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City · 18,196 residents · Prince William County, Virginia

Gainesville , Virginia

In Gainesville, a typical home is worth $712,600 and typical rent is $2,283 a month. Compared with all of Prince William County, the typical home value is 34% higher, typical household income is 33% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 9 points higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $712,600

    34% above the county

    86% above Virginia

    • Gainesville
    • Prince William
    • Virginia

  • Typical rent

    $2,283a month

    10% above the county

    45% above Virginia

    • Gainesville
    • Prince William
    • Virginia

  • Typical household income

    $174,410a year

    33% above the county

    87% above Virginia

    • Gainesville
    • Prince William
    • Virginia

  • Households that own their home

    84%

    9 points above the county

    16 points above Virginia

    • Gainesville
    • Prince William
    • Virginia

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$751,016
1.8% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$3,021 a month
3.9% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Gainesville is in Prince William County. The FHA loan limit ($1,249,125 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Prince William County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Gainesville apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Bull Run, the typical home value is $413,500: 42% less than in Gainesville ($712,600).

  2. The typical home in Gainesville is worth $712,600, 34% more than in Prince William County as a whole ($530,100).

  3. The typical household income in Gainesville is $174,410, 33% more than in Prince William County as a whole ($131,402).

  4. 84% of households in Gainesville own their home, against 74% in Prince William County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Gainesville

What homes there are in Gainesville, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

As in Prince William County, most homes in Gainesville are detached houses (56%).

Year built

The typical home in Gainesville was built in 2007, 12 years after the typical one in Prince William County.

Homes in Gainesville are bigger: 89% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Prince William County, 79%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$3,153 a month

Prince William County: $2,714 a month

Without a mortgage

$965 a month

Prince William County: $826 a month

Owners with a mortgage

84%

Prince William County: 79%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Gainesville is $3,153 a month, more than in Prince William County ($2,714); without one, $965.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Gainesville rose 45% since 2015–2019, more than in Prince William County (39%).

The typical rent in Gainesville stayed about the same over that time: the difference is within the Census margin of error.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureGainesvillePrince William CountyVirginiaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate3.9%4.8%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.4%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate3.6%2.1%3.4%
People per household 3.053.092.522.53
Drive alone 64%66%68%69%
Carpool 8%10%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate3%2%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate1%2%3%
Work from home 25%19%18%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%1%2%
Typical commute 30 to 39 minutes30 to 39 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

A household in Gainesville has 3.05 people on average, about the same as in Prince William County (3.09).

In Gainesville, 25% of workers work from home, more than in Prince William County (19%).

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Gainesville?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Gainesville, worth $712,600, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 41% of the typical household income in Gainesville, which is $174,410 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $252,533 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Prince William County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Gainesville. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $24,941 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$5,892

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$699,693
Total interest
$1,006,694
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $12,034 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $4,070 a month

  • Tight

    $4,070 to $5,232 a month

  • Hard

    more than $5,232 a month

    Your payment · 41%

Compared with the typical household income in Gainesville ($174,410 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$5,892
Principal & interest$4,740
Property tax$540
Home insurance$297
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$315

You need at least $24,941 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Gainesville and Prince William County

Gainesville is in Prince William County, Virginia. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Gainesville's own numbers

Typical home value
$712,600
Typical monthly rent
$2,283
Typical yearly household income
$174,410
Households that own their home
84%
Effective property tax rate
0.91%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Prince William County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$1,249,125
Conventional limit, one unit
$1,249,125
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,438
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+47%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
0.6%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Prince William County.

Everything about Prince William County

Buying

Buying a home in Gainesville

A typical home in Gainesville is worth $712,600: 34% above the county and 86% above Virginia. With the typical household income in Gainesville ($174,410 a year), a typical home costs 4.1 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Gainesville 4.1 years
  • Prince William 4.0 years
  • Virginia 4.1 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Prince William County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Prince William County rose 77% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Prince William County.

Period County Virginia U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.9% +3.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +47% +49% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +77% +75% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Gainesville next to Prince William County, Virginia and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Gainesville $712,600
  • Prince William $530,100
  • Virginia $383,700
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Gainesville $2,283
  • Prince William $2,067
  • Virginia $1,579
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Gainesville $174,410
  • Prince William $131,402
  • Virginia $93,170
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Gainesville next to Prince William County and Virginia
Measure Gainesville Prince William County Virginia U.S.
Typical home value $712,600 $530,100 $383,700 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $2,283 $2,067 $1,579 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $174,410 $131,402 $93,170 $80,734
Households that own their home 84% 74% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $6,520 $4,999 $2,790 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.91% 0.94% 0.73% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 54% 51% 49% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Prince William County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Gainesville

For a typical $712,600 home in Gainesville, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Gainesville's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $5,892a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $24,941
    Cash to close
    $46,319
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $315

  • Conventional, 5% down $5,762a month

    Down payment
    $35,630
    Cash to close
    $57,008
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $338

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $4,699a month

    Down payment
    $142,520
    Cash to close
    $163,898
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $5,358a month

    Down payment
    $106,890
    Cash to close
    $128,268
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Gainesville and for Prince William County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Gainesville

0.91%of the home’s value each year

$6,520 a year for the typical owner in Gainesville.

  • Gainesville 0.91%
  • Prince William 0.94%
  • Virginia 0.73%

What Virginia publishes Local exemption or deferral for people 65 and older or with disabilities (Virginia General Assembly (Code of Virginia))

Exemptions and deadlines in Virginia

Flood risk in Prince William County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Prince William County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
0.6%
414
Of those, with NFIP insurance
46%
County Virginia U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 0.6% 1.5% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 46% 100% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Gainesville

Typical rent in Gainesville is $2,283 a month: 10% above the county. In Gainesville, 54% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Prince William County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,438 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $46.88 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Prince William County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $2,111 $40.60 $84,440
1 bedroom $2,204 $42.38 $88,160
2 bedrooms $2,438 $46.88 $97,520
3 bedrooms $3,107 $59.75 $124,280
4 bedrooms $3,658 $70.35 $146,320

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Gainesville

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Gainesville has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $3,250 in 20155 to $3,310 in 20169.

2 of the 2 are above the fair market rent for Prince William County ($2,438).

  • 20155 $3,250$4,140
  • 20169 $3,310$4,220

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Gainesville when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Gainesville

HUD lists one building with rents for lower incomes in Gainesville.

  • Somerset Pointe 14701 Deming Dr, Gainesville 20155 276 low-income homes · 1 bd: 90 · 2 bd: 138 · 3 bd: 48 · In service since 2002 · For families

See all 38 buildings in Prince William County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Gainesville

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 4 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Prince William County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

A grandmother smiles, seated at home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Gainesville

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Gainesville or Prince William County. The ones below are statewide in Virginia: they work in Gainesville the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Virginia

  • Down Payment Assistance Grant

    Statewide in Virginia

    Virginia state agency down payment grant that you do not repay; for first-time buyers, or any buyer in economic opportunity zones, with a Virginia Housing mortgage. Offered by Virginia Housing (Virginia Housing Development Authority).

    Grant

    See the program Official page

  • Virginia Housing Plus Second Mortgage

    Statewide in Virginia

    Virginia Housing 30-year fixed-rate second mortgage of up to 5% of the price for the down payment (and part of the closing costs with a credit score of 680 or higher); for first-time buyers and for people who have owned a home before. Offered by Virginia Housing (Virginia Housing Development Authority).

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

  • Closing Cost Assistance Grant

    Statewide in Virginia

    Virginia Housing grant that you do not repay, of up to 2% of the price, for the closing costs of buyers with a Virginia Housing RD (Rural Development) or VA loan. Offered by Virginia Housing (Virginia Housing Development Authority).

    Grant

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Gainesville

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Gainesville, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Prince William County Virginia Cooperative Extension

    8033 Ashton Ave Ste 105, Manassas · 7 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (703) 792-6287

  • Centro de Apoyo Familiar (CAF)-Va

    13923 Minnieville Rd, Woodbridge · 20 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Workshops for new owners
    • and 4 more
    (703) 372-5440

  • Cornerstones, Inc.

    11150 Sunset Hills Rd Ste 210, Reston · 20 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (571) 323-9555

Every agency in Prince William County All counseling agencies in Virginia

Help in Spanish near Gainesville

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Gainesville

HUD’s record names them for Gainesville or Prince William County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Prince William County Office of HCD Section 8 vouchers (703) 792-7530

All housing agencies in Virginia Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Prince William County

These cities are also in Prince William County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Prince William County Housing in Virginia
See 4 more cities in Prince William County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Gainesville, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Prince William County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Gainesville.

All guides
Three generations of a family gather on the porch of their home.

Questions

Housing questions about Gainesville

Short answers with the numbers for Gainesville and all of Prince William County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Gainesville?

The typical home value in Gainesville is $712,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Prince William County it is $530,100.

How much does it cost to rent in Gainesville?

Typical rent in Gainesville is $2,283 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Prince William County is $2,438.

What is the FHA loan limit in Gainesville?

Gainesville uses the FHA limit for all of Prince William County (2026): $1,249,125 for a one-unit home and $2,402,625 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Gainesville?

The typical homeowner in Gainesville pays $6,520 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.91% of the home’s value; in Prince William County, the rate is 0.94%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Gainesville?

There are 4 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Prince William County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).