A town of about 22,532 people in Fairfax County, part of the Washington area. Resident comments and photos are about West Springfield; job numbers cover the wider area.
What kind of place it is
Big-city feel, Outdoorsy, Historic
Scored the same way as the quiz, against 382 U.S. metro areas. A feel is listed when West Springfield scores 70 or higher out of 100.
Big-city feel
98 / 100
Big-city feel: 5.6 million people in the metro, 57 buildings 20+ stories, 6,424 bus and train stops
"Area is very green and you can access Rock Creek Park" A resident, Reddit
Outdoorsy
95 / 100
Outdoorsy: more trails, campgrounds and paddling spots than most
"In general the Arlington Loop (which consists of the Custis Trail, Mt Vernon Trail, and the Four Mile Run/W&OD Trail) is pretty good" A resident, Reddit
Historic
87 / 100
259 places on the National Register of Historic Places nearby
"I've been to a few libraries (MLK Jr, Woodridge, LoC) and a couple of cafes" A resident, Reddit
Less so: cozy.
Want to know how West Springfield fits you? The 3-minute quiz checks it against what you want.
Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.
Of about 1,201 rented homes in West Springfield, 27% rent for under $2,000 a month and 74% for under $3,000.
Under $1,000: 0%
$1,000 to $1,499: 7%
$1,500 to $1,999: 20%
$2,000 to $2,499: 27%
$2,500 to $2,999: 20%
$3,000 or more: 26%
Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.
What moving costs
Hiring movers
Average cost: $1,946
From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.
Moving in as a renter
The middle rented home in West Springfield rents for $2,000 to $2,499 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $4,000 to $4,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $6,000 to $7,497 where landlords also ask for last month.
Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $2,000 to $2,499, that's a yearly income of about $72,000 to $89,964.
Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.
Moving to Virginia: before and after
Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Virginia DMV.
Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.
Schools
One public school district serves this county, with about 179,858 students. The county also has 110 private schools. Which public school serves a home depends on its address.
Public Public charter Private District that covers the center of West Springfield: Fairfax County Public Schools
District lines: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024. Tap a dot for details. A home's assigned school depends on its address; check with the district before you buy or rent.
Closest public schools to the center of West Springfield
Elementary
Keene Mill Elementary0.4 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 6 · 801 students · 17.4 per teacher
West Springfield Elementary0.5 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 6 · 548 students · 13.4 per teacher
Rolling Valley Elementary0.6 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 6 · 536 students · 13.1 per teacher
Middle
Irving Middle0.4 mi
Public
grades 7 to 8 · 1,215 students · 14.6 per teacher
Keene Mill Elementary0.4 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 6 · 801 students · 17.4 per teacher
West Springfield Elementary0.5 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 6 · 548 students · 13.4 per teacher
High school
West Springfield High1.1 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 2,748 students · 14 per teacher
Lake Braddock Secondary3.0 mi
Public
grades 7 to 12 · 4,397 students · 22.7 per teacher
Lewis High3.0 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 1,673 students · 13.8 per teacher
Private
Prince of Peace Lutheran School0.5 mi
Private
grades Pre-K to K · 20 students · 15.4 per teacher
Accotink Academy Preschool0.7 mi
Private
grades Pre-K to K · 9 students · 3.1 per teacher
Accotink Academy1.0 mi
Private
grades 1 to 12 · 72 students · 8 per teacher
Straight-line miles from the center of West Springfield, nearest first. Being closest doesn't mean a school serves a given home. The U.S. Department of Education's 2021-22 file has no school test results for Virginia; see the state's school report card.
179,858 students · 14.2 students per teacher · 223 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
School choice and pre-K in Virginia
Going to school in another district
State law doesn't set an open enrollment rule between districts. Transfers, where allowed, are up to the districts.
Picking a different school in your district
State law lets each district decide whether families can pick a different school within the district.
Free state pre-K
22% of 4-year-olds and 3% of 3-year-olds in Virginia attend state-funded pre-K (U.S.: 37% and 9%). Spots, hours and who qualifies vary by district.
School choice: state law as summarized by the Education Commission of the States, 50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies (2022). Pre-K: share of children in state-funded pre-K, National Institute for Early Education Research, State of Preschool 2025 Yearbook (2024-25 school year).
NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Private schools: NCES Private School Survey, 2021-22. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For programs and newer results, see each district's site and the state's school report card.
Childcare and colleges
Daycare and preschool
Virginia keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.
Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
Age
Daycare center
Home daycare
Infant (under 2)
$345/week
about $17,900 a year
$260/week
about $13,500 a year
Toddler (2)
$288/week
about $15,000 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)
$307/week
about $16,000 a year
$221/week
about $11,500 a year
School-age
$236/week
about $12,300 a year
For an infant at a center: $345/week here, $261 across VA, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 10% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.
U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
7 colleges in the county and the wider metro around West Springfield. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 3,667 students · $38,250 a year
Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.
IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.
The facts behind it
Typical home value
$569,857
What a typical home sells for across the Washington area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026
Cost of living
About 9% above the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $109 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 108.9 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 40 min at rush hour
To downtown Washington, DC, 16 miles. About 29 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
33 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
14 within 15 miles
The nearest is about 2 miles from the town center. The largest is about 250,000 sq ft.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL), loaded July 2026
Homeowners insurance
About $2,074 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in VA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively High
Hail is a real cost here: roof claims are common and some insurers charge a separate, higher deductible for wind and hail. Covered parking helps protect a car.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
None within 5 miles
No hospital is mapped within 5 miles of the center. Check the drive to the nearest one before you move.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
8.1 per 100,000 people a year
94 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. VA average: 14.3 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 11 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 1,322 people without housing in the Fairfax County area (3 counties): 1,250 in shelters and 72 outside, up from 1,278 in 2024. VA: 8.2 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$150,113
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.01% of home value a year
About $1,010 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 5.75%
VA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.