Population 40,659 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in McLean
Household size in McLean
| Period | McLean | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.73 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.84 | 2.82 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.91 | 2.86 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.90 | 2.77 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.17 | +0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The typical household in McLean holds 2.90 people, more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 2.73 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the north and smallest in the center.
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 McLean
| Period | McLean | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.9 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.6 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.8 | 38.5 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.6 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.8 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.6, McLean is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 45.9, a smaller shift than nationally. Residents skew youngest in the north and 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 McLean
| Period | McLean | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 11.3% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 10.4% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in McLean: 4.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.1 points, in line with the national trend. Of the 243 Virginia cities with 5,000+ people, only seven have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 McLean
Renters in McLean
| Period | McLean | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.1% | 34.0% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 36.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.3% | 36.8% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.9% | 36.3% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
McLean is largely a place of homeowners: only 15.9% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over a third of owners (34.6%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.8 points, as it has nationally.
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 McLean
| Period | McLean | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 8.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 7.3% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 6.6% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 5.9% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.3% of homes in McLean are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. The Washington area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy has fallen 3.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 McLean
| Period | McLean | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1978 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1979 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in McLean was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in the Washington area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1982. The median year built has moved up from 1972 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the south has the oldest housing.
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 McLean
| Period | McLean | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,781 | $1,470 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,936 | $1,583 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,807 | $1,907 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,036 | $2,236 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,256 | +$766 | +$600 | +$606 |
The median renter in McLean pays $3,036 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,256 a month from 2006–10, a 71% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the south and lowest in the west.
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 McLean
Bachelor's degrees in McLean
| Period | McLean | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.0% | 46.6% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 82.5% | 48.2% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 84.0% | 51.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 85.8% | 53.9% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in McLean: 85.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 5.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. No other Virginia city with 5,000+ people has a higher share of college graduates.
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 McLean
| Period | McLean | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.0% | 89.4% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.4% | 90.2% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.8% | 90.8% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.4% | 91.2% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +1.7 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in McLean: 97.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. McLean has a higher 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 McLean
| Period | McLean | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.7% | 5.9% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in McLean has been strong: just 2.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. McLean has lower unemployment than the great majority of Virginia cities. 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).
McLean 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLean | 2.90 | 46.6 | 4.0% | 15.9% | 5.3% | 1977 | $3,036 | 85.8% | 97.4% | 2.3% |
| Tysons Corner | 2.12 | 38.0 | 7.3% | 61.8% | 6.7% | 1995 | $2,606 | 81.6% | 98.3% | 4.5% |
| Cabin John | 2.50 | 53.3 | 0.5% | 4.9% | 8.7% | 1977 | $3,494 | 87.0% | 99.2% | 0.0% |
| Idylwood | 2.50 | 37.6 | 7.5% | 44.0% | 3.1% | 1974 | $2,210 | 64.9% | 89.9% | 3.0% |
| Glen Echo | 2.90 | 49.8 | 1.0% | 0.3% | 17.9% | 1957 | $2,963 | 80.5% | 98.8% | 0.4% |
| Dunn Loring | 2.77 | 41.1 | 4.2% | 30.5% | 1.5% | 1984 | $3,099 | 79.5% | 96.8% | 2.4% |
| Falls Church | 2.73 | 40.2 | 7.9% | 44.0% | 5.0% | 1975 | $2,350 | 61.8% | 86.1% | 4.5% |
| West Falls Church | 3.00 | 38.4 | 8.7% | 33.3% | 4.5% | 1966 | $2,333 | 51.9% | 86.1% | 4.4% |
| Vienna | 2.89 | 41.2 | 7.5% | 26.0% | 3.7% | 1975 | $2,935 | 74.7% | 95.3% | 4.0% |
| Bethesda | 2.64 | 43.5 | 5.2% | 32.1% | 7.4% | 1969 | $2,962 | 87.2% | 98.3% | 3.0% |
| Somerset | 2.08 | 59.4 | 1.7% | 20.3% | 6.4% | 1966 | $2,924 | 75.8% | 97.2% | 3.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Tupelo, MS · DePere, WI · Dunedin, FL · East Stroudsburg, PA · El Dorado Hills, CA · Elkton, MD · Teaneck, NJ · Thibodaux, LA · Trenton, MI · Beverly Hills, CA
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 McLean. 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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