Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Currently in HoCo, but wife's commute was to Friendship Height just shy of two years after we bought current TH and has been complaining. We have only one kid attending K this fall (may want to have more kids). My commute is to Calverton area so far my commute has been OK along 95 south (about 35 min, but evening rush has been worse), but I do get to WFH 1-2 days a week. Wife's industry has more opportunities in DC downtown or Tyson's.
We have limited budget (only ~800k), plus the commute concern and schools. We figured only three pockets that might work, otherwise, the commute may beat the purpose of move.
Best commute: 20895 (Kensington, south part, can use BCC or Walter Johnson); then 20854 (Potomac/Rockville), then McLean/Falls Church (just across the bridge, exit 45 ish on 495, could get off before the jam at Tysons and 66).
School wise, we've heard very polarizing opinions, some said the "W" schools in MCPS are the best, some saying FCPS are, plus the better public univs. down the road. On the other hand, since we live/work in MD, so we naturally hear a lot more about MoCo schools and local politics, and to be honest, not a fan of all those feel-good stuff especially in MCPS system (lowering standard just to paper fill the performance gap, overcrowding schools etc). We knew very little about Fairfax and their schools other than the names and US news ranking (actually FCPS high schools rank all behind the W schools in MCPS), and have a very muddy impression that there were less complaints or less such feel-good practices locally. And we do like to potential of NoVa as a whole,(possible Amazon HQ, Tysons biz circle, close to IAD and DC heart) especially considering that if my wife need to change a job, it would most likely in DC or Tysons. We just had a bad feeling about the direction MoCo is going generally (sanctuary city debate once in a while, increasing tax rate etc) and worried about the longevity of the current value (both in property and other amenities, such as public schools). Could not afford private for two kids all the way through high school, so only public schools for current consideration.
We understand that same budget can give us only 50s old house in McLean/Falls Church, but could possibly get 15-20 yrs younger houses in Potomac. Plus my commute would be no improving or slightly worse from McLean compared to Kensington or Potomac. Want to know if the sacrifice (of commute and house itself) is worth it in the long run. Don't want to shed out all those money and in 10-15 years, education quality goes to the drain along with the property value.
Just want to seek some genuine inputs/experiences. Thanks a lot.
(actually FCPS high schools rank all behind the W schools in MCPS)
Wrong. The only high school around this area (MD, DC and VA combined) that is consistently rated amongst the top 10 in the entire nation is Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology which is located in Fx County. One would have to be extra smart to get in there, though.
Top 5 VA high schools all came from Fairfax County public school systems: McLean High School, Langley High School, both in McLean; Oakton High School in Vienna; and Woodson High School in Fairfax.
I honestly think your kids would get a fine education in any of the above mentioned high schools, the differences at this point are other than the quality of education given.
However, if both of your jobs are located in MD, I would find a place to live in MD. The commutes are not getting any better with growing population and I only see traffic getting worse. Have you looked into North Arlingon? Your budget would give you a fixer upper Cape Cod but location is great.
Currently in HoCo, but wife's commute was to Friendship Height just shy of two years after we bought current TH and has been complaining. We have only one kid attending K this fall (may want to have more kids). My commute is to Calverton area so far my commute has been OK along 95 south (about 35 min, but evening rush has been worse), but I do get to WFH 1-2 days a week. Wife's industry has more opportunities in DC downtown or Tyson's.
We have limited budget (only ~800k), plus the commute concern and schools. We figured only three pockets that might work, otherwise, the commute may beat the purpose of move.
Best commute: 20895 (Kensington, south part, can use BCC or Walter Johnson); then 20854 (Potomac/Rockville), then McLean/Falls Church (just across the bridge, exit 45 ish on 495, could get off before the jam at Tysons and 66).
School wise, we've heard very polarizing opinions, some said the "W" schools in MCPS are the best, some saying FCPS are, plus the better public univs. down the road. On the other hand, since we live/work in MD, so we naturally hear a lot more about MoCo schools and local politics, and to be honest, not a fan of all those feel-good stuff especially in MCPS system (lowering standard just to paper fill the performance gap, overcrowding schools etc). We knew very little about Fairfax and their schools other than the names and US news ranking (actually FCPS high schools rank all behind the W schools in MCPS), and have a very muddy impression that there were less complaints or less such feel-good practices locally. And we do like to potential of NoVa as a whole,(possible Amazon HQ, Tysons biz circle, close to IAD and DC heart) especially considering that if my wife need to change a job, it would most likely in DC or Tysons. We just had a bad feeling about the direction MoCo is going generally (sanctuary city debate once in a while, increasing tax rate etc) and worried about the longevity of the current value (both in property and other amenities, such as public schools). Could not afford private for two kids all the way through high school, so only public schools for current consideration.
We understand that same budget can give us only 50s old house in McLean/Falls Church, but could possibly get 15-20 yrs younger houses in Potomac. Plus my commute would be no improving or slightly worse from McLean compared to Kensington or Potomac. Want to know if the sacrifice (of commute and house itself) is worth it in the long run. Don't want to shed out all those money and in 10-15 years, education quality goes to the drain along with the property value.
Just want to seek some genuine inputs/experiences. Thanks a lot.
My kids went to school in MCPS, and they got a good education. The W schools are definitely good schools, right up there with anything in Fairfax (not incl. TJ). We did move to NoVa for college choices.
About that commute to Calverton from McLean or Falls Church being only slightly worse than Kensington or Potomac. I have to say that if any one told you that, don't listen. Just so you know I know, I lived in Beltsville with my daughters once attending Calverton Elementary. It will definitely be a much worse commute than from Kensington, and a bit worse than slightly worse than from Potomac. The bridge is one reason. If you live in Kensington, there are roads other than the Beltway that you can take (such as Randolph Rd). Of the places you named, Kensington is your best choice. You will be fine in Maryland.
My kids went to school in MCPS, and they got a good education. The W schools are definitely good schools, right up there with anything in Fairfax (not incl. TJ). We did move to NoVa for college choices.
About that commute to Calverton from McLean or Falls Church being only slightly worse than Kensington or Potomac. I have to say that if any one told you that, don't listen. Just so you know I know, I lived in Beltsville with my daughters once attending Calverton Elementary. It will definitely be a much worse commute than from Kensington, and a bit worse than slightly worse than from Potomac. The bridge is one reason. If you live in Kensington, there are roads other than the Beltway that you can take (such as Randolph Rd). Of the places you named, Kensington is your best choice. You will be fine in Maryland.
Thanks for the info. I think I misspoke on the commute, I meant "slightly worse" commute to my work from McLean compared to my current commute. From potomac it was a little better, and from Kensington, a lot better compared to my current drive.
My gut feeling is Kensington/Bethesda (for the combo of commute/housing), but I'm not very thrilled about MoCo's path so far and don't know if it will get better. My concern is overall, it looks that NoVa (at least McLean) will be able to maintain its value and quality of education better than MoCo (I know Potomac would be better than other parts in MoCo). What I do not want to see is after shedding out so much money, in 10-15 years, the property value goes down with the public education quality. Heard a lot of complaints from MCPS parents, but far less from HoCo or Fairfax parents. Maybe I'm over-concerned, but don't want to stand under a collapsing wall.
Wrong. The only high school around this area (MD, DC and VA combined) that is consistently rated amongst the top 10 in the entire nation is Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology which is located in Fx County. One would have to be extra smart to get in there, though.
Top 5 VA high schools all came from Fairfax County public school systems: McLean High School, Langley High School, both in McLean; Oakton High School in Vienna; and Woodson High School in Fairfax.
I honestly think your kids would get a fine education in any of the above mentioned high schools, the differences at this point are other than the quality of education given.
However, if both of your jobs are located in MD, I would find a place to live in MD. The commutes are not getting any better with growing population and I only see traffic getting worse. Have you looked into North Arlingon? Your budget would give you a fixer upper Cape Cod but location is great.
TJ is just an outlier and I'm not counting on my kiddo getting in. Plus, I heard it's so competitive and stressful, a lot of TJ graduates still end up in UVA as other FCPS students. Not saying UVA is not good (we came from the public univ that's ranked right behind UVa), but still I would want my kid to have a good shot at the elite private universities if she/he has to go through so much extra effort.
I cannot speak for MD schools because I just don't know anything about them and have no experience. But we recently moved to one of the Fairfax county high school districts in the above mentioned list. We came from South Arlington, hoping to find something in North Arlington but gave up on the idea once the house we wanted was just not available at our price point. We chose our elementary, middle and high school region somewhat for the reason you are considering your move. We just wanted a school that has been consistently (for the past 30 years or so) well rated. If it's any consolation, my husband works at NIH and his commute to Bethesda from here vs South Arlington has not really changed time wise. Still 30 min - 1.5 h depending on time of the day and traffic. Instead of GWP, its 495 nightmare. If you are set on FX schools I think you might eventually consider finding a job that is also closer.
Thanks for the info. I think I misspoke on the commute, I meant "slightly worse" commute to my work from McLean compared to my current commute. From potomac it was a little better, and from Kensington, a lot better compared to my current drive.
My gut feeling is Kensington/Bethesda (for the combo of commute/housing), but I'm not very thrilled about MoCo's path so far and don't know if it will get better. My concern is overall, it looks that NoVa (at least McLean) will be able to maintain its value and quality of education better than MoCo (I know Potomac would be better than other parts in MoCo). What I do not want to see is after shedding out so much money, in 10-15 years, the property value goes down with the public education quality. Heard a lot of complaints from MCPS parents, but far less from HoCo or Fairfax parents. Maybe I'm over-concerned, but don't want to stand under a collapsing wall.
I don't know what your current commute is like, so...
I'm thinking that maybe if you add a couple of Maryland areas to your consideration, you might find something good. I understand you don't like the way things seem to be going. We lived in Gaithersburg, in the 20878 zip code. Our kids went to Quince Orchard HS, and to an Elementary and Middle School that sent the students to QO when they reached that age. We were very happy there. It rates slightly less than the three "W" schools, but i believe it was just as good as they were. If you consider other schools like this one, it might give you more options. For example, you could live in North Potomac (20878) just outside Gaithersburg. The area is not likely to be going downhill anytime soon. The ICC (MD-200 toll road) gives you a quick easy roue to the Calverton area. Your wife can get to Friendship Heights by driving, or taking Metro. I believe homes there can be found in your budget.
Another thought is North Bethesda, which is the area between Rockville and Bethesda, a little west of Kensington, and near where the 270 spurs become 270. I do not see that area going downhill anytime soon either. Part of the area goes to one of the W's. It's really nice, and not as pricey as Potomac, but I can't say if there's anything that might fit your budget.
McLean/Falls Church is a great area, better than the above two, but the commute to Calverton will be horrible. If you saw yourself switching to a job closer to here someday, it would be a great choice. You could tolerate the commute until then. I don't know if anything fits your budget there.
short answer: McLean/Falls Church is a lovely place to live. Not sure what your expectation is but for $800k, you could get a nice TH but not a nice SFH. The schools? Your kids could end up in McLean HS or Marshall HS, so you'll be safe. Any concerns regarding deterioration of neighborhoods and schools is not necessary. Well, I am not too sure about Marshall HS.
short answer: McLean/Falls Church is a lovely place to live. Not sure what your expectation is but for $800k, you could get a nice TH but not a nice SFH. The schools? Your kids could end up in McLean HS or Marshall HS, so you'll be safe. Any concerns regarding deterioration of neighborhoods and schools is not necessary. Well, I am not too sure about Marshall HS.
$800k does not get you a new build, but it can get you a nicely updated older house in the McLean/Marshall districts. And both districts are benefiting greatly from the continued growth of Tyson's, so there is no concern there.
I don't know what your current commute is like, so...
I'm thinking that maybe if you add a couple of Maryland areas to your consideration, you might find something good. I understand you don't like the way things seem to be going. We lived in Gaithersburg, in the 20878 zip code. Our kids went to Quince Orchard HS, and to an Elementary and Middle School that sent the students to QO when they reached that age. We were very happy there. It rates slightly less than the three "W" schools, but i believe it was just as good as they were. If you consider other schools like this one, it might give you more options. For example, you could live in North Potomac (20878) just outside Gaithersburg. The area is not likely to be going downhill anytime soon. The ICC (MD-200 toll road) gives you a quick easy roue to the Calverton area. Your wife can get to Friendship Heights by driving, or taking Metro. I believe homes there can be found in your budget.
Another thought is North Bethesda, which is the area between Rockville and Bethesda, a little west of Kensington, and near where the 270 spurs become 270. I do not see that area going downhill anytime soon either. Part of the area goes to one of the W's. It's really nice, and not as pricey as Potomac, but I can't say if there's anything that might fit your budget.
McLean/Falls Church is a great area, better than the above two, but the commute to Calverton will be horrible. If you saw yourself switching to a job closer to here someday, it would be a great choice. You could tolerate the commute until then. I don't know if anything fits your budget there.
Just some more thoughts.
Thanks for the follow up. We currently live in HoCo (around Rt100/I95), so move to anything beyond Rockville along 270 seems not making sense in terms of commute (almost no change in terms of commute distance), that's why we put the three pockets on the radar (unfortunately none of them is cheap). North Bethesda (20852) is also nice too, but the schools might not be as good as the other side of 270 (20854)
We actually saw a few 1950s houses in 20221, some are updated more than the other. But anything below 800k seems to be targeting the torn-up rebuilders as long as it has 1/4 acre or larger lot. In Potomac, there are more houses popping up than 20221, and generally 1970s houses with comparable or slightly larger lot. My wife seems to be convinced that's what we are gonna get for our budget even though we only saw about 10 houses in McLean/Potomac. Generally we have more confidence in NoVa as a whole compared to MoCo. But again, just personal opinions based on our limited experiences and observation.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The only high school around this area (MD, DC and VA combined) that is consistently rated amongst the top 10 in the entire nation is Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology which is located in Fx County. One would have to be extra smart to get in there, though. 
