The Town FilesGainesville, Virginia
Community in Prince William County · population 18,112 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $712,600
- Household income
- $174,410
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 37.2
Gainesville is a community of 18,112 people in Prince William County, Virginia. The median home is worth $712,600, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks better for families than 90% of Virginia towns, more of a college town than 89% of Virginia towns, more upscale than 82% of Virginia towns.
How Gainesville 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 Gainesville is worth $712,600, above the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $174,410, which is more affordable than 37% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $2,283 a month. 83.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gainesville | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $712,600 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $2,283 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $174,410 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 83.5% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 2007 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Gainesville
| People | Gainesville | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.2 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.6% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.0% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.0% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 11.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 17.3% | — |
| Work from home | 25.4% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 34.5 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 99.3% | 91.8% |
Weather in Gainesville
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 25.2°F. About 43.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 19.8 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 102 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gainesville since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 17, 2004 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 11, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 59 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 2, 2000.
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 Gainesville itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Gainesville
7 public schools with 6,684 students, about 15.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville High | 9-12 | 2,435 | 17.1 |
| Gainesville Middle | 6-8 | 1,363 | 15.8 |
| Bull Run Middle | 6-8 | 1,093 | 15.2 |
| Buckland Mills Elementary | K-5 | 757 | 18.0 |
| Glenkirk Elementary | PK-5 | 568 | 16.2 |
| George G. Tyler Elementary | PK-5 | 468 | 17.3 |
| Pace West | Other | — | — |
Towns near Gainesville
- Linton Hall, VA4.5 mi · 41,754 people · home $617,000
- New Baltimore, VA5.4 mi · 11,251 people · home $698,000
- Bull Run, VA6.6 mi · 16,794 people · home $413,500
- Sudley, VA7.7 mi · 19,008 people · home $424,800
- Loch Lomond, VA8.7 mi · 4,050 people · home $442,300
- Bull Run, VA8.8 mi · 6,972 people · home $918,700
- Manassas, VA9.2 mi · 42,772 people · home $449,900
- Warrenton, VA9.8 mi · 10,057 people · home $478,300
Gainesville questions
Is Gainesville, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gainesville scores better for retirees than 22% of Virginia towns and quieter than 28%. 9.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.2).
How much does a house cost in Gainesville?
The median owner-occupied home in Gainesville is valued at $712,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $174,410, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $2,283 a month.
What is the weather like in Gainesville?
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 25.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.2 inches of precipitation a year and 19.8 inches of snow.
Does Gainesville get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gainesville 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)