Annandale (Arlington, Columbia: apartment complexes, house, catholic schools)

[ballerina in bavaria]

Hi. We are moving from overseas to relocate for work and found a house we love in Annandale. How is this area for families? Is the public transportation reliable? My husband and I will be commuting to Arlington for work. Are the schools okay or would you recommend private school? We have a 13 year old, a 6 year old, and a 4 year old. Thank you in advance.

[Middlin]

The well regarded schools in Annandale are located outside the beltway (22003). A lot depends on where in Arlington and if metro accessible.

[Ffxdata]

Annandale is a straight shot up Columbia Pike to Pentagon and cuts through parts of Arlington. There are bus lines that go there or Ballston.

The schools are good. There are several private options close by. It’s a relatively sleepy area but does have some apartment complexes that I would steer clear of.

[Old Guard]

The reason the inside the beltway area of Annandale is less expensive than some of the other areas is the lack of public transportation options. As mentioned there is a Columbia Pike bus route that will take you straight to the Pentagon but that line is usually crowded. The 3A which also hits part of Annandale is not a reliable route with some buses not coming in the morning.



I like Annandale for the price and what you get but the public transpiration is not something I would use to sell the area to someone. Are you going to be inside the beltway or outside the beltway?

[weezycom]

Depending on your husband's work schedule and where he's working, there's the Va. Railway Express that stops at Backlick & Hechinger Drive for a park-and-ride where he can catch a train to Crystal City and connect to the Metro if he's working in a different area of Arlington.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by Middlin

The well regarded schools in Annandale are located outside the beltway (22003). A lot depends on where in Arlington and if metro accessible.

Check the Greatschools.com ratings for a quick overview. Poe Middle and Annandale High School (inside the beltway) get 3 and 2 out of 10 ratings. Frost Middle and Woodson High (outside the Beltway) are both rated 8 of 10, and Woodson is highly regarded.

There are Catholic schools for the pre-high school grades, if that is your preference. However, they may have to use remote learning Part-time like the public schools.

[ballerina in bavaria]

Thank you!