2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Fairfax, VA vs Lake Forest, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Lake Forest older or younger than people in Fairfax?
- The Median Age in Lake Forest is 2.4 years older than in Fairfax.

Are housing costs cheaper in Lake Forest or Fairfax?
- Lake Forest housing costs are 43.3% more expensive than Fairfax housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Lake Forest or Fairfax?
- The average commute for residents of Lake Forest is 5.2 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Fairfax.

Things to do in Fairfax?
Fairfax is an incorporated city sitting within Fairfax County, Virginia featuring plenty of things to do during your stay like attending concerts at the historic Sunnyside Botanical Garden suitable for those looking to enjoy some family friendly fun plus nearby Sully Historic Site has stunning views ideal for outdoor activities. Additionally there are several locally owned stores and eateries providing unique items or delicious cuisine great for any budget during their stay here!

Things to do in Lake Forest?
Lake Forest, California markets itself as the ultimate Southern California lifestyle with numerous parks, shopping centers, and miles of trails giving visitors plenty of options for an active lifestyle.

 Fairfax, VALake Forest, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock85,516329,725,481
 Median Income$118,492  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock40.138.4
 Avg. Home Price$654,200  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock5.6%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time31.15  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Fairfax    28 Reviews

I lived in the area for 17 years through high school until I eventually became a truck driver. Having now seen most states extensively, I wanted to fairly review what  More

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Living in Fairfax, or any of the Northern Virginia suburbs of DC, means dealing with highways that are a Gordian knot of converging lanes and overpasses, making long  More

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Over 10 years ago

The Cost of living here is high. Though the standard of living is also high, unless you're making over 50,000/year, it's difficult to both live and build any sort of  More

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Reviews for Lake Forest    16 Reviews

I've lived in Lake Forest for over a decade, before that elsewhere in OC and also up in LA. Lake Forest isn't perfect but it's really improved over the past decade,  More

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As a retired senior who has lived in Lake Forest (formerly El Toro) since 1977 I think LF is a great place if you can afford it. When we moved here in June '77 homes  More

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I’ve lived here for 2 years. Ok, it’s more like a 4 but there are so many idiots downplaying what it’s like here and giving Lake Forest ones and twos. There are a lot of  More

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