Virginia

Fairfax

1,150,309
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About Fairfax

Fairfax, Virginia, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 12,320. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 1,150,309.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 40 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Doeg Raid on Thomas Mathew's Plantation 1675, Battle of Munson's Hill, Pohick Church Skirmish, and 65 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
20201,150,309
20101,081,726
2000969,749
1990847,784
1980625,806
1970487,763
1960285,194
1950106,092
194040,929
193025,264
192021,943
191020,536
190018,580
189016,655
188016,025
187012,952
186011,834
185010,682
18409,370
18309,204
182011,404
181013,111
180013,317
179012,320
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Fairfax

Military engagements that took place in Fairfax, Virginia.

Doeg Raid on Thomas Mathew's Plantation 1675
1675
Battle of Munson's Hill
1861
Pohick Church Skirmish
1861
Vienna Skirmish (June 17, 1861)
1861
Accotink Creek Skirmish
1861
Action at Dranesville
1861
Centreville Earthworks Occupation
1861
Munson's Hill Skirmish
1861
Annandale Skirmish
1861
Battle of Dranesville
1861
Lewinsville Skirmish
1861
Vienna Skirmish
1861
Occoquan Crossing Fight
1861
Springfield Station Skirmish
1861
Dranesville Fight (December 20, 1861)
1861
Battle of Drainesville
1861
Battle of Dranesville (December 1861)
1861
Skirmish at Dranesville
1861
Battle of Chantilly
1862
Engagement at Occoquan
1862
Burke's Station Raid (Dec 1862)
1862
Occoquan River Crossing Skirmish
1862
Burke's Station Raid (December 28, 1862)
1862
Battle of Chantilly (Ox Hill)
1862
Pope's Retreat Skirmish – Centreville
1862
Skirmish at Fairfax Station
1862
Battle of Chantilly / Ox Hill Sep 1 1862
1862
Engagement at Lewis Ford
1862
Second Bull Run Campaign — Cavalry at Chantilly
1862
Engagement at Centreville
1862
Engagement at Germantown VA
1862
Skirmish at Herndon Station
1863
Raid at Fairfax Station (1863)
1863
Mosby's Fairfax Court House Raid (Stoughton Captured)
1863
Mosby's Raid on Fairfax Court House
1863
Stuart's Ride to Gettysburg — Fairfax Court House
1863
Mosby's Raid at Annandale (February 1863)
1863
Skirmish near Chantilly (1863)
1863
Mosby Attack at Dranesville
1863
Fairfax Court House Raid (Stoughton Capture)
1863

Historic places in Fairfax

National Register of Historic Places listings in Fairfax, Virginia.

Mount Vernon
Alexandria
Sully
Chantilly
Fairfax County Courthouse
Fairfax (Independent City)
Bowman, A. Smith, Distillery
Reston
Salona
McLean
Tauxemont Historic District
Alexandria
Langley Fork Historic District
Langley
Silverbook Methodist Church
Lorton
Huntley
Alexandria
Ratcliffe-Logan-Allison House
Fairfax (Independent City)
Pope-Leighey House
Accotink
Dranesville Tavern
Dranesville
Potomac Canal Historic District
Great Falls
Sydenstricker School
Springfield
Taft Archeological Site #029-5411
Lorton
Fairfax Public School
Fairfax (Independent City)
Colvin Run Mill
Great Falls
Belvoir Mansion Ruins and the Fairfax Grave
Fort Belvoir
Clifton Historic District
Clifton
Woodlawn Quaker Meetinghouse
Fort Belvoir
City of Fairfax Historic District (Additional Documentation)
Fairfax (Independent City)
Herndon Historic District
Herndon
Freeman Store
Vienna
Herndon Depot
Herndon
Browse all Virginiahistoric sites ›

Other counties in Virginia

Explore census history and historic records for more Virginia counties.

CumberlandDanvilleDanville cityDickensonDinwiddieElizabeth CityEmporiaEmporia cityEssexFairfax cityFalls ChurchFalls Church cityFauquierFloydFluvannaFranklinFranklin cityFrederickFredericksburgFredericksburg city
Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Fairfax County, Virginia

This page charts the census history of Fairfax County, Virginia. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Fairfax

When does Fairfax first appear in the US census?
Fairfax, Virginia first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 12,320.
What is the population of Fairfax?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Fairfax had a recorded population of 1,150,309.
Were any battles fought in Fairfax?
40 documented military engagements took place in Fairfax, including Doeg Raid on Thomas Mathew's Plantation 1675, Battle of Munson's Hill, Pohick Church Skirmish.
How many historic places are in Fairfax?
65 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Fairfax, Virginia.
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