Fairfax, VA Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Fairfax, VA

Is Fairfax, VA safe to live in?

Fairfax earns a city-wide safety rating of Very Safe (A) based on analysis of all nine tracked neighborhoods. An overwhelming 88.9% of neighborhoods — eight out of nine — received a Grade A, while the remaining neighborhood, Fair Oaks, still earned a strong B+. That means 100% of Fairfax neighborhoods fall into the safe category (A or B), with zero neighborhoods graded C, D, or F. For context, the city's overall crime grade is B- when benchmarked against national averages, but locally the neighborhood-level picture is exceptionally positive.

What is the crime rate in Fairfax, VA?

Fairfax's crime profile is well above average for a U.S. city of its size. Across all nine analyzed neighborhoods, not a single area grades below a B+. The top-performing neighborhoods — Twin Lakes, Long Branch, Kings Park West, and George Mason — all carry Grade A ratings, reflecting very low incident levels. Neighborhoods like Mantua, Fairfax City, Greenbriar, and Fair Lakes each hold an A- grade, indicating only marginally higher activity. Fair Oaks, the most populous neighborhood at roughly 34,000 residents, is the only area rated below A-, coming in at a still-respectable B+. The city's low unemployment rate of 4% and a poverty rate of 9.8% — both favorable figures — correlate with the suppressed crime levels seen across neighborhoods.

Which neighborhoods in Fairfax are the safest?

The safest neighborhoods in Fairfax by crime grade are:

• Twin Lakes (Grade A) — Smallest by population (~2,922) but highest median household income at $213,059; consistently the top-ranked neighborhood for safety.
• Long Branch (Grade A) — Home to about 8,018 residents with a median income of $164,863; among the city's safest by grade.
• Kings Park West (Grade A) — The second-largest neighborhood analyzed (~14,196 residents) and a Grade A earner with a median income of $164,418.
• George Mason (Grade A) — Roughly 10,289 residents, median income of $150,662, and a clean Grade A safety record.
• Mantua (Grade A-) — About 7,589 residents and a median household income of $170,215, making it one of the wealthier A- neighborhoods.

Fairfax City, Greenbriar, and Fair Lakes also hold A- grades, meaning even the lower-ranked safe neighborhoods in Fairfax would be considered excellent by most regional or national benchmarks.

Which areas of Fairfax have relatively higher crime?

Even the areas with the comparatively highest crime in Fairfax are objectively safe. Fair Oaks is the only neighborhood graded below A-, earning a B+ — still a strong safety score. With a population of about 34,324 and a median income of $134,218, Fair Oaks is Fairfax's most populous analyzed neighborhood, which naturally corresponds to higher raw incident counts even when per-capita rates remain low. Below Fair Oaks, neighborhoods like Fair Lakes (A-), Greenbriar (A-), Fairfax City (A-), and Mantua (A-) round out the list of relatively higher-activity areas — though all four still carry A-range grades.

Is Fairfax a good place to buy a home or raise a family?

The data strongly supports Fairfax as a family-friendly place to invest. The median home value sits at $585,701, and the median household income is $109,708, reflecting a financially stable community. With 100% of neighborhoods graded A or B for safety and a city-wide Very Safe (A) rating, families can choose from a wide range of neighborhoods — from the high-income enclave of Twin Lakes to the large, well-established community of Kings Park West — without making meaningful safety trade-offs. The city's 4% unemployment rate and relatively modest poverty rate of 9.8% further reinforce long-term residential appeal. Median rent of $1,822 also provides options for renters evaluating the area before purchasing.

How does Fairfax compare to other Northern Virginia cities for safety?

Fairfax compares favorably. With 88.9% of its neighborhoods earning a Grade A and the remaining 11.1% at Grade B+, Fairfax's neighborhood-level safety distribution is unusually top-heavy even by Northern Virginia standards. The city's overall crime grade of B- reflects a national benchmark comparison, but the local neighborhood grades tell a more nuanced story: residents in Twin Lakes, Long Branch, Kings Park West, George Mason, Mantua, Greenbriar, Fair Lakes, and Fairfax City all live in A-rated environments. For prospective residents weighing Northern Virginia communities, Fairfax's combination of high incomes, low poverty, and near-universal A-grade neighborhoods positions it among the region's safer choices.