Residential comparison · 13 facts
Fair Oaks, VA vs Sterling, VA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Fair Oaks needs about $77,000 in Sterling to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Sterling, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $93,000 in Fair Oaks.
A few differences
- Fair Oaks is higher on median household income ($123,947 vs $123,303).
- Sterling is lower on cost of living index (117 vs 127).
- Sterling is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,923/mo vs $2,342/mo).
Fair Oaks vs Sterling · facet by facet
| Facet | Fair Oaks, VA | Sterling, VA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $608,200 | $526,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,342/mo | $1,923/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.87% | 0.87% |
| State & local income tax | 4.36% | 4.36% |
| Sales tax | 5.75% | 5.75% |
| Cost of living index | 127 | 117 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $123,947 | $123,303 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Crime index | 32/100 | 32/100 |
| School rating | 6.8/10 | 6.8/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 210 days | 210 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Fair Oaks, VA · Sterling, VA
Questions & answers
- Is Fair Oaks cheaper than Sterling?
- Sterling has the lower day-to-day cost index (117 vs 127 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Sterling equals $85,000 in Fair Oaks?
- A household earning $85,000 in Fair Oaks needs about $77,000 in Sterling to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Sterling lifestyle costs about $93,000 in Fair Oaks.