DC’s Best and Worst Suburbs

Narrowing down the best suburbs of DC isn’t hard. Most people with families would say the same 10 suburbs, give or take. Then narrowing to 5 might result in a good old-fashioned debate. Everyone would have a different top 5 based on their own priorities and preferences. But what are the worst suburbs? 

I’ll tie up the best areas with a Melissa-invented tagline. When I get to the worst areas, I’ll mostly be doing some apologizing to anyone who actually lives there.

Arlington, VA

Known for: Walkability, schools, proximity to DC.

Standout Neighborhoods: Can I say all of them? If I must narrow it down, then worthy mentions are Clarendon, Lyon Village, Cherrydale, Bluemont, Westover, Yorktown, Barcroft, Shirlington.

Why it’s great: If I wanted to leave DC and I could get my husband to live in Virginia, Arlington is where I would go. Great public schools, housing stock that’s a mix of charming new craftsman homes and older bungalow homes and easy commutes to everywhere. Plus, and this could be just my sense, but you have real people here. There isn’t a feeling of pretension among the residents. Everyone is friendly and they always seem to want to chat. Of course, that could be because I’m there with clients and they are curious about the potential new neighbors. But I’ve never had an off-putting experience here. People just feel .. real.

Arlington is expensive, but home values here increase every year – especially near metro stops. The retail and restaurant choices are excellent. You have a variety of options all over Arlington and won’t feel the need to go into DC for restaurant choices. Every grocery store is here as well – the usual Giant and Safeway choices along with Trader Joes, Whole Foods and Harris Teeter.

Arlington County also boasts this cool fact – anyone in the county is within a 10-minute walk to a park. The recreation center programs are fantastic with class and sports offerings for all ages. Some of the rec centers have fitness rooms and classes that rival area gyms at a fraction of the price. 

You pay for convenience in Arlington, but you get convenience in Arlington.

Vienna, VA

Known for: Yard space, trails, schools and a community vibe.

Why it’s great: Vienna is one of the most sought-after areas in Fairfax County. The W&OD trail access is something people love, along with the real small-town downtown. The number of restaurants and the quality of the food served in Vienna is enough to ensure you won’t be making the trek to other areas of Northern Virginia or DC. There’s fine dining, Italian, Asian Fusion, French plus a whole host of casual places like Taco Bamba and Foster’s Grille.

The Vienna schools are excellent. There are 12 parks in the town as well. Vienna hosts a ton of family-friendly festivals and concerts that run year-round.  Chillin on Church is a monthly block party that runs from June to September. There are Fourth of July fireworks, Oktoberfest, a Halloween Parade, Holiday Stroll, a Kids on the Green summer series of events, Memorial Day Celebration and a Farmer’s Market. ViVa Vienna is a music and craft festival.

Vienna is the suburb people grow into—and stay in. Your future self will thank you.

Bethesda, MD

Known for: Schools, established neighborhoods, long-term value.

Standout Neighborhoods: All of them. The variety in lifestyle runs the gamut here. If you want to live close to downtown where the shops and restaurants are, it’s pricier but possible. If you prefer to live in the suburbs, that is also possible. There are also parts of Bethesda on the western edge that feel more green, leafy and private. 

Why it’s great: Bethesda doesn’t have a huge employment center. You will find much more business on the Virginia side of the river. But there is enough nearby that make it a viable option for those who work at nearby employers like NIH, Marriott or Discovery Channel in Silver Spring. The walkability is a huge draw as are the big, leafy lots. Lots of residents here also commute downtown, as it’s a pretty easy ride on the redline.

Parents tend to break Bethesda down into the high schools. For some reason I cannot comprehend, people think Walt Whitman is the best of the three high schools in Bethesda. The other two high schools are Bethesda Chevy Chase (BCC) and Walter Johnson. I encourage you, no, I BEG you to look at the annual Bethesda Magazine where they publish the college outcomes each year. Be careful of the groupthink, the other high schools fare just as well if not better in getting students who go to the top schools.

There is also a lot of money here. You will find the public-school families, and the private school families. It’s been our experience that the private school families travel in different circles than public. But, because the public schools are as good as they are, you also see families with kids who leave private school and go back to public for high school.

Bethesda is Maryland’s answer to Arlington, but less urban and with a bunch more of the Jones’ trying to keep up with each other.

Falls Church City, VA

Known for: Small-town feel with urban access.

Why it’s great: Falls Church City has its own government and therefore, its own school system. It is tight-knit and has a walkable downtown and charming homes. Because of these factors, this is like Mayberry but on steroids because of the money here. Lots of well into the six-figure salaries and real estate bidding wars. In fact, if the world came crashing down, this is the last place in the DMV where there would still be bidding wars. 

You may be wondering why it didn’t rank higher – and that’s due to affordability. I could have and would have easily ranked this ahead of Bethesda, but, the prices here are through the roof and that’s because the schools are considered the best in the area. 

Falls Church City is one of the smallest municipalities in Virginia, with a Hallmark movie set vibe and a bustling family-friendly downtown.

Chevy Chase, MD

Known for: Charm, prestige, proximity to NW DC and lots of money.

Why it’s great: Chevy Chase is divided into Villages, which run like their own little towns. The villages all have their own governing boards. To give you an example of how they operate, Village revenue is made up from half income taxes, 25% property tax and 25% speeding enforcement.

People go to Chevy Chase to escape DC, but still have the convenience to the city amenities. Chevy Chase is residential with retail along the major corridor of Wisconsin Ave. The streets are lined with trees, the public schools are good but you will likely find a lot of residents here have the money to go private. There’s lots of old money aesthetics here. While you will see the teardowns, the village centers are the ones who do the approvals on the building and if they don’t like your design then it doesn’t get that stamp of approval!

Chevy Chase is very classy with a variety of residents who appreciate charm, beauty and being close to but not inside of DC.

DC’s Worst Suburbs

Oxon Hill, MD

Why it’s on the list: Even with National Harbor, it hasn’t taken off the way many hoped. Commuting is tough.
Melissa’s take: Apologies if you love it here or if you live here, but getting to Oxon Hill takes me an entire tank of gas to make my way through the gridlock of 695 and 295. 

Capitol Heights, MD

Why it’s tricky: It’s just over the DC line, adjacent to one of the most dangerous areas of DC. So, it’s not like you cross state lines and things improve.

Melissa’s take: Did you miss the part where I said it’s just over the DC line, adjacent to one of the most dangerous areas of DC?

Laurel, MD

Why it’s on the list: Long commute, inconsistent school ratings, limited housing appreciation.

Melissa’s take: Apologies again if you love it here or you live here, but people get tempted by the price point. Laurel is a tough area. You have to see it to understand. It’s gritty, commercial and generally too chaotic with little upside. I’ve had a lot of people contact me who want to move out of Laurel, but suspiciously, no one ever calls to say they want to move into Laurel.

Manassas, VA

Why it’s tough: Traffic is brutal. Schools and amenities are hit or miss. Pricing is affordable, but growth is limited. 

Melissa’s take: Apologies if you love it here or you live here. You might save on the house, but try getting to 66 to commute anywhere. By the time you get there, you will have been in the car long enough to want to turn around and go home.

Huntington (in Alexandria, Fairfax County)

Why it’s tough: It’s a very transient area.

Melissa’s take: The day I went to Huntington to get video footage of the seedy motel-row, people were beeping their cars at me. I was on the phone with Michael, and I said, “Oh good lord, people think I’m a hooker who escaped from one of these motel rooms!” 

“Best” means different things depending on your phase of life, commute tolerance, and school priorities. But if you’re moving up and want peace of mind and equity growth, stick with the tried-and-true over the overly trendy. Just don’t go too far in the direction of “up and coming.” Sometimes neighborhoods labeled as “up and coming” have infrastructure that will never allow the change needed for to revitalize and gentrify the neighborhood. And when people’s safety is in the mix, all bets are off when it comes to equity-building. 

Want help scouting the right fit for your family (without wasting your time)? Let’s talk.