What is the property tax rate in Fairfax County?

The combined effective property tax rate in Fairfax County, Virginia is approximately 1.17%.

Fairfax County Property Tax Calculator (2026) — Virginia Property Tax Almanac

Property Tax in Fairfax County, 2026

A calculator and field guide for Fairfax-area homeowners — and for anyone considering a move to Fairfax County — including Virginia's 100% assessment ratio, the locality-set Real Estate Tax Relief for Elderly and Disabled (income-based), and the constitutional 100% Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption (passed by voters in 2010, effective Jan 2011).

Fairfax County operates under Virginia's distinctive property tax structure. Virginia uses 100% assessment ratio (assessed at full fair market value) and each locality (county OR independent city) sets its own real estate tax rate. Virginia is unique among US states in having 38 independent cities that operate as both city and county for governance and tax purposes.

How the bill is built

Virginia's property tax calculation is straightforward. Step 1: Assessed Value. Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration reassesses your property at fair market value (some localities reassess annually, others biennially or longer). Step 2: Apply rate. Tax = AV × locality rate per $100. Fairfax's combined rate is approximately $1.125 per $100 of AV. Total bill = (AV × rate) / 100. Step 3: Apply exemptions. Disabled veterans receive the full constitutional exemption (since 2011). Seniors and disabled residents may qualify for locality-set Real Estate Tax Relief programs.

Virginia's 100% Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption is one of the most-comprehensive in the United States. Approved by Virginia voters in 2010 (Constitution of Virginia, Article X, Section 6-A) and effective January 2011, the exemption provides FULL exemption from real estate tax on the dwelling and surrounding land (typically up to 1 acre) for veterans rated 100% service-connected disabled by the VA. Surviving spouses (unmarried) of 100% disabled veterans retain the exemption. Surviving spouses of US service members killed in action ALSO receive the full exemption regardless of veteran's disability status. No income limit applies.

Real Estate Tax Relief for Elderly and Disabled is locality-set. Each Virginia locality (county or independent city) sets its own income-based real estate tax relief program for residents 65+ and permanently disabled. Income limits and reduction percentages vary widely — Fairfax County provides up to 100% exemption with income under ~$72K; Henrico County provides up to 100% with income under ~$77K; Norfolk provides 25-100% sliding scale. Apply with your locality's Commissioner of the Revenue or Real Estate Assessor.

Independent cities operate as both city and county. Virginia's 38 independent cities (including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Richmond) handle their own assessment, tax collection, and local government services — they are not part of any county. This is unique to Virginia in the United States. The independent city structure means residents pay one combined real estate tax to the city (covering both city AND former-county-equivalent services).

2026 Fairfax County rate breakdown (dollars per $100 of AV (100% assessment ratio), Fairfax district)

Taxing entity	Rate
Fairfax County General + Schools (~$1.125 / $100 AV)	1.1250
Stormwater + Pest Management + Misc Districts	0.0450
Combined total	1.1700

As of April 26, 2026 · From Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration.

Note: Fairfax County is the largest county in Virginia by population (~1.15M) and one of the wealthiest counties in the United States — median household income (~$130K) consistently ranks in the top 5 nationally. Anchored by Tysons Corner (a major commercial center, often called America's 12th-largest CBD by office space) and Reston (a planned community designed by Robert E. Simon in 1964), Fairfax is the bedrock of the Washington DC suburban market and home to the headquarters of Capital One, Hilton, Northrop Grumman, and Booz Allen Hamilton.

Note: Fairfax County effective property tax rates run approximately 1.17% — high by Virginia standards but moderate in the DC metro context. The Real Estate Tax Rate is ~$1.125 per $100 of assessed value, plus stormwater and pest-management add-ons. Virginia uses 100% assessment ratio (assessed at full fair market value), and Fairfax County reassesses annually. The combination of high home values (median ~$695K) and moderate effective rates produces high absolute bills (~$8,100 typical, $14,000+ for $1.2M homes in McLean, Vienna, and Great Falls).

Note: For relocation buyers: Fairfax is the canonical "wealthy DC suburb" choice. Compared to Montgomery County MD (across the Potomac), Fairfax has marginally higher property tax rates but no Maryland income tax-equivalent on retirement income. Compared to Loudoun (the next county west), Fairfax has higher rates but established schools, mature housing stock, and shorter DC commutes. The Real Estate Tax Relief for Elderly and Disabled program provides locality-set income-based reductions for 65+ residents.

Tax relief and exemptions for 2026

Virginia's homeowner tax relief is unusual: there is no statewide homestead exemption (unlike most US states). Instead, each locality (county or independent city) sets its own income-based Real Estate Tax Relief for Elderly and Disabled program. The constitutional 100% Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption (since 2011) is statewide.

Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption (constitutional)

Approved by Virginia voters in November 2010 (Constitution of Virginia, Article X, Section 6-A) and effective January 1, 2011, this is among the most-comprehensive disabled-veteran property tax exemptions in the United States. Veterans rated 100% service-connected disabled by the VA — including 100% individual unemployability ratings — receive full exemption from real estate tax on their primary residence (dwelling and surrounding land, typically up to 1 acre; localities can set higher limits). No income limit applies. Surviving spouses (unmarried) of 100% disabled veterans retain the exemption. Surviving spouses of US service members killed in action ALSO receive the full exemption, regardless of veteran's disability rating.

Apply with your locality's Commissioner of the Revenue or Real Estate Assessor with VA documentation of disability rating. Application is typically a one-time process; the exemption renews automatically unless circumstances change.

Real Estate Tax Relief for Elderly and Disabled (locality-set)

Each Virginia locality sets its own income-based program for residents 65+ or permanently disabled. Income limits and reduction percentages vary widely:

Fairfax County: up to 100% exemption (income under ~$72K), sliding scale up to ~$100K
Arlington County: up to 100% (income under ~$99K)
Henrico County: up to 100% (income under ~$77K)
Norfolk: 25-100% sliding scale (income under ~$67K)
Virginia Beach: up to 100% (income under ~$80K)

Apply annually with your locality's Commissioner of the Revenue or Assessor. Most localities require proof of age, income, and asset documentation.

Independent City structure

Virginia is unique among US states in having 38 independent cities that operate as both city and county for governance, assessment, and tax collection purposes. Independent cities (including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Richmond among the largest) handle their own assessment and collect a single combined real estate tax — there is no separate "county" portion. This contrasts with most states where city residents pay both city and county property taxes. The independent city designation dates to 1871 and reflects Virginia's Reconstruction-era urban governance reforms.

Appealing your assessment

Virginia's appeal process runs through the local Board of Equalization (BOE) — each locality has its own. Homeowners file an Application for Review with the Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration typically within 30-90 days of receiving the annual reassessment notice (deadlines vary by locality). The BOE holds hearings during the assessment cycle — homeowners can present comparable sales, recent appraisals, or independent appraiser testimony. BOE decisions can be appealed to the local Circuit Court within 1 year. Some localities (including Fairfax) reassess annually; others reassess every 2-6 years.

Cities and towns in Fairfax County

Fairfax County contains 7 incorporated municipalities, ranging from Fairfax to the smallest village. Search volume for property tax is often city-specific, so here is the complete list — with population from the 2020 US Census, rounded to the nearest 100.

Data: US Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census. Populations rounded. Cities marked as "split" straddle a county border — the portion inside Fairfax County is subject to Fairfax County's tax rolls, while the portion outside is subject to the adjacent county's.

City or town	Type	Population (2020)
Centreville	unincorporated	73,064
Reston	unincorporated	63,226
McLean	unincorporated	50,773
Burke	unincorporated	41,055
Springfield	unincorporated	32,634
Fairfax County seat	city	24,574
Vienna	town	16,575

About city-level property tax rates: The rate breakdown and calculator on this page reflect the Fairfax tax district. Other cities in Fairfax County may pay into different school districts, city rates, and special districts — so their combined rates can differ, sometimes substantially. Always verify the specific rates for your address with the Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration before relying on any estimate.

Frequently asked questions

When are Virginia property taxes due?

Virginia real estate taxes are typically billed semi-annually. Fairfax County: due June 5 (first half) and December 5 (second half). Late payments incur a 10% penalty plus interest at 10% annual rate. Most localities offer escrow-via-mortgage payment processing automatically.

How do Virginia's independent cities differ from counties?

Virginia is unique among US states in having 38 independent cities that are not part of any county — these cities operate as both city AND county for tax, governance, and assessment purposes. Residents of independent cities pay one combined real estate tax to the city (not separate city + county taxes). The independent city designation dates to 1871 (Constitutional Convention) and reflects Virginia's Reconstruction-era urban governance reforms. The five largest Virginia independent cities are Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Richmond, and Newport News.

How do I apply for the Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption?

Virginia's 100% Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption (state constitutional, since January 2011) provides full exemption from real estate tax on the primary residence. Apply with your locality's Commissioner of the Revenue or Real Estate Assessor with VA documentation showing 100% service-connected disability rating (including 100% individual unemployability ratings). No income limit applies. Surviving spouses (unmarried) of 100% disabled veterans retain the exemption. Surviving spouses of US service members killed in action ALSO receive the full exemption, regardless of veteran's disability status. Application is typically a one-time process; the exemption renews automatically.

How do I appeal my Virginia assessment?

File an Application for Review with the Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration typically within 30-90 days of receiving the annual reassessment notice (deadlines vary by locality). Most localities have a Board of Equalization (BOE) that holds hearings during the assessment cycle — homeowners can present comparable sales, recent appraisals, or independent appraiser testimony. BOE decisions can be appealed to the local Circuit Court within 1 year. Some localities (including Fairfax) reassess annually; others reassess every 2-6 years.

About Fairfax County

Beyond the property tax — a few things you might not know about the place.

Weird fact

Fairfax County is home to the **CIA headquarters** in Langley (technically McLean, an unincorporated community in Fairfax County) — the George Bush Center for Intelligence opened in 1961 and remains the operational headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA campus occupies approximately 258 acres along the Potomac River. Fairfax also contains the **Pentagon City** retail district (across from the actual Pentagon, which is in Arlington), and parts of Tysons Corner once served as a Cold War-era Continuity of Government bunker site.

Hometown hero

George Mason

The Founding Father (1725-1792), author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776) — which directly inspired the United States Bill of Rights — and one of the framers of the United States Constitution who refused to sign the final document because it lacked a Bill of Rights and abolition of the slave trade. Mason's Gunston Hall plantation home (a 550-acre National Historic Landmark) is in Mason Neck, Fairfax County. George Mason University in Fairfax is named in his honor.

Biggest annual event

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts

Wolf Trap (in Vienna, Fairfax County) is the only US National Park dedicated to the performing arts. Each summer, the Filene Center hosts approximately 90 outdoor concerts ranging from National Symphony Orchestra performances to popular music — drawing 500,000+ attendees per season. Wolf Trap also hosts the annual Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods series and the Wolf Trap Opera summer residency, making it one of the most-significant performing arts venues in the DC metropolitan area.

Property Tax in Fairfax County, 2026