The Cultural and Recreational Opportunity Dashboard is now available and presents information under the following topic areas referred to as indicators:
- Access to Local Arts, Sports and Cultural Opportunities
- Satisfaction with Local Arts, Sports and Cultural Opportunities
- Awareness and Appreciation of Diverse Cultures
- Representation of Diverse Cultures
These indicators contain three headline metrics related to living near cultural or recreational centers, availability of community activities and average visitors to centers. The dashboard is designed to:
- Inform residents and stakeholders
- Monitor progress over time
- Identify any demographic or geographic disparities among residents
- Guide community leaders, practitioners and advocates in making data-driven decisions
Overall, the data included in this dashboard help to evaluate the goals of access to, availability of and participation in cultural and recreational opportunities.
The Cultural and Recreational Opportunity Dashboard is the ninth dashboard now published to support the implementation of the Fairfax Countywide Strategic Plan. There will be a dashboard for each of the 10 Community Outcome Areas.
Data Highlights
Residents Have High Access to Cultural and Recreational Opportunities
Access to cultural and recreational opportunities is necessary for physical health, mental health and social connection. In 2024, more than 9 in 10 (93.7%) Fairfax County residents lived within a mile of a cultural or recreational center, including community centers, recreational centers, public schools, libraries, museums and performing and visual arts venues. As an example, the average monthly visitors to the Fairfax County Park Authority and Neighborhood and Community Services centers, as well as the Fairfax County Public Library totaled almost 150,000 in FY 2025.
Overall, Students and Older Adults Report Availability of Community Activities
For youth, recreational opportunities, such as physical activity, are critical for their development. In 2024, 94% of 8th, 10th and 12th grade Fairfax County Public School students reported that there are sports teams or other after school activities available to them in the community. For older adults, recreational activities are critical to their health and ability to live independently. In 2022, 79% of older adults surveyed rated the overall opportunities for education, culture and the arts as excellent or good and 68% rated recreation opportunities (including games, arts, library services, etc.) as excellent or good.
For More Information
The Cultural and Recreational Opportunities Dashboard will be updated yearly to continue to determine trends and monitor progress. All published dashboards may be accessed through the Countywide Data Analytics webpage. Learn about all ten Community Outcome Areas on the Fairfax Countywide Strategic Plan webpage. For instructions on how to navigate and use the dashboards, please visit the Strategic Plan Dashboard Tutorial. For questions about the dashboard, contact Countywide Data Analytics at DMBDataAnalytics@fairfaxcounty.gov.
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