Great Falls: Demographics & People

Great Falls is home to 15,228 people, in 4,970 households. Population grew 2.5% from 14,854 (2022) to 15,228 (2024). Median age 45.7 years. (7.1y older than Fairfax County; 7.9y older than Virginia). Children under 18 are 26% of the population. Population is 64% White (non-Hispanic) and 24% Asian. The community is moderately diverse (Simpson index 0.45). 88% of households are family-led. County is losing 28,691 residents per year (2022-2023). County health: 27% adult obesity, 8% smoke.

Population & Trend

Population grew 2.5% from 14,854 (2022) to 15,228 (2024) — about 4.2× the recent U.S. annual rate of ~0.6%/yr. Estimated 2026 population: ~15,614 (extrapolated at 1.3%/yr trend). Census Bureau Vintage estimate: 16,138.

Census data vintage2024
Population1,150,309 people
Annual growth rate · Population change2.5%
Annual growth rate · Population (2022)14,854
Annual growth rate · Population (2024)15,228
Annual growth rate · Population growingYes
Annual growth rate · Trend categorygrowing
Population15,228 people (vs Virginia 42,214) population: 4 observations from 2026-04-17 to 2026-04-28
Population Estimate16,138

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023, Table B01003  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Age Distribution

Median age 45.7y is 6.8 years older than the U.S. median (38.9y). Children under 18 make up 26% — above the U.S. share of ~22%.

Age Summary · Median age45.7 years (vs Virginia 37.8y)
Age Summary · Children Pct26.3%
Age Summary · Characterestablished
Age Summary · Total Pop15,228
Age Summary · Under 184,009
Age Summary · 18 To 341,725.0×
Age Summary · 35 To 646,731.0×
Age Summary · 65 Plus2,763
Population under 184,009
Median age45.7 years (vs Virginia 37.8y)

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2024 — place-level B01001 query · Census ACS 5-Year 2023  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-29

Race, Ethnicity & Diversity

Of 15,228 residents, race / ethnicity breaks down by Census ACS counts (a person can identify with one or more groups). The Simpson diversity index is 0.45 (0 = single group, 1 = perfectly even distribution); this is read as moderately diverse.

White residents9,752
Black residents135
Asian residents3,582
Hispanic or Latino residents544
Diversity Index · Diversity index (Simpson)44.9%
Diversity Index · Diversity labelmoderately diverse
Diversity Index · Groups counted4
Diversity Index · Largest group share69.6%
Asian population23.7% (vs Virginia 5.6%)
Black population1.6% (vs Virginia 18.2%)
Hispanic or Latino population3.6% (vs Virginia 10.1%)
White (non-Hispanic) population63.8% (vs Virginia 53.8%)

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Ancestry

Self-reported ancestry from Census ACS — what residents report as their ethnic origin, separate from race. Counts can exceed population because people can list multiple ancestries.

Top (8)

(unnamed)
Asian
(unnamed)
English
(unnamed)
German
(unnamed)
Irish
(unnamed)
Italian
(unnamed)
American
(unnamed)
Hispanic Total
(unnamed)
Polish

Citizenship & Origin

Where residents were born and their citizenship status (Census ACS). 1.7% are foreign-born — below the U.S. average of 13.9%. 23% have naturalized to U.S. citizenship.

Residents born in this state3,972
Residents born in another state7,503
Share born in this state26.1%
Share born in another state73.9%
Native-born U.S. citizens49.3%
Foreign-born residents1.7%
Naturalized citizens23.0%
Total foreign-born residents3,660
From Europe419
From Asia8
From Africa2,798
From Latin America58
Census Foreign Born · South America30

Households & Family Composition

4,970 households. Averaging 3.0 people each — larger than the U.S. average of 2.5. 88% are family households — above the U.S. share of ~65%. Of 4,468 families, 35% are married couples with children.

Children under 183,710
Total families4,468
Married couples with children1,582
Single-parent households34
Average household size2.99
Women who gave birth (past year)3.7%
Grandparents living with grandchildren58
Grandparents responsible for grandchildren48
Family households4,388 households (vs Virginia 9,367)
Households that are families88.3% (vs Virginia 65.0%)
Total households4,970 households (vs Virginia 14,324)

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Residential Stability & Migration

How long residents have lived here and where they came from. 10.0% moved within the county in the past year — the U.S. baseline is roughly 8–10%. The surrounding county is losing 28,691 residents per year on net (IRS migration data).

Moved within the county (past year)10.0%
Migration · People moving in (annual)1,133,831
Migration · People moving out (annual)1,162,522
Migration · Net migration (in − out)-28,691
Migration · Year2022-2023

Sources: IRS SOI Migration 2021-2022  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Disability

Census ACS measures self-reported functional limitations — vision, hearing, mobility, cognitive, self-care, or independent-living. The U.S. baseline disability rate is about 12–13%; rates trend higher with median age.

Residents with a disability555
Disability rate3.7%

Other

Congressional District · District10
Congressional District · Congress118th
Cdc Birth Rate · Fips51059
Cdc Birth Rate · State Fips51
Cdc Birth Rate · County Fips059
Cdc Birth Rate · CountyFairfax
Cdc Birth Rate · Birth Rate8.2%
Cdc Birth Rate · Lower Ci7.70
Cdc Birth Rate · Upper Ci8.70
Cdc Mortality · Fips51059
Cdc Mortality · CountyFairfax County
Cdc Mortality · Urban RuralLarge fringe metro
Cdc Mortality · Total Deaths 2020 202321,551
Cdc Vaccination · Fips51059
Cdc Vaccination · CountyFairfax County
Cdc Vaccination · Dose1 Pop Pct95.0%
Cdc Vaccination · Series Complete Pct81.6%
Cdc Vaccination · Booster Pct49.2%
Cdc Vaccination · Population 20191,147,532
Cdc Vaccination · Metro StatusMetro
Family Score · Score4.30
Family Score · Schools2
Family Score · Childcare Centers6
Family Score · Youth Sports Orgs1
Family Score · Children Pct26.3%
Family Score · Ratingfair
Town Summary · Key Factspopulation 15,228, growing, established, affluent, white collar
Town Summary · Population15,228 people (vs Virginia 42,214)
Town Summary · CountyFairfax County

Sources: NCES school congressional district assignment · federal dataset cascade