The Town FilesDale City, Virginia
Community in Prince William County · population 72,088 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $425,500
- Household income
- $111,994
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 35.2
Dale City is a community of 72,088 people in Prince William County, Virginia. The median home is worth $425,500, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks more walkable than 87% of Virginia towns, more vibrant than 81% of Virginia towns, more of a college town than 80% of Virginia towns.
How Dale City ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Dale City is worth $425,500, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $111,994, which is more affordable than 51% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $1,876 a month. 79.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dale City | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $425,500 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $1,876 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $111,994 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 79.3% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Dale City
| People | Dale City | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.2 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.4% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 26.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.5% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.0% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 9.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 32.7% | — |
| Work from home | 14.2% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 37.4 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.2% | 91.8% |
Weather in Dale City
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 28.3°F. About 41.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.7 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 76 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dale City since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 17, 2004 about 5.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 13, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 23, 1999.
Severe weather in Prince William County since 1996
Prince William County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
| September 11, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3403: Hurricane Florence |
| March 7, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4262: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Prince William County
Prince William County had 143,345 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,447 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Dale City itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Towns near Dale City
- Montclair, VA2.5 mi · 22,279 people · home $577,800
- Potomac Mills, VA2.6 mi · 6,332 people · home $582,700
- County Center, VA3.0 mi · 3,787 people · home $588,900
- Lake Ridge, VA3.4 mi · 46,162 people · home $471,200
- Independent Hill, VA4.3 mi · 10,165 people · home $674,300
- Leesylvania, VA4.5 mi · 21,193 people · home $531,500
- Woodbridge, VA4.9 mi · 44,668 people · home $422,400
- Dumfries, VA5.8 mi · 5,679 people · home $331,800
Dale City questions
Is Dale City, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dale City scores better for retirees than 3% of Virginia towns and quieter than 10%. 11.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.2).
How much does a house cost in Dale City?
The median owner-occupied home in Dale City is valued at $425,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $111,994, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,876 a month.
What is the weather like in Dale City?
July highs average 88.0°F and January lows 28.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.0 inches of precipitation a year and 14.7 inches of snow.
Does Dale City get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dale City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 17, 2004. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)