Looking to Move From Iowa to Warrenton (Arlington, Manassas: fit in, to rent)

[cryan03s]

The wife and I seriously considering moving from Eastern Iowa to Warrenton. About 5 years ago I moved my family of 7 to Iowa from Southern California where I lived for 20 years. So, after 5 years in Iowa, my family and I are ready to live somewhere with more variety in places of employment, church, food, culture, people; basically everything.

I need to get a bit of insight from experiences/knowledge regarding the public schools, traffic, people, crime, etc in Warrenton. If at all possible, I don't want to look at any more internet data; I am hoping to get input from people.

Public schools are amazing out here in Iowa and so I am a bit concerned about public schools in Warrenton. I have five kids between grade school and junior high, so the school thing is a factor.

If anyone has any input on Warrenton public schools, or any other input regarding the area in general, I would very much appreciate reading about it. I'm trying to stay away from the big city/rat race feel (had to deal with that crap for 20 years) but I also don't want to live somewhere so isolated that I resort to lighting firecrackers for Friday night entertainment. Hey the kids would probably like it


Thanks in advance.

[Bigfoot424]

I can't say much about the schools but my nephew just moved his family (two kids) to Warrenton and they are enjoying the schools. The wife is a ten year teacher (Not in Warrenton) and she's been impressed. As far as crime the stats are pretty low all over Fauquier County. You're not exactly in a hot spot of activities in Warrenton but you're certainly close to everything. You're close to the mountains, DC and pretty much everything else. Traffic isn't too bad but it's also not Mayberry in this regard.

[SeeingJane]

Warrenton is a nice town. What it is: protective of its rural roots, struggling (as many places are) to maintain a balance between development and farm land, close enough to DC for cultural sorts of day trips, close enough to the mountains for easy hiking. The morning and evening commute, for those who live in Fauquier County and work in the DC region, is a bear. Seriously. Not pleasant. What it isn't: a place where you can hop on public transportation readily, a place where you will have a movie theater, a place where there's a big variety of nightlife awaiting your pleasure. There ARE things to do, but whether or not they fit into your family's wish list is completely up to you.

The public schools are fine. Award winning? No. Have some of the teachers won awards? Yes. Like many school systems, Fauquier County public schools get either applause or moans from those you ask. There aren't magnet schools here, there aren't high schools that specialize in arts or sciences. Some of the schools are old. Some are new. Some (like Fauquier High school, in Warrenton) are being remodeled.

There's a nice rec center that has pools and a skateboard park. There are a lot of sports available, both school league and rec league. There's a bowling alley. There's not a mall. Home Depot? Yes. Walmart? Yes. But Kohl's or Target? No. Twenty-five, thirty minute drive to those.

Warrenton is a nice place. It's outside the NoVa realm and happy to be so. Main Street closes for parades and for Friday night festivities during the holiday season. The parades include what seems like several thousand scout troops, many of the fire and rescue vehicles and an interesting variety of animals wearing Santa hats. That's the small town sweetness that keeps many people there.

[Caladium]

Warrenton's a nice town and is in a pretty part of the state. It's out in the country and far removed from DC, so while you'll benefit from having multiple cultural events with an hour's drive, be aware that you probably won't be going into the city to catch the newest Smithsonian exhibits every weekend. OTOH there seems to be plenty to do near Warrenton, especially if you like horses. I always seem to hear about concerts and such going on out there.

I don't have any specific information about the schools there, but if it helps, people in northern VA put a premium value on education. By the way, you'll also meet a lot of highly educated people here. Many of your neighbors will have multiple graduate degrees, even out in the country areas.

[cryan03s]

Thank you for the input. I like the fact that Warrenton is a small town, yet it is 30 or 45 minutes from places like Manassas or DC.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by cryan03s

Thank you for the input. I like the fact that Warrenton is a small town, yet it is 30 or 45 minutes from places like Manassas or DC.

You're that close to Manassas but further for DC. With little traffic plan on an hour give or take a few.

[tysonsengineer]

Again, like previous posters said, dont plan on having a job in DC or the Beltway and you will be fine. If you have to take Route 66 (ie if you need to drive towards the city in anyway) you will begin to hate your life. So I would suggest you find a job near Bristow, Manassas, Gainsville, etc. May we ask what you do, and that will help us tell you if you can find jobs for that around Warrenton.

I love Warrenton for weekend trips, the vineyards are great, there is a ton of agri-tourism, and the old town is being revitalized quite a bit over the past few years. But as an engineer I know there are no jobs for me within reason in Warrenton. The closest engineering jobs (outside of a couple here and there for smaller developers) are in Fairfax/Fair Lakes which is about 85 minutes drive during rush from Warrenton. To Tysons Corner it takes just under 2 hours, and to DC during rush hour.... well the good news is by the time you get to the HOV only part of 66 it will past HOV only hours because I there is no chance you can do this in less than 2 hours and 30 minutes each way. I used to live in Herndon which is about half the distance of Warrenton and when I drove into the city during rush hour it would take about 90-95 minutes in decent traffic conditions (let alone with an accident).

Again I can't emphasize more how traffic in this region really does effect feasibility. 30 miles might as well be 2 states over in some cases, so make sure you have prospective jobs around Warrenton/Gainsville or Culpeper.

[stpickrell]

From Warrenton, I wouldn't go further in than Fair Lakes if you can help it. Maybe Tysons or Arlington if you have a 6am-3pm sort of job.

It's a nice place although I haven't been there as much as I've been to other towns in the state.

[lookinforhorseparadise]

Originally Posted by cryan03s

The wife and I seriously considering moving from Eastern Iowa to Warrenton. About 5 years ago I moved my family of 7 to Iowa from Southern California where I lived for 20 years. So, after 5 years in Iowa, my family and I are ready to live somewhere with more variety in places of employment, church, food, culture, people; basically everything.

I need to get a bit of insight from experiences/knowledge regarding the public schools, traffic, people, crime, etc in Warrenton. If at all possible, I don't want to look at any more internet data; I am hoping to get input from people.

Public schools are amazing out here in Iowa and so I am a bit concerned about public schools in Warrenton. I have five kids between grade school and junior high, so the school thing is a factor.

If anyone has any input on Warrenton public schools, or any other input regarding the area in general, I would very much appreciate reading about it. I'm trying to stay away from the big city/rat race feel (had to deal with that crap for 20 years) but I also don't want to live somewhere so isolated that I resort to lighting firecrackers for Friday night entertainment. Hey the kids would probably like it


Thanks in advance.

Hello, let me say that I lived in the Warrenton area from 2000-2009 and spent parts of my teenage years there as well. For me, it was paradise because I was a horse person. Of course, much has changed from the 80's, but in my opinion it is the best place I have ever lived. Fauquier County has one of the biggest populations of horse people. If you are into foxhunting, showing, etc this is the place to live. Nearby is world famous Middleburg, Va also The Plains, and Marshall. Warrenton is growing the fastest, but still retains the Old Town area and many lovely historic homes. As someone else mentioned, there are plenty of well educated and well traveled residents. Consequently, there are lots of restaurants serving many ethnic cuisines and cultural events like weekly concerts and the parades. I used to ride my horse in the Christmas parade every year. Lots of charm and beauty there.

I was lucky enough to have a high paying local job that allowed me to avoid the commute while providing enough income to feed my menagerie. I lived on a 500 acre farm with an unobstructed view of the pastures and mountains. The tenants before me stayed 8 years, leaving only to buy land and build a house 1/2 mile away. My landlord grew up on the farm, it has been in his family for over 100 years. Sadly,this sort of situation is rapidly becoming a rarity as taxes rise and land values skyrocket. Because of the value of land being high, it may be expensive if you are looking to buy a property with acreage. But if you are looking to rent or buy a house without a large plot of land, it will not be nearly as expensive as places close in to DC. Crime rates are very low, and violent crime is still an anomaly.

If you can visit first, that would be the best way to get any idea if it would be a good fit, for what is paradise for me may be hell for someone else.

There are many good B & B type places to stay, and with development there are now a few larger modern hotels. Some of the older and smaller places may be a bit run down, so check reviews. Also, check out info from the chamber of commerce.

If schools are a top priority, check out areas closer to DC in suburban VA and MD. They have many specialized magnet schools that are rated top in the US. People frequently move to those areas specifically for the schools alone.

I was lucky in the job department, I had a high paying job 15 minutes away from my home . If you post your field of work, perhaps someone else can comment on the probability of finding employment without going into DC. I can say that the side of Warrenton closer to RT 28 (Casanova, Catlett, Calverton) may be better for commuting to Manassas. There is a huge computer chip manufacturing facility there that employs thousands. If you have a profession where you can work from home you are all set.

Warrenton is ideal for recreation. There is a new county-owned facility with an indoor pool, indoor tennis club, a country club with golf, health clubs, yoga studios, and parks. You can go for a short drive into the next county and be in Shenandoah Natl Park with it's breathtaking Skyline drive and great hiking trails. DC is close enough for a weekend drive to see a museum (much less taxing than week day rush hour drives).

I guess you can tell I am homesick. For me Warrenton was not just a place to live, it was my home. That hometown feeling is hard to find. Good luck, and again my best advice is to test it out with at least a visit. It is far cheaper to do this than to pay for a cross country move and then find out you made a mistake.