Population 71,331 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dale City
Household size in Dale City
| Period | Dale City | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.25 | 2.73 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.41 | 2.82 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.57 | 2.86 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.38 | 2.77 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | +0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Dale City is a place of big households: 3.38 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has climbed from 3.25 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Only nine of the 243 Virginia cities with 5,000+ people have larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Dale City
| Period | Dale City | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.9 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.5 | 38.5 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.3 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Dale City is 36.3 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 32.5 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the center.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Dale City
| Period | Dale City | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 11.3% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.3% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.8% | 10.4% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.6 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Dale City as they are nationally: 11.8%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the Washington area overall (10.4%). The single-parent share has fallen 6.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Dale City
Renters in Dale City
| Period | Dale City | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.8% | 34.0% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.6% | 36.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.6% | 36.8% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.9% | 36.3% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Dale City is largely a place of homeowners: only 20.9% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 22.7% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged down 0.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Dale City
| Period | Dale City | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 8.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.2% | 7.3% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 6.6% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 5.9% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Dale City: just 3.9% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.3 points, mirroring the country. Dale City has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Virginia cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Dale City
| Period | Dale City | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1978 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1979 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Dale City are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1985, versus 1980 across the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Washington area. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Dale City
| Period | Dale City | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,519 | $1,470 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,674 | $1,583 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,827 | $1,907 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,108 | $2,236 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$590 | +$766 | +$600 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Dale City costs $2,108 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the Washington area as a whole ($2,236). Rents are up $590 a month from 2006–10, a 39% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 35.0% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Dale City
Bachelor's degrees in Dale City
| Period | Dale City | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.7% | 46.6% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.8% | 48.2% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.4% | 51.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.1% | 53.9% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Dale City (33.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Washington area as a whole (53.9%). The share with a degree has risen 5.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Dale City
| Period | Dale City | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.1% | 89.4% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.5% | 90.2% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.5% | 90.8% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 84.6% | 91.2% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | +1.7 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in seven adults in Dale City never finished high school, more than nationally: 84.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has edged down 1.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Dale City has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Virginia cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Dale City
| Period | Dale City | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 5.9% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.0%, unemployment in Dale City is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 0.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Dale City compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dale City | 3.38 | 36.3 | 11.8% | 20.9% | 3.9% | 1985 | $2,108 | 33.1% | 84.6% | 5.0% |
| Potomac Mills | 3.41 | 36.5 | 8.6% | 25.1% | 6.7% | 1987 | $2,337 | 39.2% | 84.0% | 5.3% |
| Montclair | 3.15 | 40.3 | 10.5% | 14.8% | 3.8% | 1993 | $2,510 | 54.4% | 94.9% | 5.2% |
| Woodbridge | 2.96 | 35.9 | 13.5% | 43.1% | 5.5% | 1992 | $2,162 | 41.4% | 89.0% | 6.0% |
| Lake Ridge | 2.94 | 38.0 | 12.8% | 23.2% | 4.3% | 1988 | $2,327 | 50.4% | 92.2% | 3.7% |
| Neabsco | 3.06 | 36.1 | 14.3% | 23.5% | 3.3% | 2004 | $2,707 | 53.3% | 93.7% | 6.5% |
| Marumsco | 4.04 | 32.5 | 24.3% | 26.8% | 7.5% | 1970 | $2,168 | 16.6% | 72.7% | 5.4% |
| Occoquan | 2.35 | 38.4 | 15.5% | 35.4% | 2.2% | 1976 | $2,097 | 38.1% | 84.5% | 10.2% |
| Dumfries | 3.30 | 34.6 | 17.4% | 19.1% | 6.4% | 1990 | $1,809 | 35.0% | 84.4% | 4.4% |
| Cherry Hill | 3.44 | 35.1 | 15.7% | 28.6% | 3.6% | 2008 | $2,613 | 51.1% | 96.0% | 5.5% |
| Crosspointe | 3.29 | 42.7 | 3.5% | 0.0% | 6.3% | 1996 | $2,454 | 72.4% | 98.4% | 3.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Bayonne, NJ · Anderson, IN · Brick, NJ · Ankeny, IA · West Lafayette, IN · Tonawanda, NY · Council Bluffs, IA · Dublin, CA · Euless, TX · Maple Grove, MN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Dale City. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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