What’s the allure of Fairfax County

[Anonymous]

Raised the kids in North Arlington and moved to downtown DC as youngish empty nesters. Bought a second home in the country about 90 minutes from the city when Covid started. None of our places is particularly fancy, and we’re well off but I wouldn’t say wealthy.

Was in Fairfax County today having car work done. Spent a couple hours walking around the area (more or less the between Vienna and Merrifield) while I waited.

I found it horrifying. Strip malls followed by town houses and single family homes hugging congested highways, no real sidewalks (mostly asphalt), and all the same in every direction. Walked into what looked like a quiet leafy ‘hood to get away from it and quickly found myself walking into a sound wall for I-66.

I’m sorry, but why does anyone with any other options choose to live in an area like that? It raised my blood pressure!!

[Anonymous]

Because we don't actually have other options.

[Anonymous]

I am sure that despite not being "wealthy" your housing prices were a lot lower than what young families are paying now. I agree with you that most of Fairfax is kind of depressing but it is what is available to most people. There are pretty, leafier pockets but they can come with other downsides.

[Anonymous]

Schools. I live in Old Town Alexandria. Come walk around my 'hood. It's lovely. But, the schools. We're trying to move to Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

Large swathes of Fairfax County are not immediately adjacent to major highway walls, or look like what you describe. There are many well established neighborhoods, well regarded schools and location. location. location...

And if you truly lived in North Arlington before, noting your need to call out that it was North Arlington (not Arlington), I think you should have a pretty good idea of why people may choose to live in Fairfax County.

[Anonymous]

Umm, North Arlington also straddles 66, has tons of strip malls (have you driven on 29?), and plenty of neighborhoods have similar houses that are now being torn down and replaced with huge mansions.

If you drive out 29 from DC, you would be hard pressed to know whether you are in North Arlington, the City of Falls Church, or Fairfax County bc they are mostly all the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Large swathes of Fairfax County are not immediately adjacent to major highway walls, or look like what you describe. There are many well established neighborhoods, well regarded schools and location. location. location...

And if you truly lived in North Arlington before, noting your need to call out that it was North Arlington (not Arlington), I think you should have a pretty good idea of why people may choose to live in Fairfax County.

This. Perhaps OP should have walked a couple of blocks into a neighborhood

[Anonymous]

Fairfax County is huge. Inside the beltway is of course very crowded for the most part. But there is also Burke, Clifton, GMU, Fairfax Station, and Old Town Herndon etc. You just can't paint the whole place with one wide brush.

[Anonymous]

90 minutes from the city could actually still be in parts of Fairfax County lol

You sound insufferable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax County is huge. Inside the beltway is of course very crowded for the most part. But there is also Burke, Clifton, GMU, Fairfax Station, and Old Town Herndon etc. You just can't paint the whole place with one wide brush.

This. What a stupid post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools. I live in Old Town Alexandria. Come walk around my 'hood. It's lovely. But, the schools. We're trying to move to Fairfax County.

That’s on you. You could make Alexandria schools work. Thousands manage to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:90 minutes from the city could actually still be in parts of Fairfax County lol

You sound insufferable.

Nope. Maybe during rush hour, but otherwise nope.

[Anonymous]

Great Falls and Mclean are very nice and have excellent public schools.

I work at a FAANG (office is in NoVA) and my wife is a 100% remote GS15 so proximity to DC proper isn't as important as just being in a metro with amenities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools. I live in Old Town Alexandria. Come walk around my 'hood. It's lovely. But, the schools. We're trying to move to Fairfax County.

That’s on you. You could make Alexandria schools work. Thousands manage to.

How many of those thousands have other options? Most bail by middle school if they can afford to

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Large swathes of Fairfax County are not immediately adjacent to major highway walls, or look like what you describe. There are many well established neighborhoods, well regarded schools and location. location. location...

And if you truly lived in North Arlington before, noting your need to call out that it was North Arlington (not Arlington), I think you should have a pretty good idea of why people may choose to live in Fairfax County.

This. Perhaps OP should have walked a couple of blocks into a neighborhood

I did, as I said - and hit 66. When we lived in Arlington we were nowhere near 66. And I’m sorry, but no - Lee Hwy (now Langston Blvd) is ugly and trafficy everywhere, including Arlington, but it’s much worse in Fairfax than Arlington and at least in Arlington it has friggin’ sidewalks.