align:center;"| District
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |
| Senator
| [[Jennifer Carroll Foy]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2023
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 33rd Senate district|33]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |
| Senator
| [[Scott Surovell]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2015
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 34th Senate district|34]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |
| Senator
| [[Dave Marsden]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2010
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 35th Senate district|35]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |
| Senator
| [[Stella Pekarsky]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2023
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 36th Senate district|36]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |
| Senator
| [[Saddam Azlan Salim]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2023
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 37th Senate district|37]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |
| Senator
| [[Jennifer Boysko]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2019
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 38th Senate district|38]]
|-
| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" |
| Senator
| [[Adam Ebbin]]
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (Virginia)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 2011
| style="text-align:center;" | [[Virginia's 39th Senate district|39]]
|-

|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Consumer Protection Commission<ref name=":0" />
!Position
!Name
|-
|Commissioner
|Harold G. Belkowitz, Esq.
|-
|Commissioner
|Chester J. Freedenthal
|-
|Vice Chairperson
|Denis Gulakowski
|-
|Commissioner
|Dirck A. Hargraves
|-
|Commissioner
|Pratik J. Kharat
|-
|Commissioner
|Dennis Dean Kirk, Esq.
|-
|Chairperson
|Jason J. Kratovil
|-
|Commissioner
|Triston "Chase" O'Savio
|-
|Commissioner
|Michael J. Roark
|-
|Secretary
|Jacqueline G. Rosier
|-
|Commissioner
|Dr. Maurice B. Springer
|-
|Commissioner
|Paul Svab
|}

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population
|1790= 12320
|1800= 13317
|1810= 13111
|1820= 11404
|1830= 9204
|1840= 9370
|1850= 10682
|1860= 11834
|1870= 12952
|1880= 16025
|1890= 16655
|1900= 18580
|1910= 20536
|1920= 21943
|1930= 25264
|1940= 40929
|1950= 98557
|1960= 275002
|1970= 455021
|1980= 596901
|1990= 818584
|2000= 969749
|2010= 1081726
|2020= 1150309
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 24, 2022}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 2, 2014|archive-date=August 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/va190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 2, 2014}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 2, 2014}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Fairfax County, Virginia – Racial and Ethnic Composition'''<br> (''NH = Non-Hispanic'')<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity
!Pop 1980<ref name=1980CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=1980 census of population.|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980/1980censusofpopu80148uns_bw.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P004HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE [73] - Fairfax County, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALSF12000.P004?q=p004&g=050XX00US24033,51059|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Fairfax County, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US51059&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Fairfax County, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US51059&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 1980
!% 2000
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|514,330
|624,296
|590,622
|542,001
|{{Percentage|514330|596,901|2}}
|{{percentage|624,296|969749|2}}
|54.60%
|47.12%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|34,618
|81,287
|96,078
|108,339
|{{Percentage|34618|596,901|2}}
|{{percentage|81287|969749|2}}
|8.88%
|9.42%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|1,235{{efn|Includes all people who gave "American Indian", "Eskimo", or "Aleut" as their race, regardless of Hispanic identity.}}
|1,834
|1,843
|1,437
|{{Percentage|1,235|596,901|2}}
|{{percentage|1834|969749|2}}
|0.17%
|0.12%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|22,463{{efn|Includes all people who gave "Japanese", "Chinese", "Filipino", "Korean", "Asian Indian", or "Vietnamese" as their race, regardless of Hispanic identity.}}
|125,585
|188,737
|233,858
|{{Percentage|22,463|596,901|2}}
|{{percentage|125585|969749|2}}
|17.45%
|20.33%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|262{{efn|Includes all people who gave "Hawaiian", "Guamanian", or "Samoan" as their race, regardless of Hispanic identity.}}
|616
|779
|772
|{{Percentage|262|596,901|2}}
|{{percentage|616|969749|2}}
|0.07%
|0.07%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Some Other Race]] alone (NH)
|
|2,473
|3,359
|7,046
|
|{{percentage|2473|969749|2}}
|0.31%
|0.61%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed Race/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|N/A
|26,700
|31,826
|57,622
|N/A
|{{percentage|26700|969749|2}}
|2.94%
|5.01%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|19,535
|106,958
|168,482
|199,234
|{{Percentage|19535|596,901|2}}
|{{percentage|106958|969749|2}}
|15.58%
|17.32%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''596,901'''
|'''969,749'''
|'''1,081,726'''
|'''1,150,309'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|}
Of the households, 55.5% were married couple families, 15.9% were a male family householder with no spouse, and 23.0% were a female family householder with no spouse. The average family household had 3.25 people.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Fairfax County, Virginia |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Fairfax_County,_Virginia?g=050XX00US51059 |access-date=2024-01-27 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

The median age was 39.4, 22.6% of people were under the age of 18, and 15.1% were 65 years of age or older. The largest ancestry is the 10.1% who had [[English Americans|English ancestry]], 37.8% spoke a language other than [[English language|English]] at home, and 30.7% were born outside the United States, 63.4% of whom were [[Naturalized citizen of the United States|naturalized citizens]].<ref name=":1" />

The median income for a household in the county was $145,164, and the median income for a family was $174,085. 7.5% of the population were [[Veteran#United States|military veterans]], and 65.5% had a [[Bachelor's degree|bachelors degree]] or [[Higher degree|higher]]. In the county 5.6% of the population was below the [[poverty line]], including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over, with 7.2% of the population without [[Health insurance in the United States|health insurance]].<ref name=":1" />

===2010 census===
As of 2010, there were 1,081,726 people, 350,714 households, and 250,409 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|2,455|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 359,411 housing units at an average density of {{convert|910|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The ethnic makeup of the county was:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Percentage
! Ethnic group
|-
| 62.68% 
| [[White American|White]]
|-
| 9.17% 
| [[African American|Black or African American]]
|-
| 0.36% 
| [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]]
|-
| 17.53%
| [[Asian American|Asian]]
|-
| 0.07%
| [[Pacific Islander American|Pacific Islander]]
|-
| 4.54% 
| [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#Race|other races]]
|-
| 3.65% 
| two or more races.
|-
| 15.58% 
| [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanics or Latinos]] of any race. 
|}

The largest ancestry groups were:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Percentage
! Ancestry group
|-
|11.2% 
|German 
|-
|10.2% 
|Irish 
|-
|8.6% 
|English 
|-
|5.1% 
|American 
|-
|5.1% 
|Italian 
|-
|4.1% 
|Indian 
|-
|4.0% 
|Salvadoran
|-
|3.8% 
|Korean
|-
|3.3% 
|[[Sub-Saharan Africa#Population|Sub-Saharan African]] <!-- link to which countries are Sub-Saharan African -->
|-
|2.7% 
|Vietnamese 
|-
|2.6% 
|Polish 
|-
|2.4% 
|Chinese 
|-
|2.4% 
|[[Arab#Arab world|Arabs]] <!-- link to which countries are Arabian -->
|-
|2.2% 
|Scottish 
|-
|1.9% 
|French 
|-
|1.8% 
|Spanish
|-
|1.7% 
|Mexican
|-
|1.7% 
|Bolivian
|-
|1.4% 
|Filipino
|-
|1.4% 
|Russian
|-
|1.3% 
|Scotch-Irish
|-
|1.2% 
|Peruvian
|-
|1.1% 
|Honduran
|-
|1.0% 
|Guatemalan
|-
|1.0% 
|Pakistani
|}

{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Ethnic structure of Fairfax County
|label1 = White 
|value1 = 62.7
|color1 = Blue
|label2 = Asian
|value2 = 17.5
|color2 = LightGreen
|label3 = Black
|value3 = 9.2
|color3 = Yellow
|label4 = Other
|value4 = 6.5
|color4 = Gray
|label5 = Two or more races
|value5 = 3.6
|color5 = Brown
|label6 = Native
|value6 = 0.4
|color6 = Red
|label7 = Pacific islander
|value7 = 0.1
|color7 = Teal
}}

=== 2000 Census ===
In [[2000 United States census|2000]], there were 350,714 households, of which 36.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.40% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 21.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.20.

The age distribution was 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 33.90% from 25 to 44, 25.30% from 45 to 64, and 7.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.60 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 96.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $81,050, and the median income for a family was $92,146; in a 2007 estimate, these figures rose to $102,460 and $120,804, respectively. Males had a median income of $60,503 versus $41,802 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $36,888. About 3.00% of families and 4.50% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 5.20% of those under age 18 and 4.00% of those age 65 or over. A more recent report from the 2007 American Community Survey indicated that poverty in Fairfax County, Virginia had risen to 4.9%.<ref name="survey07"/>

Judged by household median income, Fairfax County is among the [[Highest income counties in the United States|highest-income counties in the country]], and was first on that list for many years{{Specify|date=April 2010}}. In the 2000 census, it was overtaken by [[Douglas County, Colorado]]. According to 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, it had the second-highest median household income behind neighboring Loudoun County, at $94,610. In 2007, Fairfax County reclaimed its position as the richest county in America, in addition to becoming the first county in American history to have a median household income over $100,000, though not the first jurisdiction.<ref name="examiner income">[http://www.unitedwaynca.org/regions/fairfax-fallschurch.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214034216/http://www.unitedwaynca.org/regions/fairfax-fallschurch.html|date=December 14, 2014}} United Way of the National Capital Area – Fairfax/Falls Church Retrieved September 26, 2010</ref> In 2008, Loudoun County reclaimed the top position, with Fairfax County a statistically insignificant second.<ref name="newsletter loudon">{{cite web|url=http://biz.loudoun.gov/Portals/0/PDF/NewsRoom_PDF/Newsletters/2002/February2002.pdf|title=Loudon County Newsletter|date=February 2002|publisher=Loudon County Department of Economic Development|page=3|access-date=April 26, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527230808/http://biz.loudoun.gov/Portals/0/PDF/NewsRoom_PDF/Newsletters/2002/February2002.pdf|archive-date=May 27, 2010}}</ref><ref name="luxury brokers">{{cite web|url=http://theluxurybrokers.com/mansions_for_sale_in_virginia.htm|title=Mansions for Sale in Virginia|publisher=The Luxury Brokers|access-date=April 26, 2010}}</ref> In 2012, Fairfax County's median household income was $108,439.<ref>[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/51/51059.html Fairfax County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713081312/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/51/51059.html |date=July 13, 2011 }}. Quickfacts.census.gov. Retrieved on August 16, 2013.</ref>

Fairfax County males have the highest life expectancy in the nation at 81.1 years, while females had the eighth highest at 83.8.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtop.com/?nid=41&sid=2423499|title=WTOP: Washington, DC's Top News, Traffic, and Weather|date=November 18, 2014|work=WTOP|access-date=March 16, 2016}}</ref>

== Education ==
{{Further|Fairfax County Public Schools}}
===Primary education===
[[File:George Mason Performing Arts.JPG|thumb|[[George Mason University]]'s performing arts center in Fairfax]]
The county is served by the [[Fairfax County Public Schools]] system, to which the county government allocates 52.2% of its budget.<ref name="fy 2007">{{cite web|url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dmb/advertised/FY2007/FY07_advertised_citizens_guide.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dmb/advertised/FY2007/FY07_advertised_citizens_guide.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Fairfax County Budget – FY 2007|date=February 27, 2006|publisher=Fairfax County|access-date=August 2, 2008}}</ref> Including state and federal government contributions, along with citizen and corporate contributions, this brings the 2023 budget for the school system to $3.5 billion. The school system has estimated that, based on the 2023 fiscal year budget, the county will be spending $18,772 on each student.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 1, 2023 |title=Fairfax County Public Schools - Budget |url=https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/FY-2024-Approved-Budget.pdf |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=January 17, 2024}}</ref>

The Fairfax County Public School system contains the [[Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology]], a Virginia Governor's School. TJHSST consistently ranks at or near the top of all U.S. high schools due to the extraordinary number of National Merit semifinalists and finalists, its students' high average SAT scores, and the number of students who annually perform nationally recognized research in the sciences and engineering. As a Governor's School, TJHSST draws students not only from Fairfax County, but also from [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington]], [[Loudoun County, Virginia|Loudoun]], [[Fauquier County, Virginia|Fauquier]], and [[Prince William County, Virginia|Prince William]] counties, and the [[City of Falls Church, Virginia|City of Falls Church]].

Fairfax County is also home to several [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] elementary and middle schools, which fall under the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington]]. [[Paul VI Catholic High School]] is Fairfax County's diocese-run Catholic high school. [[Oakcrest School (McLean, Virginia)|Oakcrest School]] is an all-girls Catholic school in Fairfax County, which is not run by the diocese. 

===Colleges and universities===
[[George Mason University]] is just outside the city of [[Fairfax, Virginia|Fairfax]], near the geographic center of Fairfax County. [[Northern Virginia Community College]] (NVCC) serves Fairfax County with campuses in [[Annandale, Virginia|Annandale]] and [[Springfield, Virginia|Springfield]] and a center in [[Reston, Virginia|Reston]] that is a satellite branch of the Loudoun campus. The NVCC [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]] campus borders Fairfax County. The [[CIA University|Central Intelligence Agency University]] and its [[Sherman Kent School for Intelligence Analysis]] are both located in Fairfax County, specifically in [[Chantilly, Virginia|Chantilly]] and [[Reston, Virginia|Reston]] respectively. The [[University of Fairfax]], a for-profit [[proprietary college]] and alleged [[diploma mill]] was once headquartered in [[Vienna, Virginia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=List of Black Listed Universities in USA |url=http://www.msinus.com/content/427-black-listed-universities-usa/comments3.html |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=MS in US |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=du Plessis |first=Carien |date=1 Mar 2015 |title=SA's US ambassador in new 'dodgy degree' drama |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/sas-us-ambassador-in-new-dodgy-degree-drama-20150301 |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Virginia Commonwealth University]]'s [[VCU School of Medicine|School of Medicine]] recently constructed a medical campus wing at [[Inova Fairfax Hospital]] in order to allow third- and fourth-year medical students to study at other state-of-the-art facilities in [[Northern Virginia]].<ref name="vcu inova">{{cite web|url=http://www.inova.org/clinical-education-and-research/education/education-for-students/vcu-school-of-medicine-inova-campus/index.jsp|title=VCU School of Medicine – Inova Campus|publisher=Virginia Commonwealth University|access-date=April 30, 2009|archive-date=May 13, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513124519/http://www.inova.org/clinical-education-and-research/education/education-for-students/vcu-school-of-medicine-inova-campus/index.jsp|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Economy ==
[[File:Dc22counties.jpg|thumb|A [[United States Department of Labor|U.S. Department of Labor]] study, published in 2007, described Fairfax County as the second economic pillar of the [[Washington metropolitan area]] economy after [[Washington, D.C.]]; the county has been described in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' as "one of the great economic success stories of our time."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS88228+30-Nov-2007+BW20071130|title=Fairfax County high school ranked the best in the nation; two other county schools...<!-- ellipsis in the original -->|department=Editorial|date=November 30, 2007|work=Reuters|access-date=March 16, 2016|archive-date=February 19, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219215135/http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS88228+30-Nov-2007+BW20071130|url-status=dead}}</ref>]]

Fairfax County's economy revolves around professional services and technology. Many residents work for the government or contractors of the federal government. The government is the largest employer, with [[Fort Belvoir]] in southern Fairfax the county's single largest source of federal employment. Fairfax County has a gross county product of approximately  $95 billion.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

Major employers in the county include [[Volkswagen Group of America]], [[Hilton Hotels Corporation|Hilton Worldwide]],<ref name="hilton hotels">{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/stories/2009/02/02/daily22.html|title=Hilton Hotels picks Fairfax County for new HQ Read more: Hilton Hotels picks Fairfax County for new HQ – Los Angeles Business from bizjournals |last=Frederick|first=Missy|date=February 4, 2009|newspaper=Washington Business Journal|access-date=April 25, 2010}}</ref> DXC Technology (formerly [[Computer Sciences Corporation]]), [[Northrop Grumman]], [[Science Applications International Corporation|Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)]], [[Leidos]], [[Booz Allen Hamilton]], [[Gannett]], [[Capital One]], [[General Dynamics]], [[ICF International]], [[Freddie Mac]], [[SLM Corporation|Sallie Mae]], [[ManTech International]], [[Mars, Incorporated|Mars]], [[NII Holdings|NII]] and [[NVR (homebuilding company)|NVR]]. The county is home to seven [[Fortune 500|''Fortune'' 500]] company headquarters,<ref name="cnn money">{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2009/states/VA.html|title=Fortune 500: Our Annual Ranking of America's Largest Corporations|website=CNN Money|access-date=April 25, 2010}}</ref> 11 [[Hispanic 500]] companies,<ref name="hispanic biz">{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/07/20/daily24.html|title=Hispanic businesses boosting Fairfax County|last=Echols|first=Tucker|date=July 21, 2009|newspaper=Washington Business Journal|access-date=April 25, 2010}}</ref> and five companies on the Black Enterprise 500 list.

The county's economy is supported by the [[Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]], which provides services and information to promote Fairfax County as a leading business and technology center. The FCEDA is the nation's largest non-state economic development authority. Fairfax County is also home to the Northern Virginia Technology Council, a trade association for local technology companies.<ref name="reuters bill gates">{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS216476+11-Mar-2008+PRN20080311|title=Microsoft's Bill Gates Selects March 13 NVTC Titans Breakfast as Forum for Providing His Perspective on the Future of Technology Innovation |publisher=Reuters (via PR Newswire)|access-date=April 25, 2010|date=March 11, 2008|archive-date=February 17, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217001417/http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS216476+11-Mar-2008+PRN20080311|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="nvtc">{{cite web|url=http://www.nvtc.org/events/geteventinfo.php?event=BANQUET-5|title=Meg Whitman, Former CEO and President of eBay Addresses Crowd of Approximately 800 at NVTC's TechCelebration Annual Banquet|date=October 27, 2008|publisher=Northern Virginia Technology Council|access-date=May 3, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103132337/http://www.nvtc.org/events/geteventinfo.php?event=BANQUET-5|archive-date=January 3, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> Fairfax County has a higher concentration of high-tech workers than [[Silicon Valley]].<ref name="tidwell">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/31/AR2008103103446.html|title=High-Tech, High-Income, High-Polluting Virginia|last=Tidwell|first=Mike|date=November 2, 2008|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=April 25, 2010}}</ref>

=== Tysons ===
[[File:2019-06-28 12 14 48 View south along Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway) from the overpass for Virginia State Route 694 (Lewinsville Road) in Mclean, Fairfax County, Virginia, with the skyline of Tysons Corner visible in the distance.jpg|thumb|[[Tysons, Virginia|Tysons]], the county's leading business center and one of the largest business districts in the United States.]]
The [[Tysons, Virginia|Tysons]] in the county is Virginia's largest office market and the nation's largest suburban business district, with {{convert|26600000|sqft|m2}} of office space.<ref name="tysons">{{cite web|url=http://beyonddc.com/profiles/tysonscorner.shtml|title=Tysons Corner, Virginia|publisher=BeyondDC|access-date=January 20, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070303014230/http://www.beyonddc.com/profiles/tysonscorner.shtml|archive-date=March 3, 2007}}</ref><ref name="tysons business">{{cite web|url=http://www.fairfaxcountyeda.org/tysons-corner-business-area|title=Tysons Corner Business Area|publisher=Fairfax County Economic Development Authority|access-date=April 20, 2010|archive-date=March 3, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100303013000/http://fairfaxcountyeda.org/tysons-corner-business-area|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is the country's 12th-largest business district and is expected to grow substantially in the coming decades. It contains a quarter of the county's total office space inventory, which was {{convert|105200000|sqft|m2}} as of 2006, representing roughly the same size as the [[Lower Manhattan]] region of New York City.<ref name="CoStar">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/custom/2005/11/10/CU2005111001553.html|title=The CoStar Office Market Watch|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=November 12, 2009}}</ref> [[Forbes]] wrote that the area is "often described as the place where the [[Internet]] was invented, but today it looks increasingly like the center of the global [[military-industrial complex]]",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/beltway/2011/10/10/why-virginias-become-mecca-for-military-contractors/|title=Why Virginia's Become Mecca For Military Contractors|date=October 10, 2011|work=Forbes|access-date=March 16, 2016}}</ref> because it is home to the nation's first [[Internet service provider|ISPs]], many of which are now defunct, and attracts numerous [[defense contractor]]s that have relocated from other states to or near Tysons Corner.

Tysons draws over 100,000 workers from around the Washington metropolitan region. It also draws 55,000 shoppers daily to its two [[super-regional mall]]s, [[Tysons Corner Center]] and [[Tysons Galleria]]. Washington, D.C., in comparison, draws approximately 62,500 shoppers daily.

After years of stalling and controversy, the $5.2 billion expansion of the [[Washington Metro]] [[Silver Line (Washington Metro)|Silver Line]] in Virginia from Washington, D.C., to [[Washington Dulles International Airport|Dulles International Airport]] was funded by the [[Federal Transit Administration]] in December 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/03/AR2008120302256.html|title=Silver Line To Dulles Wins Crucial Federal Okay|newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=March 16, 2016}}</ref> The Silver Line added four stations in Tysons, including [[Tysons Corner (WMATA station)|a station]] between Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria.

Along with the expansion of Washington Metro, Fairfax County government has a plan to "urbanize" the Tysons area. The plan calls for a private-public partnership and a grid-like street system to make Tysons a more urban environment, tripling available housing to allow more workers to live near their workplaces. The goal is to have 95% of Tysons Corner within {{convert|1/2|mi|m|adj=on|sigfig=1}} of a metro station.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=A (Radical) Way to Fix Suburban Sprawl|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|author=Lisa Selin Davis|date=June 11, 2009|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1904187,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615083138/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1904187,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 15, 2009}}</ref>

=== Employment ===
{{Update|date=September 2023|inaccurate=yes}}
[[File:CIA New HQ Entrance.jpg|thumb|[[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] headquarters in [[Langley, Virginia|Langley]]]]
Fairfax County's average weekly wage during the first quarter of 2005 was $1,181, 52% more than the national average.<ref name="bls">{{cite web|url=http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2006/12/art1full.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2006/12/art1full.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Industry Dynamics in the Washington, D.C. area: has a second job core emerged?|last=Perrins|first=Gerald|author2=Nilsen, Diane|date=December 2006|publisher=Monthly Labor Review|access-date=April 25, 2010}}</ref> By comparison, the average weekly wage was $1,286 for [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington]]—the [[Washington metropolitan area]]'s highest—$1,277 for Washington, D.C., and $775 for the U.S. as a whole.<ref name="bls" /> The types of jobs available in the area make it very attractive to highly educated workers. The relatively high wages may be partially due to the area's high cost of living.<ref name="bls" />

In early 2005, Fairfax County had 553,107 total jobs, up from 372,792 in 1990. In the area, this is second to Washington's 658,505 jobs in 2005 (down from 668,532 in 1990).<ref name="bls" />

As of the 2002 Economic Census, Fairfax County has the largest professional, scientific, and technical service sector in the Washington, D.C., area—in terms of the number of business establishments; total sales, shipments, and receipts; payrolls; and number of employees—exceeding the next-largest, Washington, D.C., by roughly a quarter overall, and double that of neighboring Montgomery County.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/demogrph/census_summaries/acs-1year/acs2012.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/demogrph/census_summaries/acs-1year/acs2012.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=American Community Survey 2012 Profiles for Fairfax County, Virginia|date=September 2012|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=August 9, 2017}}</ref>

The headquarters of the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA) are in [[Langley, Virginia|Langley]], on Fairfax County's northeastern border.

=== Top employers ===
According to the county's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref name="CAFR">{{cite web|url=https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/finance/sites/finance/files/assets/documents/pdf/financial-reports/fy2021-annual-comprehensive-financial-report.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/finance/sites/finance/files/assets/documents/pdf/financial-reports/fy2021-annual-comprehensive-financial-report.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=County of Fairfax, Virginia Comprehensive Annual Financial Report For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2021|website=fairfaxcounty.gov|access-date=January 15, 2022}}</ref> the county's largest employers are:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
! % of Total County Employment
|-
|1
|[[Federal government of the United States|Federal Government]]
|26,543
|4.30
|-
|1
|[[Fairfax County Public Schools]]
|25,389
|4.12
|-
|3
|Fairfax County Government
|12,128
|1.97
|-
|4
|[[Inova Health System]]
|10,000-12,000
|1.78
|-
|5
|[[George Mason University]]
|5,000-9,999
|1.22
|-
|6
|[[Booz Allen Hamilton]]
|5,000-9,999
|1.22
|-
|7
|[[Amazon (company)|Amazon]]
|5,000-9,999
|1.22
|-
|8
|[[Freddie Mac|Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation]]
|5,000-9,999
|1.22
|-
|9
|[[Science Applications International Corporation|SAIC]]
|5,000-9,999
|1.22
|-
|10
|[[Capital One]]
|5,000-9,999
|1.22
|}

== Arts and culture ==
[[File:Wolf Trap Concert Hall in northern Virginia LCCN2011632950.tif|thumb|[[Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts]]]]
Annual festivals include the "Celebrate Fairfax!" festival held in June at the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax City, the [[Tephra Fine Arts Festival|Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival]]<ref>[http://www.restonarts.org/festival/ GRACE, Festival] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101211152030/http://www.restonarts.org/Festival/ |date=December 11, 2010 }}. Restonarts.org (July 31, 2008). Retrieved on August 16, 2013.</ref> held in May at the Reston Town Center in [[Reston, Virginia|Reston]], and the [[International Children's Festival at Wolf Trap|International Children's Festival]] held in September at the [[Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts]], which features a performing arts center outside Vienna.

Fairfax County supports a summer concert series held in multiple venues throughout the county on various nights. The concert series are called Arts in the Parks, Braddock Nights, Lee District Nights, Mt. Vernon Nights, Nottoway Nights, Spotlight by Starlight, Sounds of Summer and Starlight Cinema.<ref name="2009 summer">{{cite web|url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances/|title=2009 Summer Entertainment Series|publisher=Fairfax County|access-date=April 2, 2010}}</ref>

[[Capital One Hall]], which is part of the [[Capital One Tower (Virginia)|Capital One Headquarters Complex]] in [[Tysons]], is a major performing arts center. The space holds performances from a variety of musicians and performing artists across various fields. The Hall opened in 2021 and seats 1,600 in its main theater.

[[EagleBank Arena]] (originally the Patriot Center), on the Fairfax campus of [[George Mason University]] just outside the [[Fairfax, Virginia|City of Fairfax]], hosts concerts and shows. The nearby Center for the Arts at George Mason is a major year-round arts venue, and the [[Workhouse Arts Center]] in [[Lorton, Virginia]] includes studios for artists, event facilities for performing groups, and gallery exhibitions in addition to hosting the annual Clifton Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.artsfairfax.org/resources/festivals/clifton-film-fest|title=Clifton Film Fest|website=Arts Fairfax}}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Smaller local art venues include:
*Alden Theater at the McLean Community Center
*ArtSpace Herndon
*Center Stage at the Reston Community Center
*Greater Reston Arts Center
*James Lee Community Center Theater
*Vienna Arts Society

== Transportation ==

=== Roads ===

Several major highways run through Fairfax County, including the [[Capital Beltway]] (Interstate 495), [[Interstate 66]], [[Interstate 95 in Virginia|Interstate 95]], and [[Interstate 395 (Virginia–District of Columbia)|Interstate 395]]. The [[American Legion Memorial Bridge (Potomac River)|American Legion Bridge]] connects Fairfax to Montgomery County, Maryland. The [[George Washington Memorial Parkway]], [[Dulles Toll Road]], and [[Fairfax County Parkway]] are also major arteries. Other notable roads include [[Braddock Road (Northern Virginia)|Braddock Road]], [[Virginia State Route 644 (Fairfax County)|Old Keene Mill Road]], [[Little River Turnpike]], State Routes [[State Route 7 (Virginia)|7]], [[State Route 28 (Virginia)|28]], and [[State Route 123 (Virginia)|123]], and U.S. Routes [[U.S. Route 1 in Virginia|1]], [[U.S. Route 29 in Virginia|29]], and [[U.S. Route 50 in Virginia|50]].

The county is in the Washington, D.C., metro area, the nation's third most congested area.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.vaperforms.virginia.gov/s-Transportation.php
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080211215852/http://www.vaperforms.virginia.gov/s-Transportation.php
|archive-date = February 11, 2008
|title = Transportation
|website=Virginia Performs
|access-date = September 3, 2007
|publisher = Council on Virginia's Future
}}
</ref><ref>{{Cite work | last1 = Schrank | first1 = David | last2 = Lomax | first2 = Tim | title = The 2002 Urban Mobility Report | publisher = Texas Transportation Institute | date = June 2002 }}</ref><!--The solid waste plan cites the transportation study --><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/swmp/forms/fnlch2proj1_3.pdf|title = Chapter 2: Projections and Waste Quantities |publisher=Fairfax County, Virginia |access-date = September 3, 2007|date = June 2004|work=Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Plan |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929090044/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/swmp/forms/fnlch2proj1_3.pdf|archive-date = September 29, 2007|url-status = dead}}</ref>
<blockquote>
Northern Virginia, including Fairfax County, is the third worst congested traffic area in the nation, in terms of percentage of congested roadways and time spent in traffic. Of the lane miles in the region, 44 percent are rated "F" or worst for congestion. Northern Virginia residents spend an average of 46 hours a year stuck in traffic.
</blockquote>

=== Major highways ===
[[File:2019-06-24 16 43 31 View north along Interstate 95 (Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway) from the overpass for Virginia State Route 789 (Commerce Street) in Springfield, Fairfax County, Virginia.jpg|thumb|[[Interstate 95 in Virginia|I-95]] in Fairfax County]]
{|
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|
*[[File:I-66.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 66]]
*[[File:I-95.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 95 in Virginia|Interstate 95]]
*[[File:I-395.svg|25px]] [[Interstate 395 (Virginia–District of Columbia)|Interstate 395]]
*[[File:I-495.svg|25px]] [[Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)]]
*[[File:US 1.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 1 in Virginia|U.S. Route 1]]
*[[File:US 29.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 29 in Virginia|U.S. Route 29]]
*[[File:US 50.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 50 in Virginia|U.S. Route 50]]
*[[File:Virginia 7.svg|20px]] [[State Route 7 (Virginia)|State Route 7]]
*[[File:Virginia 28.svg|20px]] [[State Route 28 (Virginia)|State Route 28]]
|
*[[File:Virginia 123.svg|25px]] [[State Route 123 (Virginia)|State Route 123]]
*[[File:Virginia 193.svg|25px]] [[State Route 193 (Virginia)|State Route 193]]
*[[File:Virginia 236.svg|25px]] [[State Route 236 (Virginia)|State Route 236]]
*[[File:Virginia 237.svg|25px]] [[State Route 237 (Virginia)|State Route 237]]
*[[File:Virginia 243.svg|25px]] [[State Route 243 (Virginia)|State Route 243]]
*[[File:Virginia 267.svg|25px]] [[State Route 267 (Virginia)|State Route 267]] (Dulles Toll Road)
*[[File:Virginia 286.svg|25px]] [[File:Virginia 289.svg|25px]] [[State Route 286 (Virginia)|State Route 286]] and [[State Route 289 (Virginia)|State Route 289]] (Fairfax and Franconia-Springfield Parkways)
*[[George Washington Memorial Parkway]]
|}

=== Air ===
[[File:Dulles Airport Terminal.jpg|thumb|[[Dulles International Airport]] is partially located in Fairfax County.]]
[[Washington Dulles International Airport]] lies partly within Fairfax County and provides most air service to the county. Fairfax is also served by two other airports in the Washington area, [[Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport]] and [[Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport]]. [[Manassas Regional Airport]], in neighboring [[Prince William County]], is also used for regional cargo and private jet service.

From 1945 to 1961, the eastern part of Fairfax County hosted [[Falls Church Airpark]], an airfield primarily used for [[general aviation]] and [[civil defense]] purposes until encroaching residential development forced its closure.<ref name="At">Bredemeler, Brandon (November 9, 1970) "At 95 Former Va. Realtor Still Donates to Build Park" ''The Washington Post'', page C1</ref> The area the airport occupied is now mainly used as a shopping center, with the western end of the complex occupied by the Thomas Jefferson branch of the [[Fairfax County Public Library]] system. Parts of several apartment complexes are also on some of the airport's former grounds.<ref name="Paul" /><ref name="Rollo"/>

=== Public transportation ===
[[File:Vienna Metro station.jpg|thumb|[[Vienna Metro station]], the western terminus of the [[Orange Line (Washington Metro)|Orange Line]] of the [[Washington Metro]] rapid rail system]]
Fairfax County has multiple public transportation services, including the [[Washington Metro]]'s [[Orange Line (Washington Metro)|Orange]], [[Blue Line (Washington Metro)|Blue]], [[Yellow Line (Washington Metro)|Yellow]], and [[Silver Line (Washington Metro)|Silver]] lines. The Silver line, which runs through the [[Tysons, Virginia|Tysons]], [[Reston, Virginia|Reston]], and [[Herndon, Virginia|Herndon]] areas of the county, opened in 2014, later extended in 2022, as the first new Washington Metro line since the [[Green Line (Washington Metro)|Green Line]] opened in 1991.<ref name="sivlerline">{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/24/silver-line-opening-will-be-a-boon-for-northern-vi/?page=all|title=Silver Line opening will be a boon for Northern Virginia|newspaper=[[The Washington Times]]}}</ref>

In addition, the [[Virginia Railway Express|VRE]] (Virginia Railway Express) provides commuter rail service to [[Union Station (WMATA station)|Union Station]] in Washington, D.C., with stations in Fairfax County. The VRE's Fairfax County stations are [[Lorton (VRE station)|Lorton]] and [[Franconia/Springfield (VRE station)|Franconia/Springfield]] on the [[Fredericksburg, Virginia|Fredericksburg]] line, and [[Burke Centre (VRE station)|Burke Centre]], [[Rolling Road (VRE station)|Rolling Road]], and [[Backlick Road (VRE station)|Backlick Road]] on the [[Manassas, Virginia|Manassas]] line.<ref name="vre">{{cite web|url=http://www.vre.org/service/systmmp.htm|title=Station Map|publisher=Virginia Railway Express|access-date=April 2, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090810071013/http://www.vre.org/service/systmmp.htm|archive-date=August 10, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Fairfax County contracts its bus service, the [[Fairfax Connector]], to [[Transdev]]. The county is also served by [[WMATA]]'s Metrobus service.

== Parks and recreation ==
The county has many protected areas, a total of over 390 county parks on more than {{convert|23000|acre|km2}}.<ref name="fairfaxparks">{{cite web|url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/outdoor.htm|title=Fairfax County Park Authority|publisher=Fairfax County|access-date=March 3, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225020844/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/outdoor.htm|archive-date=February 25, 2009}}</ref> The [[Fairfax County Park Authority]] maintains parks and recreation centers through the county. There are also two national protected areas that are inside the county at least in part, including the [[Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge]], the [[George Washington Memorial Parkway]], and [[Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts]]. The [[Mason Neck State Park]] is also in [[Lorton, Virginia|Lorton]].

Fairfax County is a member of the [[Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority]].

The [[Reston Zoo]] is in [[Reston, Virginia]].<ref name="reston zoo">{{cite web|url=http://www.restonzoo.com/|title=About the Zoo|publisher=Reston Zoo|access-date=September 26, 2010}}</ref> The [[National Zoological Park (United States)|National Zoo]] is nearby in Washington, D.C.

=== Trails ===
The county maintains many miles of bike trails running through parks, adjacent to roads and through towns such as Vienna and Herndon. The [[Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail]] runs through Fairfax County, offering one of the region's best, and safest, routes for recreational walking and biking. In addition, {{convert|9|mi|km|spell=in}} of the [[Mount Vernon Trail]] runs through Fairfax County along the Potomac River.

Compared to other regions of the Washington area, Fairfax County has a dearth of designated [[bike lanes]] for cyclists wishing to commute in the region. On May 16, 2008, [[Bike-to-Work Day]], the Fairfax County Department of Transportation released the first countywide bicycle route map.<ref name="bike map">{{cite web|url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/bike/bikemap.htm|title=Fairfax County Bicycle Route Map|publisher=Fairfax County|access-date=April 23, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504221826/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/bike/bikemap.htm|archive-date=May 4, 2010}}</ref>

The [[Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail|Fairfax Cross County Trail]] runs from Great Falls National Park in the county's northern end to Occoquan Regional Park in the southern end. Consisting of mostly dirt paths and short asphalt sections, the trail is used mostly by recreational mountain bikers, hikers, and horse riders.

==Communities==
[[File:Fairfax County Virginia Incorporated and Unincorporated Areas.svg|right|thumb|Map of Fairfax County showing incorporated towns and [[Census-designated place|CDPs]]]]
[[File:CIT Building Herndon Va.jpg|thumb|[[Herndon, Virginia|Herndon]]]]
[[File:USA Today building.jpg|thumb|[[McLean, Virginia|McLean]]]]
[[File:RestonVADowntownImage.png|thumb|[[Reston, Virginia|Reston]]]]
Three incorporated towns, [[Clifton, Virginia|Clifton]], [[Herndon, Virginia|Herndon]], and [[Vienna, Virginia|Vienna]], are in Fairfax County.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.census.gov/popest/cities/files/SUB-EST2007-mtwy.csv | title = Subcounty population estimates: Montana through Wyoming 2000–2007 | format = [[comma-separated values|CSV]] | publisher = [[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division | access-date = May 9, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090508030702/http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/files/SUB-EST2007-mtwy.csv | archive-date = May 8, 2009 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

The [[Independent city (United States)#Virginia|independent cities]] of [[Falls Church, Virginia|Falls Church]] and [[Fairfax, Virginia|Fairfax]] were formed out of areas formerly under Fairfax County's jurisdiction but are politically separate. Nevertheless, the Postal Service has long considered several portions of Fairfax County to be unincorporated Falls Church and Fairfax City. Several portions of the county also have [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]] mailing addresses; many locals refer to these neighborhoods collectively as "South Alexandria", "Lower Alexandria", or "Alexandria, Fairfax County".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://nesbittrealty.com/guide/fairfax-county/southern-fairfax-county/alexandria/ | title=About homes and condos of Alexandria VA in Fairfax County | publisher=Nesbitt Realty}}</ref> "South Alexandria" communities include Hollin Hills, Franconia, Groveton, Hybla Valley, Huntington, Belle Haven, Mount Vernon, Fort Hunt, Engleside, Burgundy Village, Waynewood, Wilton Woods, Rose Hill, Virginia Hills, Hayfield, and Kingstowne.

It has been proposed<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/30/AR2009063003885.html?sub=AR |title=Fairfax Executive Suggests Dropping 'County' |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 1, 2009}}</ref> to convert the entire county into a single independent city, primarily to gain more control over taxes and roads. The most recent such proposal was made on June 30, 2009.

Other communities in Fairfax County are unincorporated areas. Virginia law dictates that no unincorporated area of a county may be incorporated as a separate town or city following the adoption of the urban county executive form of government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter8/section15.2-817/|title=§ 15.2-817. No unincorporated area to be incorporated after adoption of urban county form of government|access-date=March 16, 2016}}</ref> Fairfax County adopted the urban county executive form of government in 1966.<ref name="WaPo10-13-1966" /><ref name=Burchard1967 />

As of the [[United States Census, 2000|2000 census]], Fairfax County's 13 largest communities are all unincorporated [[census-designated place|CDP]]s, the largest of which are [[Centreville, Virginia|Centreville]], [[Reston, Virginia|Reston]], and [[McLean, Virginia|McLean]], each with a population over 45,000. (The largest incorporated place in the county is [[Herndon, Virginia|Herndon]], its 14th-largest community.){{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

=== Census-designated places ===
The following localities in Fairfax County are identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as [[unincorporated area|unincorporated]] [[Census-designated place]]s:<ref>{{cite web|title=Census-Designated Places in Fairfax County, Virginia|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=129:2:2434545143544446::::::YES|work=Geographic Names Information System|publisher=United States Geological Survey|access-date=January 28, 2012}}</ref>

{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Annandale, Virginia|Annandale]]
* [[Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia|Bailey's Crossroads]]
* [[Belle Haven, Fairfax County, Virginia|Belle Haven]]
* [[Braddock, Virginia|Braddock]]
* [[Bull Run, Fairfax County, Virginia|Bull Run]]
* [[Burke, Virginia|Burke]]
* [[Burke Centre, Virginia|Burke Centre]]
* [[Centreville, Virginia|Centreville]]
* [[Chantilly, Virginia|Chantilly]]
* [[Crosspointe, Virginia|Crosspointe]]
* [[Difficult Run, Virginia|Difficult Run]]
* [[Dranesville, Virginia|Dranesville]]
* [[Dunn Loring, Virginia|Dunn Loring]]
* [[Fair Lakes, Virginia|Fair Lakes]]
* [[Fair Oaks, Fairfax County, Virginia|Fair Oaks]]
* [[Fairfax Station, Virginia|Fairfax Station]]
* [[Floris, Virginia|Floris]]
* [[Fort Belvoir]]
* [[Fort Hunt, Virginia|Fort Hunt]]
* [[Franconia, Virginia|Franconia]]
* [[Franklin Farm, Virginia|Franklin Farm]]
* [[George Mason, Virginia|George Mason]]
* [[Great Falls, Virginia|Great Falls]]
* [[Great Falls Crossing, Virginia|Great Falls Crossing]]
* [[Greenbriar, Virginia|Greenbriar]]
* [[Groveton, Virginia|Groveton]]
* [[Hayfield, Fairfax County, Virginia|Hayfield]]
* [[Huntington, Virginia|Huntington]]
* [[Hutchison, Virginia|Hutchison]]
* [[Hybla Valley, Virginia|Hybla Valley]]
* [[Idylwood, Virginia|Idylwood]]
* [[Kings Park, Virginia|Kings Park]]
* [[Kings Park West, Virginia|Kings Park West]]
* [[Kingstowne, Virginia|Kingstowne]]
* [[Lake Barcroft, Virginia|Lake Barcroft]]
* [[Laurel Hill, Virginia|Laurel Hill]]
* [[Lincolnia, Virginia|Lincolnia]]
* [[Long Branch, Fairfax County, Virginia|Long Branch]]
* [[Lorton, Virginia|Lorton]]
* [[Mantua, Virginia|Mantua]]
* [[Mason Neck, Virginia|Mason Neck]]
* [[McLean, Virginia|McLean]]
* [[McNair, Virginia|McNair]]
* [[Merrifield, Virginia|Merrifield]]
* [[Mount Vernon, Virginia|Mount Vernon]]
* [[Navy, Virginia|Navy]]
* [[Newington, Virginia|Newington]]
* [[Newington Forest, Virginia|Newington Forest]]
* [[North Springfield, Virginia|North Springfield]]
* [[Oakton, Virginia|Oakton]]
* [[Pimmit Hills, Virginia|Pimmit Hills]]
* [[Ravensworth, Virginia|Ravensworth]]
* [[Reston, Virginia|Reston]]
* [[Rose Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia|Rose Hill]]
* [[Seven Corners, Virginia|Seven Corners]]
* [[South Run, Virginia|South Run]]
* [[Springfield, Virginia|Springfield]]
* [[Sully Square, Virginia|Sully Square]]
* [[Tysons, Virginia|Tysons]]
* [[Union Mill, Virginia|Union Mill]]
* [[Wakefield, Fairfax County, Virginia|Wakefield]]
* [[West Falls Church, Virginia|West Falls Church]]
* [[West Springfield, Virginia|West Springfield]]
* [[Wolf Trap, Virginia|Wolf Trap]]
* [[Woodburn, Fairfax County, Virginia|Woodburn]]
* [[Woodlawn, Fairfax County, Virginia|Woodlawn]]
{{div col end}}

=== Other unincorporated communities ===

{| border="0"
|-
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* [[Accotink, Virginia|Accotink]]
* [[Arcturus, Virginia|Arcturus]]
* [[Barkers Crossroads, Virginia|Barkers Crossroads]]
* [[Blevinstown, Virginia|Blevinstown]]
* [[Browns Mill, Virginia|Browns Mill]]
* [[Colchester, Virginia|Colchester]]
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* [[Colchester Hunt, Virginia|Colchester Hunt]]
* [[Cooktown, Virginia|Cooktown]]
* Crowells Corner
* [[Culmore, Virginia|Culmore]]
* Donovans Corner
* Doveville
* Farrs Corner
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* [[Five Forks, Fairfax County, Virginia|Five Forks]]
* Four Corners
* Hattontown
* [[Hollin Hills]]
* [[Hollindale, Virginia|Hollindale]]
* [[Jermantown, Virginia|Jermantown]]
* [[Langley, Virginia|Langley]]
* Lees Corner
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* [[Lewinsville, Virginia|Lewinsville]]
* Lewis Park
* Makleys Corner
* [[Matildaville, Virginia|Matildaville]]
* [[New Alexandria, Virginia|New Alexandria]]
* [[Oak Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia|Oak Hill]]
* [[Odricks Corner, Virginia|Odricks Corner]]
* [[Pohick, Virginia|Pohick]]
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
* Schneider Crossroads
* [[Shady Oak, Virginia|Shady Oak]]
* Strathmeade Springs
* Sunset Hills
* Uniontown
* Virginia Hills
* [[Westhampton, Virginia|Westhampton]]
|}

=== Population ranking ===
The population ranking of the following table is based on 2020 United States Census Bureau data.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Fairfax County, Virginia.|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US51059|access-date=November 6, 2021|website=United States Census Bureau.}}</ref>

'''†''' ''county seat''
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Rank
!City/Town/etc.
!Municipal type
!Population (2020)
|-
|1
|[[Centreville, Virginia|Centreville]]
|CDP
|73,518
|-
|2
|[[Reston, Virginia|Reston]]
|CDP
|63,226
|-
|3
|[[McLean, Virginia|McLean]]
|CDP
|50,773
|-
|4
|[[Annandale, Virginia|Annandale]]
|CDP
|43,363
|-
|5
|[[Burke, Virginia|Burke]]
|CDP
|42,312
|-
|6
|[[Oakton, Virginia|Oakton]]
|CDP
|36,732
|-
|7
|[[Fair Oaks, Fairfax County, Virginia|Fair Oaks]]
|CDP
|34,052
|-
|8
|[[Springfield, Virginia|Springfield]]
|CDP
|31,339
|-
|9
|[[West Falls Church, Virginia|West Falls Church]]
|CDP
|30,243
|-
|10
|[[Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia|Bailey's Crossroads]]
|CDP
|24,749
|-
|11
|[[Herndon, Virginia|Herndon]]
|Town
|24,655
|-
|12
|[[West Springfield, Virginia|West Springfield]]
|CDP
|24,369
|-
|13
|[[Chantilly, Virginia|Chantilly]]
|CDP
|24,301
|-
|14
|[[Tysons, Virginia|Tysons]]
|CDP
|24,261
|-
|15
|'''†''' [[Fairfax, Virginia|Fairfax]]
|City
|24,146
|-
|16
|[[Lincolnia, Virginia|Lincolnia]]
|CDP
|22,922
|-
|17
|[[McNair, Virginia|McNair]]
|CDP
|21,598
|-
|18
|[[Rose Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia|Rose Hill]]
|CDP
|21,045
|-
|19
|[[Merrifield, Virginia|Merrifield]]
|CDP
|20,488
|-
|20
|[[Lorton, Virginia|Lorton]]
|CDP
|20,072
|-
|21
|[[Woodlawn, Fairfax County, Virginia|Woodlawn]]
|CDP
|20,859
|-
|22
|[[Franklin Farm, Virginia|Franklin Farm]]
|CDP
|19,189
|-
|23
|[[Franconia, Virginia|Franconia]]
|CDP
|18,943
|-
|24
|[[Idylwood, Virginia|Idylwood]]
|CDP
|17,954
|-
|25
|[[Fort Hunt, Virginia|Fort Hunt]]
|CDP
|17,231
|-
|26
|[[Kingstowne, Virginia|Kingstowne]]
|CDP
|16,825
|-
|27
|[[Wolf Trap, Virginia|Wolf Trap]]
|CDP
|16,496
|-
|28
|[[Vienna, Virginia|Vienna]]
|Town
|16,473
|-
|29
|[[Hybla Valley, Virginia|Hybla Valley]]
|CDP
|16,319
|-
|30
|[[Great Falls, Virginia|Great Falls]]
|CDP
|15,953
|-
|31
|[[Groveton, Virginia|Groveton]]
|CDP
|15,725
|-
|32
|[[Huntington, Virginia|Huntington]]
|CDP
|13,749
|-
|33
|[[Kings Park West, Virginia|Kings Park West]]
|CDP
|13,465
|-
|34
|[[Newington, Virginia|Newington]]
|CDP
|13,223
|-
|35
|[[Newington Forest, Virginia|Newington Forest]]
|CDP
|12,957
|-
|36
|[[Mount Vernon, Virginia|Mount Vernon]]
|CDP
|12,914
|-
|37
|[[Fairfax Station, Virginia|Fairfax Station]]
|CDP
|12,420
|-
|38
|[[Wakefield, Virginia|Wakefield]]
|CDP
|11,805
|-
|39
|[[Dranesville, Virginia|Dranesville]]
|CDP
|11,785
|-
|40
|[[George Mason University|George Mason]]
|CDP
|11,162
|-
|41
|[[Difficult Run, Virginia|Difficult Run]]
|CDP
|10,600
|-
|42
|[[Lake Barcroft, Virginia|Lake Barcroft]]
|CDP
|9,770
|-
|43
|[[Dunn Loring, Virginia|Dunn Loring]]
|CDP
|9,464
|-
|44
|[[Seven Corners, Virginia|Seven Corners]]
|CDP
|9,131
|-
|45
|[[Woodburn, Fairfax County, Virginia|Woodburn]]
|CDP
|8,797
|-
|46
|[[Greenbriar, Virginia|Greenbriar]]
|CDP
|8,421
|-
|47
|[[Fair Lakes, Virginia|Fair Lakes]]
|CDP
|8,404
|-
|48
|[[Floris, Virginia|Floris]]
|CDP
|8,341
|-
|49
|[[Laurel Hill, Virginia|Laurel Hill]]
|CDP
|8,307
|-
|50
|[[Long Branch, Fairfax County, Virginia|Long Branch]]
|CDP
|7,890
|-
|51
|[[Fort Belvoir]]
|CDP
|7,637
|-
|52
|[[Mantua, Virginia|Mantua]]
|CDP
|7,503
|-
|53
|[[North Springfield, Virginia|North Springfield]]
|CDP
|7,430
|-
|54
|[[Bull Run, Fairfax County, Virginia|Bull Run]]
|CDP
|6,972
|-
|55
|[[Belle Haven, Fairfax County, Virginia|Belle Haven]]
|CDP
|6,851
|-
|56
|[[Pimmit Hills, Virginia|Pimmit Hills]]
|CDP
|6,569
|-
|57
|[[Braddock, Virginia|Braddock]]
|CDP
|6,549
|-
|58
|[[South Run, Virginia|South Run]]
|CDP
|6,462
|-
|59
|[[Hutchison, Virginia|Hutchison]]
|CDP
|6,231
|-
|60
|[[Crosspointe, Virginia|Crosspointe]]
|CDP
|5,722
|-
|61
|[[Union Mill, Virginia|Union Mill]]
|CDP
|4,997
|-
|62
|[[Kings Park, Virginia|Kings Park]]
|CDP
|4,537
|-
|63
|[[Navy, Virginia|Navy]]
|CDP
|4,327
|-
|64
|[[Hayfield, Fairfax County, Virginia|Hayfield]]
|CDP
|4,154
|-
|65
|[[Ravensworth, Virginia|Ravensworth]]
|CDP
|2,680
|-
|66
|[[Sully Square, Virginia|Sully Square]]
|CDP
|2,300
|-
|67
|[[Mason Neck, Virginia|Mason Neck]]
|CDP
|2,025
|-
|68
|[[Great Falls Crossing, Virginia|Great Falls Crossing]]
|CDP
|1,392
|-
|69
|[[Clifton, Virginia|Clifton]]
|Town
|243
|}

== Notable people ==
{{See also|McLean, Virginia#Notable residents|l1=Notable people from McLean, Virginia}}
{| border="0"
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|

'''Historic figures'''

* [[George Mason]] – Of [[Gunston Hall]], "Father of the Bill of Rights"<ref name="gunston hall">{{cite web|url=http://www.gunstonhall.org/georgemason/|title=George Mason|publisher=Gunston Hall|access-date=April 21, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103000354/http://www.gunstonhall.org/georgemason/|archive-date=November 3, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[George Washington]] – Proprietor of [[Mount Vernon Plantation]] in Fairfax County, first Commander-in-Chief of the [[Continental Army]], and first [[President of the United States]]<ref name="mount vernon">{{cite web|url=http://www.mountvernon.org/learn/meet_george/index.cfm/ss/21/|title=A Brief Biography of George Washington|publisher=Mount Vernon Plantation|access-date=April 25, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823160852/http://www.mountvernon.org/learn/meet_george/index.cfm/ss/21|archive-date=August 23, 2011}}</ref>
* [[Richard Bland Lee I]] – Of [[Sully Plantation]], Representative to the [[United States House of Representatives]] from 1789 to 1795
* [[Fitzhugh Lee]] – Of [[Clermont (Alexandria, Virginia)]], [[Governor of Virginia]] from 1886 to 1890<ref name="Fitzhugh Lee">{{cite web|url=http://www.markerhistory.com/birthplace-of-fitzhugh-lee-marker-e-125/|title=Birthplace of Fitzhugh Lee|publisher=Marker History|access-date=August 2, 2011|archive-date=March 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328114315/http://www.markerhistory.com/birthplace-of-fitzhugh-lee-marker-e-125/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

'''Politicians'''
*[[Sharon Bulova]] – Former Chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors
*[[Gerry Connolly]] – U.S. Congressman (VA-11) and former Chairman of the Fairfax County board of supervisors
* [[Thomas M. Davis|Tom Davis]] – former U.S. Congressman (VA-11)
* [[Katherine Hanley]] – Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth and former County Board Chair
* [[John Warner]] – former U.S. Senator (R)
* [[Jim Webb]] – former U.S. Senator (D)
* [[Nguyen Cao Ky|Nguyễn Cao Kỳ]] – South Vietnamese Prime Minister, Vice President, and Air-Force General. Initially lived in Fairfax County in the late 1970s after the fall of Saigon.
* [[Barbara Comstock]] – Former U.S. Congresswoman (VA-10) and former Virginia Delegate (R-34)
* [[James Gattuso]] - Senior Research Fellow for [[The Heritage Foundation]] and former Associate Director for Vice President [[Dan Quayle]].

'''Professionals'''
* [[Catherine Coleman]] – [[Astronaut]]<ref name="nasa">{{cite web|url=http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/coleman.html|title=Astronaut Bio: Catherine Coleman|date=November 2009|publisher=NASA|access-date=April 25, 2010}}</ref>
* [[Kjell Lindgren]] - [[NASA]] [[astronaut]].<ref name="newclass">{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/ascans2009.html|title=NASA Selects New Astronauts for Future Space Exploration|last=NASA HQ|date=June 29, 2009|publisher=[[NASA]]|access-date=June 29, 2009|archive-date=August 1, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090801162824/http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/ascans2009.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Sean Parker]] – co-founder of [[Napster]], [[Plaxo]], and [[Causes (company)|Causes]]
* [[Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 1]] – a response team that has been deployed to recent disasters in Haiti and Japan

'''Sports figures'''
* [[Bruce Arena]] – Head Coach of the [[United States men's national soccer team]]
* [[Eric Barton]] – former [[National Football League|NFL]] linebacker
* [[Brian Carroll]] – [[Midfielder]] for the [[Philadelphia Union]]
* [[Hubert Davis]] – Retired basketball player
* [[Mia Hamm]] – U.S. Olympic and professional soccer player
* [[Allen Johnson]] - 110m hurdles U.S. Olympic gold medalist
* [[Andy Heck]] – former [[National Football League|NFL]] football player
* [[Grant Hill (basketball)|Grant Hill]] – Former [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] player
* [[Bhawoh Jue]] – Defensive back for the [[Green Bay Packers]]
* [[Brian Kendrick]] – Professional wrestler
* [[Javier López (baseball)|Javier López]] – Former Pitcher for the [[Colorado Rockies]], [[Arizona Diamondbacks]], [[Boston Red Sox]], [[Pittsburgh Pirates]], and the [[San Francisco Giants]] and 4-time World Series Champion
* [[Keith Lyle|Keith Allen Lyle]] – Retired safety for the [[Los Angeles Rams|Los Angeles / St Louis Rams]]
* [[Michael McCrary]] – Former [[NFL]] [[Defensive end]]
| style="vertical-align:top;" |
[[File:George Washington MET ap24.109.86.jpg|thumb|250px|[[George Washington]] lived at [[Mount Vernon]] in Fairfax County.]]
[[File:George Mason portrait.jpg|thumb|250px|[[George Mason]] lived at [[Gunston Hall]] in Fairfax County.]]
* [[Ed Moses (swimmer)|Ed Moses]] – U.S. Olympic swimmer<ref name="ed moses bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.usaswimming.org/usasweb/DesktopModules/BioView.aspx?personid=e629d615-d3dc-4318-aabf-54099b2387aa&TabId=388&Mid=597|title=Ed Moses|publisher=USA Swimming|access-date=December 2, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070513172858/http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/DesktopModules/BioView.aspx?personid=e629d615-d3dc-4318-aabf-54099b2387aa&TabId=388&Mid=597|archive-date=May 13, 2007}}</ref>
* [[Scott Norwood]] – Retired kicker for the [[Buffalo Bills]]
* [[Alex Riley (wrestler)|Alex Riley]] – Professional wrestler
* [[Eddie Royal]] – [[Wide receiver]] for the [[Chicago Bears]]
* [[Evan Royster]] – free agent NFL running back
* [[Mike Glennon]] – [[Quarterback]] for the [[Jacksonville Jaguars]]
* [[Joe Saunders]] – Starting pitcher for the [[Seattle Mariners]]
* [[Justin Spring]]- U.S. Olympic gymnast
* [[Tommy Steenberg]] – U.S. Figure Skater
* [[Chris Warren (American football)|Chris Warren]] – former NFL running back
* [[Alan Webb (runner)|Alan Webb]] – U.S. Olympic track runner and American record holder in the [[Mile run]]
* [[Michael Weiss (figure skater)|Michael Weiss]] – [[Figure skater]]
* [[Kate Ziegler]] – U.S. Olympic Swimmer

'''Entertainers'''
* [[tobyMac|Kevin Michael "Toby" McKeehan]] – [[Grammy Award]] winning artist, producer, and songwriter
* [[Julianne Moore]] – Oscar-winning actress who lived in Fairfax County in the mid-1970s and attended [[J.E.B. Stuart High School]] for two years
* [[Micky (singer)|Yoochun "Micky" Park]] – Singer in the Korean groups [[TVXQ]] and [[JYJ]]
* [[J (singer)|Chung Jae Young]] – [[K-pop]] R&B/Soul artist<ref name="bio kbs">{{cite web|url=http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/entertainment/enter_artists_detail.htm?No=10168|title=Biography Jun-Jae-Young|publisher=KBS World|access-date=April 23, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201163447/http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/entertainment/enter_artists_detail.htm?No=10168|archive-date=December 1, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Lauren Graham]] – Actress on [[Gilmore Girls]]<ref name="yahoo movies">{{cite web|url=https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800023824/bio|title=Lauren Graham Biography|publisher=Yahoo! Movies|access-date=February 3, 2009}}</ref>
* [[Dave Grohl]] – Drummer for [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]] and front man for [[The Foo Fighters]]
* [[Dismemberment Plan]] – former band led by [[Travis Morrison]]
* [[John Jackson (blues musician)|John Jackson]] – Blues guitarist, master of the Piedmont style
* [[Jason Sudeikis]] – Writer and actor (''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' writer 2003–2005)
* [[Jimmy Workman]] – Actor in ''[[The Addams Family (1991 film)|The Addams Family]]'' (1991) and ''[[Addams Family Values]]'' (1993).
* [[Christina Hendricks]] – Actress in ''[[Mad Men]]'' and ''[[Firefly (TV series)|Firefly]]'', attended [[Fairfax High School (Fairfax, Virginia)|Fairfax High School]].
* [[Prince Poppycock]] – Season Five fourth place finalist of [[America's Got Talent]] from [[Great Falls, Virginia|Great Falls]].
* [[Nguyễn Cao Kỳ Duyên]] – Grew up in Fairfax County after the fall of Saigon. Co-host of [[Thuy Nga]]'s ''[[Paris By Night]]''.
* Amy Ziff – Musician in [[Betty (band)|Betty]].<ref name="imdb bio1">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0956329/bio|title=Amy Ziff Biography|publisher=IMDb Movies|access-date=May 24, 2015}}</ref>
* Elizabeth Ziff – Musician in [[Betty (band)|Betty]].<ref name="imdb bio2">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0956330/bio|title=Elizabeth Ziff Biography|publisher=IMDb Movies|access-date=May 24, 2015}}</ref>

'''Other'''
* [[Jayson Blair]] – former ''[[The New York Times]]'' reporter who fabricated stories
* [[John Davidson (general)|John Davidson]] – [[Union (American Civil War)|Union Army]] general
* [[Robert Hanssen]] – American [[spy]] who sold secrets to the [[USSR]] and Russia.
* [[Christopher McCandless]] – American wanderer who went to [[Alaska]] to try to "find himself" and died in the process. The non-fiction book ''[[Into the Wild (book)|Into the Wild]]'' is based on his journey.
* [[Seung-hui Cho]] – Shooter who perpetrated the [[Virginia Tech shooting]]
* [[Steve Scully]] – Host, political editor, and senior producer of [[C-SPAN]]'s ''[[Washington Journal]]'', resides in Fairfax Station with his family.
* [[Augusto, Michaela, and Lorenzo Odone|Lorenzo Odone]] – [[Adrenoleukodystrophy|Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD)]] patient who inspired the film, ''[[Lorenzo's Oil]]''
|}

==Sister cities==
Fairfax County's [[Sister city|sister cities]] are:<ref>{{cite web |title=Sisterhood Partnerships|url=https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/chairman/sisterhood-partnerships|publisher=Fairfax County|access-date=November 1, 2020}}</ref>
*{{flagdeco|KOR}} [[Songpa District|Songpa (Seoul)]], South Korea (2009)
*{{flagdeco|CHN}} [[Harbin]], China (2009)
*{{flagdeco|TUR}} [[Keçiören|Keçiören (Ankara)]], Turkey (2012)

== See also ==
{{Portal|Virginia}}
* [[Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce]]
* [[Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]]
* [[Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department]]
* [[Fairfax County Police Department]]
* [[Fairfax County Sheriff's Office]]
* [[List of companies headquartered in Northern Virginia]]
* [[List of federal agencies in Northern Virginia]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Fairfax County, Virginia]]

==Explanatory notes==
{{Notelist}}

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Fairfax County, Virginia}}
{{Wikivoyage|Fairfax County}}

;Official Fairfax County sites
* [http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ Fairfax County Government website]
* [https://www.fcps.edu Fairfax County Public Schools]
* [http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library/ Fairfax County Public Library System]
* [http://icare.fairfaxcounty.gov/ Property lookup database] from the Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration

;Other websites
* {{osmrelation|945043}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20020601234037/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ Festival information] for Celebrate Fairfax!
* [http://www.fairfaxcountyeda.org/ Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080202093728/http://www.fccc.org/main.html Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.fxva.com/ Tourism information] from the Fairfax County Convention and Visitors Corporation
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020601234037/http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ |date=June 1, 2002 |title=County of Fairfax }}
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970105040003/http://www.fairfax.va.us/ |date=January 5, 1997 |title=County of Fairfax }}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre = Fairfax County
|North = [[Montgomery County, Maryland]]
|Northeast = 
|East = [[Falls Church, Virginia|City of Falls Church]]; [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington County]]; and [[Alexandria, Virginia|City of Alexandria]]
|Southeast = [[Prince George's County, Maryland]]
|South = [[Charles County, Maryland]]
|Southwest = [[Prince William County, Virginia|Prince William County]]
|West = 
|Northwest = [[Loudoun County, Virginia|Loudoun County]]
}}

{{Fairfax County, Virginia topics}}
{{Fairfax County, Virginia}}
{{Virginia}}
{{DCMetroArea}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Fairfax County, Virginia| ]]
[[Category:Virginia counties]]
[[Category:Northern Virginia counties]]
[[Category:Virginia counties on the Potomac River]]
[[Category:Washington metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1742]]
[[Category:1742 establishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:Majority-minority counties and independent cities in Virginia]]
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