Ethnic areas of NOVA -what real estate agents won't tell you? (Arlington: apartment, rental)

[carlymac]

We're moving to NOVA in a bit here. Looking to rent a house for a year. Our agent zips her lips about pockets of ethnic areas. I've seen this discussion somewhere on this forum before but can't find it. Can someone outline for me where different groups live? I really don't mind diversity. In fact it would be good for our kids to experience more of it. For the past five years it's been mostly white bread- ya know? We'd like a nice interesting mix. We don't want to end up inadvertently in an area heavily populated by one group or another and then feel out of place.

Thanks in advance.

[JfromReston]

JUDGMENTAL MAPS: Northern Virginia (Arlington, VA) by Robert...

[LiveAction]

Hahahaaaa @ JfromReston

In the words of Welvendagreat:

Hahahaha Got 'eeeem

[carlymac]

Very funny but not especially helpful.

[PK12]

Typically, you will find that most areas in NoVa are very mixed and represent all ethnicities.

In somewhat generalized terms: Yes there are some apartment and condo complexes in the middle class and lower middle class areas that will likely have a Hispanic majority. Or upper middle class to upper class residential neighborhoods that will have a white majority. Or, middle class apartment and residential communities with a higher % of Indians, other South Asians and east Asians.

What areas have you looked at so far or are interested in? Or, what type of area/neighborhood are you interested in?


EDIT: Just saw that you would like a 'nice, interesting mix' . What is your rental budget?

[carlymac]

I already know Annandale has more Koreans than elsewhere. It doesn't matter where we're looking or what our budget is. I just want to know where certain nationalities congregate- like Italians in Brooklyn, NY, Polish in parts of Chicago- that kind of thing.

[PK12]

Originally Posted by carlymac

I already know Annandale has more Koreans than elsewhere. It doesn't matter where we're looking or what our budget is. I just want to know where certain nationalities congregate- like Italians in Brooklyn, NY, Polish in parts of Chicago- that kind of thing.

Annandale actually now has fewer Koreans (also still sizeable population) and more Latinos and Vietnamese. Koreans have shifted in droves to Centreville.

Otherwise:

Chinese in Fairfax ( majority of them are in Rockville MD though, huge community)

Vietnamese in the Seven Corners area of Falls Church

Latinos (primarily from El Salvador, Peru and Guatemala) are found everywhere -

Indians in Fairfax, Chantilly, Reston/Herndon, Ashburn, South Riding, and all over Loudoun county.

Pakistanis in Springfield, Woodbridge, Manassas (all around the I-395/95 South corridor), Ashburn, Leesburg


Iranians in the Tysons area

Afghans in Burke/Springfield

Somalis in West End area of Alexandria

Ethiopians too, many of them in the West end area of Alexandria - although Silver Spring MD probably has the largest community

Affluent Arabs in McLean and Great Falls. Non-affluent Arabs in Baileys Crossroads area of Falls Church


There is also Mantua, a small neighborhood in between Annandale and Fairfax that is largely a Jewish community (yes Jew is not an ethnicity, but just saying, in terms of concentration of people and such)

[carlymac]

Thank you! Interesting. I'm not familiar with most of those areas. I just got back from 4 days of house hunting and didn't really notice any particular area more saturated than any other. We looked from Arlington, clear out to Vienna and Oakton. We stayed in Fairfax. I did notice a couple groups of Latinos hanging out on the corners and in 7-11 in Fairfax. And when I went into McD's to try to get an ice cream cone, neither of the women behind the counter seemed to understand or be able to communicate very well in English. That was a bit weird. Not that they were Latinos, but that they had a job in a restaurant One couldn't understand what I was saying and the other couldn't seem to answer with words. Just pointing.

[PK12]

Originally Posted by carlymac

Thank you! Interesting. I'm not familiar with most of those areas. I just got back from 4 days of house hunting and didn't really notice any particular area more saturated than any other. We looked from Arlington, clear out to Vienna and Oakton. We stayed in Fairfax. I did notice a couple groups of Latinos hanging out on the corners and in 7-11 in Fairfax. And when I went into McD's to try to get an ice cream cone, neither of the women behind the counter seemed to understand or be able to communicate very well in English. That was a bit weird. Not that they were Latinos, but that they had a job in a restaurant One couldn't understand what I was saying and the other couldn't seem to answer with words. Just pointing.

I have yet to experience this in any of the fast food joints here - these people may speak poor English, but it's enough to get the order complete and get the job done. Which McDonalds was this?

Or did I just waste my time feeding the troll?

[Old Guard]

Originally Posted by carlymac

I already know Annandale has more Koreans than elsewhere. It doesn't matter where we're looking or what our budget is. I just want to know where certain nationalities congregate- like Italians in Brooklyn, NY, Polish in parts of Chicago- that kind of thing.

This city is nothing like NY or Chicago where large groups of European immigrants settled in great numbers over 100 years ago.