Fairfax County distinguishing Characteristics (McLean, Lorton: real estate, buy, school)

[claremarie]

There are plenty of non-whites in McLean -- they are from India, China, Korea, Mexico, Peru, Japan, the Phillipines....just thinking of my friends and neighbors here. Not many are black, however.

[Fairfax Mom]

I live in Fairfax - off of Braddock Rd. - middleclass - mostly white people - I am just sick of people complaining about immigrants - there are not really that many compared to other parts of the country

[stacylee926]

Originally Posted by Fairfax Mom

I live in Fairfax - off of Braddock Rd. - middleclass - mostly white people - I am just sick of people complaining about immigrants - there are not really that many compared to other parts of the country

I don't think people complain about the immigrants - it is what makes NoVa what it is today. I'm talking legal immigrants here.

However, the area is DEFINITELY composed of a LARGE population of immigrants compared to other areas of the country. Especially one of the largest mix of different nationalities. Some areas of the country have a large Hispanic population - like the Southwest, or SE Florida - but NoVa is just a big mixing bowl in every city.

[novanative75]

Originally Posted by Fairfax Mom

I live in Fairfax - off of Braddock Rd. - middleclass - mostly white people - I am just sick of people complaining about immigrants - there are not really that many compared to other parts of the country

Uh, Fairfax County is the most diverse place I have lived, in terms of different nationalities. Now, live in Naples, Florida and it is white people and hispanics, with a few Haitians mixed in.
Fairfax County is a melting pot compared to most areas.

[Yankeesfan]

I'm surprised that anyone would not be seeing more of a mix. Maybe we are all so accustomed to the diversity here that we don't notice it. I really notice only after I visit areas of the country that are almost entirely white.

The problem is not IMMIGRANTS, it is the ones who are ILLEGAL. No, there aren't as many as in some other parts of the country, but there are way more than in most parts of the country. They tend to concentrate in certain neighborhoods. But the problem is growing.

[ogplife]

Nobody really answered my question. I was trying to find out what seperates Fairfax from the rest of Northern Virginia. Everybody based there answer in relation to the rest of the country, but thanks anyway for your responses. They were still appreciated.

[normie]

Being closest to DC, Fairfax is the most urban of the Virginia counties. But that doesn't mean it is 100% urban--there are also plenty of farms and other open spaces.

Fairfax is known for having some excellent schools. Loudoun also has outstanding schools, but they are newer. (Therefore, they don't have the decades of sterling reputation like schools in Fairfax.) I don't know anything about the schools in the other counties.

Fairfax has higher taxes than the other counties. Fairfax also has more cities than the other counties (which tend to have more large-scale associations rather than city governments). In certain areas of Fairfax (like McLean) property holds its value better than it does in some of the outlying areas. (This is not universally true, check the figures for areas you are specifically interested in.)

These are the only major differences I can think of between the NOVA counties. Hope this helps.

[normie]

Oh, I just thought of three other things:

The weather is sometimes warmer in Fairfax than in the other counties. Yesterday, for example, Fairfax county got rain in the afternoon, and Loudoun County got snow.

Also, mass transportation is easier to find in Fairfax than the other counties.

I general, I think you will find more single, young adults in Fairfax.

[The_Fairfaxian]

Just to add to the diversity status, even though Fairfax County is very diverse, despite what critics of diversity may say, most of the county is very integrated and accepting (or at the least neutral) of other cultures, especially among the younger generation (children, teens, and college goers/young adults). The secret of what makes Fairfax (and most of NoVA in general) amicable with race relations is the income and race gap is very narrow compared to many other parts of the country (and even the rest of the region). Despite its mix of cultures, many minorities, including Asians/Indian, Middle Easterners, African, and even the [legal] Latin immigrants are about on par or better when it comes to the average household income (which is the highest in the country). Too bad I can't say the same thing when it comes to the rest of the region.
As for traffic, schools, and cost of living, I can't really say anymore than what's already been said.

[Fern435]

No one has been critical of the diversity in the region on this board. Where some people have been in disagreement is the notion that the diverse races/cultures are all well-integrated in schools, neighborhoods, etc.

Some areas are more integrated than others. The Route 1 corridor south of the Beltway in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County is not an example of happily integrated groups.

Historically, schools here have not been well-integrated. The movie "Remember the Titans" comes to mind. That happened in 1971--not too long ago. Residual attitudes from these events are still apparent around the area, despite what some might claim.