NOVA neighborhood profile
Moving to Alexandria — West End
38.82°N · 77.13°W
Alexandria — West End fits renters who want Alexandria address energy at a Fairfax County price point. 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
$1,700/mo (1BR)
Metro
no Metro, DASH bus to King Street Metro (15 min)
By car
30 min to DC off-peak
What Alexandria — West End is actually like
Alexandria’s West End is the unfashionable side of the city, which is part of why it works. Lots of garden-style apartments built in the 70s and 80s, lots of immigrant restaurants along Duke Street, lots of value compared to anywhere closer in. Good entry point for first NOVA apartments.
Worth knowing before you commit
Eden Center is in the next zip code over (Falls Church) but West End is the easiest place to live if you want Vietnamese food to be a daily occurrence rather than a special trip.
Local independent worth the drive: Pho Viet Flare at 514 S Van Dorn Street, a family-run West End Vietnamese spot with a deep menu and a pho regulars drive across the county for.
Alexandria — West End vs the 3 closest NOVA neighborhoods
Compare rent, Metro access, and car commute side-by-side.
| Neighborhood |
Rent |
Metro |
By car |
| Alexandria — West End (this page) |
$1,700/mo (1BR) |
no Metro, DASH bus to King Street Metro (15 min) |
30 min to DC off-peak |
| Cameron Station |
About $2,200/mo (1BR), approximate; most stock is townhomes and condos |
Private shuttle to Van Dorn Street (Blue Line); about 35 to 40 min to downtown |
About 25 to 35 min to DC via I-395, longer in weekday rush |
| Arlington — Shirlington |
$2,100/mo (1BR) |
no Metro, ART bus to Pentagon (15 min) |
20 min to DC off-peak |
| Eisenhower (Alexandria) |
about $2,634/mo (RentCafe neighborhood average, all unit sizes, July 2026, approximate) |
Yellow Line at Eisenhower Ave, about 25 min downtown |
20 min to DC off-peak via I-395, 45+ in rush |
Mistakes people make moving to Alexandria — West End
- 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 — West End
Is Alexandria — West End a good place to live?
Alexandria — West End works well for renters who want Alexandria address energy at a Fairfax County price point. The tradeoffs are covered in detail below, but the short version is: Alexandria’s West End is the unfashionable side of the city, which is part of why it works.
What is the average rent in Alexandria — West End?
$1,700/mo (1BR)
Does Alexandria — West End have a Metro station?
no Metro, DASH bus to King Street Metro (15 min)
How long is the commute from Alexandria — West End to Washington DC?
30 min to DC off-peak
What are the closest neighborhoods to Alexandria — West End?
The three closest tracked NOVA neighborhoods are Cameron Station (0.5 miles), Arlington — Shirlington (3.0 miles), Eisenhower (Alexandria) (3.3 miles).
Where should I eat if I visit Alexandria — West End?
Pho Viet Flare at 514 S Van Dorn Street, a family-run West End Vietnamese spot with a deep menu and a pho regulars drive across the county for.
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