It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Fairfax Station, VA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Fairfax Station, VA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Fairfax Station, VA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Fairfax Station, VA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Update — More than 10,000 Dominion Energy customers in Fairfax County have lost power as thunderstorms sweep through the D.C. region.As of 7:20 p.m., the outages appear to be concentrated in the south central part of the county, from Newington up to the Falls Church area, according to the utility’s outage map.Earlier: As ...
Update — More than 10,000 Dominion Energy customers in Fairfax County have lost power as thunderstorms sweep through the D.C. region.
As of 7:20 p.m., the outages appear to be concentrated in the south central part of the county, from Newington up to the Falls Church area, according to the utility’s outage map.
Earlier: As predicted, a storm is darkening the skies above Fairfax County, bringing potentially dangerous levels of rain.
The National Weather Service has issued several alerts for the D.C. region, including Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, a Flood Watch and, for some areas, a Flash Flood Warning.
The Flash Flood Warning applies to northeastern Fairfax County and will be in effect until 8:45 p.m. Storms that were spotted moving into the area from Sterling could drop rain at a rate of 2 inches in 20 minutes, the NWS said.
“Rain may have not started, but expected rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches in 20 minutes are anticipated,” the weather service said in the alert, which went out shortly before 5:45 p.m. “Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.”
The full alert is below:
BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED Flash Flood Warning National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 544 PM EDT Wed Jul 9 2025
The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for…District of Columbia…South Central Montgomery County in central Maryland…Arlington County in northern Virginia…Northeastern Fairfax County in northern Virginia…The City of Alexandria in northern Virginia…The City of Falls Church in northern Virginia…
* Until 845 PM EDT.
* At 544 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain will move across the warned area. Rain may have not started, but expected rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches in 20 minutes are anticipated. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
HAZARD…Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE…Radar.
IMPACT…Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.
* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include… Arlington… Alexandria… Bethesda… Annandale… Springfield… Fort Washington… Fort Hunt… Vienna… Groveton… Falls Church… Huntington… Coral Hills… Mantua… Fort Belvoir… Pimmit Hills… National Harbor… Rosslyn… Crystal City… Mclean… Reagan National Airport…
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was also issued at 6:08 p.m. specifically for southeastern Fairfax County, along with parts of Alexandria, Prince George’s County and Charles County in Maryland.
Currently slated to stay in place until 7 p.m., the warning was prompted by a line of severe storms spotted on radar at 6:08 p.m. from Springfield down to Quantico. According to the National Weather Service, the storms were moving east at 20 mph and bringing 60 mph wind gusts.
More from the alert:
IMPACT…Damaging winds will cause some trees and large branches to fall. This could injure those outdoors, as well as damage homes and vehicles. Roadways may become blocked by downed trees. Localized power outages are possible. Unsecured light objects may become projectiles.
* Locations impacted include… Alexandria, Waldorf, Clinton, Springfield, Fort Washington, Fort Hunt, Groveton, Huntington, La Plata, Fort Belvoir, National Harbor, Port Tobacco River, Andrews Air Force Base, Camp Springs, Lorton, Franconia, Oxon Hill, Hybla Valley, Newington, and Friendly.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.
Large hail, damaging wind, and continuous cloud to ground lightning are occurring with these storms. Move indoors immediately. Lightning is one of nature’s leading killers. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is slated to stay in effect for the entire D.C. region until 10 p.m., and the Flood Watch will remain until midnight.
Many laws that were passed by the General Assembly during the 2025 legislative session take effect in Virginia on Tuesday, July 1. A few are highlighted below with links that provide additional details.This change requires all adult passengers in a vehicle to wear seat belts while the vehicle is in motion on a public highway. (Current law only requires adult passengers to wear safety belts when occupying the front seat.) HB 2475This...
Many laws that were passed by the General Assembly during the 2025 legislative session take effect in Virginia on Tuesday, July 1. A few are highlighted below with links that provide additional details.
This change requires all adult passengers in a vehicle to wear seat belts while the vehicle is in motion on a public highway. (Current law only requires adult passengers to wear safety belts when occupying the front seat.) HB 2475
This law makes it a traffic infraction if a driver fails to stop for pedestrians and makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor if failure to stop results in the serious bodily injury or death of a vulnerable road user lawfully crossing a highway. SB 1416
The DMV will now be required to add non-apparent disabilities on a driver’s license when requested by an applicant and upon presentation of a signed statement confirming the condition. HB 2116
The DMV will also be required to implement a program for the promotion, printing and distribution of envelopes that will assist officers communication with drivers with autism. Envelopes shall contain information about how to best communicate with the person as well as space for the vehicle registration, insurance and emergency contact along with directions for the driver on what to do with the envelope. HB 2501
School Boards are now required to create and implement a policy regarding the possession and use of cell phones on school property. These policies must restrict use deemed as disruptive to the learning environment with limited exceptions, such as need due to a medical condition as dictated in a child’s IEP or 504 plan. This law prohibits any student from being suspended or expelled as a consequence of any violation of such policies. HB 1961/SB 738
The law requires public school principals and heads of private schools to report certain information to the parents of enrolled students within 24 hours of a confirmed or suspected school-connected student overdose. HB 2774/SB 1240
Any social media app must now provide age verification for accounts and, for any account holder under 16, limit use of the application to one hour with a parental consent option to override said limit. SB 854
Another law requires that a child under the age of 16 who meets certain criteria must be compensated when taking part in content creation. HB 2401/SB 998
This law prohibits a supplier, in connection with a consumer transaction, from advertising or displaying a price for goods or services without clearly and conspicuously displaying the total price, which shall include all mandatory fees or surcharges. HB 2515/SB 1212
The law updates the amounts in the schedule of basic child support obligations based upon gross monthly income from $35,000 to $42,500. SB 805
Update: The Thursday night, May 15, closures remain on schedule, weather permitting. Due to rain the week of May 12, the closures detailed below are additionally scheduled for Monday night, May 19; Tuesday night, May 20; Wednesday night, May 21; and Thursday night, May 22 between 10 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. each night.FAIRFAX – Weather permitting, Fairfax County Parkway (Route 286) will again have nighttime full closures between Burke Centre Parkway (Route 643) and Braddock Road (Route 620) Monday night, May 12, throu...
Update: The Thursday night, May 15, closures remain on schedule, weather permitting. Due to rain the week of May 12, the closures detailed below are additionally scheduled for Monday night, May 19; Tuesday night, May 20; Wednesday night, May 21; and Thursday night, May 22 between 10 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. each night.
FAIRFAX – Weather permitting, Fairfax County Parkway (Route 286) will again have nighttime full closures between Burke Centre Parkway (Route 643) and Braddock Road (Route 620) Monday night, May 12, through Thursday night, May 15, to install beams for the future Shirley Gate Road extension overpass as part of the Fairfax County Parkway and Popes Head Road interchange project, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.
On Monday night, May 12, Tuesday night, May 13, Wednesday night, May 14, and Thursday night, May 15, between 10 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. each night:
Drivers should expect significant delays and are advised to use alternate routes.
The Fairfax County Parkway and Popes Head Road interchange project is replacing the traffic signal at Fairfax County Parkway and Popes Head Road with an interchange. The interchange will feature triple roundabouts that will allow traffic to flow freely via two new bridges over Fairfax County Parkway.
The project also includes:
The project is scheduled for completion in late 2026.
Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians are reminded to use caution when traveling in active work zones. Be alert to new traffic patterns and limit distractions.
You can get traffic, work zone and incident information online at 511.vdot.virginia.gov, via the free mobile 511Virginia app, or by calling 511 in Virginia anywhere anytime.
Fairfax County, Virginia, is considering changing how residents’ trash will be picked up. Many residents expressed their disapproval Tuesday at a town hall hosted by Supervisor Pat Herrity.The proposal being considered by the board of supervisors would transition trash collection from a system where residents and homeowners associations choose a company for themselves to one where “Unified Sanitation Districts” are overseen by the county, which would choose a company and negotiate prices.“You know, it ju...
Fairfax County, Virginia, is considering changing how residents’ trash will be picked up. Many residents expressed their disapproval Tuesday at a town hall hosted by Supervisor Pat Herrity.
The proposal being considered by the board of supervisors would transition trash collection from a system where residents and homeowners associations choose a company for themselves to one where “Unified Sanitation Districts” are overseen by the county, which would choose a company and negotiate prices.
“You know, it just seems like to me, you guys are trying to sell me something that I already have,” said one resident, who led off the criticisms of the proposal at the town hall.
Dozens of others added to the opposition. Representatives from HOAs in particular spoke out against the idea.
“If this misguided proposal goes forward, and I hope it doesn’t, it is imperative that there be an opt out for HOAs — we don’t need any interference from Fairfax County wrecking what is working very well for us,” said one man, who represented a homeowners association in Clifton.
“It took us 25 years to find a company that’s responsible, and now we have them,” another HOA representative added. “Why do we want to give that up?”
Others said the ability to choose trash pickup themselves leads to more choices.
“We’re not all the same,” said one Fairfax County woman. “Some of us like two days, some of us like one day. Some like their leaves picked up. Some don’t care about that. Some want glass,”
“Some of us have pets. Some of us don’t. When we went down to one day a week, I could barely lift my garbage can because there’s so much cat litter and other things in it. So why should we give up what we have?”
Even if the plan to move to so called “Unified Sanitation Districts” overseen by the county is approved it isn’t legal to implement it for another five years.
“It’s unfortunate that we have this five-year window,” Herrity said. “There’s a reason for it, so that business can prepare, so the county can prepare. But there are a lot of unanswered questions.”
The county is taking a look at changing trash service, arguing that too many different private trash companies operate in neighborhoods and crowd streets. The county also said inconsistent pricing means some neighbors have the same service, from the same company, and pay a different price.
Under the proposal, residents would have their trash collected by private contractors who work with the county directly. No final decisions about types of services or frequency have been made.
The board of supervisors will host a public hearing later this month.
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Three of the best places to live in the country can be found in Fairfax County, according to one recently released ranking.U.S. News and World Report included Burke, Reston and Centreville on its 2025-2026 list of the Top 250 Best Places to Live in the U.S., with the first two taking first and second place, respectively, among Virginia localities.Published on May 19, the ranking was based...
Three of the best places to live in the country can be found in Fairfax County, according to one recently released ranking.
U.S. News and World Report included Burke, Reston and Centreville on its 2025-2026 list of the Top 250 Best Places to Live in the U.S., with the first two taking first and second place, respectively, among Virginia localities.
Published on May 19, the ranking was based on “internal resources” as well as data from the company Applied Geographic Solutions, which operates a database with demographic and marketing information from private and government sources, U.S. News says in a breakdown of its methodology.
The media outlet considered factors such as quality of life, value, desirability, job market and net migration when calculating its ranking. Quality of life, which includes education, health care, the environment and infrastructure, carried the most weight, followed by value, based on a February survey that asked the public to share which of the factors they believe is most important when determining where to live.
“To make the top of the list, a place had to have good value, be a desirable place to live, have a strong job market and a high quality of life,” U.S. News said.
Coming in at no. 100 nationally but in first place among the Best Places to Live in Virginia, Burke scored a 6.2 out of 10; for comparison, the top place to live in the U.S. — Johns Creek, Georgia, a city northeast of Atlanta — got 7 out of 10.
Burke was boosted by its job market, with a higher median household income ($180,103) and a lower unemployment rate (4.3%) than the national average ($79,466 and 4.5%), though those figures don’t reflect the emerging impacts of federal worker cuts.
Unsurprisingly, Burke got dragged down by its cost of living, scoring a paltry 0.6 out of 10 on that index. Its median home value of $660,984 easily exceeded the national average of $370,489.
Reston, which came in at no. 121 nationally and no. 2 in Virginia, landed an even lower cost of living score of 0.5. Though its median home value ($637,868) is lower than Burke’s, the planned community also has a lower median income ($144,411), according to U.S. News.
On the positive side, Reston has a low unemployment rate (3.1%), and its population is relatively evenly distributed in terms of age and marital status, suggesting it’s friendly to a variety of people, from young, single professionals to families with kids and seniors.
Centreville landed the no. 165 spot on the U.S. list and the seventh spot on the Virginia rankings, coming behind Arlington, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Leesburg in addition to the two other Fairfax County communities. Its job market was rated as healthier than other similarly sized areas, with a median income of $138,476 and an unemployment rate of 3.1%, but with a median home value of $582,314, housing costs remain a challenge.
U.S. News named a total of 23 best places to live in Virginia, the top 11 of which made the national ranking.
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