Prince William County, Virginia

Living in Dale City, VA

Housing in Dale City is mostly single-family houses — 65% of homes are detached. With about 72,100 residents, it's Prince William County's largest community. Below: prices, housing and getting around, and how Fred works here.

Get the Dale City market report Plan a tour

Median home value: $426K; Census, 2020–2024
Median rent: $1,876; per month
Own their home: 79%; of households
Avg. commute: 37 min; one way

At a glance

Homes, prices & getting around.

The median home in Dale City is valued at $426K, below the Prince William County median of $530K — the 5th lowest of the 16 Prince William County communities compared on this site. Median rent is $1,876 a month (county: $2,067).

Housing here is mostly single-family houses — 65% of homes are detached. Most homes are owner-occupied (79%, against 74% across Prince William County). The typical home was built in 1983, older than the Prince William County median of 1995.

There is no Metro service nearby — the closest station, Franconia-Springfield, is about 12 miles away. VRE commuter trains stop at Woodbridge, about 5.3 miles away.

Homes by type of building

Detached houses 65%
Townhouses 23%
2–9 unit buildings 3%
10+ unit buildings 9%

Residents: 72,088; 2020 Census
Homes: 21,451; 2020 Census
Typical home built: 1983; median year
Avg. commute: 37 min; one way
Transit commuters: 2%; of workers
Work from home: 14%; of workers
Price-to-rent: 19; Prince William County: 21

Straight-line distance to major job centers

Tysons: 20 mi
Dulles Airport: 22 mi
Downtown D.C.: 24 mi
Bethesda / NIH: 28 mi

As the crow flies from the community's Census center point; drive times vary with traffic — Fred can map your real commute.

Questions

Living in Dale City: common questions.

Is Dale City a city? What county is it in?

No — Dale City is an unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) in Prince William County, Virginia. It has no city government of its own; Prince William County provides local services, and the mailing-address “Dale City” area can be larger than the Census boundary.

What is the median home value in Dale City?

$426K, based on owners' own estimates in the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey, compared with $530K across Prince William County. These figures trail today's prices — request a valuation or a current Dale City market report for recent sales.

Do more people rent or own in Dale City?

79% of households own their home and 21% rent (ACS 2020–2024), compared with 74% owners across Prince William County. Fred can run the rent-versus-buy numbers for a specific Dale City home.

How far is Dale City from downtown D.C.?

Dale City is about 24 miles from downtown D.C. in a straight line. The average one-way commute from here is 37 minutes.

Which schools serve Dale City?

Public schools are assigned by home address. Dale City is served by Prince William County Public Schools; check the district's boundary tools for any specific address.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Dale City?

A rough guide is the price-to-rent ratio — the median home value divided by a year of median rent. Here it's about 19 (Prince William County: 21); the higher it is, the more renting tends to win on monthly cost. It's only a starting point — taxes, rates and how long you'll stay matter more. Fred runs the real numbers for specific homes.

Are there first-time buyer programs for Dale City?

Yes: Virginia Housing — the state housing agency's first-time buyer loans and down-payment assistance. Eligibility and limits change, so confirm with a participating lender — Fred can introduce one.

Can Fred help me buy or sell in Dale City?

Yes. Fred Mohseni is a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. with The ONE Street Company at Samson Properties. Call (202) 704-5931 or send a note.

How Fred helps

Your Dale City real estate agent.

Whether you're buying, selling, investing or relocating in Dale City, you work directly with Fred — a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C., with an accountant's eye for the numbers.

Buying

Tours, offers and negotiation in Dale City, with a patient, jargon-free guide from pre-approval to closing day.

Selling

Pricing from recent Dale City sales, then preparation and marketing for the strongest possible offer.

Investing

Rent-versus-own math, cash-flow analysis and neighborhood selection from an accounting and finance background.

Relocating

New to the area? Fred compares Dale City with nearby towns and runs remote tours before you arrive.

Nearby

Dale City and its neighbors.

The closest places on this site, across county and state lines. Montclair is about 2.5 miles away, Potomac Mills is about 2.6 miles away, Lake Ridge is about 3.4 miles away.

Community	Population	Median home value	Median rent	Own their home	Typical home	Avg. commute
Dale City	72,088	$426K	$1,876	79%	Single-family	37 min
Montclair	22,279	$578K	$2,366	89%	Single-family	38 min
Potomac Mills	6,332	$583K	$1,956	76%	Mostly houses	30 min
Lake Ridge	46,162	$471K	$2,033	76%	Townhouses	36 min
Independent Hill	10,165	$674K	$2,295*	96%	Single-family	42 min
Leesylvania	21,193	$532K	$2,289	66%	Mixed	40 min
Woodbridge	44,668	$422K	$2,101	54%	Mixed	35 min

ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates. * = wide margin of error. “Typical home” is the most common kind of building. On smaller screens some columns are hidden; open on a laptop for population, home type and commute.

Next step

Thinking about Dale City?

Ask Fred for a current Dale City market report — recent sales, what's listed and what it means for your budget. Or call (202) 704-5931.

Request the Dale City market report Compare Prince William County

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; D.C. Office of Planning neighborhood clusters and regional rail stations (D.C. GIS). Home values are owners' own estimates averaged over 2020–2024, so they trail today's prices. This product uses Census Bureau data but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau. Data updated November 2026.