The City of Fairfax, Virginia, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The six-square-mile jurisdiction in the heart of Northern Virginia was founded in 1805 as the Town of Providence. Known for its courthouse, it was for a time known as Fairfax Courthouse, then as the Town of Fairfax. The City of Fairfax was established as the independent city in 1961. The city celebrates its past and embraces the future, and encourages it residents, business leaders and visitors to find out more about this fascinating city. 

Nestled in the suburban expanse of the Washington DC metro region, the City of Fairfax, with its hallmark landscaped and leafy street medians, is an oasis, unique and brimming with vitality that recently has been recognized by Forbes as one of the top places to live in the nation.

Click on the image to read the current annual report.

It was, and still is, at the crossroads of Northern Virginia. It's just 20 minutes from Washington, DC, with an attractive blend of commercial, office, retail, and residential properties. It combines the charm of a small town with the opportunities of a thriving urban area.

Our residents aren’t surprised with the city’s many top rankings on “quality-of-life” lists.  It simply comes with the territory for this small city of 24,000 known for its superior “small town” community feel situated in a world-class metropolitan region.

Whether being recognized for receiving the nationally prestigious gold medal for our parks and recreation programs, achieving the coveted AAA bond rating for our financial strengths, or placing twelfth among all jurisdictions nationally for the percentage of city occupations in the “creative class,” the city has a reputation for achievement, as well as a place of enjoyment and fun for its residents and visitors.

Our city is widely known for outstanding cultural amenities.  Every year the city sponsors world-class events such as Fall for the Book, Spotlight on the Arts, and a fun weekend-long Chocolate Lovers Festival. This is in addition to three annual flagship events: the day-long Independence Day celebration, recognized as the best parade and most colorful fireworks in the area; the Fall Festival, where Old Town Fairfax opens its streets to hundreds of renown craft merchants and thousands of visitors; and the Holiday Craft Show, which fills Fairfax High School with amazing handcrafted wares that bring shoppers from surrounding states.

Perhaps the most important area of all, the city is rightfully proud of its support for the educational opportunities afforded its children. Fairfax High School has received US News and World Report’s Gold Award, its highest recognition, for placing in the top 250 out of more than 22,000 schools nationally. Broad-based community support for schools is evidenced by a recent passage of a General Obligation bond referendum by more than 80 percent of those at the polls. Acclaimed George Mason University sits on the city’s southern border and enjoys an excellent town-gown relationship with the city. The university provides the community with world-class thinkers, musical and cultural events, nationally recognized sports teams and Olympic athletes.

The City of Fairfax: a sense of place, a sense of history, a sense of belonging. Check out everything the City of Fairfax has to offer!