Lower McLean vs North Arlington vs Vienna

[Anonymous]

I have lived in all three! I prefer Vienna, Arlington, McLean, in that order, but would go with whatever commute would be best, so likely Arlington. There aren't huge differences among them, so go with the one that will make your life easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. So it looks like Langley and McLean (even with its over-enrollment) look to be the best options, but no one has made a strong case for Vienna and Madison looks really good.

What are the pros for Vienna?

Zero if the commute is for downtown.

that is complete nonsense! People who work downtown FLOCK to the Vienna metro everyday! It's easy. I am comparing commutes at 7:30 a.m. on a weekday in January....It's a 30 min. metro ride from Vienna to Metro Center. Yes, you will have to walk from your car to the train (or perhaps you live close enough to walk or ride a bike to the metro as I do). Then, you have to walk from the train to your office.

If you drive from the heart of McLean to Metro Center, it is between 28-75 min. If you drive from upper ARlington (Woodland Acres area), it is between 22-50 min. Both of these would be stressful drives for sure. And the type of home you get for say $900K in Arlington/McLean vs. Vienna.... no comparison. There is a reason $1.3 mil-$1.6 mil teardown/rebuilds are popping up EVERYWHERE in Vienna. You aren't really saving anything on the commute by going closer in unless you like stress, and you get so much less for your money.

I'm not the poster to whom you're responding, but I would not live in Vienna again if I were commuting to downtown DC and could afford McLean.

It's much easier to live in McLean and either drive to DC (it's about 35 minutes if you're leaving at 7:30 AM) or park at the West Falls Church stations (each has parking, and then you have a shorter trip on the Orange or Silver Line than you'll have from Vienna, where it's also harder to find parking because so many people are driving into Vienna from points west).

As for the price of new homes, a typical new home in Vienna/22180 right now is listed for about $1.5M, compared to $1.7M in North Arlington/22207 and $2.1M in McLean/22101. This shows that people will pay more to live in McLean for the reasons previously discussed - schools, commutes, and houses. If you can afford it, it eliminates stress to live in an area that has great schools and offers an easier commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in all three! I prefer Vienna, Arlington, McLean, in that order, but would go with whatever commute would be best, so likely Arlington. There aren't huge differences among them, so go with the one that will make your life easier.

The schools in McLean are not facing the capacity issues that will be such a major challenge for Arlington in the coming years. As others have noted, there's a need for a fourth high school in APS and no clear indication if and when APS will get around to finding a site, raising the funds, and building the school. Live in McLean and you're pretty much assured of Langley, McLean or Marshall having space for your kid (and there are more admits to TJ as well than from APS).

[Anonymous]

McLean is the most desirable. Top schools and ideal location between DC and Tysons with Beltway access.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in all three! I prefer Vienna, Arlington, McLean, in that order, but would go with whatever commute would be best, so likely Arlington. There aren't huge differences among them, so go with the one that will make your life easier.

The schools in McLean are not facing the capacity issues that will be such a major challenge for Arlington in the coming years. As others have noted, there's a need for a fourth high school in APS and no clear indication if and when APS will get around to finding a site, raising the funds, and building the school. Live in McLean and you're pretty much assured of Langley, McLean or Marshall having space for your kid (and there are more admits to TJ as well than from APS).

PP here. I just really disliked McLean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in all three! I prefer Vienna, Arlington, McLean, in that order, but would go with whatever commute would be best, so likely Arlington. There aren't huge differences among them, so go with the one that will make your life easier.

The schools in McLean are not facing the capacity issues that will be such a major challenge for Arlington in the coming years. As others have noted, there's a need for a fourth high school in APS and no clear indication if and when APS will get around to finding a site, raising the funds, and building the school. Live in McLean and you're pretty much assured of Langley, McLean or Marshall having space for your kid (and there are more admits to TJ as well than from APS).

PP here. I just really disliked McLean.

We really disliked Arlington, and liked Vienna but grew to hate the commute and thought the middle school was mediocre. McLean has been the best combination of schools, neighborhood and commute for us, hands down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. So it looks like Langley and McLean (even with its over-enrollment) look to be the best options, but no one has made a strong case for Vienna and Madison looks really good.

What are the pros for Vienna?

Relative to McLean and North Arlington?

1) Housing is less expensive
2) Community is more kid-oriented (for example, more affordable family-friendly restaurants than McLean, fewer bars than Arlington)
3) Town of Vienna has its own government/events, but is smaller than McLean or North Arlington
4) Parents are younger, more relaxed
5) Better HS sports teams

+1

I would take all of these.

So let's look at some cons of Vienna relative to McLean and North Arlington:

1) Commuting to Penn Quarter takes much longer
2) Maple Avenue (Route 123 in Vienna) is very congested
3) Housing is less attractive
4) Schools aren't quite as good as those in McLean
5) Vienna has more of a "Stepford" (conformist, very sports-oriented) vibe than McLean or North Arlington

#3 and #5 - LOL - surely you can't be serious.

Yes, about both the pros and the cons.

I'm guessing you have never lived in Vienna. I have. It's nice, but there are numerous reasons why it's less expensive than McLean and North Arlington.

To some of us with choices, it is worth it. You can't buy the people (your neighbors) for example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in all three! I prefer Vienna, Arlington, McLean, in that order, but would go with whatever commute would be best, so likely Arlington. There aren't huge differences among them, so go with the one that will make your life easier.

The schools in McLean are not facing the capacity issues that will be such a major challenge for Arlington in the coming years. As others have noted, there's a need for a fourth high school in APS and no clear indication if and when APS will get around to finding a site, raising the funds, and building the school. Live in McLean and you're pretty much assured of Langley, McLean or Marshall having space for your kid (and there are more admits to TJ as well than from APS).

PP here. I just really disliked McLean.

+1

I have heard this often. Very often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in all three! I prefer Vienna, Arlington, McLean, in that order, but would go with whatever commute would be best, so likely Arlington. There aren't huge differences among them, so go with the one that will make your life easier.

The schools in McLean are not facing the capacity issues that will be such a major challenge for Arlington in the coming years. As others have noted, there's a need for a fourth high school in APS and no clear indication if and when APS will get around to finding a site, raising the funds, and building the school. Live in McLean and you're pretty much assured of Langley, McLean or Marshall having space for your kid (and there are more admits to TJ as well than from APS).

PP here. I just really disliked McLean.

We really disliked Arlington, and liked Vienna but grew to hate the commute and thought the middle school was mediocre. McLean has been the best combination of schools, neighborhood and commute for us, hands down.

Commute vs. people. People vs. commute. For an extra half hour, if might be worth having people around you that you have something in common with.

[Anonymous]

McLean is was good enough for the KENNEDEYS for gods sake

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McLean is was good enough for the KENNEDEYS for gods sake

Not sure that any Kennedys still live in McLean, but many other well-known people do, along with lots of regular people who know it has a great location with excellent schools and good homes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in all three! I prefer Vienna, Arlington, McLean, in that order, but would go with whatever commute would be best, so likely Arlington. There aren't huge differences among them, so go with the one that will make your life easier.

The schools in McLean are not facing the capacity issues that will be such a major challenge for Arlington in the coming years. As others have noted, there's a need for a fourth high school in APS and no clear indication if and when APS will get around to finding a site, raising the funds, and building the school. Live in McLean and you're pretty much assured of Langley, McLean or Marshall having space for your kid (and there are more admits to TJ as well than from APS).

PP here. I just really disliked McLean.

We really disliked Arlington, and liked Vienna but grew to hate the commute and thought the middle school was mediocre. McLean has been the best combination of schools, neighborhood and commute for us, hands down.

Commute vs. people. People vs. commute. For an extra half hour, if might be worth having people around you that you have something in common with.

I like our McLean neighbors. The older people tend to be a mix of former Government workers (many ex-CIA with interesting travel stories) and professors, the younger people tend to be lawyers and private sector types who socialize less, but take good care of their homes and have nice kids who will shovel the older folks' driveways when it snows, do yard work for them, etc.

Our neighbors in Arlington and Vienna were generally nice, too. Just didn't like the density of Arlington or the length of the commutes from Vienna to Metro Center. In retrospect, it would have been easier if we'd just moved to McLean in the first place, but there was less information available online then than there is now and we didn't think we could afford it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in all three! I prefer Vienna, Arlington, McLean, in that order, but would go with whatever commute would be best, so likely Arlington. There aren't huge differences among them, so go with the one that will make your life easier.

The schools in McLean are not facing the capacity issues that will be such a major challenge for Arlington in the coming years. As others have noted, there's a need for a fourth high school in APS and no clear indication if and when APS will get around to finding a site, raising the funds, and building the school. Live in McLean and you're pretty much assured of Langley, McLean or Marshall having space for your kid (and there are more admits to TJ as well than from APS).

PP here. I just really disliked McLean.

+1

I have heard this often. Very often.

PP here. Some people love it. Almost everyone there thought that we were crazy when we moved out of McLean. But it just wasn't for me. Gratefully, it is for other people and our house sold quickly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in all three! I prefer Vienna, Arlington, McLean, in that order, but would go with whatever commute would be best, so likely Arlington. There aren't huge differences among them, so go with the one that will make your life easier.

The schools in McLean are not facing the capacity issues that will be such a major challenge for Arlington in the coming years. As others have noted, there's a need for a fourth high school in APS and no clear indication if and when APS will get around to finding a site, raising the funds, and building the school. Live in McLean and you're pretty much assured of Langley, McLean or Marshall having space for your kid (and there are more admits to TJ as well than from APS).

PP here. I just really disliked McLean.

+1

I have heard this often. Very often.

PP here. Some people love it. Almost everyone there thought that we were crazy when we moved out of McLean. But it just wasn't for me. Gratefully, it is for other people and our house sold quickly.

If we had been neighbors, and you'd told me you were moving from McLean to Vienna, I would have only said good things to you in person about Vienna.


On the other hand, knowing what I do about the relative ease of commuting, and the lack of congestion running errands in McLean compared to Vienna, I know I'd never move back there so long as either my spouse or I needed to commute to DC or somewhere further away than Tysons (which right now we both do regularly).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in all three! I prefer Vienna, Arlington, McLean, in that order, but would go with whatever commute would be best, so likely Arlington. There aren't huge differences among them, so go with the one that will make your life easier.

The schools in McLean are not facing the capacity issues that will be such a major challenge for Arlington in the coming years. As others have noted, there's a need for a fourth high school in APS and no clear indication if and when APS will get around to finding a site, raising the funds, and building the school. Live in McLean and you're pretty much assured of Langley, McLean or Marshall having space for your kid (and there are more admits to TJ as well than from APS).

PP here. I just really disliked McLean.

+1

I have heard this often. Very often.

PP here. Some people love it. Almost everyone there thought that we were crazy when we moved out of McLean. But it just wasn't for me. Gratefully, it is for other people and our house sold quickly.

If we had been neighbors, and you'd told me you were moving from McLean to Vienna, I would have only said good things to you in person about Vienna.


On the other hand, knowing what I do about the relative ease of commuting, and the lack of congestion running errands in McLean compared to Vienna, I know I'd never move back there so long as either my spouse or I needed to commute to DC or somewhere further away than Tysons (which right now we both do regularly).

That's just it. Not everyone commutes to D.C.. Obviously.