Great Falls, VA vs McLean, VA
Side-by-side comparison · Updated Jun 2026
Report card
| Category | Great FallsGreat Falls, VA | McLeanMcLean, VA | Same grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReloScoreOverall grade | |||
| Affluence | Great | Great | Same |
| Cost of Living | Same | ||
| Crime | Safe | Safe | Same |
| Education | Same | ||
| Quality of Life | Great | Good | |
| Sovereignty | Self-Reliant | Self-Reliant | Same |
| Strategic | Exposed | Exposed |
Grades rate each place against all US places. How grades work →
Comparison summary
At 15 mi from the nearest large city, Great Falls, VA and McLean, VA show a notable difference in that metric, with Great Falls 91% higher than McLean's 8 mi. According to 2023 Census figures, the population of McLean is 50,232, which is 3.4× larger than Great Falls' 14,854, placing McLean in the 74th percentile and Great Falls in the 38th percentile. Population density per square mile is also higher in McLean at 1, compared to 0 in Great Falls, with McLean in the 5th percentile and Great Falls in the 4th.
In the Jobs & income section, per-capita income is 8% higher in Great Falls at $134,358 versus $124,557 in McLean, with both in the 98th percentile. The average commute is 5 minutes longer in Great Falls at 33 minutes, compared to 28.1 minutes in McLean, placing Great Falls in the 94th percentile and McLean in the 80th. The share of workers who work from home is 40.3% in Great Falls, 5.2 percentage points higher than McLean's 35.1%, with Great Falls in the 99th percentile and McLean in the 98th. The distance to coastline is 119 mi for Great Falls, 6% higher than McLean's 113 mi.
AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them. Generated Oct 2026.
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Where they differ most
Cost of living
| Metric | Great Falls, VA | McLean, VA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL indexCost of living index (100 = US) | 36998th pctl | 35998th pctl | About the same |
| Home valueMedian home value | $1,342,40098th pctl | $1,304,90098th pctl | About the same |
| Median rent | $3,46399th pctl | $3,37699th pctl | About the same |
| Household incomeMedian household income | $250,00199th pctl | $250,00199th pctl | About the same |
| Comfortable (single)Comfortable income (single) | $260,80598th pctl | $253,51998th pctl | About the same |
| Comfortable (family)Comfortable income (family of 4) | $383,38398th pctl | $372,67398th pctl | About the same |
| AffordabilityHousing affordability | Stretched | Stretched | About the same |
Housing-adjusted salary
the same housing budget in McLean needs about
$73,000
Based only on local housing costs and incomes (cost-of-living index 369 vs 359). Leaves out taxes, groceries and transport. How it works →
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
Jobs & income
| Metric | Great Falls, VA | McLean, VA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | 2.6%10th pctl | 2.6%10th pctl | About the same |
| Job growthJob growth (YoY) | +1.1%50th pctl | +1.1%50th pctl | About the same |
| Per-capita income | $134,35898th pctl | $124,55798th pctl | Per-capita income: Great Falls, VA $134,358; McLean, VA $124,557; Great Falls is 8% higher. |
| Poverty rate | 2.0%2nd pctl | 2.7%4th pctl | About the same |
| CommuteAverage commute | 33 min94th pctl | 28.1 min80th pctl | Average commute: Great Falls, VA 33 min; McLean, VA 28.1 min; Great Falls is 5 minutes longer. |
| Work from home | 40.3%99th pctl | 35.1%98th pctl | Work from home: Great Falls, VA 40.3%; McLean, VA 35.1%; Great Falls is 5.2 points higher. |
| OpportunityEconomic opportunity | Strong | Strong | About the same |
| Job market | Strong | Strong | About the same |
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
Safety
| Metric | Great Falls, VA | McLean, VA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeViolent crime per 100k | 20343rd pctl | 20343rd pctl | About the same |
| Property crimeProperty crime per 100k | 1,34448th pctl | 1,34448th pctl | About the same |
| 5-yr trendViolent crime, 5-yr trend | Falling | Falling | |
| Crime & safety | Safe | Safe | About the same |
| Traffic safety | Very SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | Very SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
Data: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
Quality of life
| Metric | Great Falls, VA | McLean, VA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| HealthcareHealthcare access | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| Tap water | Clean | Clean | About the same |
| Power grid | AverageState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | AverageState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | About the same |
| HomesteadingHomesteading potential | Prime | Prime | About the same |
| Disaster riskNational disaster risk | High-Risk | High-Risk | About the same |
4 rows not shown (data not available)
4 rows not shown: climate comfort, broadband, walkability and local food access aren't available for either place.
Data: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
Taxes & laws
Both are in Virginia, so state taxes and state laws (homeschooling, firearms, property rights) are the same. See Virginia →
Strategic location
How exposed each place is to large-scale disruption, based on distance from big cities, likely targets and natural hazards.
| Metric | Great Falls, VA | McLean, VA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large cityNearest large city | 15 mi19th pctl | 8 mi8th pctl | Nearest large city: Great Falls, VA 15 mi; McLean, VA 8 mi; Great Falls is 91% higher. |
| Target proximity | Fair | Poor | Target proximity: Great Falls, VA B-; McLean, VA D-; Great Falls is graded higher. |
| To borderDistance to international border | 288 mi43rd pctl | 294 mi44th pctl | About the same |
| To coastDistance to coastline | 119 mi31st pctl | 113 mi30th pctl | Distance to coastline: Great Falls, VA 119 mi; McLean, VA 113 mi; Great Falls is 6% higher. |
| StrategicStrategic location | Exposed | Exposed | About the same |
Data: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
People
| Metric | Great Falls, VA | McLean, VA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,85438th pctl | 50,23274th pctl | Population: Great Falls, VA 14,854; McLean, VA 50,232; McLean is 3.4 times larger. |
| DensityPopulation density (per sq mi) | 04th pctl | 15th pctl | Population density (per sq mi): Great Falls, VA 0; McLean, VA 1; McLean is 3.4 times higher. |
| Median age | 46.889th pctl | 46.288th pctl | About the same |
| Bachelor's+Bachelor's degree or higher | 85.7%99th pctl | 85.1%99th pctl | About the same |
| Household sizeAverage household size | 391st pctl | 2.988th pctl | About the same |
More about Great Falls's residents · McLean's residents
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
Politics
Information only. Not part of any grade, difference or summary on this page.
| Measure | Great FallsGreat Falls, VA | McLeanMcLean, VA |
|---|---|---|
| Cook PVI | D+18 | D+26 |
| 2024 presidential | D +34.0 pts | D +49.0 pts |
Full politics data: Great Falls · McLean
Moving between Great Falls and McLean
- Median rent: $3,463 in Great Falls, $3,376 in McLean
- Median home value: $1,342,400 in Great Falls, $1,304,900 in McLean
- Cost of living index (100 = US): 369 in Great Falls, 359 in McLean
- Median household income: $250,001 in Great Falls, $250,001 in McLean
- Comfortable income (family of 4): $383,383 in Great Falls, $372,673 in McLean
- Unemployment: 2.6% in Great Falls, 2.6% in McLean
- Average commute: 33 min in Great Falls, 28.1 min in McLean
- Violent crime per 100k: 203 in Great Falls, 203 in McLean
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Compare a different pair
More places like Great Falls and McLean
- Data: Cost of living: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
- Data: Jobs & income: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
- Data: Safety: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
- Data: Quality of life: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
- Data: Strategic location: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
- Data: People: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area.
Narrative content on this page is AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them.
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