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Wolf Trap vs Fairfax

6 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (8.7× in Fairfax) and household income (+89% in Wolf Trap).

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Wolf Trap, VAKnown for its schoolsVirginia · 15,858 people
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Fairfax, VAHomes around $780KVirginia · 25,026 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Wolf TrapKnown for its schools
Schools#1 for schools in VAof 219 towns Outdoors#15 most trails in VA25 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 98%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Wolf Trap →
FairfaxHomes around $780K
Housing$780K typical home88% above the VA typical home Outdoors#20 most walkable in VA8.5 miles of trails across 18 parks and preserves Famous people57 notable peopleborn in Fairfax All about Fairfax →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker8.7×
Fairfax is more of a job hub
Fairfax 1.92Wolf Trap 0.22
Household income+89%
Households in Wolf Trap earn more
Wolf Trap $250,001Fairfax $132,348
Home values+67%
Homes cost more in Wolf Trap
Wolf Trap $1,204,000Fairfax $722,600
Street grid3×
Fairfax has the more walkable street grid
Fairfax 128Wolf Trap 42.6
Rent+56%
Rent runs higher in Wolf Trap
Wolf Trap $3,501Fairfax $2,245
Work from home+16.2 pts
More people work from home in Wolf Trap
Wolf Trap 45.3%Fairfax 29.1%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $2,470 more a month in Wolf Trap

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Wolf Trap$7,150/mo
Typical home $1.2M (Census) · tax rate 0.83%+ · or rent about $3,501/mo · Housing →
Fairfax$4,670/mo
Typical home $780K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.90% · or rent about $2,245/mo · Housing →

The difference: $2,470 a month, about $29,700 a year, between Wolf Trap and Fairfax.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value; “+” means the Census top-codes that town’s bill at $10,000, so its real rate is higher.

Report cards

Wolf Trap places higher on 12 of 19 VA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Virginia ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
–Wolf TrapNot graded C−FairfaxSafer than 23% of U.S. towns
Schools
B+Wolf TrapBetter than 65% of districts in the state –FairfaxNot graded
Health
A+Wolf TrapHealthier than 98% of U.S. towns AFairfaxHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns
12Wolf Trap
7Fairfax

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 255 towns #191#20 Best schoolsSchools · 219 towns #1#107 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 255 towns #1#95 Most conserved landOutdoors · 243 towns #22#110 Lowest obesityHealth · 255 towns #9#95 Most activeHealth · 255 towns #10#94 Highest incomeIncome · 255 towns #2#79 Fastest growingGrowth · 240 towns #186#116

Left end = #1 in Virginia. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Wolf Trap’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Wolf TrapFairfax
Snow a year6″21″
January low26°F25°F
July high88°F88°F
Growing season (days)202d194d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)26th12th
Outdoors & history
Wolf TrapFairfax
Trails25 mi9 mi
Conserved land17.3%5.5%
Settled—1805
National Register places—6
Archive photos3024
Famous people born here—57
Community
Wolf TrapFairfax
Library hours a week—65 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

6 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Wolf TrapFairfaxWolf TrapFairfax
Wolf Trap ↔ Fairfax5.9 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Wolf TrapFairfax
People
Population 15,858Lowest 25,026Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.3%Lowest VA: +7.9% +7%Highest VA: +7.9%
Median age 45.1±1.8Highest 16% above VA 36.6±0.9Lowest 6% below VA
Kids under 18 26.7%±2.1Highest VA: 21.7% 24.8%±2Lowest VA: 21.7%
Wolf Trap and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.6%±1.4Highest VA: 16.7% 14.1%±1.3Lowest VA: 16.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 85.1%Highest VA: 42.2% 62.4%Lowest VA: 42.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.2%±1.2Lowest VA: 6.9% 9.4%±1.3Highest VA: 6.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $250,001Highest 168% above VA $132,348±$10kLowest 42% above VA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $1,204,000±$34kHighest 214% above VA $722,600±$27kLowest 88% above VA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $3,501Highest 122% above VA $2,245±$107Lowest 42% above VA
Property taxmedian, yearly $10,000+Highest at least 258% above VA $6,515Lowest 134% above VA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 62.4%±12.3Highest VA: 48.5% 51.1%±8.8Lowest VA: 48.5%
Wolf Trap and Fairfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 3.1%Lowest VA: 9.9% 9.1%Highest VA: 9.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 96.3%Highest VA: 67.3% 69.9%Lowest VA: 67.3%
Typical home builtmedian year 1980Highest 4 yrs older than VA 1967Lowest 17 yrs older than VA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 11% above VA 28 minLowest about the VA average
Work from home 45.3%±4.8Highest VA: 18.3% 29.1%±3.3Lowest VA: 18.3%
Work in townworking residents 1.8%Lowest 7.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miHighest 8.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.22Lowest 1.92Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Washington (14%)Washington (10%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FairfaxFew work in Wolf Trap
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 17.3%Highest 5.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 25.4 miHighest 8.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.6 miHighest 1.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 16Lowest 18Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 42.6Lowest 128Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #1 of 219 in VA#107 of 219 in VA
School district Fairfax County Public SchoolsFairfax County Public Schools
High school in town None in townFairfax High
Students per teacherat that high school — 17.2
Virginia average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Wolf Trap neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wolf Trap’s Town Square.

Fairfax neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fairfax’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Wolf Trap

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Vienna16,412 people · $1.01M homes
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Oakton36,528 people · $792K homes
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Tysons28,936 people · $640K homes
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Reston64,414 people · $642K homes

Towns like Wolf Trap

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Purcellville8,973 people · $654K homes
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Falls Church14,710 people · $1.06M homes
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Herndon24,672 people · $599K homes
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Poquoson12,639 people · $400K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Virginia towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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