Braddock sits close to commuter roads and George Mason University
The organized, park-heavy suburb of Braddock sits south of George Mason University and shopping hubs like Fairfax Corner and Fair Oaks Mall. "There are so many parks and green spaces; it's much more spacious than the city of Fairfax. You can get a lot more home for your money here," says Sheila Carney, a longtime resident of Fairfax and Realtor with Keller Williams Metro Center. The location also puts residents close to several main roads for quick access across Northern Virginia, including Interstate 66, U.S. Route 50 and Braddock Road. Parents might also be drawn to the highly-ranked Fairfax County Public Schools district that serves Braddock.
Community parks and nearby Country Club of Fairfax
Brentwood Park stretches 10 acres across the community and has a playground, hiking trails and a small pond. Fairfax Villa Park is a woodland pocket surrounded by homes, with a hiking trail and creek crossings. A couple of miles east sits The Country Club of Fairfax, a private complex where members can access an 18-hole championship golf course, tennis courts, and a pool. Its clubhouse features dining rooms, event spaces, and panoramic views of the club's manicured greens. Mott Community Center has a fitness center and basketball courts, and hosts the outdoor Patriot Park, with soccer and baseball fields.
Colonial Revivals on suburban streets
Along Braddock's leafy suburban streets are stately Colonial Revivals and midcentury ramblers, often with decent lawn space and straight driveways. Homes range from $720,000 to $2 million, varying by square footage and lot size. Smaller pocket communities like North Hill and Brecon Ridge are within Braddock and often have neighborhood associations that schedule events and organize landscaping and maintenance projects.
Fairfax County Public Schools and Parks Department programs
Fairfax County Public Schools is the main district covering the Braddock area. Students can attend Willow Springs Elementary and Katherine Johnson Middle School, which both get A-ratings from Niche. "We have a great working relationship with Fairfax City Schools, including Katherine Johnson Middle and Fairfax High School," says Kaelin. "We work in collaboration with the Fairfax County Public Schools staff who work in these locations to provide programs and events that benefit students who attend these schools." The Parks Department hosts summer camps for students of all ages to socialize and learn during their break from school. George Mason University is a major institution of higher learning in Northern Virginia, with over 40,000 students from all 50 states and over 130 countries, and employing around 8,100 people.
Close to Fair Oaks Mall and Fairfax Corner
University Mall is a small strip next to Braddock with a Giant for groceries. Just south of I-66 is Fairfax Corner, a mixed-use outdoor shopping area with a Cinemark movie theater and Coastal Flats, a regional chain with an upscale surf-and-turf menu. North of I-66 is Fair Oaks Mall, with over 160 stores and restaurants, including JCPenney and Macy's.
Diverse places of worship and religious schools
Braddock has numerous religious institutions that reflect the region's culturally diverse population. Along Braddock Road, there's the SV Lotus Temple and the Singh Sabha of Virginia, which are places of worship for Hindus and Sikhs, respectively. The Islamic Center Northern Virginia Trust is a mosque just off Shirley Gate Road, less than a mile from the Gesher Jewish Day School. Fairfax Church, Washington Apostolic Church and Saint Mark Coptic Orthodox Church of Washington, D.C. also line Braddock Road.
A commuter hotspot close to home
Commuters can take I-66 just 25 miles east to reach the nation's capital, which takes roughly 40 minutes, depending on rush hour traffic. Dulles International Airport is 15 miles north for domestic and international flights. Inova Fair Oaks Hospital is a nearby medical center just six miles north of home. Locals can easily reach several regional employers, including IT jobs around Data Center Alley in Loudoun County, government roles in D.C., or major corporate headquarters like Amazon in Pentagon City. Many George Mason students commute to and from school, so Braddock Road traffic can get heavy in the mornings and evenings.
Written By
Maxwell Olarinde
