CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

38.87° N · 77.19° W · GEOID 5184368

West Falls Church

Fairfax County, Virginia · part of the Washington, DC metro

VirginiaWest Falls Church, VAWest Falls ChurchWest Falls Church

The short answer

West Falls Church is home to 31,279 people. Median household income is $134,978 a year and median rent is $2,066 a month, 18.4% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $706,800, about 5.2x annual median household income.

West Falls Church stands out for what is close at hand. 40 National Park Service sites lie within 60 miles, more than in 97% of places its size. It is the highest of 195 Virginia places we track. Also notable: Home values run 27% above what its fundamentals predict in the same metro area.

68OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Above average

West Falls Church scores better than 68% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 90th of 190 in Virginia.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%44
Economy 20%69
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%58
Education 10%82
Commute 10%29
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$2,066
51% above the median place
Median household income
$134,978
68% above the median place
Median home value
$706,800
121% above the median place
Unemployment
4.9%
1% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about West Falls Church

  • HousingOwning with a mortgage costs about $1,106 a month more than the median rent, a wider gap than in 90% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.
01

Moving to West Falls Church

Fairfax County loses about 9.1 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in67,280
Moved out76,453
Net−9,173

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Loudoun County, VA4,6767,977−3,301
Prince William County, VA4,6667,952−3,286
Alexandria city, VA5,5423,753+1,789
Arlington County, VA5,4603,653+1,807
District of Columbia, DC2,5721,483+1,089
Montgomery County, MD2,1681,651+517

Within Virginia, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within VirginiaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$106K
Leavers$113K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Fairfax County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
7.9% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 3.4% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Fairfax County report $105,700 a year in income on average; those leaving, $112,600, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$82,600 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $2,066 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $3,172 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $706,800.
Getting to work
29 minutes each way on average; 22.9% work from home; 5.1% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
River Edge, NJ matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
3.4%
72% above the median place
Moved here in the past year1
7.9%
37% above the median place
Income of households moving out6
$112,552
60% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureWest Falls ChurchAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year17.9%37% above
Moved from another state13.4%72% above
Net movers per 1,000 people6County figure-9.1below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in6County figure$105,65750% above
Income of households moving out6County figure$112,55260% above
02

What it costs to live here

After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $109,900 a year, more than in 86% of the 907 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.

West Falls Church18.4%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$82,640
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
18.4%
10% below the median place
Home price to income
5.2x
38% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
18%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$110,000
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in West Falls Church, $2,066 a month, and local prices for everything else (100.2 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like West Falls Church, but easier on the budget

Places that match West Falls Church on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
River Edge, NJ7714.2% vs 18.4%$19,800Compare
Kendall Park, NJ7413.9% vs 18.4%$25,900Compare
Montvale, NJ7313.8% vs 18.4%$36,100Compare
Summit, NJ7215.3% vs 18.4%$43,300Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in West Falls Church.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to West Falls Church? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Vacant homes1
3.5%
50% below the median place
Median home value1
$706,800
121% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$3,172
69% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureWest Falls ChurchAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$2,06651% above
Rent to income118.4%10% below
Property tax rate11.1%18% above
Home price to income15.2x38% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure108.98% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$2,43851% above
Property tax paid (median)1$7,537131% above
Median home value1$706,800121% above
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure2.1%34% below
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure35.3%32% below
Homeownership167.1%1% above
Renters paying 30%+144.6%12% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$3,17269% above
Vacant homes13.5%50% below
Median year built119621% below
03

Work and pay

OpenStreetMap shows 15.2 bus and rail stops per square mile, more than in 88% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track.

Median household income1
$134,978
68% above the median place
Commutes by transit1
5.1%
above the median place (median 0.8%)
Works from home1
22.9%
84% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Income per person$58,006 +45%
Mean commute29 min +15%
Poverty rate7.9% −26%
Unemployment4.9% +1%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureWest Falls ChurchAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$134,97868% above
Income per person1$58,00645% above
Unemployment14.9%1% above
Average annual pay5County figure$115,00474% above
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure0.8%78% below
Jobs5County figure634,638321% above
Poverty rate17.9%26% below
Mean commute129 min15% above
Works from home122.9%84% above
Commutes by transit15.1%above (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Born abroad is 35.1%, 297% above the median place.

Born abroad1
35.1%
297% above the median place
No health insurance1
13.5%
111% above the median place
Household size1
3.0
18% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Bachelor's or higher52.5% +64%
High school or higher85.3% −8%
Median age36.2 −7%
Homes with broadband93.6% +1%
All 8 people measures
MeasureWest Falls ChurchAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population131,2791476th largest
Median age136.27% below
Bachelor's or higher152.5%64% above
High school or higher185.3%8% below
Household size13.018% above
Born abroad135.1%297% above
No health insurance113.5%111% above
Homes with broadband193.6%1% above
05

Life in West Falls Church

The nearest National Park Service site is George Washington Memorial Parkway, about 6 miles away.

66 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 5 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents10.9 +7%
Playgrounds per 10k17.3 +83%
Grocery stores per 10k2.2 +6%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k14.4 +29%
Libraries per 10k0.6 −26%
Named paths and bike trails4 km +80%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi15.2 72.5×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • George Washington Memorial Parkway 6 miles
  • Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park 6 miles
  • Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial 6 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars21.4 +3%
Shops21.4 −29%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.1 +0%
Doctors' offices and clinics26.6 +32%
Child care centers3.2 +39%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site9
5.7
81% below the median place
Shops per 10k7
21.4
29% below the median place
Public school students11
174,475
above the median place (median 4,897)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureWest Falls ChurchAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure222above (median 9)
Public school students11County figure174,475above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher11County figure13.810% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k7County figure21.43% above
Shops per 10k7County figure21.429% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7County figure4.10% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7County figure26.632% above
Child care centers per 10k7County figure3.239% above
Parks per 10k810.97% above
Playgrounds per 10k817.383% above
Grocery stores per 10k82.26% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k814.429% above
Libraries per 10k80.626% below
Named paths and bike trails83.680% above
Transit stops per sq mi815.2above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site95.781% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles940above (median 2)
National Register listings10County figure66above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Wildfire risk is 34.0, 45% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached West Falls Church. Larger places are fetched first.

Wildfire risk13
34.0
45% below the median place
Hurricane risk13
93.0
32% above the median place
Tornado risk13
54.5
33% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureWest Falls ChurchAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure88°F1% above
January average low12County figure26°F4% above
Average temperature12County figure56°F3% above
Annual precipitation12County figure43.2 in1% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure94.72% above
Hurricane risk13County figure93.032% above
Tornado risk13County figure54.533% below
Wildfire risk13County figure34.045% below
Heat wave risk13County figure97.18% above
Median air quality index14County figure422% below
Good air days14County figure77.8%14% above
08

West Falls Church in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 18% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 18% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, West Falls Church does better than 45% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 18%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$2,066/mo (2024)$2,630/mo$2,160 to $3,210/mo+4.1%
Median household income$134,978 (2024)$171,500$145,000 to $203,000+4.1%
Median home value$706,800 (2024)$991,000$720,000 to $1,366,000+5.8%

The median home would be worth 5.8 years of the median income in 2030, against 5.2 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like West Falls Church

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Parker, CO$2,096$133,369Compare
South Jordan, UT$1,991$134,047Compare
Leesburg, VA$2,105$145,205Compare
Castle Rock, CO$2,000$145,197Compare
Castle Rock, COLeesburg, VASouth Jordan, UTParker, COWest Falls Church, VAWest Falls ChurchParkerSouth JordanLeesburgCastle RockWest Falls ChurchParkerSouth JordanLeesburgCastle Rock

Places built like West Falls Church

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how West Falls Church performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
West Falls Church, VA18.4%5.4%/yrn/a
Aspen Hill, MD20.6%5.1%/yrn/aCompare
Annandale, VA20.0%3.8%/yrn/aCompare
Fairfax, VA20.4%2.5%/yr10.9%Compare
Wheaton, MD23.3%5.4%/yrn/aCompare
Springfield, VA25.3%4.4%/yrn/aCompare
Montgomery Village, MD24.1%3.5%/yrn/aCompare

Common questions

Is West Falls Church a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 68 out of 100, better than 68% of the places we rate and 90th of 190 in Virginia. Owning with a mortgage costs about $1,106 a month more than the median rent, a wider gap than in 90% of the 987 places of 25,000 to 50,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 69 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is West Falls Church expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 18.4% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $706,800.

What salary do you need to live in West Falls Church?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $82,640 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to West Falls Church?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Parker, CO, South Jordan, UT, Leesburg, VA and Castle Rock, CO.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  7. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  8. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  9. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares West Falls Church with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for West Falls Church itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/west-falls-church-virginia

Citytistics. “West Falls Church, Virginia.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/west-falls-church-virginia/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.