Vale School-Community House · National Register of Historic Places
Difficult Run’s story
Difficult Run in pictures
The archive holds 7 maps from 1915 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Difficult RunVA
A town of 9,938.
6 bordering townsMap →
Vale School-Community House · Photo: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
9,938
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$1.11M
Census ACS
Household income
$250K
median
Median age
45.3
years
Jobs based here
806
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#46 of 249 in VA
Is Difficult Run a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Difficult Run grades A overall, 46th among Virginia's 249 graded towns. The median household earns $250K. On CDC health estimates it is near the top nationally. The trade-off is money: the typical home is worth about $1.1 million, 8.8 years of the Washington metro’s $127K median household income. 85% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Difficult Run, against 44% in Virginia’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Only 8 of Virginia’s 372 towns score higher on the outdoors. Vale School-Community House is on the National Register of Historic Places.
What makes Difficult Run stand out
Where Difficult Run beats most towns.
32 measures vs. Virginia
25 better6 too close to call1 worse
| Widest gap | Difficult Run | VA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 2.6% | 11.1% |
HealthA+
Healthier than 99% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Natural hazardsA−
Lower risk than 82% of U.S. communities
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Get outside
22 miles of trails in Difficult Run
11.4% of the town is conserved land, across 9 parks and preserves.
3
Fred Crabtree Park1.2 mi of trails · 21 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Difficult Run grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Virginia), ordered by how far Difficult Run is from typical.
Jobs & incomeA+Open →HealthAmong the healthiest U.S. towns; Reston Hospital Center 4 miles awayA+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listA−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →SchoolsB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 3.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 312 attractions →White House and 244 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Difficult Run. Close and well known come first.
Big draw17 mi National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw17 mi National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw15 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw16 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw17 mi MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
5 mi MuseumSteven F. Udvar-Hazy Center1.6M visitors a yearSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
Moving to Difficult Run: who provides what
Difficult Run is unincorporated, so Fairfax County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerDominion Energy15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterFairfax WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesFairfax CountyFairfax County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Virginia you can register online until 11 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 11 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereFairfax General RegistrarFairfax County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes22124, 20171, 22033, 2218122124 62% · 20171 26% · 22033 5% · 22181 3%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Difficult Run.
Difficult Run has less tooth loss than most of Virginia and sends most of its workers to Washington and beyond, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Virginia.
OutdoorsA+
Difficult Run has set aside 11.4% of its land for conservation
Difficult Run’s concentration of trails comes in at 2.6 miles per square mile. Across 9 parks and preserves: 22 miles of trail. The biggest place to walk is Little Difficult Run Stream Valley Park, 390 acres with 8.5 miles of trail.
#15for trails in VA
11.4%
conserved · 614 of 5,382 acres
22 mi
of trails · 2.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Little Difficult Run Stream Valley Park | 8.5 mi | 390 |
| 2. Difficult Run Stream Valley Park | 3 mi | 121 |
| 3. Fred Crabtree Park | 1.2 mi | 21 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB+
Difficult Run’s public schools outperform 74% of Virginia districts
Its two schools are below.
74%of VA districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montessori School of Oakton PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 91 | – |
| Dominion Christian School PrivateLargest high schoolGrades K–12 | Grades K–12 | 333 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VA on state tests and graduation
HealthA+
Compared with most of Virginia and the rest of the country, fewer of Difficult Run’s adults get no exercise outside work
Its widest gap with Virginia is tooth loss: 2.6% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 11.1% statewide. Against the 436 U.S. towns with household incomes like Difficult Run’s, it is healthier than 74%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
On the CDC’s 32 measures, Difficult Run is ahead of Virginia on 25 and behind on 1. Among adults locally, 5.8% smoke cigarettes. Only 4 of the 253 Virginia towns we compare have a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Difficult Run.
99%healthier than U.S. townsA+Health Grade
| Difficult Run | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 34% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 16% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 5.8% | 12% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 9.1% | 12% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Virginia
25 better6 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Difficult Run | VA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 2.6% | 11.1% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 4.3% | 13.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 7.7% |
Reston Hospital Center
4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
97th
percentile among VA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Difficult Run has a very low natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Expected losses in Difficult Run break down as 74% from inland flooding and 9% from hurricanes. Its natural-hazard score from FEMA stands at 18 of 100. 6 flood insurance claims have been paid here since 2006.
18risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanes
6
paid flood claims since 2006
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
In Difficult Run, the median household income runs higher than in the typical Virginia or U.S. town
Difficult Run has 806 jobs for its 4,450 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. Jobs based here grew from 566 in 2013 to 806.
2.7% of working residents work locally in Difficult Run. Only 4 of the 253 Virginia towns we compare have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Difficult Run. Jobs in Difficult Run grew by 240 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 806. In Difficult Run, the average trip to work is 30 minutes.
3%work in town
| Difficult Run | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $250,000 | $101,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 1.4% | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.7% | 5% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Difficult Run3%
Washington11%
Tysons9%
Reston9%
Arlington8%
9 mi
median commute distance
806
jobs based in Difficult Run
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 59% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Difficult Run
July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 26° and about 21 inches of snow falls in a winter.
21″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter28–45°
Spring44–65°
Summer65–85°
Fall47–67°
Oct 24
typical first frost
Apr 15
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade C−
Homes in Difficult Run sell for about $1.45M
At 8.8 years of the Washington metro’s $127K median household income, the typical home costs more against local pay than in 98% of Virginia towns; that ratio is one input to its C− for cost of living.
The share of households in Difficult Run who own their home: 98%. In Difficult Run, the typical rent is $3,066 a month. Homes sold in Difficult Run spent a median 5 days on the market.
$1.45Mmedian sale price
| Difficult Run | Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $3,066 a month | $1,760 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 98% | 68% | 73% |
Market temperature
5
days on market
104.6%
sale-to-list price
18
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Difficult Run
17pages on Difficult Run
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
14 within 15 miles of the center of Difficult Run
George Mason UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Fairfax5.5 mi$14,220 in-state tuitionVirginia University of Integrative MedicineUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Vienna6.6 miNorthern Virginia Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Annandale7.8 mi$5,891 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Difficult Run residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Virginia.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Difficult Run for work
Where Difficult Run’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
806jobs based in Difficult Run
3%of working residents work in town
9 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Difficult Run
Census-designated place in Virginia
Difficult Run is a census designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 10,600 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 8.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 312 ft
Difficult Run’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Difficult Run.
OaktonRestonFair OaksFranklin FarmWolf TrapNavyDifficult Run
How the neighbors grade
| Town | VA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Difficult Run | #46 | A | C− | — | B+ | A+ |
| Oakton | #18 | A+ | D | — | B+ | A+ |
| Reston | #35 | A | C− | — | B+ | A+ |
| Fair Oaks | #60 | A | D | — | B+ | A+ |
| Franklin Farm | #16 | A+ | C− | — | B+ | A+ |
| Wolf Trap | #52 | A | D | — | B+ | A+ |
| Navy | #42 | A | C− | — | B+ | A+ |
Difficult Run, Oakton, Reston, Fair Oaks, Franklin Farm, Wolf Trap and Navy report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Difficult Run with a neighbor →
Questions about Difficult Run
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Difficult Run, VA a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Difficult Run grades A overall, better than 92% of U.S. towns and #46 of 249 in Virginia. It grades A+ for health and B+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Difficult Run, VA expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $1,111,000, 170% above the Virginia typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.