Population 63,781 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Reston
Household size in Reston
| Period | Reston | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.28 | 2.73 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.82 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.86 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.31 | 2.77 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | +0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Reston are small: just 2.31 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.28, even as the national average fell.
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 Reston
| Period | Reston | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.9 | 37.0 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.3 | 37.6 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.2 | 38.5 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.5 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.6 | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Reston are younger than 40.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 39.9, a smaller shift than nationally. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the north.
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 Reston
| Period | Reston | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 11.3% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 10.4% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.4% of households in Reston, well below the national share of 11.6%. Compared with other Virginia cities, Reston has a lower share of single-parent households than most.
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 Reston
Renters in Reston
| Period | Reston | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.6% | 34.0% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.2% | 36.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.3% | 36.8% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.3% | 36.3% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
About four in ten households in Reston rent their homes (39.3%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. More than a quarter of owners (27.9%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southeast. The renter share is up 6.7 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Reston
| Period | Reston | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 8.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 7.3% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 6.6% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 5.9% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Reston: 6.2% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the Washington area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.3 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Reston
| Period | Reston | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1977 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1978 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1979 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1982 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Reston is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1987, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, 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 Reston
| Period | Reston | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,521 | $1,470 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,646 | $1,583 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,984 | $1,907 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,294 | $2,236 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$773 | +$766 | +$600 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Reston costs $2,294 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $773 a month from 2006–10, a 51% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 26.8% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the north; the most affordable are in the southwest.
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 Reston
Bachelor's degrees in Reston
| Period | Reston | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 63.7% | 46.6% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 65.7% | 48.2% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 68.8% | 51.0% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 72.1% | 53.9% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Reston is highly educated: about seven in ten adults 25 and older (72.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 8.3 points, mirroring the country. Of the 243 Virginia cities with 5,000+ people, only 18 have 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 Reston
| Period | Reston | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.3% | 89.4% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.7% | 90.2% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.3% | 90.8% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.9% | 91.2% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +1.7 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Reston: 95.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.6 points, as it has nationally.
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 Reston
| Period | Reston | Washington area | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 5.9% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.0% | 6.9% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.8% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Reston runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 0.9 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Reston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reston | 2.31 | 40.5 | 7.4% | 39.3% | 6.2% | 1987 | $2,294 | 72.1% | 95.9% | 4.5% |
| Herndon | 3.18 | 36.6 | 9.5% | 33.4% | 5.3% | 1988 | $2,526 | 60.1% | 87.7% | 3.6% |
| McNair | 2.47 | 32.4 | 7.4% | 74.6% | 4.3% | 2004 | $2,368 | 68.1% | 96.2% | 2.4% |
| Dranesville | 3.19 | 39.9 | 8.4% | 12.8% | 3.2% | 1985 | $2,960 | 68.4% | 95.7% | 3.8% |
| Franklin Farm | 3.02 | 44.2 | 3.6% | 6.3% | 3.9% | 1985 | $2,793 | 79.9% | 97.3% | 3.1% |
| Wolf Trap | 2.97 | 45.7 | 5.2% | 4.9% | 4.6% | 1980 | $3,113 | 84.6% | 98.3% | 2.1% |
| Great Falls | 3.08 | 45.9 | 3.6% | 5.0% | 3.4% | 1984 | $3,412 | 85.4% | 98.9% | 3.3% |
| Sterling | 2.90 | 35.8 | 9.9% | 25.1% | 4.9% | 1997 | $2,328 | 56.4% | 88.0% | 4.3% |
| Oakton | 2.83 | 43.9 | 4.7% | 16.2% | 3.7% | 1982 | $2,635 | 80.5% | 99.1% | 2.0% |
| Dulles Town Center | 2.54 | 35.0 | 16.4% | 70.0% | 5.3% | 2003 | $2,460 | 60.1% | 96.3% | 5.5% |
| Fair Oaks | 2.44 | 36.5 | 5.5% | 55.5% | 5.9% | 1998 | $2,405 | 69.1% | 94.3% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Montebello, CA · Wilmington, CA · Pico Rivera, CA · Cartersville, GA · Orland Park, IL · Blue Springs, MO · Wellington, FL · Towson, MD · Tamiami, FL · Smyrna, TN
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 Reston. 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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