NOVA neighborhood profile
Moving to Burke
38.79°N · 77.27°W
Burke fits young families who want a yard, a good elementary school, and a 30-minute commute downtown. 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
$1,800/mo (1BR townhome)
Metro
VRE to L’Enfant in 30 min (Burke Centre VRE)
By car
45 min to DC off-peak
What Burke is actually like
Burke is one of the original 1970s planned communities of NOVA, complete with cul-de-sacs, lakes, and bike trails connecting everything. Family-friendly almost to a fault. Three lakes, lots of HOA-maintained walking paths, predictably good schools. The VRE commuter train is the secret weapon for downtown commuters.
Worth knowing before you commit
Burke Lake Park has a real working steam train (yes, really) that runs spring through fall. It’s $4 a ride. Bring kids or be the cool aunt.
Local independent worth the drive: Rafagino Italian Restaurant, 9570 Old Keene Mill Rd (Burke Town Plaza), Burke VA 22015. Tiny family-run Italian in its 30th year, owner Paola greets the tables, dinner-only Tue to Sun, house-made pasta. About 4.6 stars and 150-plus reviews.
Burke vs the 3 closest NOVA neighborhoods
Compare rent, Metro access, and car commute side-by-side.
| Neighborhood |
Rent |
Metro |
By car |
| Burke (this page) |
$1,800/mo (1BR townhome) |
VRE to L’Enfant in 30 min (Burke Centre VRE) |
45 min to DC off-peak |
| Fairfax City |
$1,900/mo (1BR) |
no Metro, CUE bus to Vienna Metro (20 min) |
40 min to DC off-peak |
| Springfield |
$1,900/mo (1BR), ~$2,100/mo (2BR), approximate |
35 min to DC (Blue Line, Franconia-Springfield) |
25 min to DC off-peak, 60+ min in rush |
| Annandale |
$1,800/mo (1BR) |
no Metro, Fairfax Connector bus to Dunn Loring (25 min) |
30 min to DC off-peak |
Mistakes people make moving to Burke
- 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 Burke
Is Burke a good place to live?
Burke works well for young families who want a yard, a good elementary school, and a 30-minute commute downtown. The tradeoffs are covered in detail below, but the short version is: Burke is one of the original 1970s planned communities of NOVA, complete with cul-de-sacs, lakes, and bike trails connecting everything.
What is the average rent in Burke?
$1,800/mo (1BR townhome)
Does Burke have a Metro station?
VRE to L’Enfant in 30 min (Burke Centre VRE)
How long is the commute from Burke to Washington DC?
45 min to DC off-peak
What are the closest neighborhoods to Burke?
The three closest tracked NOVA neighborhoods are Fairfax City (4.1 miles), Springfield (4.6 miles), Annandale (4.8 miles).
Where should I eat if I visit Burke?
Rafagino Italian Restaurant, 9570 Old Keene Mill Rd (Burke Town Plaza), Burke VA 22015. Tiny family-run Italian in its 30th year, owner Paola greets the tables, dinner-only Tue to Sun, house-made pasta. About 4.6 stars and 150-plus reviews.
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