City profile · Virginia · Census ACS 2023

McLean, VA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for McLean - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

50,232
Residents
$250,001
Median income
$1,304,900
Median home
$2,246
Median rent (state)

McLean - the verdict

McLean ranks in the 99th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

99th
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
87th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: McLean, VA

Virginia's McLean is a small city, with 50,232 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $250,001 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 1.2%. Home values in McLean run a median of $1,304,900, and the median resident age is 46.2 years. Educational attainment runs 85.1% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 61.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 8 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

Virginia tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 101.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,246 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $235 (state average). Commute times here average 18.2 minutes, with 53.6% driving alone and 35.1% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 1.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

50,232 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Virginia

Median Household Income

$250,001 /yr

Poverty 1.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

101.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Virginia average

How does McLean compare to other US cities?

McLean measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 99% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 87% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares McLean against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Virginia only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Virginia-relative analysis

Median Home Value is McLean's strongest outlier among Virginia cities

Among the 567 Virginia cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, McLean ranks #2 - the 100th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares McLean only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1 of 558
98th percentile in Virginia
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 619
75th percentile in Virginia
Median Home Value
#2 of 567
100th percentile in Virginia
Poverty Rate
#459 of 616
25th percentile in Virginia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#10 of 618
98th percentile in Virginia

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Virginia only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

99thIncome percentile

99th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How McLean's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,304,900 1st percentile more affordable than 1% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. McLean $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - McLean, VA McLean, VA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not McLean, VA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution McLean, VA median $250,001/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
McLean, VA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for McLean, VA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 85.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
50,232
Median Income
$250,001
Median Home Value
$1,304,900
Median Age
46.2
Poverty Rate
1.2%
Labor force participation
61.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
85.1%

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
18.2 minutes
Drive Alone
53.6%
Carpool
4.9%
Public Transit
3.8%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
35.1%
Other
1.5%

Based on 23,812 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Virginia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Virginia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Virginia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county McLean sits in

Cost of Living Index
101.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,246/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
1.6 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Virginia

Harrisonburg
51,492 people
Leesburg
48,788 people
Tuckahoe
48,610 people
Charlottesville
45,863 people
Ashburn
45,551 people
Blacksburg
45,288 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to McLean's 50,232 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lakewood, OH
50,229 people
Jeffersonville, IN
50,176 people
Draper, UT
50,159 people
Covina, CA
50,143 people
Rosemead, CA
50,340 people
Harrisburg, PA
50,092 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to McLean's $250,001 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Alamo, CA
$250,001 median income
Atherton, CA
$250,001 median income
Bell Canyon, CA
$250,001 median income
Belvedere, CA
$250,001 median income
Camino Tassajara, CA
$250,001 median income
Castle Hill, CA
$250,001 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - McLean, VA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition McLean, VA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 67.2% 20.8% 8.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.6% White 67.2% Black or African American 2.2% Asian 20.8% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.1% Two or more races 8.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How McLean compares to nearby Virginia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
McLean (this city) 50,232 $250,001
Harrisonburg 51,492 $59,752
Leesburg 48,788 $140,668
Tuckahoe 48,610 $96,188
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VA NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about McLean, VA?

What is the population of McLean, VA? +

50,232 people live in McLean, VA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in McLean, VA? +

In McLean, the typical household earns $250,001 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in McLean? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for McLean; the closest available measure is the Virginia state average, a cost of living index of 101.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Virginia vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in McLean, VA? +

McLean's median home value sits at $1,304,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.