Where Should I Live?
Discover the Best Places to Live in Northern Virginia
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Neighbourhoods
Areas to Live in Northern Virginia
Living in Arlington, Virginia
This location is the closest to DC on the Virginia side. Your commute will be the shortest from this location if you are going into DC or the Pentagon. Generally, this is the most expensive area for single family homes. You will pay more and get way less in terms of size. Properties are usually much older, built in the 1930’s to 1950s.
Arlington is quite walkable. The city will typically consist mostly of condos and North Arlington will have more of a suburb feel with single-family homes. You will be close to DC, the Pentagon, and Reagan National Airport. Lots of commute options here.
Living in Alexandria, Virginia
There are a lot of choices when it comes to living in Alexandria, VA. You have Old Town Alexandria, Kingstowne, and Mount Vernon just to name a few. You can either live in the City of Alexandria or reside in the Fairfax County part of Alexandria.
Living in Old Town is quaint and very walkable. There is a lot of American History here, cobblestone streets, cute shops, and restaurants. You will pay more for this lifestyle and typically homes are smaller. You will be really close to your neighbors too, but it is a cool place! The King Street and Braddock Street Metro are your closest commute options which you will have to walk or bike to.
As you travel down George Washington Parkway towards Mount Vernon, you get a more park-like, neighborhood atmosphere. You will have bigger lots and more house space. However, you are not close to shopping or stores in this location. It is a beautiful area though and you do not feel like you are in Northern Virginia here. If you live in this location you will likely be driving to wherever you work.
Kingstowne is a very popular location and easy to get to a lot of places from here. It does have single family homes. However, you will find mostly townhomes that have the same square feet as a single family. They are usually 3-4 levels with a one or two car garage. You have the normal chain stores, restaurants, and a movie theater close by. Kingstowne also has great amenities and is walkable. Just be careful because there are a couple of small pockets that do not have privileges to the Kingstowne amenities! The Springfield and Van Dorn Metro will be the closest to you and you have Metro bus stops throughout.
Living in Burke, Virginia
This is one of the most popular neighborhoods for military families. Burke is a suburb in Northern Virginia. It is very wooded and park-like. The Burke Conservancy has 5 neighborhood pools, tennis courts, and playgrounds throughout the various neighborhoods. The summer pool membership is pretty affordable. There are miles of trails throughout Burke as well as the trail along Fairfax County Parkway which is great for running or biking. You are also near Burke Lake Park which is a popular place to walk, run, or hike, fish, etc. You have all the things you need close by like grocery stores, Target, Walmart, as well as Starbucks and other restaurants. For commute options you have the VRE and Metro Bus with stops everywhere throughout each neighborhood.
Living in Springfield, Virginia
Springfield is a bit similar to Burke. They are right next door to one another. However, Springfield does not have the neighborhood amenities or trails like Burke has. You still have proximity to grocery stores, small restaurants, and Fairfax County Parkway and have the Metro Bus commute options. Springfield is closer in and easier to commute from than Burke. In terms of homes, you will often find split levels to be popular here and carports instead of garages. Both Burke and Springfield are known for great schools.
Living in Prince William County, Virginia
Now we are getting further out. You will get more for your money anywhere in Prince William County, but you will definitely be driving from there. Some PWC locations include Woodbridge, Manassas, Gainesville, and Haymarket. Woodbridge is a pretty large area with multiple locations to choose from. This will require hopping on I-95 for your commute. Manassas has some great options if you want to be more remote, but you will have more of a commute if you are going to the Pentagon or into DC. However, you can get a bigger lot or acreage here.
Gainesville and Haymarket will have newer homes and you will commute from I-66. You may hear that this is a terrible commute. In our opinion this commute is way better than I-95, especially now that the HOV lanes have been completed. You definitely have more room to breathe in these locations westward on I-66 and you are incredibly close to the Shenandoah Mountains and all the Virginia Wineries. It is a pretty cool location!
Living in Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun is one of the wealthiest counties in Northern Virginia. Homes are newer and you get a little more space. Loudoun is north of Fairfax County and is close to the Dulles airport. You have the option of living in Leesburg, Sterling, Ashburn, South Riding, Broad Run, and Aldie. Large 3 and 4 level townhomes are a common housing option along with single family homes.
If you are looking for large, new construction homes, look in Aldie. Keep in mind, you will be paying well over a million dollars! These communities are massive, planned communities with walking trails, community pools, and lots of space.
When you come across the newer, more modern looking townhomes, pay attention to location. Many of them are located along the Highway 28 going towards the Dulles airport and you may not appreciate all the road noise. It is a major thoroughfare!
Data centers are also a big issue in Loudoun County, particularly in Ashburn and Sterling. If you are moving here from out of the area, make sure you pay attention to the location of the data centers in relation to your home choice if that is important to you. That could very well effect your resale value in the future!
Don’t forget to check out Historic Leesburg! Such a quaint area!
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