With nearly a hundred thousand residents, Springfield is close to 10% of Fairfax County’s population. Being a huge part of Fairfax County, Springfield has the third most real estate transaction last year.
Different Places to Live in Springfield
Springfield is a pretty big area that is broken up into four sections, namely Newington, Central Springfield, North Springfield, and West Springfield.
So, we’re going to start off with the most affordable and end with the most popular area in Springfield. Let’s dive right in.
Newington Forest
The first community we’re going to check out is Newington Forest, which is located in Newington and near the Springfield Interchange or the Mixing Bowl. It also has close proximity to Washington D.C. This neighborhood has a healthy mix of townhouses and single-family homes that were built in the late 70s to early 80s.
The average sales price in Newington Forest is about $600,000, but the average sales price for townhouses in the area is just over $400,000. These townhouses usually have two to four bedrooms with mostly three levels.
Although there are some garages in units that have nice size lots, there are many townhouses with no garages, which is probably one of the reasons why they are on the lower end of the price point. Even so, this subdivision has off-street parking and assigned parking.
One of the coolest things in Newington Forest is there are many trees visible throughout the area, not just on the main streets but on the side streets as well. This is due to the neighborhood being close to a couple of parks, so it’s really maintained a lot of that aesthetic that gives off a nice, peaceful vibe.
As for the single-family homes in this neighborhood, most houses have a siding exterior and split-level styles. They have sidewalks, which I’m a fan of, and pretty much all single-family homes in the area have garages.
However, the downside of living in Newington Forest or Springfield, in general, is you have to be accustomed to having pipestems or shared driveways between neighbors. Personally, I’ll never be a fan of pipestems.
The main reason why I dislike pipestems is the fact that your neighbors no longer just become some people that you could choose to speak to or have a relationship with. On a pipestem, you all have to get along with a shared responsibility of taking care of the road you both own.
With pipestems, you’ll also need to be respectful of parking for either parties or events that you have. Given the fact that you don’t get to choose your neighbors, it’s definitely something to keep in mind when choosing to live in this neighborhood.
Nonetheless, Newington Forest has a pool and a field that can be leased or rented by its residents. There are also basketball courts, tennis courts, and a community center.
Japonica
Next up, we have Japonica, which is located in Central Springfield and the eastern side of I-95. It also borders Alexandria, Fairfax County. This gives people quick access to the Mixing Bowl or the ability to get straight onto the Interstate and the Franconia-Springfield metro station, which is beneficial for commuters.
On top of that, what I really like about Japonica is residents have quick access to both the Springfield Mall and Kingstowne Towne Center, so there’s plenty of amenities that these homeowners have access to. Their HOA also includes a community pool that residents can enjoy.
Another thing to mention about Japonica is that it features winding paths where there’s only one way out. I’m not really a fan of one-way out communities because there’s a lot of traffic during rush hour time.
Out of every area on our list, Japonica is the newest neighborhood with townhouses that were built between the 1990s and the early 2000s. Like most townhouses, these nicely styled units have two to four bedrooms.
The townhouses in Japonica look very similar, and the only difference will depend on whether you have a garage or not. Some homes come with no garage, one-car garage, or two-car garages, which gives you more options as far as what the basement layout is going to be.
It’s important to point out that there’s limited parking in Japonica. Towards the back of the neighborhood, there’s very limited guest parking as well as street parking, and there’s no visible parking path.
Still, there’s some street parking towards the front of the neighborhood. In the center of the neighborhood, there’s guest parking, which can be a bit of a hassle for those who don’t live close by it. So, this is just something to take into consideration if you entertain or if you have a family of multiple cars.
As previously mentioned, Japonica has close proximity to the Franconia-Springfield metro station, and some of the units in the area are actually directly close to the train tracks. So, it’s best to keep that in mind that the train tracks are also going to be your neighbors in Japonica.
We actually had a client that has a property on the other side of the train tracks who mentioned that it’s a bit of an issue there. The good news is that the trains are pretty respectful of blowing their horns, and it’s not like they can blow their horns inside of the residential communities.
North Springfield
The second to last area we’re covering is North Springfield, which is located in the southern part of Fairfax County. I’ve never seen this neighborhood before, and I didn’t expect the houses to be extremely appealing.
My wife and I haven’t spent a lot of time in North Springfield, so we’re kind of taken aback by its beauty. Since this community has close proximity to Lake Accotink Park, it has mature trees with a park-like setting and well-maintained lawns that emanate a serene, peaceful look.
So, most of the neighborhood has older-style homes that were built in the late 50s to early 60s. There are a lot of nicely styled smaller homes like split levels, one-levels, bi-levels, ramblers, raised ramblers, and newer homes that are very similar.
These cute little contemporary houses in the area mostly have painted bricks exterior with huge front and back lots, which is ideal for people who like to have a lot of space. You could also get homes with a basement on the back of the property.
In North Springfield, if you’re looking for a single-family home with a little bit more personality or some substance to it, this is a great place for you. The single-family homes in the area have an average sales price of about $603,000 based on last year’s sales.
With the aforementioned price point, you’re looking at getting a pretty nice size lot that is anywhere from half-acre to over an acre, which is considered as premium in Fairfax County. There may be a lot of older neighborhoods in Fairfax County, but some are just not as well kept as North Springfield wherein there aren’t a lot of teardowns.
Daventry
Now, the last neighborhood that we’re going to talk about is Daventry, which is located in West Springfield and near the Fairfax County Parkway. West Springfield is very popular amongst families, particularly military families in Northern Virginia, so we see a lot of people relocating to this area.
We live in Kingstowne, and a lot of our friends and neighbors move from the Kingstowne area to West Springfield after their kids get a little bit older. Two of the reasons behind this have to do with the higher school ratings and the larger number of single-family homes available in West Springfield.
So, Daventry is one of the most popular subdivisions in West Springfield. Despite being significantly smaller, Daventry is the only true subdivision that is somewhat akin to the Kingstowne subdivision in terms of having different types of homes and similar amenities like pools, tot lots, and basketball courts.
Out of every community on our list, Daventry is the only neighborhood that has condos, townhouses, and single-family homes. This community has a total of about 900 homes wherein there are 500 townhouses, around 200 single-family homes, and just under 200 condos.
Since we’re going to cover all three types of properties in Daventry, here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect price-wise.
The single-family homes in the area have an average sales price of about $955,000. These properties are usually going to have three to five bedrooms and two-car garages on a nice size lot that is between a quarter acre to a half-acre.
As for townhouses, the average sales price is around $600,000. Just like any other townhouse, the lot wouldn’t be that much, but the area has units with garages, without garages, and a few with two-car garages.
And you’re probably looking at paying under $300,000 for one or two-bedroom condos in Ramblewood, which is the condominium within Daventry.
Most people know the Daventry area for its entrance off of Old Keene Mill Road, which requires quite a long drive to get to the actual properties. Aside from that, this subdivision is close to the Fairfax County Parkway, so there are actually a couple of trails that will lead you over in that direction.
Along that trail, you’re going to pass by the swimming pool, multipurpose court, tennis courts, and tot lots in the community.
Similar to some of the other neighborhoods in Springfield, Daventry is close to parks and has a park-like feel to it. There are even a few paved trails and bike trails that will connect you to Lake Accotink Park, which is just minutes away from West Springfield.
Things to Know Before Moving to Springfield
Now that we have finished covering all the different communities in Springfield, it’s time to talk about the public schools, commute time, recreation centers, parks, and restaurants in the area.
Springfield Public Schools
Since you now have an idea of the different places to live in Springfield, let’s talk about the schools that your little ones will be attending. Schools are a very important part of the home search for many parents, so we always like to tell our clients to confirm the school that is attached to the properties they’re looking at.
This is because there are a lot of public schools in Fairfax County, including 28 high schools that service the area. So, you can be in a community and your neighbor just a few blocks away may be zoned for a different school already.
Hence, it’s important to always check out the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Boundary Locator System in which you can put whatever address you’re interested in, and it will tell you the school your kids will go to for every grade level.
So, there are three public high schools that serve Springfield, namely John Lewis High, South County High, and West Springfield High, which are all rated differently. West Springfield High and South County High are two of the highly rated high schools in the area.
But more specifically, West Springfield High is the school that many families leave other parts of Fairfax County to move into that better-rated High School Pyramid of the West Springfield area. There are even some families that move in the area when their kids are younger because the West Springfield Elementary School is also pretty highly rated.
One of the advantages of living in an area like Springfield is they have a lot of highly rated elementary schools and middle schools as well. Oftentimes, the schools on the lower levels do mirror the school on the higher level.
In addition, there are also some advanced academic placement centers in Springfield or schools that offer the AP program. To name a few, there’s Sangster Elementary, Springfield Estates Elementary, and Orange Hunt Elementary, which has a German immersion program.
A number of the schools also offer the foreign language elementary school program. Thus, the schools in Springfield are pretty highly rated overall, which is just another reason why it’s highly desirable amongst families.
Springfield Commute Time
When it comes to the commute time in Springfield, it takes about the same time if you’re working in Washington D.C. or The Pentagon. The easiest way to get to both of these locations is through the I-395, which you could jump on right off of the Franconia road.
In Springfield, you have quick access to the Springfield Interchange, aka the Mixing Bowl, which is a very popular meeting ground for cars. If you’re a commuter who depends on the metro to go to and from work, you’ll have access to the Springfield-Franconia metro station as well.
There’s also this thing called “slugging.” Slugging is the process of getting into a stranger’s car and going to a predetermined location in the city or in the Arlington area. The best part? It’s free.
If you’re doing slugging, there are two slug lines available in Springfield. There’s Bob’s pickup location in Old Keene Mill Road and the Daventry slug line. This very cool feature only exists in Northern Virginia.
Also, you’ll have access to the Rolling Valley Park & Ride where you can park and take a ride to the Franconia-Springfield metro station or you can actually get all the way to The Pentagon there.
Another reason people like Springfield is there are a couple of bus lines that will take you directly to The Pentagon from various Springfield neighborhoods. Actually, an official carpool staging area servicing the Daventry-Pentagon route is just within walking distance of the Daventry subdivision.
Again, Springfield is a pretty popular area for military personnel. This also has to do with the fact that the area has close proximity to Fort Belvoir, which is home to a number of significant US military organizations and the largest employer in Fairfax County.
For people who may be working at the Tysons Corner area, it only takes a short trip on the I-495 to get to this employment base. As for those working in the Reston-Herndon Corridor, you’d most likely take the Fairfax County Parkway.
So, that’s pretty much about it. That’s how you would get around if you were living in the Springfield area.
Springfield Recreation Centers
On top of the various commute options, there are many things to do in Springfield. In Fairfax County, there are several rec centers that serve as community pillars for the different regions, which are conveniently located.
Typically, rec centers in Fairfax County have an athletic facility or a fitness center. Hence, Fairfax County residents can get a gym membership there and use that membership at any of the nine rec centers throughout the county.
Fairfax County rec centers are a great place to pick up games and meet other people. These establishments mostly have outdoor fields for football, softball, and all the other outdoor sports that people do. Usually, there are also tennis courts, indoor swimming pools, and basketball courts in these rec centers.
Despite being a large area, Springfield only has one rec center, which is the South Run Rec Center. South Run Rec Center features facilities such as a fitness room, pool & spa, field house, woodland obstacle & zip line course, room rentals, and outdoor activities.
Technically, the South Run Rec Center is considered a park. The parks in the area are South Run Dog Park, Go Ape Zipline & Adventure Park, and Burke Lake Park.
Springfield Parks
Fairfax County has one of the greatest park systems in the country. There are a lot of absolutely beautiful and well-maintained parks with miles and miles of trails. I took up hiking since I moved here because there’s a lot of walking that can be done.
Needless to say, one of the running themes in Springfield is having parks. Springfield has quite a few parks, which are a big thing here if you’re an outdoorsy type of person.
One of my favorite parks in Springfield is the Hidden Pond Nature Center, which has walking trails and is a really great place for hiking and skipping rocks. Our kids love to skip rocks here.
As you may have noticed, Lake Accotink Park has been mentioned several times when we were talking about the subdivisions in Springfield. This 500-acre park is a nice spot for biking, hiking, and boating. The Lake Accotink Park Marina also has a carousel and a picnic area, which is a really great place for families to hang out.
Another attraction that is worth mentioning is the Go Ape Zipline Adventure Park, which is actually in the South Run Rec Center. This park offers an outdoor adventure experience where people can enjoy zipping through the forest.
Springfield Restaurants
In addition to all these parks, Springfield has you covered when it comes to dining options. So, here are a few of our favorite places to eat in Springfield.
First up, we have Mike’s American Grill, which is probably the second most popular restaurant in all of the D.C. metro area. They have these amazing hamburgers, Ozzie rolls, barbecued ribs, chicken salad, smoked salmon, brussels sprouts, and white chocolate bread pudding. Everything is just delicious, and our kids absolutely love their brussels sprouts.
Mike’s American Grill
Address: 6210 Backlick Rd, Springfield, VA 22150, United States
Phone: +1 703-644-7100
Next up, we have Della J’s Delectables, which is a soul food restaurant in Central Springfield. It’s located in a small strip mall right off the Interstate. They have great cornbread and collard greens. So far, this is the only restaurant that offers delicious soul food that I’ve had in the entire DC metro area, and I’ve tried a lot of them. If you’re in Springfield, you’ve got to check it out.
Della J’s Delectables
Address: 6558 Backlick Rd, Springfield, VA 22150, United States
Phone: +1 703-866-8058
Aside from restaurants, Springfield has a lot of strip malls with supermarkets, shops, pharmacies, and the like. To name a few, there’s the Springfield Mall, Kingstowne Towne Center, and Trader’s Joe. So, the area has all sorts of creature comforts you could want without even having to leave your neighborhood.
Now, the next step is to not make a decision on where you’re going to move inside of the Fairfax County area before checking out this playlist that covers its different locations and everything you need to look out for.
Hopefully, when you’re searching for properties online, you’re using our website as well.
If you’re interested in working with us, fill out our Perfect Home Questionnaire, and we’ll schedule a time to meet online and answer any questions that you have about moving to the Springfield area.
Conclusion
Overall, you have learned everything you need to know before moving to Springfield, Virginia.
Which area were you most interested in?
We’d like to hear all about it.
