Reston, VA, located in bustling and highly-desirable Fairfax County, is situated just 18 miles outside Washington DC. Reston was established on April 10, 1964, the same date as the birthday of its planner, Robert E. Simon. The goal of Simon in founding Reston was to revolutionize suburban America's concept of residential and corporate development, as well as land use. He did so by hiring architects that were then tasked with the job of maintaining lots of open, green spaces while maximizing the space for business, recreation, housing, industry, and education. They did so by utilizing high-density housing that surrounds close-knit villages to provide residents with nearly everything they need within biking or walking distance.
Source:en.wikipedia.org
According to the 2010 United States census, Reston boasted 58,404 residents, a sharp jump from its population of 56,407 from just ten years earlier. 14,809 families and 25,522 households make up the population of Reston. The racial makeup of the area is overwhelmingly white at more than 70 percent. Blacks comprise 9.7 percent of the population while Asians and Hispanics make up 10.9 percent and 12.8 percent of Reston's population, respectively. The tally of other nationalities within the Reston area all fall under one percent.
Nearly 30 percent of Reston households have children under the age of 18. More than 50 percent of the 25,522 households were comprised of married couples while 37.9 percent were non-family members who are living together. Nearly nine percent of these households are headed by a female without the presence of a husband. 29.3 percent of Reston households are headed by a single individual while more than 5 percent have someone who is 65 years of age or older and who is living alone.
The median age of Reston residents is 36 years while the ratio of females to males is 100 to 95.6. The ages of Reston's residents are pretty evenly spread out with 22.5 percent clocking in under the age of 18, nearly 7 percent aged 18 to 24 years of age and 36.3 residents aged 25 to 44. For the remainder of the population, 27 percent of Reston's residents are 45 to 64 years of age and 7.3 percent are over the age of 65.
Currently, the Reston area has a median sale price for single-family homes of $399,945, a decrease of about $12,555 -- or three percent -- when compared to data from one year ago. Today, you can expect to pay about $283 for each square foot of home that you purchase. Again, this figure represents a reduction in price when figures from last year are considered, though the difference is considerably less dramatic at only a dollar less.
Source:commons.wikimedia.org
Reston was developed using a "village" concept. With the town, there are five villages as well as one town center. Each of these villages was designed to encompass the daily community services and retail needs of residents while being no more than a half-mile walk from their homes. Town homes, condos, and apartments were developed around each of these villages and the town center to make Reston more walkable while also increasing the feeling of a community.
Though a little far to commute to Washington, DC on a daily basis via car -- given the traffic -- Reston does offer access to nearby metro stations and is the ideal place to raise a family. Its focus on green spaces as an option for residents to enjoy recreational activities provides them with many opportunities to do so. Within Reston, you'll find four artificial lakes -- Lake Newport, Lake Audubon, Lake Anne and Lake Thoreau -- that provide a range of outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, fishing and more.
Lake Fairfax Park, a facility operated by Fairfax County, provides Reston residents with the option to boat on the lake, swim at its massive pool complex or camp and picnic within designated areas. The Reston Zoo offers 30 acres of family-friendly activities. including feeding stations and wagon rides where visitors can interact with bison, camel, alligators, zebras, water fowl, reptiles, and many other types of animals.
Source:en.wikipedia.org
Reston is best known for being a slice of paradise that is situated within commuting distance of the nation's capital. With a focus squarely on families and community, this town offers plenty of opportunities for recreation, cultural appreciation, shopping, dining, and many other activities -- often within walking or biking distance from single-family homes, condos and apartments. Reston offers lots of green spaces that provide residents with many options for enjoying nature. Because Reston was designed with several different villages within it, the town is able to provide that close-knit community feeling while still being close to the nation's capital.
