Fairfax Square Apartments in Fairfax, VA — what renters should know
502 units · built 1966 / 2012 · City of Fairfax · last updated May 2026
Fairfax Square sits at 9860 Fairfax Square in the City of Fairfax — a 502-unit community built in two phases, 1966 and 2012, just east of Old Town. Most people who land on this page are renters trying to figure out if it’s the right fit for school proximity, the GMU commute, or the Fairfax Corner lifestyle. So here’s what’s actually true about living there, what works, what doesn’t, and where it fits in the broader Fairfax picture.
Rent figures verified May 2026. Apartment listing sites lag actual pricing by 7–14 days; this reflects what the leasing office is currently quoting
| Floor Plan | Rent Range | Square Footage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Bedroom | $2,041 – $2,480 | 689 – 811 sq ft |
| 2 Bedroom | $2,014 – $2,550 | 897 – 940 sq ft |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,867 – $3,370 | 1,171 – 1,408 sq ft |
| Townhome (3BR/2.5BA) | $3,072 – $3,370+ | 1,472 sq ft |
Who actually lives here
Fairfax Square attracts GMU graduate students, young professionals working in the I-66 / Vienna Metro corridor, and small families who want space and trees without paying for a Mosaic District zip code. You’ll also see a steady population of long-tenure renters — five-plus years in the same unit — drawn by the maintenance reliability and the mature landscaping. If you’re a renter who needs new construction, modern soundproofing, or a high-rise concierge feel, this isn’t your match — and that’s worth knowing now rather than after a tour.
What you should know that they won't tell you
On the building's age. Fairfax Square is two properties wearing one name. The 2012 phase is genuinely modern — granite countertops, stainless appliances, in-unit washer/dryer, the full luxury baseline. The 1966 phase is well-maintained but 60 years old, with the structural realities that come with that. Some units have been gut-renovated; others have, in the words of one resident review, "been painted over a hundred times." Ask which phase your specific unit is in before you sign.
On noise. This is the most consistent negative across hundreds of resident reviews: the walls transmit sound. Footsteps, conversations, appliance vibrations, neighbors moving furniture. The 1966 construction predates modern sound-dampening standards. Top-floor units and end units mitigate it. If you're a light sleeper or you work from home on calls, this is the single biggest factor to weigh.
On the maintenance team. Residents name specific maintenance staff — DJ, Michael, Omari — by first name, repeatedly. That doesn't happen at most apartments in this market. Whatever Van Metre is doing on the staff side, they're doing it well. 24-hour response times are real, not advertised fiction.
On Main Street traffic. The property sits near a busy intersection of Main Street and Fairfax Square. The advertised "10-minute drive" to Vienna Metro can easily double during morning and evening peak. [YOUR OBSERVATION — what does the road noise feel like at the property edge?]
On Verizon cell signal. Multiple residents report dead zones inside the buildings. If you're a Verizon customer who works from home, ask about the specific unit's reception during your tour — bring your phone, walk into the unit, check the bars.
That covers what Fairfax Square is. Here's where it gets interesting: most people who tour this complex are doing it because of the location — Old Town walkability, the GMU proximity, the Woodson High School pyramid, the Wegmans and the parks. The apartment itself is fine. The location is the actual prize. Which raises a question worth sitting with: if the location is what you're paying for, is an apartment the only way to live there?
What's available within 1 mile of Fairfax Square right now
Bright MLS, updated daily — homes for rent in the same neighborhood, same schools, same commute.
The honest comparison
Apartments solve real problems. Houses solve different ones.
Four dimensions usually decide which set you want.
On price.
Fairfax Square advertises 2BR units at $2,014–$2,550. The number that matters more is the total monthly cost:
| Advertised 2BR rent | $2,014 – $2,550 |
| Reserved parking | + $50 |
| Valet trash | + $25 – $30 |
| Base trash fee | + $5 – $15 |
| Pest control | + $7 |
| Risk mitigation fee | + $13 |
| Water / sewer | + $34 – $40 |
| Actual monthly cost | $2,150 – $2,700+ |
Every one of those fees is mandatory and recurring, and they don't buy you anything. About a mile from here, the MLS currently has 2BR rental houses around $2,500–$2,800 — typically with garage parking, in-unit laundry, no valet trash, no risk mitigation fee. Same neighborhood. Same commute. Different math — and the math has a number on it.
On freedom.
Fairfax Square runs a tight community. Quiet hours, leasing-office approval to hang anything heavy, move-out fees, the standard playbook. That's not unusual for an apartment — it's what apartments are. Where it hits its ceiling: you live by Van Metre's rules in buildings you don't control. A rental house in this same area is a different relationship — paint the walls, host a barbecue, work from the back porch, no quiet hours from a property manager. Same Fairfax. Different rules of engagement.
On pets.
Fairfax Square is genuinely generous by apartment standards — cats and dogs allowed, two-pet limit, no weight cap, an on-site Bark Park, and community Yappy Hours. Better than most luxury complexes in NoVA. Where it hits its ceiling: breed restrictions apply, pet rent runs $50/month per pet, there's a $350–500 non-refundable fee, and there's no private yard. Rental houses currently on the MLS within a mile have fenced yards, no breed restrictions in most cases, and no monthly pet fee. The dog still gets to live in Fairfax. The dog gets a yard.
On kids.
Fairfax Square is family-friendly within the apartment frame — playground, picnic areas, tot pool, and the Frost Middle / Woodson High pyramid. Mosby Woods Elementary is the closest school (8/10 GreatSchools). Where it hits its ceiling: shared spaces, parking lots for bike-riding, no yard, neighbors close enough to hear the morning meltdown. A rental house nearby gets you the same school assignment, the same walkability, plus a fenced yard and a driveway for the bikes. Same school. Same parks. A backyard your kid can disappear into for an hour.
How Fairfax Square compares to other Fairfax apartments
If you want to stay in the apartment frame, here's how the major Fairfax options stack up — pricing verified May 2026.
| Apartment | 1BR | 2BR | Units | Walk Score | Vienna Metro | GMU | Pet fee/mo | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐ Fairfax Square | $2,041–$2,480 | $2,014–$2,550 | 1BR–3BR + TH | 64 | 4.8 mi | 1.2–3.0 mi | $50/pet | 4.4 ⭐ |
| Fairfax Village | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending |
| The Reserve at Fairfax Corner | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending |
| The Fairfax Apartments | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending | Pending |
Whichever apartment you land on, the rental portal below pulls homes near each of them. Same Fairfax. Different keys.
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