NOVA neighborhood profile
Moving to Alexandria — Del Ray
38.83°N · 77.06°W
Alexandria — Del Ray fits creative families and people who hate the word ‘suburb’ but still want a yard. If that description does not sound like you, one of the 4 nearby neighborhoods below is probably a better read.
The 60-second read
Rent
$2,000/mo (1BR), $700K to buy a small craftsman
Metro
25 min to DC (Yellow/Blue, Braddock Rd or Potomac Yard)
By car
30 min to DC
What Alexandria — Del Ray is actually like
Del Ray is what people moving from Brooklyn or Austin always say feels familiar. It’s a one-street neighborhood centered on Mt Vernon Avenue, lots of small businesses, lots of strollers, lots of mid-century bungalows that have been renovated twice. The First Thursday street festivals are an institution. New Potomac Yard Metro station finally put it on a rail line.
Worth knowing before you commit
Stomping Ground for breakfast biscuits, Stomping Ground for lunch sandwiches, and Pork Barrel BBQ if you brought your in-laws. That’s the whole tour.
Local independent worth the drive: Cheesetique at 2411 Mount Vernon Avenue, a Del Ray cheese shop and wine bar open since 2004. Grab a cheese flight and a glass at the bar, or build a board to take home.
Alexandria — Del Ray vs the 3 closest NOVA neighborhoods
Compare rent, Metro access, and car commute side-by-side.
| Neighborhood |
Rent |
Metro |
By car |
| Alexandria — Del Ray (this page) |
$2,000/mo (1BR), $700K to buy a small craftsman |
25 min to DC (Yellow/Blue, Braddock Rd or Potomac Yard) |
30 min to DC |
| Rosemont (Alexandria) |
Rentals are scarce; homes run about $750K to $2.25M to buy (approximate, verify against current listings) |
About 20 min to L’Enfant (Blue/Yellow, Braddock Road, a short walk) |
About 20 min to DC off-peak via the GW Parkway |
| Beverley Hills (Alexandria) |
Rentals are rare; most of the roughly 600 1930s and 40s Colonials and Cape Cods sell in the $850K to $1.2M range (approximate) |
No Metro station in the neighborhood; King St-Old Town or Braddock Road, about a 10-min drive |
About 20 min to DC off-peak via the GW Parkway or Route 1 |
| Alexandria — Old Town |
$2,300/mo (1BR) |
20 min to L’Enfant Plaza (Yellow/Blue Line, King St-Old Town or Braddock Rd) |
25 min to DC off-peak |
Mistakes people make moving to Alexandria — Del Ray
- Underestimating rush-hour math. Off-peak commute times posted on rental sites are often the ONLY times most tenants will experience. Add 30 to 60 percent to any drive that crosses I-495, I-66, or the American Legion Bridge between 7 and 9:30 AM eastbound or 4 to 7 PM westbound.
- Treating “close to Metro” as walkable. Half a mile in DC is walkable. Half a mile in most of NOVA means crossing a stroad with no sidewalk and a parking lot. Check Google Street View before touring anywhere that markets itself as Metro-adjacent.
- Ignoring HOA and condo fees. NOVA condo fees frequently run $400 to $800 per month on top of the mortgage. Get the resale package early, read the reserve study, and price the full monthly nut before falling in love with a unit.
- Assuming the school pyramid is stable. Fairfax, Loudoun, and Arlington counties redistrict every few years. If school assignment is a factor, verify current boundaries directly with FCPS, LCPS, or APS admissions rather than trusting the address on Zillow.
Frequently asked questions about Alexandria — Del Ray
Is Alexandria — Del Ray a good place to live?
Alexandria — Del Ray works well for creative families and people who hate the word ‘suburb’ but still want a yard. The tradeoffs are covered in detail below, but the short version is: Del Ray is what people moving from Brooklyn or Austin always say feels familiar.
What is the average rent in Alexandria — Del Ray?
$2,000/mo (1BR), $700K to buy a small craftsman
Does Alexandria — Del Ray have a Metro station?
25 min to DC (Yellow/Blue, Braddock Rd or Potomac Yard)
How long is the commute from Alexandria — Del Ray to Washington DC?
30 min to DC
What are the closest neighborhoods to Alexandria — Del Ray?
The three closest tracked NOVA neighborhoods are Rosemont (Alexandria) (1.0 miles), Beverley Hills (Alexandria) (1.1 miles), Alexandria — Old Town (1.6 miles).
Where should I eat if I visit Alexandria — Del Ray?
Cheesetique at 2411 Mount Vernon Avenue, a Del Ray cheese shop and wine bar open since 2004. Grab a cheese flight and a glass at the bar, or build a board to take home.
The NOVA Relocation Guide
Get one NOVA neighborhood a day
Free 6 AM ET daily brief. One neighborhood, one move task, one honest tradeoff. Mon-Sat.
Subscribe free