Prince William County, Virginia

Living in Gainesville, VA

Among Prince William County's 16 largest communities, Gainesville has the highest home values ($713K) and the second-newest housing (typical home built 2007). With about 18,100 residents, it's Prince William County's 10th-largest community. Below: prices, housing and getting around, and how Fred works here.

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Median home value: $713K; Census, 2020–2024
Median rent: $2,283; per month
Own their home: 84%; of households
Avg. commute: 34 min; one way

At a glance

Homes, prices & getting around.

The median home in Gainesville is valued at $713K, above the Prince William County median of $530K — the highest of the 16 Prince William County communities compared on this site. Median rent is $2,283 a month (county: $2,067).

Housing here is mostly houses — 56% detached and 33% townhouses — with 11% in condo and apartment buildings. Most homes are owner-occupied (84%, against 74% across Prince William County). The typical home was built in 2007, newer than the Prince William County median of 1995.

There is no Metro service nearby — the closest station, Washington Dulles International Airport, is about 15 miles away. About 25% of workers here work from home.

Homes by type of building

Detached houses 56%
Townhouses 33%
2–9 unit buildings 5%
10+ unit buildings 6%

Residents: 18,112; 2020 Census
Homes: 5,820; 2020 Census
Typical home built: 2007; median year
Avg. commute: 34 min; one way
Transit commuters: 1%; of workers
Work from home: 25%; of workers
Price-to-rent: 26; Prince William County: 21

Straight-line distance to major job centers

Dulles Airport: 15 mi
Tysons: 24 mi
Bethesda / NIH: 32 mi
Downtown D.C.: 34 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 Gainesville: common questions.

Is Gainesville a city? What county is it in?

No — Gainesville 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 “Gainesville” area can be larger than the Census boundary.

What is the median home value in Gainesville?

$713K, 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 Gainesville market report for recent sales.

Do more people rent or own in Gainesville?

84% of households own their home and 16% rent (ACS 2020–2024), compared with 74% owners across Prince William County. Fred can run the rent-versus-buy numbers for a specific Gainesville home.

How far is Gainesville from downtown D.C.?

Gainesville is about 34 miles from downtown D.C. in a straight line. The average one-way commute from here is 34 minutes.

Which schools serve Gainesville?

Public schools are assigned by home address. Gainesville 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 Gainesville?

A rough guide is the price-to-rent ratio — the median home value divided by a year of median rent. Here it's about 26 (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 Gainesville?

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 Gainesville?

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 Gainesville real estate agent.

Whether you're buying, selling, investing or relocating in Gainesville, 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 Gainesville, with a patient, jargon-free guide from pre-approval to closing day.

Selling

Pricing from recent Gainesville 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 Gainesville with nearby towns and runs remote tours before you arrive.

Nearby

Gainesville and its neighbors.

The closest places on this site, across county and state lines. Linton Hall is about 4.5 miles away, Bull Run is about 6.6 miles away, Sudley is about 7.7 miles away.

Community	Population	Median home value	Median rent	Own their home	Typical home	Avg. commute
Gainesville	18,112	$713K	$2,283	84%	Mostly houses	34 min
Linton Hall	41,754	$617K	$2,575	90%	Single-family	38 min
Bull Run	16,794	$414K	$2,002	33%	Condos & apartments	32 min
Sudley	19,008	$425K	$2,139	62%	Townhouses	35 min
Stone Ridge	15,039	$673K	$2,746	87%	Townhouses	32 min
Yorkshire	10,992	$451K	$1,777	50%	Mixed	34 min
South Riding	33,877	$746K	$2,905	83%	Mostly houses	33 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 Gainesville?

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

Request the Gainesville 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.