Fairfax County, Virginia

Living in McLean, VA

Among Fairfax County's 16 largest communities, McLean has the highest home values ($1.41M), the highest rents ($3,422) and the most single-family houses (81% detached). With about 50,800 residents, it's Fairfax County's 3rd-largest community. Below: prices, housing and getting around, and how Fred works here.

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Median home value: $1.41M; Census, 2020–2024
Median rent: $3,422; per month
Own their home: 86%; of households
Nearest Metro: 1.6 mi; McLean

At a glance

Homes, prices & getting around.

The median home in McLean is valued at $1.41M, above the Fairfax County median of $733K — the highest of the 16 Fairfax County communities compared on this site. Median rent is $3,422 a month (county: $2,276).

Housing here is mostly single-family houses — 81% of homes are detached. Most homes are owner-occupied (86%, against 69% across Fairfax County). The typical home was built in 1977, older than the Fairfax County median of 1983.

The nearest Metro station is McLean (Silver Line), about 1.6 miles from the center of McLean. Of workers here, 3% take public transit and 38% work from home.

Homes by type of building

Detached houses 81%
Townhouses 10%
2–9 unit buildings 1%
10+ unit buildings 9%

Residents: 50,773; 2020 Census
Homes: 17,948; 2020 Census
Typical home built: 1977; median year
Avg. commute: 28 min; one way
Transit commuters: 3%; of workers
Work from home: 38%; of workers
Price-to-rent: 34; Fairfax County: 27

Straight-line distance to major job centers

Tysons: 3 mi
Bethesda / NIH: 6 mi
Downtown D.C.: 9 mi
Dulles Airport: 14 mi
Fort Meade: 27 mi
Downtown Baltimore: 39 mi

As the crow flies from the community's Census center point; drive times vary with traffic — Fred can map your real commute.

Questions

Living in McLean: common questions.

Is McLean a city? What county is it in?

No — McLean is an unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) in Fairfax County, Virginia. It has no city government of its own; Fairfax County provides local services, and the mailing-address “McLean” area can be larger than the Census boundary.

What is the median home value in McLean?

$1.41M, based on owners' own estimates in the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey, compared with $733K across Fairfax County. These figures trail today's prices — request a valuation or a current McLean market report for recent sales.

Do more people rent or own in McLean?

86% of households own their home and 14% rent (ACS 2020–2024), compared with 69% owners across Fairfax County. Fred can run the rent-versus-buy numbers for a specific McLean home.

How far is McLean from downtown D.C.?

McLean is about 9.4 miles from downtown D.C. and about 39 miles from downtown Baltimore in a straight line. The average one-way commute from here is 28 minutes.

Which schools serve McLean?

Public schools are assigned by home address. McLean is served by Fairfax County Public Schools; check the district's boundary tools for any specific address.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in McLean?

A rough guide is the price-to-rent ratio — the median home value divided by a year of median rent. Here it's about 34 (Fairfax County: 27); the higher it is, the more renting tends to win on monthly cost. It's only a starting point — taxes, rates and how long you'll stay matter more. Fred runs the real numbers for specific homes.

Are there first-time buyer programs for McLean?

Yes: Virginia Housing — the state housing agency's first-time buyer loans and down-payment assistance. Eligibility and limits change, so confirm with a participating lender — Fred can introduce one.

Can Fred help me buy or sell in McLean?

Yes. Fred Mohseni is a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. with The ONE Street Company at Samson Properties. Call (202) 704-5931 or send a note.

How Fred helps

Your McLean real estate agent.

Whether you're buying, selling, investing or relocating in McLean, you work directly with Fred — a Realtor® licensed in Maryland, Virginia and D.C., with an accountant's eye for the numbers.

Buying

Tours, offers and negotiation in McLean, with a patient, jargon-free guide from pre-approval to closing day.

Selling

Pricing from recent McLean sales, then preparation and marketing for the strongest possible offer.

Investing

Rent-versus-own math, cash-flow analysis and neighborhood selection from an accounting and finance background.

Relocating

New to the area? Fred compares McLean with nearby towns and runs remote tours before you arrive.

Nearby

McLean and its neighbors.

The closest places on this site, across county and state lines. Tysons is about 2.4 miles away, Potomac is about 4.8 miles away, Bethesda is about 5 miles away.

Community	Population	Median home value	Median rent	Own their home	Typical home	Avg. commute
McLean	50,773	$1.41M	$3,422	86%	Single-family	28 min
Tysons	26,374	$640K	$2,497	34%	Condos & apartments	27 min
Potomac, MD	47,018	$1.16M	$2,887	85%	Single-family	30 min
Bethesda, MD	68,056	$1.17M	$2,469	64%	Mostly houses	28 min
West Falls Church	30,243	$707K	$2,066	67%	Single-family	29 min
Glover Park & Cathedral Heights, DC	20,942	$367K–$2M+	$1,798–$3,493	46%	Condos & apartments	27 min
Oakton	36,732	$792K	$2,276	67%	Mixed	29 min

ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates. * = wide margin of error. “Typical home” is the most common kind of building. On smaller screens some columns are hidden; open on a laptop for population, home type and commute.

Next step

Thinking about McLean?

Ask Fred for a current McLean market report — recent sales, what's listed and what it means for your budget. Or call (202) 704-5931.

Request the McLean market report Compare Fairfax County

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; D.C. Office of Planning neighborhood clusters and regional rail stations (D.C. GIS). Home values are owners' own estimates averaged over 2020–2024, so they trail today's prices. This product uses Census Bureau data but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau. Data updated November 2026.