Arlington County
Shirlington and Fairlington
A walkable village center with a theatre and a library, next to a 1940s garden-apartment community of some 3,400 homes on the National Register.
Two adjacent and quite different markets in south Arlington: a compact walkable village center, and one of the largest 1940s garden communities in the country.
Fairlington
Roughly 3,400 homes built in the early 1940s to house defense workers, arranged as brick townhouse-style units across several villages and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Most are condominiums or co-operatives today.
Three things to establish on any unit:
- Condominium or co-operative? Ownership and financing differ, and not every lender treats them alike.
- What does the fee include? In many villages it covers exterior maintenance, roofs, grounds, and sometimes water — costs a single-family owner pays separately. That is why the fees look high, and why comparing fees alone is misleading.
- Which side of the line? Fairlington straddles the Arlington–Alexandria boundary, which decides the tax rate and the school division.
Shirlington
A pedestrian main street with restaurants, a cinema, a professional theatre, and the county library, plus one of the busier bus transit centers in the region. It is genuinely walkable, and that is why the condominiums and apartments around it price higher per foot than Fairlington’s.
Around them
North, Douglas Park and the Nauck area hold established single-family neighborhoods toward Columbia Pike. South, the area meets Alexandria’s North Ridge and Seminary Hill. Between Shirlington and Fairlington runs the Four Mile Run valley and its trail.
Schools
Arlington Public Schools on the Arlington side, generally the Wakefield pyramid with option programs available; Alexandria City Public Schools on the Alexandria side of Fairlington. Confirm the jurisdiction, then the assignment, with the right division.
Getting around
No Metro station. Pentagon City and Pentagon are roughly five to ten minutes north with frequent buses from the transit center. I-395 runs along the eastern edge. For cyclists the Four Mile Run and W&OD trails give a direct route into both Arlington and Alexandria.
Buying or selling here
In Fairlington, the documents are the purchase: fee inclusions, reserves, and the ownership form. Buyers who read them find this one of the more affordable ways into Arlington; buyers who do not are often surprised at settlement. Sellers should spell out what the fee covers — it is a selling point that goes unrecognized unless stated.
Communities in Shirlington and Fairlington
- Shirlington Village
- The pedestrian main street with restaurants, a cinema, a theatre, and the library, with apartments and condominiums around it.
- Fairlington
- A 1940s garden community of brick townhouse-style condominiums and co-operatives across several villages, listed on the National Register.
- Douglas Park and Nauck edge
- Established single-family neighborhoods north of Shirlington, toward Columbia Pike.
- Fort Ward and Alexandria edge
- The southern side, where Arlington meets Alexandria's North Ridge and Seminary Hill.
- Four Mile Run corridor
- The stream valley and trail separating Shirlington from Fairlington and Alexandria.
Schools
Arlington Public Schools serves the area, generally through the Wakefield High School pyramid, with some addresses assigned elsewhere and option programs available. Confirm the current attendance area for a specific address with APS. Note that Fairlington spans the Arlington–Alexandria line, and the Alexandria portion is served by Alexandria City Public Schools.
Commuting
I-395 runs along the eastern edge with Shirlington's bus transit center a major hub, and Route 7 (King Street) heading west. There is no Metro station: the Pentagon City and Pentagon stations are roughly five to ten minutes north, and bus service to both is frequent. The Four Mile Run and W&OD trails give a direct bicycle route to Arlington and Alexandria.
Market
Fairlington is one of the region's largest and best-known condominium and co-operative markets: brick 1940s homes in townhouse form, with association fees that in many villages include exterior maintenance, grounds, and sometimes utilities. It is a distinctive and comparatively affordable way into Arlington. Shirlington adds newer condominiums and apartments around the village center at higher prices per foot. Reading the fee inclusions correctly is the central skill in this market.
Common questions
What is Fairlington?
A garden community of roughly 3,400 homes built in the early 1940s to house defense workers, arranged as brick townhouse-style units across several villages and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Most units are condominiums or co-operatives today. It is one of the largest communities of its kind in the country and it spans the Arlington–Alexandria line.
Why do Fairlington fees look high?
Because in many villages they include exterior maintenance, roofs, grounds, and sometimes water and other utilities — costs a single-family owner pays separately. Compare total monthly cost, not the fee alone, and ask specifically what is included and what the reserve position is. Also confirm whether a unit is a condominium or a co-operative, because financing and ownership differ.
What is in Shirlington Village?
A pedestrian main street with restaurants, a cinema, a professional theatre, and the county library, plus a major bus transit center. It is genuinely walkable and it is the reason the surrounding condominiums and apartments price as they do.
Is Fairlington in Arlington or Alexandria?
Both — the community straddles the boundary. That decides the tax rate and the school division: Arlington Public Schools on the Arlington side, Alexandria City Public Schools on the Alexandria side. Confirm which side a specific unit is on before estimating either.
Is there Metro access?
Not walkable. Pentagon City and Pentagon stations are roughly five to ten minutes north, with frequent bus service from Shirlington's transit center — one of the busier bus hubs in the region. For cyclists, the Four Mile Run and W&OD trails offer a direct route to both Arlington and Alexandria.
Current Shirlington and Fairlington listings are available through my search site.
Last updated 2026-09-08.