Fairfax County
Vienna, Virginia
An incorporated town of about 16,000 in central Fairfax County, known for its small-town center along Maple Avenue, the W&OD Trail, and a wide ring of Vienna-addressed county neighborhoods around it.
Vienna is a small incorporated town of about 16,000 with a genuine main street, wrapped in a much larger ring of Fairfax County neighborhoods that share its mailing address. It is one of the more established parts of central Fairfax County, and one where the difference between the town and the county matters.
The town
Maple Avenue is the spine: restaurants, shops, banks, and the town’s civic life along a stretch of Route 123 that carries a great deal of traffic at rush hour. Off it, the streets are tree-lined and residential, mostly mid-century houses, with the W&OD Trail cutting through the middle of town on the old railroad bed — a genuine amenity that residents use to walk, run, and ride to Reston one way and Falls Church the other.
The town runs its own police department, zoning, and services, and residents pay a town tax on top of Fairfax County taxes. It also runs a summer concert series on the Green, a farmers market, and a Halloween parade that draws the whole area.
Rebuilding in place
Land values in and near the town have made Vienna a center of teardown-and-rebuild activity. Modest 1950s and 60s houses on good lots are routinely replaced with much larger new construction, which means a single street can hold a 1,400-square-foot rambler next to a 5,000-square-foot new build. For buyers, that shapes both the price range and the character of a block; for sellers of older homes, it can mean the lot is worth more than the house.
Beyond the town line
Most of what people call Vienna is outside the town. Wolf Trap, to the north, has larger lots near the national park for the performing arts. Neighborhoods toward Tysons put the Silver Line and the mall within a short drive. Dunn Loring, east, has condos and townhouses near its Metro station and the Mosaic District’s restaurants and cinema. The Hunter Mill corridor runs north into wooded, larger-lot territory toward Reston.
Getting around
Neither Metro station named for the area is actually in the town: Vienna/Fairfax–GMU sits south along I-66, Dunn Loring–Merrifield to the east, and the Silver Line’s Tysons stations are a short drive north. I-66, Route 7, and the Dulles Toll Road are all within reach, and Route 123 runs through the middle.
Buying or selling here
The first question is whether a property is inside the town, which affects taxes, services, and zoning review. After that: which school pyramid, how close to a Metro station, and — for older houses — whether the value is in the home or the land.
Communities in Vienna
- Town of Vienna
- The incorporated town itself — mid-century and rebuilt single-family homes on tree-lined streets, walkable to Maple Avenue’s shops and restaurants and the W&OD Trail.
- Wolf Trap
- North of the town toward Route 7, larger lots and established single-family homes near Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.
- Westbriar and Tysons edge
- Neighborhoods between Vienna and Tysons, close to Route 123 and the Silver Line, mixing mid-century homes with newer construction.
- Dunn Loring
- East of town near the Dunn Loring–Merrifield Metro station and the Mosaic District, with condos and townhouses alongside older single-family streets.
- Hunter Mill corridor
- Wooded, larger-lot neighborhoods along Hunter Mill Road running north toward Reston.
Schools
Vienna and the surrounding Vienna-addressed neighborhoods are served by Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). The area feeds several high school pyramids — Madison, Marshall, and Oakton among them — and the boundaries do not follow the town line. Confirm the current attendance area for a specific address with FCPS.
Commuting
Maple Avenue (Route 123) is the town’s main street and its main bottleneck at rush hour. Two Orange Line stations serve the area from just outside the town limits: Vienna/Fairfax–GMU to the south and Dunn Loring–Merrifield to the east; the Silver Line at Tysons is a short drive north. I-66, Route 7, and the Dulles Toll Road are all close, and the W&OD Trail runs straight through the center of town.
Market
Vienna is one of the higher-priced addresses in central Fairfax County, and the town’s market has been reshaped by teardown-and-rebuild activity: modest mid-century houses on good lots are frequently replaced with much larger new homes, so two neighbors can differ enormously in size and price. Town residents pay a town tax on top of county taxes. The wider ring of Vienna-addressed county neighborhoods runs from larger wooded lots near Hunter Mill to condos and townhouses near Dunn Loring and the Mosaic District.
Common questions
Is Vienna a town or part of Fairfax County?
Both, in a sense. Vienna is an incorporated town inside Fairfax County, with its own mayor, council, and police department, and residents pay a town tax in addition to county taxes. Many homes with a Vienna mailing address lie outside the town limits and are served by the county alone.
Is the Vienna Metro station in Vienna?
Not in the town. The Vienna/Fairfax–GMU station sits south of the town limits along I-66 in Fairfax County, with a large commuter garage. Dunn Loring–Merrifield, to the east, is also outside the town. Both are a short drive or bus ride from the center of town.
Why are so many houses in Vienna being rebuilt?
Lots in and near the town are valuable enough that builders regularly buy older mid-century houses, tear them down, and build much larger homes. It means a wide range of house sizes and ages on the same street, and it is worth understanding what a given block is likely to look like in a few years.
What is there to do in Vienna?
Maple Avenue carries most of the town’s restaurants and shops, and the town runs concerts on the Green, a farmers market, and a well-known Halloween parade. The W&OD Trail runs through the center, and Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts — the only national park dedicated to the performing arts — is just north.
What schools serve Vienna?
Fairfax County Public Schools. The area spans the Madison, Marshall, and Oakton pyramids depending on location, and the boundaries do not match the town line. Confirm the assignment for a specific address with FCPS.
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Last updated 2026-09-07.