Fairfax

The City of Fairfax, colloquially Fairfax City or Fairfax (/'f??r.fæks/ FAIR-faks), is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2014, the population was 24,483. The City of Fairfax is an enclave within Fairfax County. However, Fairfax County is a separate political entity. The City of Fairfax, and the area immediately surrounding the historical border of the City of Fairfax, also officially designated by Fairfax County as "Fairfax", both comprise the county seat of Fairfax County. Situated in Northern Virginia, Fairfax is part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. Fairfax is 16 miles (26 kilometers) southwest of Washington, D.C. Washington Metro's Orange Line serves Fairfax through its Vienna Station. CUE Bus and Metrobus operate in Fairfax. George Mason University (GMU), Virginia's largest public institution, is located in Fairfax. In 2013, 33,917 students attended GMU. Virginia International University, an international school, is situated in Fairfax. In 2009, Fairfax was ranked Number 3 in the "Top 25 Places to Live Well" by Forbes Magazine. Forbes commended Fairfax for its strong public school system, high median income, and growing sole proprietors.