Commercial Real Estate Market in Fairfax, VA
Updated monthly: sale, lease, property records, location trend, and more… · Last update: August 31
247 active listings and 2,884 off-market properties in Fairfax, VA. Commercial property asks $191/SF to buy and $23.93/SF/Yr to lease.
Market Trends
Fairfax, VA spans 70.8 square miles in Fairfax County, Virginia. Figures below refresh monthly; last updated 31 August 2026.
Office
Office vacancy in Fairfax, VA runs 20.2% across the South region in 2025, up from 14.4% in 2019.
Vacancy Rate % in South region
Retail
Retail vacancy in Fairfax, VA runs 5.4% across the South region in 2025, down from 7% in 2020.
Vacancy Rate % in South region
Industrial
Industrial vacancy in Fairfax, VA runs 7.9% across the South region in 2025, up from 6% in 2019. Nearly 2.3x the 2022 low of 3.5%.
Vacancy Rate % in South region
Multifamily
Multifamily vacancy in Fairfax, VA runs 11.3% across the South region in 2025, up from 8.5% in 2022.
Vacancy Rate % in South region
Zoning & Land Use
Land Use Mix share of zoned land by category
- Residential 67.3%
- Commercial 15.2%
- Planned_development 10%
- Industrial 6.1%
- Civic 1.2%
- Mixed use 0.1%
Largest Zones share of zoned land by district
Residential Medium
Residential High
Commercial Retail
Residential Low
Planned Development Mixed Use
Fairfax, VA zones 3,485 acres across 16 districts. Commercial zoning covers 15.2% of zoned land, residential 67.3% and industrial 6.1%. The largest single district is Residential Medium at 26.1%. For commercial buyers the practical constraint is that only 21.3% of land carries a commercial or industrial designation.
Residential Medium (RM)
The RM, Residential Medium District is established to provide areas for single-family detached residences with a minimum lot area of 7,500 square feet.
Market overview
Demographics & Economy
Fairfax, VA has 225,976 residents in 81,287 households. Density runs 3,190 people per square mile. Median household income here is $150,899 and median gross rent $2,352 a month.
225,976
Population
81,287
Households
2.8
Avg Household Size
36
Median Age
67%
College-Educated
95%
High-School Grad
70.8 sq mi
ZIP Area
3,190
Density / Sq Mi
$150,899
Median Household Income
$71,980
Median Earnings
$2,352
Median Rent
$688,625
Median Home Value
Tools
Lease vs Buy Breakeven
At $23.93/SF/Yr lease vs $191/SF buy → buying wins if held > 0.9 years.
At a 12.5% gross asking yield the payback reads short relative to leasing. Assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% a year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost, 2% closing plus 5% selling costs, and a 3% annual rent escalator.
Nearby Markets
| Market | Average Sale Price, $/SF | Average Lease Price, $/SF/Yr |
|---|---|---|
| Arlington | — | $43.42 |
| Alexandria | — | $27.72 |
| Dhs | — | — |
| George Mason | — | — |
Commercial property in Fairfax, VA asks $191/SF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average price per square foot for commercial property in Fairfax?
Commercial property in Fairfax, VA asks an average of $191 per square foot. The 4 most recent recorded sales traded at a median of $247/SF.
How much does it cost to lease commercial space in Fairfax?
Asking lease rates in Fairfax, VA average $23.93 per square foot per year.
Is it cheaper to lease or buy commercial space in Fairfax?
Buying beats leasing in Fairfax, VA if the property is held longer than 0.9 years, comparing $23.93/SF/Yr asking rent with $191/SF asking price. The model assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% of value per year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost on the cash and a 3% annual rent escalator.
What zoning applies to commercial property in Fairfax?
Fairfax, VA zones 3,485 acres across 16 districts, of which 15.2% is commercial and 6.1% industrial. The largest single district is Residential Medium at 26.1% of zoned land. The RM, Residential Medium District is established to provide areas for single-family detached residences with a minimum lot area of 7,500 square feet. Residential zoning covers 67.3% and open space 0%.
Where does Realmo's Fairfax market data come from?
Realmo compiles Fairfax, VA figures from 7 recent recorded sales, 102 active sale listings, 145 active lease listings, 2,884 tracked off-market properties, the current Fairfax zoning release. Sale and lease figures refresh monthly; vacancy annually. Last updated 31 August 2026.
Methodology & data sources
- Asking prices and averages
- Computed from 102 active for-sale and 145 active for-lease listings in Fairfax, VA. These are ASKING figures from live listings, not closed-transaction prices, and a segment carried by a handful of listings reads as indicative rather than an average.
- Vacancy rates
- Published per-sector market series, taken at the metro level where one exists and otherwise at the Census-region level — a chart reading "in <region> region" is a regional number, not this city's.
- Zoning and land use
- The current municipal zoning release: 3,485 zoned acres across 16 districts. Shares are of zoned land, so parcels the release leaves unclassified are excluded from the mix.
- Refresh
- The monthly aggregates close at the end of the previous month, so 31 August 2026 — not today — is the honest last update.
- Known limitations
- office vacancy is reported at South region level, retail vacancy is reported at South region level and industrial vacancy is reported at South region level.
- Coverage
- Metrics below the 10-observation threshold fall back one geographic level. The geography used is named on each figure.
Compiled by the Realmo Data team · reviewed 31 August 2026 · report a data issue
