Falls Church City, McLean, or N. Arlington?

[Anonymous]

McLean has the best schools and is the richest, so I would pick that. But if you are more liberal (McLean is pretty liberal) and want to experience limousine liberalism, look down at blue collar workers, and promote diversity when your neighborhood is all white libs, then I would pick Falls Church or North Arlington.

[Anonymous]

There is no question. McLean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many prefer FCC for the schools, especially those with small children who attend elementary. I own a home I rent out there and many tell me they were only going to rent a place where they could get FCC schools. I do know some of my FCC neighbors did wish they were a few blocks over so that their kids could attend Mclean high school instead of Meridian though, but that was only because their kids had activities that they wanted to do that smaller Meridian didn't have (I think one of them was marching band but I'm not sure).

Meridian has a marching band

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McLean has the best schools and is the richest, so I would pick that. But if you are more liberal (McLean is pretty liberal) and want to experience limousine liberalism, look down at blue collar workers, and promote diversity when your neighborhood is all white libs, then I would pick Falls Church or North Arlington.

LOL are you some how saying McLean has more diversity...surrreee

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McLean has the best schools and is the richest, so I would pick that. But if you are more liberal (McLean is pretty liberal) and want to experience limousine liberalism, look down at blue collar workers, and promote diversity when your neighborhood is all white libs, then I would pick Falls Church or North Arlington.

LOL are you some how saying McLean has more diversity...surrreee

never said anything about diversity

[Anonymous]

Mclean has better schools and is a better investment. Falls church city has good schools and a nice small town atmosphere. Both have metro access. N Arlington schools are hit or miss. It's closer to downtown DC and it's friendly and funky.

[Anonymous]

You definitely are can buy a house in FCC for under $2 million but inventory is very tight. You would be taking whatever you can get. I've lived in FCC for many years as a single parent and now married. We live in a neighborhood with more diversity (seniors, state department, military, single parents).

I have my beef with some of the activists on the school board and town council but so do a lot of my neighbors so I don't feel like I'm in the wrong place. The schools are top notch.

My kid now goes to FCPS and I hate it in comparison. Not for level of rigor, but for absolutely feeling like we're a number. FCCPS I know and have known everyone by name for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McLean has the best schools and is the richest, so I would pick that. But if you are more liberal (McLean is pretty liberal) and want to experience limousine liberalism, look down at blue collar workers, and promote diversity when your neighborhood is all white libs, then I would pick Falls Church or North Arlington.

So inaccurate. People in mclean don't hate, they just keep a low profile and stay out of the neighbors business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You want N Arlington walkable to Metro. There are lots of houses in Bluemont.

Bluemont is not walkable to metro. Frankly, most of N Arlington is not walkable to metro but instead requires a not-so-fun drive to the East Falls Church metro, which has very limited parking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You want N Arlington walkable to Metro. There are lots of houses in Bluemont.

Bluemont is not walkable to metro. Frankly, most of N Arlington is not walkable to metro but instead requires a not-so-fun drive to the East Falls Church metro, which has very limited parking.

McLean traffic blows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McLean blows and isn't near the metro. I'd go with N. Arlington.

There is a metro stop named “McLean.” It’s named that because it’s located in McLean.

[Anonymous]

The “McLean” metro stop isn’t walkable from most residential areas of McLean.

[Anonymous]

Inventory is tight in all those areas and they all have their advantages. If you really want to take Metro, prioritize Arlington. But, really I'd mostly go by which house you find that you like best.

IMO they all offer solid school options with pros and cons. McLean in Fairfax has the AAP program to pull out gifted/advanced students into separate classes/schools. Falls Church has its own small school system so your kids will be with the same group of kids all the way from ES to HS, which can be a nice community or suffocating/limiting, depending on personal experience. Arlington offers some choices/lottery school options. They don't pull out gifted kids in ES but offer plenty of intensified options in MS/AP or IB in HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McLean blows and isn't near the metro. I'd go with N. Arlington.

There is a metro stop named “McLean.” It’s named that because it’s located in McLean.

It is also 2 or more miles from most SF homes in McLean and doesn’t have metro parking. It has $25 parking in the capital one garage.

I would suggest living in McLean near the Falls Church border, then you can drive to West Falls Church metro which has regular parking.

[Anonymous]

I used to wish I lived in FCC for the schools but now that my kids are in high school I’m glad they have a non-IB option since IB is not a great fit for them.