|
Site Menu |
|
|
|
Find & Compare Realtors - Free! |
|
|
Finding a real estate agent is no longer a gamble. Use our free confidential screening
service to find the best local real estate agent for you.
Compare commission
|
rates, sales history, experience.
Remain anonymous until you choose an agent.
Read past customer reviews and comments.
No obligation. No pressure.
|
|
|
Vacation/Second Homes |
|
A second home, whether for vacation or investment, is a dream many
Americans are realizing every day. We can help you realize that dream too!
Read more about second homes.  |
|
Local Information
History:
Fairfax County was formed in 1742 from the northern part of Prince William County. It was
named for Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (1693-1781), proprietor of the Northern Neck.
In 1757 the northwestern two-thirds of Fairfax County became Loudoun County. In 1789 part of Fairfax County
was ceded to the federal government to form Alexandria County of the District of Columbia. Alexandria County
was returned to Virginia in 1846, reduced in size by the secession of the independent city of Alexandria in 1870,
and renamed Arlington County in 1920. The Fairfax County town of Falls Church became an independent city in 1948.
The Fairfax County town of Fairfax became an independent city in 1961.
Located near Washington, D.C., Fairfax County was an important region in the Civil War. The Battle of Chantilly or Ox Hill,
during the same campaign as the second battle of Bull Run, was fought within the county; Bull Run straddles the border between
Fairfax and Prince William County. For most of the Civil War, Union troops occupied the county, though the population remained
sympathetic to the Confederacy.
The growth of the Federal Government in the years during and after World War II spurred rapid growth in the county. As a result,
the once rural county began to become increasingly suburban. Other large businesses continued to settle in Fairfax County and the
opening of Tysons Corner Center spurred the rise of Tysons Corner itself. The technology boom and a steady government driven economy
also created rapid growth and an increasingly growing and diverse population. The economy has also made Fairfax County one of the
wealthiest counties in the nation.
Geography:
Fairfax County is bounded on the north and southeast by the Potomac River; across the river to the northeast is Washington, DC, across
the river to the northwest is Montgomery County, Maryland, across the river to the southeast is Prince George's County, Maryland and
Charles County, Maryland; it is also partially bounded on the north and east by Arlington County and the independent cities of Alexandria
and Falls Church; it is bound on the west by Loudoun County; and on the south by Prince William County and the independent cities of
Manassas and Manassas Park.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 407 mi² (1,053 km²). 395 mi²(1,023 km²) of it is land
and 12 mi²(30 km²) of it is water. The total area is 2.85% water.
Government and politics:
The county is divided into nine supervisor districts: Braddock, Dranesville, Hunter Mill, Lee, Mason, Mount Vernon,
Providence, Springfield, and Sully. The supervisor districts each elect one supervisor to the Board of Supervisors
which governs Fairfax County. There is also a Chairman elected by the county at-large.
In 2004, John Kerry won the county; the first Democrat to do so since Lyndon Johnson in his 1964 landslide (Coincidentally that
was the last time Democrats carried the state). Kerry defeated Bush in the county 53% to 46%. The fact that Republicans have won
Virginia's largest county in every presidential election since 1968 is partly the reason why the Old Dominion has not voted for a
Democrat since 1964.
Demographics:
As of the census of 2000, there are 969,749 people, 350,714 households, and 250,409 families residing in the county.
The population density is 948/km² (2,455/mi²). There are 359,411 housing units at an average density of 351/km² (910/mi²).
The median income for a household in the county is $81,050, and the median income for a family is $92,146.
The per capita income for the county is $36,888. 4.50% of the population and 3.00% of families are below the poverty line.
Judged by median income, Fairfax County was the richest county in the country through the late 1990's but was recently
overtaken by Douglas County, Colorado and is currently the second wealthiest county in the country--as judged by median
household income.
Education:
One of the primary attractions of Fairfax County is its public school system, perennially rated one of the best in the country.
The average cost per student in 2004-05 is $11,022. The school system contains several high schools with Advanced Placement and
International Baccalaureate degree programs, in addition to a science and technology magnet school, Thomas Jefferson High School
for Science and Technology. It is one of a select few Virginia Governor's Schools.
Fairfax County is the home to George Mason University.
Economy:
The economy of Fairfax County is a robust service economy. Fairfax most heavily relies on the Federal Government.
Many citizens work for the government or for contractors of the Federal Government. Defense contractors in particular
are prominent. The government is the largest employer with Fort Belvoir in southern Fairfax being the county's single
largest employer. The top 5 largest private employers are the Inova Health System, Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton,
SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation) and Freddie Mac. Fairfax County also is home to several large companies
such as Nextel, Gannett, Capital One, General Dynamics, NVR, and Freddie Mac.
Towns, Independent Cities, and Other Localities:
Three incorporated towns, Clifton, Herndon, and Vienna, are located within Fairfax County.
The independent cities of Falls Church and Fairfax were formed out of areas formerly under the jurisdiction of Fairfax County,
but are politically separate, despite the status of the City of Fairfax as county seat. Fairfax County contains an exclave
located in the central business district of the City of Fairfax, in which many county facilities (including the courthouse and jail)
are located.
Other communities within Fairfax County are unincorporated places; Virginia law prohibits the creation of any new municipalities
within any county with a population density of over 1,000 per square mile (which currently affects Fairfax and Arlington Counties
in Northern Virginia, and Henrico County adjacent to Richmond).
| Public Schools | Local Governments |
|
|
|
| Utilities & Service Providers | Statistics & Public Records |
|
|
|
| Transportation | Area Colleges & Universities |
|
|
|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
REALTOR® Spotlight:
Theodore Theologis & Judy Shenefield - Long & Foster Real Estate.
Specializing in helping clients with their Northern Virginia real estate needs.
Click here for more info.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
TAKE CONTROL:
Find & Compare local Fairfax County & Northern Virginia REALTORS® for FREE.
Finding a real estate agent is no longer a gamble. Use our free confidential screening service to find the best local real estate agent for you.
» Compare commission rates, sales history, experience.
» Remain anonymous until you choose an agent.
» Choose among agents from local brand-name brokerages.
» Save time by reviewing past customer ratings and comments
» No obligation. No pressure. And it’s FREE!
- START NOW -
|
|
|
|
|
