Welcome to the second Hot Community Review of the series! This series is a tool you can use to make sense of the difference between the many cities in the DMV.
This week we are talking about Reston. Another hotspot for DC commuters, Reston is up and coming, seeing exponential growth similar to other hotspots in Northern Virginia. Let's talk about what makes Reston unique.
Demographics
Reston is a larger city in NOVA, with a population of 61,411 people. The bulk of that figure is people aged 35-54 sitting at 28.4%. 68.8% of residents are college-educated, so we are looking at a pretty heavily educated city. Per capita average income is $65,085 (national average is $34,103). There are 6.9% of people below poverty level. The highest employment industry in Reston is professional, scientific, and technical services which sits at 27.5%, three times higher than the next largest employment industry, which is public service. 63.1% of the population is white, almost 10% African American, 10.4% Asian, and 12.6% Hispanic.
Schools
Schooling is important to look at if you have a family and are considering moving them to a new state or city. Luckily for Reston, schools here are pretty good!
Reston has 20 schools, 10 of them public and 10 private. There are 13 students per teacher in this district.
Of public school systems in Virginia, FCPS which is where Reston falls under, ranked 6th in the state. Parents and students are generally happy with the education they receive in these schools. Reston scores pretty high in terms of public education rankings.
Activities
Definitely a plus for Reston here is activities! NOVA in general has an endless option of things to do, absolutely something for everyone! Reston, in particular, is overflowing with options.
One cool thing I want to highlight in this city is Lake Anne. It almost feels otherworldly in this little lake area. On one end of the lake, there is a little shopping and dining center that attracts locals and visitors alike. The center has a couple cafes and restaurants, there is a pet shop, a little quaint bookstore, and other things to explore. The lake is also cool if you are into water activities! You can kayak or paddleboard down the length, and as you get away from the shopping center, the views open up to dense forest. The lake also hosts farmers markets and other events from time to time. Lake Anne is quite a sight to see and definitely worth a visit.
Another hotspot in Reston is the town center where you can ice skate and shop.
There are many parks and trails near Reston to explore if you are into outdoorsy stuff!
Here is a list of parks and trails:
Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park
The Water Mine Family Swimming Hole
Lake Fairfax Park
Lake Anne Walking Trail
Pine Branch Trail
Holly Branch Trail
A cool thing about Virginia is the abundance of beautiful woods to explore with you or the family, so check some of these out if you visit or relocate to Reston!
On the other hand, there are also plenty of nice dining spots for food and drinks. Here is a list of top-rated restaurants in the area:
Lake Anne Brew House
PassionFish Reston
Jackson’s Mighty Fine Food and Lucky Lounge
Ariake Japanese Restaurant
Founding Farmers
Clyde’s of Reston
Cafesano
Mon Ami Gabi
Luckily there are many options around to choose from, seeing as Reston is a pretty populous city. You probably couldn’t try every single restaurant even if you lived here your entire life! So if dining and exploring new cuisines is your thing, this could be a good place for you.
Shopping
Shopping is nice in Reston, plenty of options to choose from. The main attraction is Reston Town Center where you have a movie theatre, plenty of restaurants and stores to choose from. There is also a beautiful fountain great for people watching. In the winter, Reston Town Center has ice skating which is always a fun way to spend a Sunday.
Real Estate Market
If you are reading this blog, you are likely interested in real estate so let's dive into what the real estate market looks like in Reston.
Some quick facts:
The median home value is $572,450
This month saw 89 homes sold
There are 140 homes newly listed this month
Homes spend an average of 26 days on the market which is very competitive
There are 25,770 homes and apartments in Reston
Average rent is $2416
61% of people are homeowners rather than renters
Reston is a very popular location for people to move to, especially when working in DC or another city in Northern Virginia, and for good reason. The schools are good, there is a lot of family-friendly activities as well as things for young people, the shopping is pretty good (though perhaps not as good as Tyson’s). Reston is a little more affordable than other places in the area, so it’s worth a consideration!