Census-designated place · Virginia
Difficult Run, Virginia
Difficult Run, census-designated place, in Fairfax County, Virginia. Difficult Run had 9,938 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±828). GEOID 5122472.
Residents, 2020-2024
9,938
±828 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 10,600
Median household income
$250,000 or more
The survey's top or bottom value; no margin is published
Virginia: $93,170
Median home value
$1,111,400
±$39,259 (90% margin)
Virginia: $383,700
Median gross rent
$3,066
±$1,188 (90% margin)
Virginia: $1,579
Where is Difficult Run and what county is it in?
Difficult Run is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Fairfax County, Virginia. It covers 8.4 square miles of land, 1,265 residents per square mile in 2020.
Difficult Run is in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 23 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Difficult Run, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Difficult Run's population at 9,938 (±828). The 2020 Census counted 10,600 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Difficult Run is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Difficult Run | Fairfax County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 9,938 ±828 | 1,147,837 | – |
| Households | 3,139 ±203 | 414,101 | – |
| Average household size | 3.17 ±0.16 | 2.75 | – |
| Housing units | 3,356 ±212 | 430,047 | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Difficult Run?
The median resident of Difficult Run is 45.3 years old; 26.8% are under 18 and 18.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 69.2%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 16.5%. 17.2% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Difficult Run | Fairfax County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 ±1.5 | 39.1 | – |
| Under 18 years | 26.8% ±2.6 pts | 22.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.2% ±2.1 pts | 15.0% | – |
| Male | 49.0% ±2.4 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.1% ±2.2 pts | 17.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 69.2% ±4.7 pts | 46.8% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±1.0 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 16.5% ±3.9 pts | 19.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.1% ±2.4 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±1.8 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 17.2% ±2.8 pts | 30.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 20.0% ±4.0 pts | 39.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.8% ±2.4 pts | 7.5% | – |
| With a disability | 6.1% ±2.2 pts | 8.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 7.1% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 99.4% ±0.6 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 85.5% ±3.0 pts | 65.0% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 48.3% ±4.5 pts | 33.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.6% ±3.4 pts | 87.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.7% ±1.3 pts | 3.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Difficult Run earn?
Half of Difficult Run's 3,139 households earn less than $250,000 or more a year (), against $153,637 in Fairfax County and $93,170 in Virginia.
| Measure | Difficult Run | Fairfax County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $250,000 or more | $153,637 | – |
| Mean household income | $356,124 ±$28,759 | $195,941 | – |
| Per capita income | $113,631 ±$10,015 | $71,828 | – |
| People below the poverty line | 1.4% ±1.3 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 2.6% ±2.7 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.4% ±1.3 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.1% ±0.8 pts | 98.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 99.3% ±0.8 pts | 96.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Difficult Run?
Owners occupy 97.7% of Difficult Run's occupied homes and renters 2.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $1,111,400 by its owner (±$39,259). The median renter pays $3,066 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Difficult Run | Fairfax County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $1,111,400 ±$39,259 | $732,800 | – |
| Median gross rent | $3,066 ±$1,188 | $2,276 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 17.0% ±26.1 pts | 36.3% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $4,000 or more | $3,227 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 97.7% ±1.6 pts | 68.6% | – |
| Renter-occupied homes | 2.3% ±1.6 pts | 31.4% | – |
| Housing units | 3,356 ±212 | 430,047 | – |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±38.5 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 99.7% ±0.5 pts | 45.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.4% ±2.1 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.7% ±1.2 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 4.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Difficult Run work and get to work?
53.3% of Difficult Run's workers drive alone and 37.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.1 minutes.
| Measure | Difficult Run | Fairfax County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.0% ±3.7 pts | 70.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9% ±1.3 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 53.3% ±6.3 pts | 55.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.5% ±3.0 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 2.8% ±1.6 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Walked | 0.5% ±0.6 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 37.2% ±6.5 pts | 28.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.1 min ±2.5 | 28.9 min | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Difficult Run?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Difficult Run, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $250,000 or more (Tract 4816) to $250,000 or more (Tract 4817.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4817.01Fairfax County | 5,838 | $250,000 or more |
| Tract 4816Fairfax County | 3,347 | $250,000 or more |
| Tract 4815Fairfax County | 2,389 | $250,000 or more |
| Tract 4814Fairfax County | 6,314 | $172,099 |
| Tract 4824Fairfax County | 2,179 | $250,000 or more |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Difficult Run) · Census block assignment files
How does Difficult Run compare with other places in Virginia?
Difficult Run ranks 1st of 365 places in Virginia with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 128th | 374 |
| Residents per square mile | 196th | 374 |
| Median household income | 1st | 365 |
| Per capita income | 3rd | 374 |
| Median home value | 4th | 359 |
| Median gross rent | 16th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 2nd | 359 |
| Median age | 73rd | 372 |
| Owner-occupied share | 5th | 368 |
| Work from home | 20th | 286 |
| Travel time to work | 114th | 372 |
Difficult Run's figures with every place in Virginia (CSV)
Every place in Virginia, sortable · Compare Difficult Run with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Difficult Run?
20 of the 57 figures for Difficult Run on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Difficult Run are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.