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Living in Fairfax

An independent city of about six square miles in the middle of Fairfax County, with a walkable Old Town, mid-century houses on mature lots, newer townhouses, and a city bus that runs to Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro.
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Living in Fairfax

An overview of the City of Fairfax, its housing stock, daily conveniences and commuting options.
Fairfax is an independent city, separate from the county that surrounds it and shares its name. This page covers the city itself, inside its Census boundary, and not the much larger area that carries a Fairfax mailing address. The center is Old Town, a compact historic district around the 1800 courthouse where Main Street meets Chain Bridge Road, with restaurants, small shops, and the regional library within a few blocks. Most of the housing dates to the 1950s and 1960s. Ramblers, split-levels, Cape Cods and colonials line the streets of Westmore, Country Club Hills, Fairchester and Mosby Woods, many on lots large enough for additions, and a number have been expanded or replaced. Farrcroft, built around 2000 near Old Town, added larger houses and townhouses in a traditional style. Newer townhouse and condominium communities have gone up along Fairfax Boulevard and at the edges of Old Town, and garden-style condominiums such as Foxcroft Colony supply the lowest price points in the city. Daily errands concentrate on two corridors. Fairfax Boulevard carries grocery stores, car dealerships and shopping centers from Kamp Washington on the west to Fairfax Circle on the east, while Main Street handles Old Town dining and Fair City Mall. Van Dyck Park, Daniels Run Park, Providence Park and Ratcliffe Park add playgrounds, wooded trails and ball fields, and the George Mason University campus sits just past the southern city line. There is no Metrorail station inside the city. The city-run CUE bus connects Old Town, George Mason University and the main corridors with Vienna/Fairfax-GMU station on the Orange Line, just north of the city line. Drivers use Interstate 66 just to the north, along with Route 50, Route 29, Route 123 and Route 236. Traffic on Fairfax Boulevard and Chain Bridge Road is heavy at peak hours. I’m glad to walk you through how the city’s subdivisions differ in lot size, house age and renovation level, and what recent sales say about each.

Key Highlights:

  • Housing character — 1950s and 1960s ramblers, split-levels and colonials, with newer townhouses and garden-style and mid-rise condominiums
  • Green space — Van Dyck Park, Daniels Run Park, Providence Park and Ratcliffe Park, with wooded trails along Daniels Run
  • Daily essentials — Grocery and shopping centers along Fairfax Boulevard from Kamp Washington to Fairfax Circle; restaurants in Old Town
  • Transit — City CUE bus to Vienna/Fairfax-GMU station on the Orange Line; Interstate 66 just north of the city
  • Schools — City of Fairfax Schools, operated by Fairfax County Public Schools: Daniels Run and Providence elementary schools, Katherine Johnson Middle School and Fairfax High School
  • Market character — Mostly detached houses near $800,000, with townhouses in the mid-$800,000s and condominiums near $290,000
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Fairfax Real Estate FAQs

Insight into the nuances of buying and selling in one of the country’s most complex urban markets.

It is an independent city and the historic seat of Fairfax County, known for Old Town Fairfax, the 1800 courthouse and its position next to George Mason University.
The city sits in the center of Fairfax County, about 14 miles west of downtown Washington DC, just south of Interstate 66 where Routes 50, 29, 123 and 236 converge.
Not inside the city. The CUE bus runs from Old Town and the main corridors to Vienna/Fairfax-GMU station on the Orange Line, just north of the city line.
More than half of recent sales were detached houses, most built in the 1950s and 1960s. Townhouses, including recent construction, and garden-style or mid-rise condominiums make up the rest.
The median sale price over the past 12 months was about $747,000 across roughly 310 sales. Detached houses had a median near $800,000, townhouses about $868,000 and condominiums about $290,000.
Detached houses and townhouses went under contract in a median of about eight days. Condominiums took longer, with a median of 27 days.
Old Town has the largest cluster of independent restaurants. Grocery stores and shopping centers line Fairfax Boulevard, including Kamp Washington, Fairfax Circle and Scout on the Circle, with Fair City Mall on Main Street.
The city owns its schools and Fairfax County Public Schools operates them: Daniels Run and Providence elementary schools, Katherine Johnson Middle School and Fairfax High School. Confirm any address with the Fairfax County Public Schools boundary locator.

Location & Neighborhood

In central Fairfax County, just south of Interstate 66 and north of George Mason University.

The city line runs close to Interstate 66 and Blake Lane on the north, Pickett Road on the east, the George Mason University campus and the neighborhoods off Route 123 on the south, and the Kamp Washington and Jermantown Road area on the west. Fairfax Boulevard (Routes 50 and 29) crosses the northern half and holds most of the shopping centers. Main Street (Route 236) runs east to west through Old Town, and Chain Bridge Road (Route 123) crosses it at the courthouse. The older subdivisions fill the blocks between these corridors.

Four Highways and a City Bus

Interstate 66 runs just north of the city, with interchanges at Route 123 and Route 50. Fairfax Boulevard carries Routes 50 and 29 east toward Merrifield and Falls Church, and Main Street becomes Little River Turnpike toward Annandale. The CUE bus links Old Town, George Mason University and the main corridors with Vienna/Fairfax-GMU station on the Orange Line.

Grocery stores, pharmacies and hardware are spread along Fairfax Boulevard between Kamp Washington and Fairfax Circle, including the Scout on the Circle center, and at Fair City Mall on Main Street. Old Town holds the regional library, restaurants and small shops. Fair Oaks Mall and the Fairfax Corner center are a short drive west of the city.

Neighboring Area:

  • Oakton — north, across Interstate 66 toward Chain Bridge Road
  • Vienna — northeast, past Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro station
  • Merrifield — east, along Route 50 and Route 29 past Fairfax Circle
  • George Mason University — south, along Route 123
  • Fair Oaks — west, toward Fair Oaks Mall and Fairfax Corner

A Day In The Life - Snapshot

The quick details buyers ask about most.

Metro Access
No Metrorail station inside the city. The CUE bus runs to Vienna/Fairfax-GMU station on the Orange Line, just north of the city line.
Walkability
Old Town is walkable for dining, the library and events. Elsewhere, sidewalks are common but most errands along Fairfax Boulevard and Main Street are done by car.
Typical Home Types
1950s and 1960s ramblers, split-levels and colonials; townhouses from the 1980s to the present; garden-style condominiums and a few newer elevator buildings.
Parking
Driveways and carports are standard for detached houses, and most townhouses have garages or assigned spaces. Old Town has public garages and lots for visitors.
Vibe
Low-rise and leafy on the residential streets, with a brick historic core and two busy commercial corridors. Old Town is most active on evenings and event weekends.
Best For
Buyers who want a mid-century house on a sizable lot or a newer townhouse near Old Town, and who accept a bus or drive to Metro.

Fairfax Market Snapshot

A high-level look at current pricing, demand, and sales activity in the Fairfax real estate market.
$747,450

Median Sales Price

$346

Median Price Per Sq Ft

11

Median Days On Market

308

Annual Closed Sales

-9.8%

YoY Median Price Change

Fairfax is primarily a detached-house market, with a substantial townhouse segment that includes recent construction and a smaller condominium segment at much lower prices. The snapshot covers every closed sale inside the Fairfax city limits over the trailing twelve months through September 2026 — 166 detached houses, 80 townhouses and semi-detached homes, and 62 condominiums. Price per square foot uses interior living area.

Across all home types the median sale was $747,450 at about $346 per square foot, with a median of 11 days on market and sales averaging 99% of original list price. The median fell about 10% from the prior twelve months. Within segments, the detached median fell about 3% to $800,000 and the townhouse median fell about 9% to $868,000.

Market data reflects recent 12-month activity. Individual buildings may vary.

For Sale

Homes for Sale in Fairfax

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Recently Sold

Recently Sold in Fairfax

Closed sales from the past 12 months — the comps that set today’s pricing.

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In-Depth Market Analysis

Fairfax Market Insights

How pricing trends, absorption rates, and inventory levels are shaping buying and selling

Inventory & Absorption

About 310 homes closed inside the city over the past 12 months, compared with roughly 330 the year before. Detached houses made up 166 of those sales, townhouses 80 and condominiums 62. Townhouse volume fell from about 140 the prior year, when new-construction closings were more numerous. Detached and townhouse listings moved in a median of about eight days, while condominiums took 27.

Pricing Dynamics

The overall median was about $747,000, roughly 10 percent below the prior year’s $828,500. Much of that drop reflects mix: fewer townhouse closings near $950,000 and more condominium sales near $290,000. The detached median eased from $825,000 to about $800,000, while detached price per square foot rose. Sellers received about 99 percent of original list price on average, down from just over 100 percent.

Buyer Profile

Demand is deepest for detached houses between roughly $700,000 and $900,000, which sold in about a week and at essentially full original list price. Renovated and expanded mid-century houses and newer townhouses near Old Town reach well above $1 million. Condominiums drew less urgency, selling at about 97 percent of original list after a median of 27 days.

Strategic Outlook

The city’s supply of detached houses is fixed, and those have continued to sell quickly even as prices eased slightly. Condominiums are the softer segment, with longer marketing times and more negotiation than a year ago. New townhouse and condominium projects along Fairfax Boulevard and near Old Town will keep adding higher-priced product, which can move the overall median from year to year.

Market Position Overview:

Inventory Level: Balanced with selective competition

Negotiation Environment: Moderate flexibility

Typical Days on Market: 25-45 (well-priced units)

Rental Demand: Consistent due to transit proximity

Long- Term Outlook: Stable, walkability-driven value

Fairfax Housing & Architecture

From 1950s ramblers on mature lots to new townhouses near Old Town, the city’s housing follows its postwar growth and recent redevelopment.
Mid-Century Subdivisions
Westmore, Country Club Hills and Fairchester date largely from the 1950s and early 1960s, with ramblers, Cape Cods and split-levels on lots that often allow additions. Homes from the 1950s and 1960s account for more than half of recent sales in the city.
Mosby Woods
A 1960s subdivision in the northeast corner of the city with split-levels, split-foyers and colonials on curving streets. It sits closer to Interstate 66 and the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metro station than most city neighborhoods.
Farrcroft
Built around 2000 on land beside Old Town, Farrcroft combines detached houses and townhouses in a traditional style with brick sidewalks and landscaped common areas. It is among the higher-priced communities inside the city.
Newer Townhouses
Recent townhouse communities along Fairfax Boulevard and near Old Town offer three and four levels with garages and, in many cases, rooftop terraces. Homes built in the 2020s accounted for about 30 sales in the past 12 months.
Condominiums
Garden-style communities such as Foxcroft Colony offer one- and two-bedroom units at the city’s lowest prices, with a median near $290,000 across all condominium sales. A few newer elevator buildings near Old Town and Fairfax Boulevard sell for considerably more.
Old Town Historic Core
The blocks around the 1800 courthouse include the Ratcliffe-Allison House of 1812 and Old Town Hall of 1900. Housing here is limited: a few older houses, plus townhouses and condominiums added in recent decades within walking distance of Main Street.

Condo Buildings

Condo Buildings in Fairfax

Building-by-building guides with amenities, fees, recent sales and what's for sale now.

Fairfax

Fairfax West

10721 West Dr

  • Built 1964
  • 3 stories
View building →

Fairfax

Fairfield House

12217 Fairfield House Dr

  • Built 1992
  • 3 stories
View building →

Fairfax

Hawthorne Village

9708 Kingsbridge Dr

  • Built 1973
View building →
All Fairfax condo buildings →

Nearby neighborhoods

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