Residential comparison · 13 facts
Fairfax, VA vs Herndon, 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 Fairfax needs about $80,500 in Herndon to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Herndon, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $89,500 in Fairfax.
A few differences
- Herndon is higher on median household income ($148,000 vs $132,348).
- Herndon is lower on cost of living index (125 vs 131).
- Fairfax is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,142/mo vs $2,206/mo).
Fairfax vs Herndon · facet by facet
| Facet | Fairfax, VA | Herndon, VA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $722,600 | $599,100 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,142/mo | $2,206/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 | 131 | 125 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $132,348 | $148,000 |
| 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: Fairfax, VA · Herndon, VA
Questions & answers
- Is Fairfax cheaper than Herndon?
- Herndon has the lower day-to-day cost index (125 vs 131 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Herndon equals $85,000 in Fairfax?
- A household earning $85,000 in Fairfax needs about $80,500 in Herndon to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Herndon lifestyle costs about $89,500 in Fairfax.