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Living in Burke

A large suburban community in south-central Fairfax County, built mostly in the 1970s and 1980s, with detached houses and townhouses on wooded streets, VRE commuter rail on its northern edge and Burke Lake Park nearby.
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Living in Burke

An overview of Burke’s subdivisions, parks, shopping centers and commuter rail and road connections.
Burke is one of the larger suburban communities in Fairfax County, a broad area of subdivisions south of Braddock Road and east of the Burke Centre planned community. This page follows the Census boundary for Burke, which leaves out Burke Centre and takes in many homes with Springfield mailing addresses, including Orange Hunt Estates, Rolling Valley and the Keene Mill neighborhoods. Almost everything here was built in the 1970s and 1980s. About two thirds of recent sales were detached houses, mostly center-hall colonials, split-levels and split-foyers on wooded lots in subdivisions such as Lakewood Hills, Signal Hill, Longwood Knolls and Orange Hunt Estates. The rest were townhouses in communities like Burke Station Square and Keene Mill Village. Lake Braddock, the largest single source of sales, mixes detached houses and townhouses around a private lake with trails. Condominiums are rare. Shopping is organized in neighborhood centers, not a downtown. the Rolling Valley shopping centers on Old Keene Mill Road and Burke Village Center on Burke Lake Road cover groceries and everyday services, with more stores in Burke Centre and Springfield. Burke Lake Park, with its 218-acre lake and loop trail of nearly five miles, lies along the southwest edge, and stream valley trails follow Pohick Creek through the southern subdivisions. Pohick Regional Library is on Sydenstricker Road. Burke has no Metrorail station. The Virginia Railway Express Manassas Line stops at Rolling Road and at Burke Centre, with weekday trains to Alexandria, Crystal City, L’Enfant Plaza and Union Station. Fairfax Connector buses serve the Rolling Valley park-and-ride on Old Keene Mill Road and run from Burke Centre station to Tysons. By car, the Fairfax County Parkway, Braddock Road, Old Keene Mill Road and Burke Lake Road lead to the Beltway and Interstate 95. Expect congestion on all of them at peak times. I’m glad to help you compare Burke’s subdivisions by house style, lot, association amenities and distance to the train.

Key Highlights:

  • Housing character — 1970s and 1980s colonials, split-levels and split-foyers on wooded lots, with townhouse communities throughout
  • Green space — Burke Lake Park along the southwest edge, Pohick Creek stream valley trails, and the private lake and paths at Lake Braddock
  • Daily essentials — the Rolling Valley centers, Burke Village Center and other neighborhood shopping centers; Pohick Regional Library
  • Transit — VRE Manassas Line at Rolling Road and Burke Centre; Fairfax Connector buses from the Rolling Valley park-and-ride; Fairfax County Parkway and Braddock Road
  • Schools — Fairfax County Public Schools; assignments vary by address and include Lake Braddock Secondary, Robinson Secondary, West Springfield High and South County High
  • Market character — Detached houses near $890,000 and townhouses near $620,000, with a median of six days on market
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Burke Real Estate FAQs

Insight into the nuances of buying and selling in one of the country’s most complex urban markets.

Burke is known for wooded subdivisions from the 1970s and 1980s, Virginia Railway Express commuter rail, and Burke Lake Park with its 218-acre lake along the community’s southwest edge.
Burke is in south-central Fairfax County, south of Braddock Road and west of Springfield, southwest of downtown Washington DC.
There is no Metrorail station. The VRE Manassas Line serves Rolling Road and Burke Centre stations on weekdays, and the nearest Metrorail station is Franconia-Springfield on the Blue Line.
About two thirds of recent sales were detached houses and nearly all the rest were townhouses. Most were built in the 1970s and 1980s, and condominiums are rare.
The median sale price over the past 12 months was about $810,000 across roughly 460 sales. Detached houses had a median near $890,000 and townhouses near $620,000.
The median time to contract was six days for both detached houses and townhouses, and sellers received about 101 percent of original list price on average.
Neighborhood centers handle most errands, including the Rolling Valley shopping centers on Old Keene Mill Road and Burke Village Center on Burke Lake Road. Larger stores are in Springfield and Fair Lakes.
Burke is in Fairfax County Public Schools. Assignments vary by address and include Lake Braddock Secondary, Robinson Secondary, West Springfield High and South County High; confirm with the Fairfax County Public Schools boundary locator.

Location & Neighborhood

In south-central Fairfax County, between Burke Centre and Springfield, south of Braddock Road.

The Census boundary for Burke reaches roughly from Braddock Road on the north to the Fairfax County Parkway and the Pohick Creek valley on the south, with Burke Centre and Burke Lake Road on the west and the Rolling Road corridor toward West Springfield on the east. The VRE and Norfolk Southern tracks cross the northern section. Burke Lake Road and Old Keene Mill Road hold most of the shopping centers, and Lee Chapel Road and Sydenstricker Road serve the southern subdivisions.

Commuter Rail and Parkway Access

The VRE Manassas Line stops at Rolling Road and at Burke Centre, with weekday service to Alexandria, Crystal City, L’Enfant Plaza and Union Station. The Fairfax County Parkway runs along Burke’s southwestern side toward Interstate 95 and Fort Belvoir, and Braddock Road and Old Keene Mill Road run east to the Beltway. Fairfax Connector buses serve the Rolling Valley park-and-ride and Burke Centre station.

Groceries, pharmacies and everyday services are in neighborhood centers such as the Rolling Valley centers and Burke Village Center, with more in Burke Centre next door. Pohick Regional Library is on Sydenstricker Road. Springfield Town Center, warehouse stores and medical offices are a short drive east, and Fair Lakes and Fairfax Corner are up the parkway to the northwest.

Neighboring Area:

  • Burke Centre — west, across Burke Lake Road
  • Kings Park West — northwest, toward Braddock Road
  • West Springfield — east, along Old Keene Mill Road and Rolling Road
  • Fairfax Station — southwest, past Burke Lake Park
  • Newington Forest — south, beyond the Fairfax County Parkway

A Day In The Life - Snapshot

The quick details buyers ask about most.

Metro Access
No Metrorail. VRE Manassas Line trains stop at Rolling Road and Burke Centre on weekdays; Franconia-Springfield on the Blue Line is the nearest Metrorail station.
Walkability
Sidewalks and association paths make for good walking within subdivisions, and some homes are close to a shopping center, but most errands require a car.
Typical Home Types
Center-hall colonials, split-levels and split-foyers from the 1970s and 1980s, plus two- and three-level townhouses. Very few condominiums.
Parking
Garages and driveways for most detached houses. Townhouse communities typically assign one or two spaces per home, with limited visitor parking.
Vibe
Wooded, low-rise and residential, with curving streets, cul-de-sacs and shopping set at major intersections. Arterial roads are busy at rush hour and side streets are quiet.
Best For
Buyers who want a detached house or townhouse on a wooded street with commuter rail nearby, and who accept driving for most errands and rush-hour traffic.

Burke Market Snapshot

A high-level look at current pricing, demand, and sales activity in the Burke real estate market.
$810,000

Median Sales Price

$343

Median Price Per Sq Ft

6

Median Days On Market

461

Annual Closed Sales

+2.7%

YoY Median Price Change

Burke is primarily a detached-house market, with townhouses making up about a third of sales and almost no condominium segment. The snapshot covers every closed sale inside the Census-defined Burke boundary over the trailing twelve months through September 2026 — 297 detached houses, 162 townhouses and semi-detached homes, and 2 condominiums. Price per square foot uses interior living area.

Across all home types the median sale was $810,000 at about $343 per square foot, with a median of 6 days on market and sales averaging 101% of original list price. The median rose about 3% from the prior twelve months. Within segments, the detached median rose about 3% to $890,000 and the townhouse median held near $622,000.

Market data reflects recent 12-month activity. Individual buildings may vary.

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Homes for Sale in Burke

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Recently Sold

Recently Sold in Burke

Closed sales from the past 12 months — the comps that set today’s pricing.

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In-Depth Market Analysis

Burke Market Insights

How pricing trends, absorption rates, and inventory levels are shaping buying and selling

Inventory & Absorption

Roughly 460 homes closed in Burke over the past 12 months, up from about 410 the year before. Detached houses accounted for 297 of them and townhouses for 162, with only two condominium sales. The median time to contract was six days in both main segments, unchanged from the prior year, which points to listings being absorbed about as fast as they arrive.

Pricing Dynamics

The overall median was about $810,000, up roughly 3 percent from $789,000. Detached houses rose from about $862,500 to $890,000, while the townhouse median was nearly flat near $620,000. Price per square foot was about $343. Sellers averaged about 101 percent of original list price overall, with detached houses closer to 102 percent and townhouses just under 100 percent.

Buyer Profile

Demand is broad across both segments. Detached houses from about $750,000 to $1 million make up the core of the market and most sold within a week. Townhouses between roughly $550,000 and $700,000 moved just as fast, though they sold slightly under original list on average, a small softening from the prior year. Updated kitchens, baths and systems draw the firmest offers.

Strategic Outlook

Burke is built out, so supply depends on resales of 1970s and 1980s homes. Volume increased over the past year without slowing the pace of sales, which suggests steady demand. Detached prices have been edging up while townhouse prices have leveled off. Condition matters more as the housing stock ages, and homes needing major updates may see more negotiation.

Market Position Overview:

Inventory Level: Balanced with selective competition

Negotiation Environment: Moderate flexibility

Typical Days on Market: 25-45 (well-priced units)

Rental Demand: Consistent due to transit proximity

Long- Term Outlook: Stable, walkability-driven value

Burke Housing & Architecture

Burke’s housing was built mostly in the 1970s and 1980s, in subdivisions of detached houses and townhouses set among mature trees.
Lake Braddock
The most active community in recent sales, Lake Braddock combines detached houses and townhouses from the 1970s around a private lake with walking paths. Lake Braddock Secondary School sits beside the community on Burke Lake Road.
Orange Hunt Estates and Rolling Valley
These subdivisions on the eastern side of the Census boundary carry Springfield mailing addresses. They offer colonials, split-levels and split-foyers, mostly from the late 1960s and 1970s, close to Old Keene Mill Road shopping.
Signal Hill and Lakewood Hills
Two of the larger detached-house subdivisions, with colonials and split-levels from the 1970s and 1980s on wooded lots. Lakewood Hills had the second-highest recent sales volume, and Signal Hill is a short drive from the VRE stations.
Townhouse Communities
Burke Station Square, Keene Mill Village and similar communities offer two- and three-level townhouses, many backing to trees. Townhouses were about a third of recent sales, with a median near $620,000.
Colonials and Split-Levels
The typical Burke house is a two-story colonial or a split-level with a garage, a finished lower level and a deck. Many have been updated in stages, so finishes and systems vary widely from house to house.
Old Burke
The original village grew around a station on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad in the mid-1800s. The Silas Burke House on Burke Lake Road survives from that era, though nearly all housing nearby is from the late twentieth century.

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