Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Fairfax is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns
Fairfax beats Virginia on 14 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and trails on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Fairfax. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Fairfax
Against towns with similar incomes, Fairfax’s lead shrinks
Fairfax is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, but 62% of the 4,310 towns with similar household incomes ($99K–$165K). Part of its edge is what towns with its incomes tend to have. Health Grade ↓
Fewer Fairfax adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Virginia. 1 in 10 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
COPD and stroke are less common in Fairfax
Fairfax runs below Virginia on COPD (4.7% vs 6.2%) and stroke (2.6% vs 3.3%). Conditions ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Virginia figure falls outside Fairfax’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Fairfax’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairfax is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns, #88 of 253 in Virginia. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is smoking (fewer adults who smoke than 91% of towns); the weakest is diabetes, still better than 67%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Fairfax’s median household income is $132,348; among the 4,310 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($99K–$165K), it’s healthier than 62%, about where its income would put it.
Most Virginia towns score higher on these estimates than towns elsewhere, so within the state Fairfax is healthier than 66% of graded towns, against 87% nationally.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
7% of Fairfax adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.
Out of every 100 Fairfax adults…
Fairfax runs below VA on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Fairfax
1 community health center in Fairfax, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Fairfax; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Virginia
Share of adults, with the Virginia figure marked.
8.4 miles of trails across 18 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Fairfax adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.
How Fairfax adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Fairfax does better than Virginia.
1 in 3 Fairfax adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Fairfax and the towns around it
Fairfax’s Health Grade ranks 7th of 7 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax | A | 31.2% | 11% | 9.1% | CDC place |
| George Mason | A | 23.6% | 6.1% | 7.5% | CDC place |
| Oakton | A+ | 22.2% | 9.2% | 6.9% | CDC place |
| Mantua | A+ | 22.3% | 10.5% | 7.2% | CDC place |
| Long Branch | A+ | 21% | 11% | 6.7% | CDC place |
| Fair Oaks | A+ | 22.4% | 8.1% | 7.3% | CDC place |
| Merrifield | A+ | 21.8% | 7.6% | 7.1% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Fairfax adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Fairfax
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Fairfax is better than Virginia on 14 and worse on 0; on the rest, the Virginia figure falls inside Fairfax’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Fairfax | VA | U.S. | vs VA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 15.1%13–17.1 | 18.1% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11%9.6–12.4 | 12.8% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.9%12.2–15.7 | 15.9% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 31.2%24.3–38.5 | 34.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 11%9.5–12.6 | 12.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 31.3%27.5–35.2 | 35.4% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.1%32.9–41.5 | 38% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 22.9%20.1–25.7 | 26.2% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 9.3%8.2–10.4 | 10.4% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.3%6.6–8.1 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.7–5.8 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 4.7%4.2–5.3 | 6.2% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.6%2.4–2.9 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.3%5.9–8.9 | 11.1% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 9.1%7.6–10.5 | 12.2% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 20.6%17.1–24.3 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.6%11.9–17.6 | 14.5% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.1%28.1–40.3 | 36% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 8.3%7–9.7 | 8.7% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.7%75.1–81.9 | 79.2% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 70.1%66.9–73.1 | 67.9% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%86.1–89.2 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76%73.1–78.7 | 76.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 68.7%64–73 | 67.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.4%70.1–83.7 | 78.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 19.7%16.7–23 | 21.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.6%27.5–37.9 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 20.2%17.1–23.5 | 21.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 10.2%8.6–12 | 13.1% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 8.3%7–9.7 | 10.9% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5%4.3–5.8 | 7.1% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.9%5.2–6.7 | 7.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 7%5.9–8.3 | 10.7% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.3%21.8–29 | 30% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 10.7%9.4–12.3 | 13.5% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 11.9%10.4–13.3 | 14% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 5.8%5.1–6.5 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 4.7% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.1%5.4–6.8 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.7%2.4–2.9 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Virginia figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Fairfax
Is Fairfax a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Fairfax is healthier than 87% of U.S. towns: A for health, #88 of 253 in Virginia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 62%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Fairfax?
CDC estimates 31.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.3% and 38.5%, against 34.5% across Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Fairfax?
Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, 5.5 miles in a straight line from Fairfax’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Fairfax have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 8.3% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 7–9.7%), against 8.7% across Virginia.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Fairfax more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Fairfax.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Virginia figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.