Reston, McLean, and Vienna: Comparing Fairfax’s Best Suburban Communities
If you’re looking at a move to Northern Virginia, how do you choose between the different Fairfax County communities? Reston, McLean, and Vienna are three sought-after cities with outstanding schools and a reasonable commute to D.C., but they are each very different.
If you’re trying to decide between these three remarkable areas, this guide highlights the benefits and unique features of each, brought to you by experts who have lived and helped families move in the area for over 20 years.
Reston Is Modern, Planned Living
Robert Simon designed Reston back in 1964 with a vision of incorporating residential neighborhoods with places to work, shop, and hang out. He wanted residents to enjoy the town without needing a car for every errand. Sixty years later, it’s still working.
What you’ll probably notice first about Reston is Reston Town Center. It’s a walkable downtown with office towers, sit-down restaurants (not just chains), boutiques, and a fountain where kids play in summer. They host jazz festivals, outdoor movies, and an Oktoberfest. It feels more like a small city neighborhood than typical suburbia.
The rest of Reston spreads out from there in clusters. There are different villages, each with its own pools and trails, connected by pathways that people actually use for running and biking.
A Range of Homes and Outdoor Spaces
Whether you’re planning to rent or buy, Reston gives you options. You can buy a one-bedroom condo in Town Center for around $350,000 or pay well over a million for a well-appointed high-end home. The average home price in Reston is $600,000+.
Reston boasts two lakes, Lake Anne and Lake Thoreau, where people kayak, paddleboard, and fish. There’s a pathway system that connects pretty much everything. Over 55 miles of trails run through the community, so you can bike to the grocery store or walk to dinner without dodging traffic.
Getting to Work
Reston has two Metro stations on the Silver Line: Wiehle-Reston East and Reston Town Center. If you work in Tysons or can Metro into DC, you don’t necessarily need to drive every day. That’s a bigger deal than it sounds when you’re talking about Beltway traffic.
By car, figure 25-30 minutes to downtown DC in normal conditions. Though if you’re driving during rush hour on the Toll Road, add 15-20 minutes and some patience.
McLean Has Tree-Lined Streets and Distinct Character
There’s a reason Washington’s power players, embassy staff, and executives have been buying in McLean for generations. It’s not just about the address (though that matters). It’s about the space, privacy, top-tier schools, and quality construction you find there.
Drive through McLean and you’ll see mature trees creating canopies over the streets with houses set back on larger lots. These neighborhoods have been established since the ’50s and ’60s, and it shows.
If you’re looking to buy in McLean, you’re looking at an average home price of around $1,400,000+. Even townhomes run around $800,000 to $900,000.
Prestigious Schools and Easy D.C. Access
Langley High School is known for advanced courses, college counseling, and sending graduates to competitive universities. The elementary and middle schools feeding into Langley, including Churchill Road, Spring Hill, and Cooper, have equally high standards. You’re paying McLean prices partly for that school pyramid.
McLean’s is about 20-25 minutes by car to D.C. when traffic cooperates (which is optimistic during rush hour, but still better than most alternatives). However, there’s no Metro station in residential McLean.
Vienna, Where Small-Town Charm Meets Suburban Convenience
Vienna can feel like stepping into a different world. You’re inside the Beltway, 15 miles from the White House, but Church Street, which is Vienna’s main drag through historic downtown, could belong in rural Virginia. Local coffee shops, a tiny library, and a volunteer fire department that hosts pancake breakfasts.
It’s the kind of place where the Memorial Day festival (ViVa! Vienna) shuts down the streets and half the town shows up. Where the farmers’ market on Saturdays becomes a social event as much as a grocery run. If that sounds appealing, Vienna might be your place.
From 60s Split Levels to New Construction
Vienna’s housing tells the story of its evolution. You’ve got neighborhoods like Westbriar and Nottoway Park full of split-levels and ranches from the ‘60s and ’70s, many of them renovated with open floor plans and updated kitchens.
Closer to the Dulles Toll Road, you can find 4,000+ newer construction square foot houses. Townhomes are scattered throughout, particularly near the Vienna Metro. The average home price hovers around $1,100,000, putting Vienna between Reston and McLean in terms of cost.
Solid Schools and a Reasonable Commute
Vienna’s schools are good. Madison High School is a solid high school with decent test scores and college prep. The elementary schools (Vienna, Marshall Road, Cunningham Park) have involved parent communities and reasonable class sizes. Vienna’s schools work well for most families who want a good public education without the pressure-cooker intensity.
Vienna has something McLean doesn’t, a Metro station inside the town. The Vienna/Fairfax-GMU stop on the Orange Line sits right off I-66. You can park and ride, or if you live close enough, walk or bike to Metro. That opens up car-free commuting to Arlington, Rosslyn, and downtown DC.
Living in Fairfax County Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | Reston | McLean | Vienna |
| Average Home Price | $600K+ | $1.4M+ | $1.1M+ |
| Community Feel | Modern, planned | Upscale, established | Small-town charm |
| Metro Access | Silver Line (2 stations) | Near Silver Line (Tysons) | Orange Line |
| Commute to DC | 25-30 minutes | 20-25 minutes | 25-30 minutes |
| Recreation Focus | Lakes, trails, Town Center | Golf, Tysons shopping | Parks, downtown events |
| Housing Variety | High (condos to homes) | Lower (primarily estates) | Moderate (mixed styles) |
| Best For | Young professionals, diverse budgets | Affluent families, executives | Families, community-focused buyers |
Moving to Reston, McLean, or Vienna? We Know the Drill
You’ve done the hard part by picking the community that fits your life. Now you need to get your furniture into a third-floor Reston Town Center condo, navigate a McLean driveway that wasn’t designed for moving trucks, or figure out parking permits for Vienna’s narrower streets.
This is where 20 years of local experience matters. We’ve moved families into all three communities enough times to know which Reston buildings require reservations, which McLean neighborhoods have HOAs that need advance notice, and how to time a Vienna move to avoid downtown festival traffic.
We’re not just licensed and insured (though we are GSA-approved with full background checks on every crew member). We’re the movers who know that the Wiehle-Reston East garage fills up by 7 AM and that buildings in the Vienna Metro area have specific loading dock hours.
Need packing help because you’re buried in work? We’ll handle it. Need storage because your closing dates don’t line up? We’ve got secure facilities right in Arlington.
Ready to make this move happen? Call (703) 889-8899 for a free estimate. Tell us which community you’re headed to, and we’ll give you straight answers about timing, costs, and what to expect.
Explore Additional Moving Services in Reston, McLean, and Vienna
Exploring options beyond Reston, McLean, and Vienna? Georgetown Moving and Storage Company delivers reliable local moving, long-distance relocation, and secure storage solutions across the entire Washington, DC metro area.
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