Being the first county in the United States to reach a six-figure median household income, Fairfax County is home to many government agencies and several Fortune 500 companies.
Fairfax County is one of the best places to live in Northern Virginia that offers its residents a suburban feel. Located just minutes away from Washington D.C., Fairfax County prides itself on having the largest concentration of technology jobs of any major U.S. market.
Looking for ways to search for the best areas to buy a house in Fairfax County where you can thrive in terms of career and life? Well, we’re here to help you.
We’re now in a time where information is conveniently made more accessible, and a really helpful tool like Niche.com provides just that. They have put together a cool list of the best-rated places to live in Fairfax County with an overview of what’s around each particular area using two factors: median income and public school grades. Let’s dive right in.
Top 3 Communities Located in Herndon
The top three areas that made it into the list are all located in the town of Herndon, which we can all assume is the best place to live in Fairfax County. Herndon is located about 24 miles from Washington D.C. and The Pentagon.
Herndon is also a part of the Dulles Technology Corridor, which Fortune magazine named the “Netplex” because of the location headquarters for AOL, XO Communications, K12, Verizon Business, and Network Solutions. Other major employers in the area include Fannie Mae, Booz Allen, and Amazon Web Services.
The proximity to these employment hubs makes it an attractive location for those that work outside of the D.C. area. As a result, Herndon has a median income that is above average for the town.
What really sets Herndon apart from other towns in Fairfax County is you can stay there and still be close to all nearby attractions, and it’s only about 15 minutes from Tysons Corner. If you’re looking to experience culture and what the town has to offer, Herndon has various museums, art centers, galleries, a live theater, and a lot of fun outdoor activities.
Having a strategic location, Herndon is every commuter’s dream as travel time plays a huge role in what part of the county you live in. Now that you have a better understanding of the greater Herndon area, here are the top 3 communities that made the list. Let’s have a look, shall we?
1. Floris
The first neighborhood on the list is Floris, which is located in northwestern Fairfax County, south of Herndon and about 29 miles northwest of Washington D.C. and The Pentagon. By Northern Virginia standards, it’s a relatively small subdivision with about 8000 residents.
Floris Median Income & Median Sales Price
The median household income in Floris is $200,000, while the median home sales price is $673,000. The size of the houses is decent, and a single-family home only costs $675,000 based on the last 12 months of sales.
If your budget permits, Floris has some larger homes that you can get for about a million dollars. There’s also a small collection of townhouses and condos that start in the $400,000 price range. In addition, their HOA fee includes snow removal and one of their notable community features is a swimming pool.
Floris Public Schools
As for schools that service the Floris residents, Niche.com has given these schools an A overall rating.
The individual schools that serve the area include:
- Floris Elementary School
Address: 2708 Centreville Rd, Herndon, VA 20171, United States
Phone: +1 703-561-2900
Floris Elementary School has an A overall rating on Niche.com and a 7/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org. This is one of the few dozen elementary schools that offer a foreign language program.
- Carson Middle School
Address: 13618 McLearen Rd, Herndon, VA 20171, USA
Phone: +1 703-925-3600
Carson Middle School has an A overall rating on Niche.com and a 7/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org.
- Westfield High School
Address: 4700 Stonecroft Blvd, Chantilly, VA 20151, USA
Phone: +1 703-488-6300
Westfield High School has an A overall rating on Niche.com and a 4/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org. U.S. News rates them as the 15th best public high school in Fairfax County.
- South Lakes High School
Address: 11400 South Lakes Dr, Reston, VA 20191, USA
Phone: +1 703-715-4500
South Lakes High School has an A overall rating on Niche.com and a 4/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org. U.S. News rates them as the 18th best public high school in Fairfax County.
Summary:
- Floris is located in northwestern Fairfax County, south of Herndon and about 29 miles northwest of Washington D.C. with about 8000 residents.
- The median household income in Floris is $200,000, while the median home sales price is $673,000.
- A single-family home in Floris only costs $675,000, while larger homes are about a million dollars. Townhouses and condos start in the $400,000 price range.
- Their HOA fee includes snow removal and one of their notable community features is a swimming pool.
- The individual schools that serve Floris include Floris Elementary School, Carson Middle School, Westfield High School, Westfield High School, and South Lakes High School. Niche.com has given these schools an A rating.
2. Franklin Farm
The second highest-rated place on the list is Franklin Farm, which is a residential community located in Hernon and is 20 or so plus miles from Washington D.C. or The Pentagon. With 18,000 residents, Franklin Farm is almost twice the size of Floris.
Franklin Farm Median Income & Median Sales Price
The median household income in Franklin Farm is $183,000, while the median home sales price is $618,000.
Franklin Farm has a lot of green space and concrete walking paths that are perfect for an outdoorsy person. The single-family homes in this area start at $745,000, while other bigger homes cost around a million dollars. There are condos and townhouses that start in the $400,000 price range as well.
They also have an amazing HOA package wherein you get to have a swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, and even a gym. Additionally, they have a little village center that offers amenities right down the street.
Franklin Farm Public Schools
As for schools that service the Franklin Farm residents, Niche.com has given these schools an A-plus overall rating.
The individual schools that serve the area include:
- Oak Hill Elementary School
Address: 3210 Kinross Cir, Herndon, VA 20171, USA
Phone: +1 703-467-3500
Oak Hill Elementary School has an A overall rating on Niche.com and a 7/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org.
- Crossfield Elementary School
Address: 2791 Fox Mill Rd, Herndon, VA 20171, USA
Phone: +1 703-295-1100
Crossfield Elementary School has an A overall rating on Niche.com and a 7/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org.
- Carson Middle School
Address: 13618 McLearen Rd, Herndon, VA 20171, USA
Phone: +1 703-925-3600
Carson Middle School has an A overall rating on Niche.com and a 7/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org.
- Franklin Middle School
Address: 3300 Lees Corner Rd, Chantilly, VA 20151, USA
Phone: +1 703-904-5100
Franklin Middle School has an A overall rating on Niche.com and a 7/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org.
- Oakton High School
Address: 2900 Sutton Rd, Vienna, VA 22181, USA
Phone: +1 703-319-2700
Oakton High School has an A-plus overall rating on Niche.com and a 6/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org. U.S. News rates them as the 7th best public high school in Fairfax County.
- Chantilly High School
Address: 4201 Stringfellow Rd, Chantilly, VA 20151, USA
Phone: +1 703-222-8100
Chantilly High School has an A-plus overall rating on Niche.com and a 7/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org. U.S. News rates them as the 6th best public high school in Fairfax County.
Summary:
- Franklin Farm is a residential community located in Hernon and is 20 or so plus miles from Washington D.C. or The Pentagon with 18,000 residents.
- The median household income in Franklin Farm is $183,000, while the median home sales price is $618,000.
- Single-family homes in Franklin Farm start at $745,000, while other bigger homes cost around a million dollars. Townhouses and condos start in the $400,000 price range.
- Their HOA package includes amenities like a swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a gym.
- The individual schools that serve Franklin Farm include Oak Hill Elementary School, Crossfield Elementary School, Carson Middle School, Franklin Middle School, Oakton High School, and Chantilly High School. Niche.com has given these schools an A-plus overall rating.
3. Dranesville
The last area on the list is Dranesville, which is located in the northern part of Herndon and a little bit further away from Tysons Corner, The Pentagon, and the White House. Dranesville is a little smaller than Franklin Farm with a population of 11,500 people.
Dranesville Median Income & Median Sales Price
The median household income in Dranesville is $182,000, while the median home sales price is $580,000. A single-family home’s starting price only costs $510,000.
If you’re willing to spend more, there are larger homes in Dranesville that are available for a million dollars or more. Also, there are townhouses and condos that start in the $350,000 price range. Their HOA monthly fees usually cover landscaping, regular maintenance, management fees, and amenities such as pool, spa, gym, security, and common area electricity.
Dranesville not only offers its residents the charm of rural life but the area also comes with a variety of parks, restaurants, and coffee shops. In addition, Dranesville residents can enjoy a nice hike, bike, or walk with beautiful scenery within Sugarland Run Stream Valley Park, which is only minutes away.
Dranesville Public Schools
As for schools that service the Dranesville residents, Niche.com has given these schools an A overall rating.
The individual schools that serve the area include:
- Forestville Elementary School
Address: 1085 Utterback Store Rd, Great Falls, VA 22066, USA
Phone: +1 703-404-6000
Forestville Elementary School has an A overall rating on Niche.com and an 8/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org.
- Cooper Middle School
Address: 977 Balls Hill Rd, McLean, VA 22101, USA
Phone: +1 703-442-5800
Cooper Middle School has an A overall rating on Niche.com and a 9/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org.
- Langley High School
Address: 6520 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101, USA
Phone: +1 703-287-2700
Langley High School has an A-plus overall rating on Niche.com and a 9/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org. U.S. News rates them as the 2nd best public high school in Fairfax County.
- Herndon High School
Address: 700 Bennett St, Herndon, VA 20170, USA
Phone: +1 703-810-2200
Langley High School has a B-plus overall rating on Niche.com and a 2/10 summary rating on GreatSchools.org. U.S. News rates them as the 19th best public high school in Fairfax County.
Summary:
- Dranesville is located in the northern part of Herndon and a little bit further away from Tysons Corner, The Pentagon, and the White House with 11,500 residents.
- The median household income in Dranesville is $182,000, while the median home sales price is $580,000.
- A single-family home’s starting price in Dranesville only costs $510,000, while larger homes are available for a million dollars or more. Townhouses and condos start in the $350,000 price range.
- Their HOA monthly fees cover landscaping, regular maintenance, management fees, and amenities such as pool, spa, gym, security, and common area electricity.
- The individual schools that serve Dranesville include Forestville Elementary School, Cooper Middle School, Langley High School, and Herndon High School. Niche.com has given these schools an A overall rating.
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Conclusion
Overall, you have learned why Herndon is the top-rated place to live in Fairfax County with what it has to offer. We have laid out the key differences of the top 3 communities located in Herndon: Floris, Franklin Farm, and Dranesville in order to give you an understanding of things to consider when deciding to live in these areas.
Which area impressed you the most?
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