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Do you have military orders to the Pentagon or a military installation in the Washington, DC, area? Then you might be wondering if living in Alexandria, VA, is the right place to call home. Good news—it probably is!
Less than ten miles from the nation’s capital, Alexandria is close enough to take advantage of some of the country's best cultural activities. While living in Alexandria, you'll find plenty to do. Residents enjoy the sophistication of a city filled with amenities and a small-town vibe perfect for raising families.
Portions of the cities are nestled in picturesque suburbs, while other sections are bustling with commerce and the hubbub spilling over from DC. In different sections along the Potomac River, outdoor enthusiasts travel the same paths George Washington did hundreds of years ago.
Military Families in Alexandria, VA
What is it like to live in Alexandria, VA, as a military family? Alexandria is a good place for families, with a diverse population and neighborhoods. Plenty of government workers live in Alexandria, as do those in the private sector. Families, singles, and couples have everything they could ask for in very close proximity. A robust tourism industry demonstrates just how attractive Alexandria really is for numerous reasons: excellent schools, low unemployment, and plenty to see and do.
This all sounds amazing, right? And it is, but to love Alexandria means you’ll have to put up with a host of inconveniences, like the amazing lack of parking (forget free parking!) the major lifestyle changes required to manage your finances, and the traffic navigation skills needed to live here.
Terms to Know About the Alexandria and Washington, DC, Area
Inside/Outside of the Beltway
Interstate 495 is a 64-mile loop around Washington, DC, encompassing the suburbs of Virginia and Maryland. The term “The Beltway” is used to describe where real estate is located, a reference to where political action occurs (inside the Beltway in DC), and most frequently, in traffic reports.
NOVA
Northern Virginia is considered a region without hard boundaries. NOVA consists of the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William, as well as the independent cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park.
National Capital Region
The Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms qualifies this geographic area encompassing the District of Columbia and eleven local jurisdictions in the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia as the "National Capital Region."
The DMV
The DMV consists of Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Some government entities, such as the Census Bureau, add portions of West Virginia to this area.
The City of Alexandria vs. Alexandria, Fairfax County
One of the most basic but tricky pieces of information to understand about Alexandria is that it is actually split into two different geographic locations and governed by separate bodies. This concept is confusing for newcomers, especially regarding schools and zip codes, because casual conversations usually lump all references to Alexandria into one category.
Maps from Military Town Advisor
City of Alexandria
Important Stats
- Population: 157,000
- Area: 15.3 miles
- About 10,000 veterans live in Alexandria
- Average commute time: 30 minutes
Fun Facts
The city is often ranked as one of the most dog-friendly in the U.S., with many hotels and restaurants that welcome your favorite pooch with fresh water and a treat.
The City of Alexandria is the commercial and professional focus of the collective region known as Alexandria. Within the city limits, Old Town is the epicenter of tourism and where the charm of colonial history meets modern shopping and dining.
Popular City of Alexandria Neighborhoods
Old Town, Eisenhower Valley, Rosemont, The Berg, Parker-Gray, Del Ray, Arlandria, West End, North Ridge, Beverly Hills, and Potomac Yard.
Review of Old Town, Alexandria:
“Old Town is a great location for your DC assignment. Close to the metro and major highway, making the commutes to the Pentagon and bases very quick and easy. Plenty of shops, restaurants, and historic attractions. You can walk to almost everything and have access to water and long hiking/biking trails that connect the city. I can't say enough good things about living in Old Town!”
Alexandria, Fairfax County (Also referred to as Lower Alexandria or South Alexandria)
Important Stats
- Fairfax County Public Schools is the ninth largest school division in the United States. FCPS serves over 177,000 students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12.
- Fort Belvoir is the closest military installation to serve families, but other bases (Fort McNair, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall) are also accessible and relatively close.
- About 65,000 veterans live in Fairfax County.
- Vehicles owned by full-time active duty service members and spouses absent from their state of residence or domicile may be exempt from local taxation upon application to the Department of Tax Administration.
Fun Facts
George Washington’s beloved Mount Vernon is, in some cases, only a few miles from numerous Alexandria addresses, and many families purchase annual passes for multiple visits with out-of-town family and friends.
For field trips, public school kids regularly tour the Smithsonian Museums and see live performances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Popular Neighborhoods
Hollin Hills, Franconia, Groveton, Hybla Valley, Huntington, Belle Haven, Mount Vernon, Fort Hunt, Engleside, Burgundy Village, Waynewood, Wilton Woods, Rose Hill, Virginia Hills, Hayfield, and Kingstowne are some of the popular neighborhoods in this area.
Review of Kingstowne (Alexandria):
“What a welcome! Lots of military and retired military. The day we moved in, the whole row moved their cars. People brought cleaning supplies, refreshments, and dinner. Very easy drive to Ft. Belvoir, short bike ride or medium walk to metro, right next door to a school parents love.”
Photo from Pixabay
Cost of Living in Alexandria, VA
Unless you're arriving from expensive duty stations like San Diego or Hawaii, newcomers to Alexandria and the DC area will likely notice an uptick in the price of everything. It’s part of life in NOVA, and military families become experts at making the cost adjustments work. Utilizing on-base amenities like the Exchange, gas stations, daycare, and recreation becomes a regular savings technique.
Fort Belvoir has a relatively new, large commissary and Exchange, making it easier to navigate the inevitable crowds. Other nearby bases, such as Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, have shopping outlets, too.
It’s also essential to factor in commuting costs when calculating your cost of living. Payments for Metrorail rides, parking, and more frequent trips to the gas station affect the affordability of real estate options.
A helpful, and potentially eye-opening, resource for putting the cost of living into perspective is Numbeo. Numbeo is a website that provides detailed cost-of-living data by zip code. They have a comparison tool that lets you enter your zip code and compare it to potential Alexandria zip codes.
Read our Alexandria Guide for Newcomers below for more information.
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Alexandria, VA, Real Estate
Buying a Home in Alexandria
In general, the real estate market in Alexandria remains stable. For most people who relocate here, the sticker shock takes some getting used to. Homes that are competitively priced move quickly and are likely to attract multiple offers. The benefits of living in the area (commute, access to good schools, and amenities) drive the constant high demand.
Average Alexandria home prices:
- $825,000 Alexandria, City of Alexandria
- $950,000 Alexandria, Fairfax County
The Fairfax County figure is a little misleading. This is a wide swath of real estate, and premium locations will command prices above this average. In the sought-after Alexandria neighborhoods near Fort Belvoir and the George Washington Parkway, such as Waynewood, Riverside Gardens, and Stratford Landing, these sale numbers reflect a market-entry home with needed renovations.
Review of Waynewood:
“We lived in Waynewood during my husband's joint tour at the Pentagon. While we expected it to be a stressful tour, we ended up having the best tour for our family due to this neighborhood. Waynewood is a family-friendly neighborhood with great schools, many social activities, an overall active community that supports its residents (both renters and owners were more than welcome at all social neighborhood functions). Waynewood is a very central location in between Old Town Alexandria and Mount Vernon/Fort Belvoir. We were able to enjoy the restaurants and city life in Old Town but able to keep our budget in line by shopping at the commissary at Fort Belvoir and using the medical center on base. Waynewood is an amazing community in a fabulous location off the Potomac River.”
Renting a Home in Alexandria
Due to the length of typical PCS cycles and the high cost of real estate, many military members choose to rent a house for their tour. The housing payment goal is often to stay at or near the service member’s BAH.
Renters should know the likelihood of paying beyond their BAH is a distinct possibility in Alexandria, not always, but often enough to mention, particularly in desirable areas and the historic city center of Old Town. Those who don’t need access to public schools have more room to negotiate affordable housing near their workplace.
Alexandria BAH comparison reference:
The BAH Calculator for an O4 with Dependents in the 22314, Old Town Zip code is $4,410 monthly. In comparison, MilitaryByOwner advertises rental homes available in this zip code that often top out at $4,600.
Military Landlords
It’s common to encounter military landlords in the Alexandria area. They realize the need for staffing in military facilities in the NCR isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so the income stream will likely remain. Fluctuations occur with annual BAH reconfigurations, but the opportunity to, at a minimum, pay the mortgage payment exists.
Military landlords also find plenty of advantages in working with other military members, including the consistency of monthly payments and the natural camaraderie in the workplace.
Education, Military Spouse Careers, and Quality of Life in Alexandria, VA
Schools in Alexandria
During a PCS move, families with school-aged children face the challenge of finding the right school for their children that also support a high quality of life at home. The cost of living and BAH numbers rarely match, and commute times further separate busy military families.
There are many options for private schooling in Alexandria. Expect private schools to be competitive and expensive, forcing some military families to make difficult choices: choose a high-performing public school (at the cost of high-priced real estate) or use homeschool opportunities.
Against a national backdrop, the NOVA region is gifted with robust public school systems. Many schools are either highly rated in Virginia or nationally ranked, or both. In fact, Fairfax County has a solid reputation for educating kids, one that has held for decades. But in recent years, the Fairfax County Public School System has struggled to balance its budget. Shortages have been regular hurdles to overcome.
Searching for an Alexandria high school? These are tough years to PCS, and finding the right Alexandria high school can be challenging. Here are the schools your kids would attend. Check each school district’s boundary locator to verify your address’s assigned high school.
- City of Alexandria: Alexandria City High School
- Alexandria, Fairfax County: West Potomac High School, Mount Vernon High School, Thomas A. Edison High School, Hayfield Secondary School, Bryant High School
Both the City of Alexandria and Alexandria, Fairfax County have more than acceptable public schools to choose from, but they also have less desirable options. Using school research tools is necessary in Alexandria because the addresses associated with The City of Alexandria and Alexandria, Fairfax County, are vast and diverse.
Military Spouse Careers and Jobs in Alexandria
Due to its proximity to the DC area, Alexandria, on the whole, is often lumped into job searches with Washington, DC. Sought-after skills in the Washington, DC, area:
- Healthcare Management
- Sales
- Retail Store Operations
- Lean Manufacturing and Quality Management
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management
- Purchasing and Contract Negotiation
- Product Development and Management
- Customer Service
Alexandria is also home to many nonprofit and for-profit offices for military support groups such as Blue Star Families, Military Officers Association of America, and National Military Family Association, to name a few. Not only are there options for volunteering, but all have support for spouses to advance professional skills and conduct job searches.
Higher Education
Northern Virginia Community College is an excellent and affordable option for the education of military family members. The school has campuses near Alexandria (Annandale, Loudoun, Manassas, Springfield, and Woodbridge) and offers online learning.
Virginia Tech has also completed a satellite campus in the Potomac Yard area of Alexandria, near Amazon’s H2Q.
Fort Belvoir is another wealth of education opportunities. Satellite college campuses include:
- Northern Virginia Community College
- Park University
- University of Maryland University College
- Central Michigan University
- Webster University
- Old Dominion University
Social Networks
Working with hyper-local information is often the best way to become aware of the details needed to determine your best neighborhood, school, work, and commute options in Alexandria. Military families are always up for sharing advice and experiences.
As soon as PCS orders for the DC area are a strong possibility, start subscribing and following several social media outlets for a good compilation of opinions and local news. This is especially helpful for finding upcoming rental homes, as military families tend to pass on their housing gems by word of mouth to incoming families months in advance.
Military Town Advisor (the quotes above are from this site) is a must to research the Washington, DC area, including Alexandria. Honest reviews curated from military families with personal knowledge help make the next family’s transition easier. You’ll find descriptions and reviews for neighborhoods, shopping, restaurants, housing, and much more.
Other resources:
- Facebook Groups: GAMS-National Capital Region Military Spouses, Fort Hunt Military Families, Alexandria, Virginia Homeschoolers, NoVa Moms, Fort Belvoir Spouses
- Patch: Greater Alexandria, Mount Vernon, Kingstowne-Rose Hill, Old Town, and West Alexandria
- Nextdoor
More Useful Information for Living in Alexandria, VA
The Number of Military Installations
It's entirely possible to live in Alexandria because of initial orders to locations such as the Pentagon, but follow-on orders could appear for locations farther away, such as Fort Meade, Maryland. Keep in mind that a move just to avoid heavy traffic is unlikely to be paid for by the government unless the new order requires more than the standard 50-mile radius. Of course, there are some exceptions.
Minimizing Traffic
Build your lifestyle in a bubble that keeps commuting to a minimum. Choose strategic neighborhoods where grocery stores, schools, and other important-to-you amenities (Target, Starbucks) are as convenient as possible.
Commuting Options
Commuting via Metrorail and bus is an essential part of life in Alexandria. Metro stops that serve Alexandria include King Street Station, Van Dorn Street, Eisenhower Avenue, Huntington, Potomac Yard, and Braddock Road Station.
Medical Facilities
Active-duty members, their families, veterans, and retirees completely fill medical facilities in the NCR to capacity and beyond. The wait times for appointments and pharmacy stops reflect the crowding. Note that you might live closest to Fort Belvoir, but if those assignments are full, you will be assigned to another military treatment facility, making USFHP or Tricare Select an attractive option.
The US Family Health Plan has recently entered the NOVA region as an alternative to Tricare Prime. USFHP is connected to Johns Hopkins and Inova Hospitals and allows military families to receive care outside military facilities.
Your Alexandria VA Life
When it comes to a potential move to Alexandria, having too much information isn’t something to worry about. You’ll need opinions from multiple trusted resources in addition to the facts. Life is fast-paced here; planning early is the best bet to make good PCS choices. Don’t forget to plan for plenty of time to check off all the things to do in Alexandria VA, you’ve heard about. They’re popular for good reasons!
The Washington, DC, area is one of MilitaryByOwner’s most robust markets for selling and renting, so there are always houses to search for and detailed information about moving to the nation’s capital. Visit frequently to keep up with the best around Alexandria!
By Dawn M. Smith
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