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Living in Fairlington

A National Register historic district of brick townhouses and garden condominiums built in the 1940s, set on both sides of I-395 in south Arlington, with Shirlington’s shops and the Pentagon a short trip away.
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Living in Fairlington

An overview of Fairlington’s wartime-era brick housing, its green courtyards, and its position beside Shirlington.
Fairlington is one of the largest planned housing projects of the Second World War, built in the first half of the 1940s by the Defense Homes Corporation and designed in the Colonial Revival style by Kenneth Franzheim and Alan B. Mills. It sits on both sides of I-395, roughly between South Walter Reed Drive, King Street and Quaker Lane, in south Arlington along the Alexandria city line. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. The original 3,439 rental apartments were converted to condominiums during the 1970s, starting in 1972, and that is still how nearly everything here is owned. Homes are brick, two and three stories, with slate roofs on many blocks. The layouts run from one-bedroom garden flats to multi-level townhouses with finished lower levels. Seven associations manage the original community: Fairlington Villages covers the north side, and Arbor, Commons, Glen, Green, Meadows and Mews cover the south. This page follows the Fairlington Citizens Association area as mapped by Arlington County; later communities nearby that use the Fairlington name are not included. Daily errands are close. The Village at Shirlington, with its restaurants, grocery store, cinema and library, is reachable on foot from much of north Fairlington and is a short trip from the south side. Bradlee Shopping Center and Fairlington Centre sit along King Street. Each association keeps its own pools and tennis courts, and the Fairlington Community Center and Utah Field Park add public recreation space. There is no Metrorail station in the neighborhood. Buses run to the Pentagon and King Street-Old Town stations, each a few miles away, and Shirlington’s bus station is a transfer point for Metrobus and Arlington Transit. I-395 has ramps at Shirlington and King Street, which puts the Pentagon and downtown DC a short drive away outside rush hour. Highway noise is a factor for homes closest to the interstate. I’m glad to walk you through the differences between the Fairlington associations, their fees and floor plans, and what is selling now.

Key Highlights:

  • Housing character — 1940s Colonial Revival brick townhouses and garden flats, nearly all in condominium ownership
  • Green space — landscaped courtyards, association pools and tennis courts, Utah Field Park and the Fairlington Community Center grounds
  • Daily essentials — the Village at Shirlington, Bradlee Shopping Center and Fairlington Centre on King Street
  • Transit — no Metrorail; buses to the Pentagon and King Street-Old Town stations, with I-395 ramps at Shirlington and King Street
  • Schools — Arlington portion is assigned to Abingdon Elementary, Gunston Middle and Wakefield High
  • Market character — about 140 sales a year, roughly three in five of them townhouse-style condominiums and the rest flats, with a median of 9 days on market
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Fairlington Real Estate FAQs

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

Fairlington is known for its 1940s Colonial Revival brick townhouses and garden apartments, built as wartime housing and converted to condominiums in the 1970s. The community is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Fairlington straddles I-395 near Shirlington, roughly between South Walter Reed Drive, King Street and Quaker Lane. This page uses the Fairlington Citizens Association area as mapped by Arlington County, in south Arlington along the Alexandria line.
No. Buses connect Fairlington to the Pentagon and King Street-Old Town Metro stations, and Shirlington’s bus station is a short walk or ride away. I-395 ramps are at Shirlington and King Street.
Almost everything is a condominium, either a multi-level brick townhouse or a one- or two-bedroom garden flat. Later communities nearby that use the Fairlington name are not counted in this page’s numbers.
The median sale price over the past 12 months was about $575,000 across 139 sales. Townhouse-style homes had a median near $600,000, and flats had a median near $402,000.
The median time on market was 9 days. Townhouse-style homes moved fastest at a median of 8 days, while flats took about 16 days.
The Village at Shirlington has restaurants, a grocery store, a cinema and a library. Bradlee Shopping Center and Fairlington Centre on King Street cover groceries and everyday services.
The Arlington portion is assigned to Abingdon Elementary, Gunston Middle and Wakefield High in Arlington Public Schools. Confirm any address with the relevant district’s boundary locator.

Location & Neighborhood

On both sides of I-395 between Shirlington and King Street, in south Arlington.

This page follows the Fairlington Citizens Association area as mapped by Arlington County. It runs from South Walter Reed Drive and Shirlington on the north toward Quaker Lane on the east and King Street and the Alexandria line on the south, on both sides of I-395. Later communities nearby that use the Fairlington name, such as Fairlington Village along South Columbus Street and Fairlington Towne in Alexandria, sit outside it. King Street holds the neighborhood shopping centers.

Close to Shirlington and I-395

I-395 runs through the center of the neighborhood, with ramps at Shirlington and at King Street. The Pentagon is a few miles north, and downtown DC is just beyond it. Buses connect to the Pentagon and King Street-Old Town Metro stations, and Shirlington’s bus station offers transfers across Arlington. Alexandria’s rail station, served by VRE and Amtrak, is reachable by bus.

The Village at Shirlington covers dining, a grocery store, a cinema and a public library within walking distance of many homes. Along King Street, Bradlee Shopping Center and Fairlington Centre add supermarkets and everyday services. The Fairlington Community Center, in the former Fairlington Elementary School building, hosts county programs.

Neighboring Area:

  • Shirlington — north, the adjacent retail village along I-395
  • Parkfairfax — east, across Quaker Lane in Alexandria
  • Seminary Hill — south, beyond King Street and Quaker Lane
  • Bailey’s Crossroads — west, along King Street and Leesburg Pike
  • Alexandria’s West End — southwest, across King Street

A Day In The Life - Snapshot

The quick details buyers ask about most.

Metro Access
No Metrorail station. Buses run to the Pentagon and King Street-Old Town stations, and Shirlington’s bus station is the nearest transfer hub for Metrobus and Arlington Transit routes.
Walkability
Sidewalks and footpaths link the courts to each other and to Shirlington. Most of north Fairlington can walk to dinner or groceries; the far south side is a longer walk.
Typical Home Types
Brick condominium townhouses on two or three levels and one- and two-bedroom garden flats from the 1940s.
Parking
Surface parking in shared lots and along the streets, with rules set by each association. Buyers should confirm the permit and guest parking policy for a specific court before making an offer.
Vibe
Low brick buildings around shared lawns and mature trees, with a steady hum from I-395 on the blocks nearest the highway and quiet courts deeper inside.
Best For
Buyers who want a brick townhouse or flat with association pools and a walk to Shirlington, and who accept condominium fees, shared parking lots and no Metrorail station.

Fairlington Market Snapshot

A high-level look at current pricing, demand, and sales activity in the Fairlington real estate market.
$575,000

Median Sales Price

$420

Median Price Per Sq Ft

9

Median Days On Market

139

Annual Closed Sales

-4.2

YoY Median Price Change

Fairlington is a condominium market in two forms, townhouse-style homes and garden flats. The snapshot covers every closed sale inside the Fairlington Citizens Association area over the trailing twelve months through September 2026 — 87 townhouse-style homes and 52 flats. Price per square foot uses interior living area.

Across all home types the median sale was $575,000 at about $420 per square foot, with a median of 9 days on market and sales averaging 99% of original list price. The median fell about 4% from the prior twelve months. Within segments, the townhouse median held near $620,000 and the flat median fell about 4% to $480,000.

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

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Homes for Sale in Fairlington

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Recently Sold

Recently Sold in Fairlington

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

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In-Depth Market Analysis

Fairlington Market Insights

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

Inventory & Absorption

Fairlington recorded 139 closed sales in the past 12 months, up from 121 the year before. Townhouse-style homes accounted for 87 and flats for 52. Just under three in five sales closed at or above the original list price. Turnover is steady because the community is large, so buyers usually have several floor plans to compare within a season.

Pricing Dynamics

The overall median was about $575,000, roughly 4 percent below the prior year’s $600,000. Townhouse-style homes held near $620,000, against $625,000 a year earlier, and flats eased to about $480,000 from $497,500. The median price per square foot was about $420.

Buyer Profile

Demand is firmest for the townhouse-style floor plans, which sold in a median of 8 days at nearly 100 percent of original list price. Flats took longer, about two weeks, and closed near 98 percent of original list, so pricing to recent comps within the same association matters most for flats.

Strategic Outlook

The past two years show a stable market, with flat price per square foot and quick sales for townhouse models. Flats have slowed slightly, and sellers there are negotiating a bit more. The community is fully built, so supply comes from resales, and condominium fees and interest rates will keep shaping what buyers can pay. None of this is a prediction of future prices.

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

Fairlington Housing & Architecture

Wartime Colonial Revival brick, converted to condominiums in the 1970s and kept remarkably consistent across seven associations.
Fairlington Villages
The single association covering north Fairlington, on the Shirlington side of I-395. Brick townhouses and flats are arranged around landscaped courts, with association pools and tennis courts and the shortest walk to Shirlington.
South Fairlington Associations
Six associations sit south of I-395: Fairlington Arbor, Commons, Glen, Green, Meadows and Mews. Each sets its own fees, rules and amenities, so two similar floor plans a block apart can carry different monthly costs.
Townhouse Floor Plans
The multi-level models carry individual model names, and the historic district nomination counts 30 residential unit types. Many have bedrooms upstairs and a finished lower level, and some have patios or balconies. They make up about half of all sales here.
Garden Flats
One- and two-bedroom flats occupy the upper or lower floors of the same brick buildings. They are the entry price point in the neighborhood, with a 12-month median near $402,000 and a small number of sales under $200,000.
Colonial Revival Architecture
Architects Kenneth Franzheim and Alan B. Mills gave the 1940s buildings brick walls, pedimented doorways and varied rooflines. The district was listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register in 1998 and the National Register in 1999.
Fairlington-Named Neighbors
Several later communities nearby use the Fairlington name, including Fairlington Village (1948) along South Columbus Street and Fairlington Towne (1954) in Alexandria. They sit outside the Fairlington Citizens Association area and are not counted on this page.

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