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City · 20,698 residents · Fairfax County, Virginia

Merrifield , Virginia

In Merrifield, a typical home is worth $660,800 and typical rent is $2,368 a month. Compared with all of Fairfax County, typical household income is 11% lower, the typical home value is 10% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 30 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $660,800

    10% below the county

    72% above Virginia

    • Merrifield
    • Fairfax
    • Virginia

  • Typical rent

    $2,368a month

    4% above the county

    50% above Virginia

    • Merrifield
    • Fairfax
    • Virginia

  • Typical household income

    $136,373a year

    11% below the county

    46% above Virginia

    • Merrifield
    • Fairfax
    • Virginia

  • Households that own their home

    39%

    30 points below the county

    28 points below Virginia

    • Merrifield
    • Fairfax
    • Virginia

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

Merrifield is in Fairfax 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 Fairfax County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Merrifield apart

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

  1. 39% of households in Merrifield own their home, against 69% in Fairfax County.

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

The homes here

Housing in Merrifield

What homes there are in Merrifield, 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

In Merrifield, the apartment is the most common kind of home: 62%, against 29% in Fairfax County.

Year built

The typical home in Merrifield was built in 2001, 18 years after the typical one in Fairfax County.

In Merrifield, 37% of homes have 1 bedroom or none (studios); 36% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 67% in Fairfax County.

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

$2,920 a month

Fairfax County: $3,227 a month

Without a mortgage

$971 a month

Fairfax County: $1,082 a month

Owners with a mortgage

79%

Fairfax County: 72%

In Merrifield, 79% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $2,920 a month, against $3,227 in Fairfax County. Without one it drops to $971.

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

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Merrifield rose 34%; in Fairfax County, it rose 30%.

The typical rent in Merrifield rose 17% over the same time; in Fairfax County, it rose 21%.

While home values in Merrifield changed +34% and rent +17%, the typical household income rose 19%.

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

MeasureMerrifieldFairfax CountyVirginiaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.4%4.8%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.4%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room 6.4%3.2%2.1%3.4%
People per household 2.192.752.522.53
Drive alone 45%55%68%69%
Carpool 7%8%8%9%
Public transit 8%5%2%3%
Walk or bike 4%2%2%3%
Work from home 35%29%18%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Merrifield, 6.4% of households live with more than one person per room, against 3.2% in Fairfax County.

On average, a household in Merrifield has 2.19 people, fewer than in Fairfax County (2.75).

In Merrifield, 35% of workers work from home, more than in Fairfax County (29%).

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 Merrifield?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Merrifield, worth $660,800, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 49% of the typical household income in Merrifield, which is $136,373 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $236,772 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Merrifield. 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 $23,128 (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

$5,525

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$648,831
Total interest
$933,516
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $11,159 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $3,182 a month

  • Tight

    $3,182 to $4,091 a month

  • Hard

    more than $4,091 a month

    Your payment · 49%

Compared with the typical household income in Merrifield ($136,373 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$5,525
Principal & interest$4,395
Property tax$562
Home insurance$275
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$292

You need at least $23,128 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

Merrifield and Fairfax County

Merrifield is in Fairfax 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).

Merrifield's own numbers

Typical home value
$660,800
Typical monthly rent
$2,368
Typical yearly household income
$136,373
Households that own their home
39%
Effective property tax rate
1.02%

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

Numbers for all of Fairfax 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)
+35%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1%

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 Fairfax County.

Everything about Fairfax County

Buying

Buying a home in Merrifield

A typical home in Merrifield is worth $660,800: 10% below the county and 72% above Virginia. With the typical household income in Merrifield ($136,373 a year), a typical home costs 4.8 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.

  • Merrifield 4.8 years
  • Fairfax 4.8 years
  • Virginia 4.1 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Fairfax County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Fairfax County rose 55% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Virginia U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.1% +3.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +35% +49% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +55% +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

Merrifield next to Fairfax 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
  • Merrifield $660,800
  • Fairfax $732,800
  • Virginia $383,700
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Merrifield $2,368
  • Fairfax $2,276
  • Virginia $1,579
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Merrifield $136,373
  • Fairfax $153,637
  • Virginia $93,170
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Merrifield next to Fairfax County and Virginia
Measure Merrifield Fairfax County Virginia U.S.
Typical home value $660,800 $732,800 $383,700 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $2,368 $2,276 $1,579 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $136,373 $153,637 $93,170 $80,734
Households that own their home 39% 69% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $6,725 $7,368 $2,790 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.02% 1.01% 0.73% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 41% 46% 49% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Fairfax 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 Merrifield

For a typical $660,800 home in Merrifield, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Merrifield's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $5,525a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $23,128
    Cash to close
    $42,952
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $292

  • Conventional, 5% down $5,404a month

    Down payment
    $33,040
    Cash to close
    $52,864
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $314

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $4,418a month

    Down payment
    $132,160
    Cash to close
    $151,984
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $5,029a month

    Down payment
    $99,120
    Cash to close
    $118,944
    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 Merrifield and for Fairfax County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Merrifield

1.02%of the home’s value each year

$6,725 a year for the typical owner in Merrifield.

  • Merrifield 1.02%
  • Fairfax 1.01%
  • 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 Fairfax County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
1%
3,414
Of those, with NFIP insurance
22%
County Virginia U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1% 1.5% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 22% 100% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Merrifield

Typical rent in Merrifield is $2,368 a month: 4% above the county. In Merrifield, 41% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Fairfax 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 Fairfax 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 Merrifield

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

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $2,830 in 22180 to $2,970 in 22031.

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

  • 22031 $2,970$3,790
  • 22180 $2,830$3,610

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Merrifield 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?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Merrifield

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 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Fairfax County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A grandmother smiles, seated at home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Merrifield

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Merrifield or Fairfax County. The ones below are statewide in Virginia: they work in Merrifield 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 Merrifield

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

  • Korean Community Service Center of Greater Washington

    7700 Little River Tpke Ste 406, Annandale · 3 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 5 more
    (703) 354-6345

  • Cornerstones, Inc.

    11150 Sunset Hills Rd Ste 210, Reston · 7 miles away

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

  • Latino Economic Development Corporation - Branch

    2300 Wilson Blvd, Arlington · 8 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Workshops for new owners
    • and 2 more
    (703) 527-3854

Every agency in Fairfax County All counseling agencies in Virginia

Help in Spanish near Merrifield

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves 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 Merrifield

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

  • Fairfax County Redevelopment & Hsg Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (703) 653-7130

All housing agencies in Virginia Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Fairfax County

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

Everything about Fairfax County Housing in Virginia
See 47 more cities in Fairfax County, with prices and rents

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

Nearby cities

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

Neighboring counties

If Fairfax 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 Merrifield.

All guides
A man and two girls read a book together on the sofa.

Questions

Housing questions about Merrifield

Short answers with the numbers for Merrifield and all of Fairfax 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 Merrifield?

The typical home value in Merrifield is $660,800, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Fairfax County it is $732,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Merrifield?

Typical rent in Merrifield is $2,368 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Fairfax County is $2,438.

What is the FHA loan limit in Merrifield?

Merrifield uses the FHA limit for all of Fairfax 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 Merrifield?

The typical homeowner in Merrifield pays $6,725 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.02% of the home’s value; in Fairfax County, the rate is 1.01%.

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

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Fairfax County. 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).