Crime in Fairfax County? (Alexandria, Burke: crime rate, houses, high schools)

[salomea]

We will be moving to the Fairfax area in late summer, I am concerned about the safety of the area as I have a ten year old daughter. Does anyone have any advice as to what areas are safest? Or ones to stay away from?

[saganista]

Every place has crime, but the majority of the Fairfax County area is much safer than the national average. You'd have to search out a place if you wanted to be in any actual danger. Best you could probably do for danger would be the Route-1 Corridor south of Alexandria. Otherwise, you're very likely to be confronted with boring old safety all the time...

[The Dissenter]

The areas of Ffx. Co. i'd stay away from are the areas that have Falls Church and Alexandria addresses but aren't in the actual cities of Alexandria and Falls Church. The schools in those areas aren't all that great either.

[salomea]

Thank you for your replies.

[saganista]

Some faux Falls Church areas are just fine...Shrevewood, Idyllwood, Brillyn Park...even Greenway Downs and part of Hillwood are not actually in Falls Church...

[NOVAnative]

Hybla Valley, Alexandria (west side), and parts of Falls Church (outside the city) have higher crime than the rest of the county. Fairfax County is very wealthy with great schools so much of the county is white collar crime (domestic disputes and teenagers having big parties). The cleanest parts of Fairfax County are Fairfax City, Reston, Burke, Fairfax Station, Vienna, Oakton, Chantilly, Centreville, and McLean. I have lived in Fairfax county for over 6 years and honestly as far as the immediate suburbs of DC go, Fairfax and Loudoun counties are the safest places to live in Northern Virginia.

[Nevermore1]

I have lived in Fairfax County since I was 10 and the crime has definitely increased over the years but is not as bad as in some areas. Like the posts before me, try to avoid Falls Church, Alexandria, the Rt 1 corridor and the Edsall Road area (MS-13 territory). The Annandale area is starting to get an increased crime rate as well inside the Beltway (increase in gang activity). I have also driven a school bus for FFX County and would have to say that the areas with the most crime and issues school wise are Stuart and Annandale High Schools, I have driven out of both of these schools as well as the lower grade schools below them and had gang issues with my students (MS-13 and Korean gangs). Probably western Fairfax County is your best bet but the crime is slowly creeping out there as well.

[PaulMason]

Generally the Central, Northwest and Northeast parts of the County offer safety and good schools. Top HS pyramids: Langley (Langley, western McLean, Great Falls and Tysons); McLean; WT Woodson (uninc Fairfax, Mantua, Fairfax Station); Madison (Vienna); Marshall (Tysons, Idylwood, Dunn Loring, Pimmit Hills). Warnings about unincorporated parts of Falls Church might be valid in reference to areas south and east of the City proper (Seven Corners & Bailey's Crossroads). However, I could make the case that the unincorporated part northeast of the city (near West Falls Church metro) offers the best combination of location, safety, good schools and (relative!) affordability. Houses districted to go to Haycock ES end up going to McLean HS, without having to pay a 20% premium for the McLean name. Chantilly, Centreville, Herndon, and Reston (esp south of Dulles Toll Road) have drug and gang issues, poorer schools and an inferior location in comparison to the Greater Tysons area (encompassing the Langley, McLean, Madison and Marshall HS districts). Notwithstanding this, in absolute terms, those western areas are something more than tolerable.

[DCnative1990]

Wow I didn't know there was crime in Fairfax now *spits out coffee*

[Borge]

I'd take PaulMason's post with a grain of salt. Centreville/Chantilly are certainly safe and have very good schools.