Alexandria’s history reaches back to before the Declaration of Independence was signed. The city was founded in 1749 as a tobacco trading port along the Potomac River, and the original downtown district was part of the nation’s capital until 1847. According to Census data, it's now one of the top 10 wealthiest cities in Virginia, with around 50% of households earning at least $100,000 or more. Alexandria's population has consistently grown, rising from 139,966 residents in 2010 to 155,230 by 2023. The city’s largest employers include the Department of Defense and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which both have offices in town. Alexandria is also a couple miles from the Pentagon, the Defense Department's iconic headquarters. Many 18th- and 19th-century buildings in the area have been beautifully preserved, and Old Town Alexandria is the country's third-oldest historic district. Notable past residents include George Washington, Jim Morrison and "Mama" Cass Elliot. Voted one of Travel + Leisure's Best Cities in the U.S. 2023 and a Conde Nast Traveler Top 3 Best Small City in the U.S. 2023, Alexandria is a highly sought-after destination in the DMV with a distinctly cosmopolitan vibe. Locals can browse over 200 independent restaurants and boutiques along Old Town's King Street Mile, or they can explore historic museums and attend exciting events at the waterfront. Century-old brownstone townhouses, cobblestone streets, cafes and boutiques define this riverfront town, just 7 miles from the nation's capital.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is located in Alexandria.
Townhomes overlook the waterfront in Old Town.
The Torpedo Factory in Old Town offers locals a unique experience of art and history.
Head to Old Town Alexandria, a short drive from Rosemont, to enjoy a day of shopping.
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Century-old brownstones and modern condos sit side by side
Seven of Alexandria's neighborhoods are on the National Register of Historic Places, with buildings regulated by the Board of Architectural Review that are over a century old. Townhouses and condominiums dominate, appearing in almost every neighborhood. Old brick townhouses and modern condos intermingle, giving the city a vibrant curb appeal of different eras and styles. Neighborhoods like Taylor Run, Seminary Hill, North Ridge, Lincolnia Hills and Rosemont feel more suburban, featuring single-family homes in classic styles like Colonial Revival, Cape Cod, Craftsman, Tudor and Foursquare. Home prices vary significantly in the city, from $190,000 for a one-bedroom condo unit in areas like Landmark to $3.5 million for anything from luxury penthouses and new construction Craftsman-style mansions with 1-acre lots to ornate brownstones built in Old Town before the Civil War.
Alexandria has a subtropical climate with four distinct seasons, and the Virginia summers are expectedly humid. The city’s location on the Potomac River makes eastern neighborhoods like Potomac Yard and homes near the Four Mile Run Creek prone to flooding at times, though it isn’t often.
One can embrace a vibrant urban lifestyle with a townhouse in Potomac Yard.
Colonial-style homes line the streets of Alexandria.
Tudor revivals are nestled amongst other homes in Taylor Run.
You'll find symmetrical Cape Cod homes in the Del Ray neighborhood.
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Locals can drive or hail a water taxi
Alexandria is walkable for folks who want to explore Old Town. “Lots of the city’s neighborhoods are accessible to Old Town for dining and entertainment; we walk there from Rosemont all the time,” says Shaun Murphy, a native Alexandrian and Realtor with Compass. “You are also close to National Harbor and MGM [Casino].” Residents can drive west on King Street to reach northern Virginia points of interest in Fairfax and Loudoun County or take the Capitol Beltway east across the Potomac River to reach National Harbor and Prince George’s County, Maryland, in minutes. The George Washington Memorial Parkway runs north through the city, and locals can drive 8 miles to reach Downtown D.C., taking around 30-40 minutes, depending on rush hour traffic.
Alexandria’s train station is a stop on the Virginia Railway Express, a regional line going from Fredericksburg to Washington. Folks can take an Amtrak train from here for trips to major cities along the East Coast. The city also hosts four Metro stations along the Blue and Yellow Lines for rail access through D.C., Maryland and northern Virginia. The city’s DASH bus system has several routes running through town and is free to ride. From Old Town, locals can ride the Potomac Water Taxi, a unique passenger ferry that stops at National Harbor in Maryland, the Wharf in D.C. and Georgetown.
The city is bordered to the north by Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, a travel hub for the region offering domestic and international flights. The airport is about a 4-mile drive from Alexandria and accessible by Metro.
National Harbor is just across the water from Alexandria.
The DC Water Taxi is a scenic mode of transportation for Alexandria residents.
Amtrak runs through Alexandria and all of Virginia.
Alexandria residents can hop on an international flight from Reagan Airport nearby.
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A hands-on education
Alexandria City Public Schools serves over 16,000 students from over 119 countries who speak 121 languages, making it one of the most diverse school systems in the country. ACPS has 18 schools, including two middle schools, two K-8 schools, one prekindergarten school, and the well-known Alexandria City High School, whose integration efforts and 1971 state championship football team were depicted in the Disney film "Remember the Titans." Beyond the classroom, there's the Alexandria Library. Alexandrian kids also benefit from hands-on lessons, with history museums, art centers and other educational opportunities in the city.
Lyles-Crouch Elementary serves students within Alexandria.
George Washington Middle School faithfully serves the community of Parker Gray.
Jefferson-Houston is a highly-rated school in Parker Gray.
Alexandria City High School prepares each student for future college and careers.
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Outdoor recreation along the Potomac River
There are 566 acres of city-owned parkland in Alexandria, while boating enthusiasts can cruise 3 miles to D.C. or Maryland. The City of Alexandria Marina offers stunning views of the Potomac and has overnight boat slips and additional short-term docking space. Several parks are in Old Town along the river’s edge, like Oronoco Bay Park and Founders Park, which have walking trails, and Waterfront Park, which has public art installations and plenty of benches to watch the boats pass by. The 18-mile-long Mount Vernon Trail stretches from George Washington's estate alongside the scenic Potomac River to the National Mall. History buffs can explore Alexandria African American Heritage Park, which features a group of bronze tree sculptures called "Truths That Rise From the Roots Remembered." The park intends to acknowledge and commemorate African Americans' contributions to Alexandria's growth. Various smaller sculptures throughout the park memorialize historic African American neighborhoods and individuals buried at the site. Folks can ride bikes or jog beneath the massive Capitol Beltway overpass at Jones Point Park, which features trails and the southern boundary marker for D.C.’s original city border. The urban green space is also a popular spot to dance; it’s common to see breakdancers or public salsa and bachata events hosted by organizations like Sabor Latino DC.
Alexandria is rich with history and bursting with museums to explore. Locals can see a 13,000-year-old Clovis point, an 18th-century apothecary, a restored Civil War fort and a 1940s segregated library all in the same town. Along the historic streets, residents will find signs for the Wayfinding and Heritage Trails, where they can learn about the city's storied past. On the third floor of the Torpedo Factory Art Center is the Alexandria Archaeology Museum. The Alexandria Black History Museum explores the African American experience in the city. Established in 1838, the Alexandria Lyceum offers exhibitions and public programs exploring the area's history. The Fort Ward Museum offers Civil War-related exhibits, educational programs and living history activities. Alexandria was an occupied city with a vital role in the Union Army, and the museum explores that. There's also the Freedom House Museum, where traders trafficked tens of thousands of enslaved adults and children from 1828 to 1861. Visitors can take in the stories of individuals who endured the horrors of slavery. Gadsby's Tavern Museum, Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum and Carlyle House are three Colonial-era buildings within a block of each other that now function as museums.
Old Town has its own miniature Washington Monument, located by the waterfront.
Oronoco Bay Park is a popular spot for locals in Alexandria.
Overlook the waterfront at Ford's Landing City Park in Old Town.
Explore the unique art studios nestled within the historic Torpedo Factory of Old Town.
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Boutiques, cafes and eateries on King Street
Old Town hosts the King Street Mile, a line of restaurants and boutiques housed in historic cobblestone buildings that stretches from the King Street Metro station to the Potomac River. Much of the street is closed to cars, so shoppers can stroll between bars and cafés or browse artisan crafts and secondhand clothing. In the Del Ray neighborhood are local diners and shops along Mount Vernon Avenue and the “Wellness District,” the nickname for the neighborhood’s collection of fitness and health businesses, like yoga studios, gyms and smoothie shops. "There is lots of amazing stuff going on around that little niche of Alexandria," says Cabell Fooshe, a local real estate agent. There’s also Potomac Yard to the north; once a bustling commercial railyard, the area now hosts a shopping center filled with big-box retailers and a Metro station.
The Carlyle and Eisenhower Avenue neighborhoods are known as the "economic engine of Alexandria," a contemporary counterpart to the historic Old Town. These areas host the National Science Foundation, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Mark Center office for the Department of Defense. Meanwhile, the West End is home to Alexandria's craft beer scene, highlighted by Port City Brewing Company's headquarters. Some of the best Ethiopian eateries can be found in the West End, along with expansive green spaces like Ben Brenman Park and Fort Ward.
The Torpedo Factory in Old Town hosts events for residents to enjoy.
T.J. Stone's is a local favorite situated in Old Town.
Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray is home to many local shops and restaurants.
Take in the breathtaking views of Bren Brenman Park in Alexandria.
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Arts & culture at the Torpedo Factory Art Center
Once the U.S. Naval Torpedo Station, the Torpedo Factory now functions as an art center. Visitors can watch artists work at the most extensive collection of publicly accessible working artist studios in the country. Plenty of art and artisan works are also for sale at the center. Torpedo Factory also hosts several art classes for adults and camps for school kids to channel their creative talents. One of the city’s most popular venues is the Birchmere, which regularly hosts an array of folk, rock and country artists.
The Birchmere, a legendary music hall, is located in Alexandria.
Browse dozens of local artists at The Torpedo Factory in Alexandria.
The Torpedo Factory is located along the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria.
The Torpedo Factory is fun for parents and kids.
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Crime in Alexandria
City police data showed that Alexandria's overall crime rate rose about 30% from 2022 to 2023. According to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Alexandria’s overall crime rate is much lower than D.C.’s.
Evelyn is the managing partner of the Lugo Parker Team of Compass and ranks consistently in the top 5% of Realtors in the nation. Over the years, Evelyn and her team of real estate professionals have assisted hundreds of home buyers and sellers in DC, Maryland and Virginia with all their real estate needs and would love the opportunity to assist you in finding you special place in the world??
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