Plan

Fairfax County Uniformed

State

Virginia

Funded Ratio

86.6%

Assets

$2.03B

Members

3,776

Health Grade: B — Adequately funded — meeting most funding benchmarks

FY2023 data Grade B Public Plans Database

Fairfax County Uniformed

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Fairfax County Uniformed — sourced from the Public Plans Database (Boston College CRR) and cross-checked against actuarial valuations.

Browse all states → How we grade plans

By Kiznis Studio Editorial · June 2026 · Virginia · Municipal Plan · Data through FY2023

Financial Health Grade

Adequately funded — meeting most funding benchmarks

Funded Ratio

86.6%

actuarial assets / liabilities

Unfunded Liability

$315M

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

3,776

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

8.6%

net investment return

1.7pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

6.9%

annualized, net of fees

ARC Payment

4.9%

of actuarially required contribution

How Fairfax County Uniformed Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 86.6%

National avg

A ratio of 86.6% compared against the national public-pension average of 73.5%.

Healthy Threshold

Plans above 80% are generally considered adequately funded by NASRA standards.

Participant Composition

The active-to-retiree ratio is a leading indicator of long-term plan sustainability — plans with more retirees than active contributors face mounting cash-flow pressure as benefit payments outpace incoming contributions.

Investment Policy Mix

Public pension plans report their asset allocation in Form 5500 Schedule H Part I disclosures. Equity-heavy mixes capture market upside but introduce volatility; fixed-income tilts protect funded status during downturns at the cost of long-run return.

Historical Funded Ratio

Year	Funded Ratio	Assets	Unfunded	Members
2024	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	86.6%	$2.03B	$315M	3,776
2022	82.5%	$1.92B	$407M	3,711
2021	100.9%	$2.17B	$-20M	3,652
2020	94.8%	$1.76B	$96M	3,629
2019	91.6%	$1.81B	$166M	3,567
2018	83.5%	$1.76B	$348M	3,528
2017	91.8%	$1.65B	$147M	3,475
2016	89.9%	$1.50B	$169M	3,388
2015	89.9%	$1.53B	$172M	3,303
2014	98.8%	$1.52B	$18M	3,186
2013	101.3%	$1.32B	$-17M	3,190
2012	92.8%	$1.21B	$94M	3,142
2011	87.8%	$1.22B	$170M	3,089
2010	83.2%	$991M	$200M	3,050
2009	79.4%	$867M	$225M	3,058
2008	73.7%	$1.08B	$386M	2,940
2007	98.0%	$1.11B	$23M	2,851
2006	96.7%	$943M	$32M	2,756
2005	87.7%	$837M	$117M	2,530

What the Data Says About Fairfax County Uniformed

Fairfax County Uniformed reports a funded ratio of 86.6% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of B in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $2.03B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $315M. As a Municipal plan operating under Virginia sponsorship, it covers 3,776 members (1,851 active contributors, 1,794 retirees drawing benefits). These figures aggregate from Form 5500 filings submitted to the Department of Labor and actuarial valuations reported through NASRA.

A funded ratio above 80% signals that Fairfax County Uniformed has substantial assets to meet projected obligations, placing it above the national public-pension average of roughly 72–75%. Employer contributions covered 4.9% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 6.9%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.

For Virginia taxpayers and plan members, the $315M unfunded gap represents the actuarial shortfall that must eventually be closed through a combination of contributions, investment returns, or benefit modifications. Unlike private-sector pensions governed by ERISA and backstopped by the PBGC, public plans like Fairfax County Uniformed rely on the full faith and credit of Virginia — meaning funding shortfalls flow through to state and local budgets rather than a federal insurance program. This information summarizes official Public Plans Database disclosures and is provided for research and educational purposes only. It is not financial, legal, or retirement-planning advice; active and retired members with specific benefit questions should consult their plan administrator directly.

Membership

1,851

Active Members

1,794

Retirees

3,776

Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type: Municipal
State: Virginia
Market Assets: $2.03B
ARC Payment: 4.9%

Source: Public Plans Database (PPD)
Boston College CRR / NASRA

Other Virginia Plans

All Virginia plans →

Related Resources

Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fairfax County Uniformed fully funded?

Fairfax County Uniformed has a funded ratio of 86.6% as of FY2023, earning a health grade of B. A funded ratio of 100% means the plan has enough assets to cover all projected liabilities. Ratios above 80% are generally considered adequately funded; ratios below 60% indicate significant underfunding and risk to future benefits.

What happens if Fairfax County Uniformed runs out of money?

Public pension plans like Fairfax County Uniformed are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case Virginia. If a plan's assets are insufficient, the state or local government is typically required to make up the difference through increased contributions, benefit adjustments, or tax measures. Unlike private pensions, public pensions are not insured by the PBGC, but they do carry the full faith and credit of the sponsoring government.

What does a funded ratio of 86.6% mean?

A funded ratio of 86.6% means that Fairfax County Uniformed currently has assets equal to 86.6% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $315M. This is considered adequately funded.

How does Fairfax County Uniformed compare to other public pensions?

Fairfax County Uniformed is a Municipal plan in Virginia serving 3,776 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Fairfax County Uniformed's funded ratio of 86.6% places it above the national average, reflecting strong fiscal management.

How many members does Fairfax County Uniformed have?

Fairfax County Uniformed covers 3,776 total members, including 1,851 active employees and 1,794 retirees currently receiving benefits. The ratio of active members to retirees is a key indicator of plan sustainability — when the number of retirees grows relative to active contributors, funding pressure increases.

What is the ARC payment percentage for Fairfax County Uniformed?

Fairfax County Uniformed pays 4.9% of its Annual Required Contribution (ARC). Consistently underpaying the ARC accelerates the growth of unfunded liabilities and places future benefits at greater risk. Employer contribution patterns are tracked annually in the Public Plans Database.

Browse all → | Rankings →

Data sourced from official Public Plans Database and actuarial valuations from federal and state pension systems. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by Kiznis Studio Editorial

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Public Plans Database (PPD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

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

All federal data sources used on this page

U.S. Census Bureau ACS — demographic + housing + income data. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage + employment by occupation. bls.gov/oes
BEA Regional Economic Accounts — GDP + personal income by state/metro. bea.gov/data/regional
U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns — establishment + employment by industry. census.gov/cbp
IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-return aggregate data. irs.gov/statistics
data.gov — U.S. federal open-data portal — discovery layer for additional federal sources. data.gov