Home to George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and George Mason's Gunston Hall Plantation, Fairfax County is rich in history.  Established in 1741, Fairfax County was primarily a rural area of large farms and plantations.  Today, Fairfax County is a growing metropolis with a thriving technology and government-driven economy. 

The county is served by Fairfax County Public Schools system and contains the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.  "TJ" consistently ranks at or among the top of all the nation's high schools.  George Mason University, located near the center of the county, is nationally recognized for its outstanding programs and is the second largest university in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

With over 30,000 acres of parks, Fairfax County offers a variety of recreational opportunities, from hiking in Great Falls National Park to boating on Reston's Lake Fairfax.

Tysons Corner, the "downtown" of Fairfax County, offers over 25.6 million square feet of office space and over 4 million square feet of retail space, attracting workers and consumers from all over the Washington, DC area. 

Fairfax County shares the Dulles Tech Corridor with neighboring Loudoun County, providing residents with numerous employment opportunities, particularly in telecommunications.

Residents of Fairfax County enjoy a particularly high quality of life.  Based on median household income, Fairfax County ranks at the top of the nation's wealthiest counties.