Tax per $100: Alexandria $1.135, Arlington $1.053, Fairfax County $1.12 base, Falls Church $1.18. Schools, home values and services compared.
Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Tax rates come from each government’s own pages: City of Alexandria, Arlington County, Fairfax County and the City of Falls Church. School results come from each high school’s Virginia School Quality Profile; home values from the Zillow Home Value Index (Zillow Research); population, income, home value and commute from the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates (QuickFacts: Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Falls Church).
Alexandria’s neighbors are two counties and one small city, and which one a home sits in decides the tax bill, the schools and who picks up the trash. Alexandria and Falls Church are independent cities, outside any county. Arlington County lies across Four Mile Run to the north. Fairfax County wraps around the west and south, and its communities nearest the city, such as Huntington, Rose Hill and Lincolnia, use Alexandria mailing addresses.
What this means for you
- Tax rate per $100 of assessed value: Alexandria $1.135, Arlington $1.053, Fairfax County $1.12 base ($1.1535 for most homes with levies), Falls Church $1.18
- Schools: Alexandria City Public Schools, Arlington Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools or Falls Church City Public Schools
- Typical home value, September 2026 (Zillow): Alexandria $673,546, Arlington $802,232, Fairfax County $756,212, Falls Church $1,160,523
- Check an address first: an “Alexandria” mailing address can be in Fairfax County
Real estate tax rates
| Place | Rate per $100 | What it covers | Due | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria (city) | $1.135 | 2026, city only; refuse and stormwater fees billed separately | June 15 and Nov. 15 | City of Alexandria |
| Arlington County | $1.053 | 2026 base rate, adopted April 22, 2026 | June 15 and Oct. 5 | Arlington County |
| Fairfax County | $1.12 | 2026 base rate; most homes pay $1.1535 with the $0.0325 stormwater and $0.001 pest levies | July 28 and Dec. 5 | Fairfax County |
| Falls Church (city) | $1.18 | fiscal 2027, from July 1, 2026, down from $1.185 | Dec. 7, 2026, and June 7, 2027 | City of Falls Church, due dates |
Because Alexandria and Falls Church are independent cities, their homeowners pay no county real estate tax. At these rates, a home assessed at $700,000 would owe about $7,945 a year in Alexandria, $7,371 in Arlington, $7,840 in Fairfax County at the base rate ($8,075 with the two levies) and $8,260 in Falls Church. Each government adds its own fees: Alexandria bills a $500 refuse fee and a stormwater fee on most houses, and Falls Church added a solid waste fee of $236 or $336 a year, depending on cart size, to its curbside customers’ bills.
None of the four publishes a general homestead exemption. Each runs relief programs for older and disabled owners: Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County and Falls Church. Our Alexandria property tax guide has the city’s dates, appeals and relief rules.
Chart: tax rates
High schools
The ratings are each school’s accreditation status and its performance level and score in the state’s latest School Performance and Support Framework ratings, all read on the Virginia School Quality Profiles on Oct. 19, 2026. Every school listed is Fully Accredited. Fairfax County runs more than 25 high schools; the four listed here have Alexandria mailing addresses.
| School | Division | Performance level | Framework score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria City High | Alexandria City | Approaching Expectations | 81.16 |
| Wakefield High | Arlington County | Approaching Expectations | 88.9 |
| Washington-Liberty High | Arlington County | Meets Expectations | 92.26 |
| Yorktown High | Arlington County | Distinguished | 100.33 |
| Edison High, 5801 Franconia Road | Fairfax County | Approaching Expectations | 87.78 |
| Hayfield Secondary, 7630 Telegraph Road | Fairfax County | Meets Expectations | 92.1 |
| Mount Vernon High, 8515 Old Mount Vernon Road | Fairfax County | Meets Expectations | 85.04 |
| West Potomac High, 6500 Quander Road | Fairfax County | Approaching Expectations | 86.48 |
| Meridian High | Falls Church City | Distinguished | 100.13 |
Every Alexandria address is zoned for Alexandria City High, and every Falls Church address for Meridian High. Which Arlington or Fairfax County high school serves a home depends on that division’s attendance zones; Alexandria’s elementary and middle zones are on each of our neighborhood pages.
Home values
| Place | September 2026 | September 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | $673,546 | $660,906 | up 1.9% |
| Arlington County | $802,232 | $792,084 | up 1.3% |
| Fairfax County | $756,212 | $747,562 | up 1.2% |
| Falls Church | $1,160,523 | $1,100,374 | up 5.5% |
The figures are Zillow’s Home Value Index county-level series, which for Alexandria and Falls Church covers exactly the independent city. It is a modeled typical value for mid-priced homes, not a sale price. Zillow’s city-level series for Alexandria, used in our home prices guide, was $662,843 for the same month.
Chart: home values
People, income and commute
From the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates, the same vintage for all four:
| Place | Population | Median household income | Median home value | Mean travel time to work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | 156,976 | $119,681 | $735,100 | 28.4 minutes |
| Arlington County | 236,254 | $142,114 | $895,000 | 26.2 minutes |
| Fairfax County | 1,147,837 | $153,637 | $732,800 | 28.9 minutes |
| Falls Church | 14,710 | $143,262 | $1,055,600 | 28.7 minutes |
The Census median home value is what owners estimate their homes are worth, so it differs from Zillow’s index. The Fairfax County figures cover the whole county, including the Alexandria-address communities south and west of the city.
Who provides services
| Service | Alexandria | Arlington County | Fairfax County | Falls Church |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police | Alexandria Police Department | Arlington County Police Department | Fairfax County Police Department | Falls Church Police |
| Trash | City curbside collection, $500 a year on the tax bill (our guide) | County curbside collection | About 90% of residents use a private hauler; county collection in some districts | City curbside service, run by contractor American Disposal Systems |
| Schools | Alexandria City Public Schools | Arlington Public Schools | Fairfax County Public Schools | Falls Church City Public Schools |
How to check an address
- Which government is it in? Search the parcel on Alexandria’s real estate search, Arlington’s property search, Fairfax County’s iCARE assessment search or Falls Church’s real property database. The one that lists it is the one that taxes it.
- Which school? For an Alexandria address, use the ACPS Attendance Zone Locator; for Fairfax County, the FCPS boundary locator; for Arlington, the APS maps and boundaries page.
- What will the tax be? Multiply the assessed value on the parcel record by the rate above and divide by 100, then add any fees.
All 12 Alexandria areas we cover are on our Alexandria neighborhoods guide.
Frequently asked questions
Are property taxes lower in Arlington than in Alexandria?
The rate is. Arlington County’s 2026 base real estate rate is $1.053 per $100 of assessed value, against Alexandria’s $1.135. Fairfax County’s base rate is $1.12, and most Fairfax homes pay $1.1535 with the stormwater and pest levies. Falls Church’s rate for fiscal 2027 is $1.18. The bill also depends on each home’s assessment.
Is an Alexandria mailing address always in the City of Alexandria?
No. Many homes with Alexandria addresses, in ZIP codes such as 22303, 22306, 22310 and 22315, are in Fairfax County. They pay Fairfax County taxes and attend Fairfax County Public Schools, whose high schools with Alexandria addresses include Edison, Hayfield, Mount Vernon and West Potomac.
What is the typical home value in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County and Falls Church?
Zillow’s Home Value Index for September 2026: Alexandria $673,546, Arlington County $802,232, Fairfax County $756,212 and Falls Church $1,160,523, using Zillow’s county-level series for each. These are modeled values, not sale prices.
Is Alexandria part of Fairfax County?
No. Alexandria and Falls Church are independent cities, outside any county, with their own governments, taxes and school divisions. Arlington and Fairfax are counties.
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