Where to live

Where to live near Fort Belvoir

10 towns within about an hour of the main post area: drive time, rent, home values and the school district for each.

Town centers and the main post area. Dot size is population.

Quick answers

ClosestWoodlawn7 min drive
Biggest nearbyArlington236,254 people
Lowest median rentMount Vernon$1,620 a month
Most E-5 BAH left overMount Vernon$1,367 over a 2-bedroom
10 towns, closest first

Towns around Fort Belvoir

The green or red number is an E-5 with dependents' 2026 BAH ($3,132) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.

Woodlawn, VA

7 min drive · 3.3 road mi
Median rent
$1,828
2 bedrooms
$1,966
3 bedrooms
$2,203
Home value
$367,200
People
21,194
Homes rented
41%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,166 a month

Fairfax County Public Schools: 223 schools, 180,714 students, 13.7 students per teacher. District facts

Mount Vernon, VA

8 min drive · 3.4 road mi
Median rent
$1,620
2 bedrooms
$1,765
3 bedrooms
$3,028
Home value
$836,200
People
13,122
Homes rented
27%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,367 a month

Fairfax County Public Schools: 223 schools, 180,714 students, 13.7 students per teacher. District facts

Groveton, VA

10 min drive · 4.4 road mi
Median rent
$1,820
2 bedrooms
$1,767
3 bedrooms
$2,344
Home value
$585,000
People
13,931
Homes rented
46%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,365 a month

Fairfax County Public Schools: 223 schools, 180,714 students, 13.7 students per teacher. District facts

Hayfield, VA

11 min drive · 5 road mi
Median rent
$3,114
2 bedrooms
-
3 bedrooms
$2,646
Home value
$677,500
People
4,392
Homes rented
4%

E-5 BAH left over after the median rent: +$18 a month

Fairfax County Public Schools: 223 schools, 180,714 students, 13.7 students per teacher. District facts

Lorton, VA

11 min drive · 5.2 road mi
Median rent
$2,548
2 bedrooms
$2,610
3 bedrooms
$2,768
Home value
$626,500
People
20,991
Homes rented
36%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$522 a month

Fairfax County Public Schools: 223 schools, 180,714 students, 13.7 students per teacher. District facts

Newington, VA

12 min drive · 5.6 road mi
Median rent
$2,805
2 bedrooms
$2,350
3 bedrooms
$2,904
Home value
$598,000
People
13,478
Homes rented
14%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$782 a month

Fairfax County Public Schools: 223 schools, 180,714 students, 13.7 students per teacher. District facts

Kingstowne, VA

12 min drive · 5.4 road mi
Median rent
$2,406
2 bedrooms
$2,278
3 bedrooms
$3,073
Home value
$626,700
People
18,360
Homes rented
29%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$854 a month

Fairfax County Public Schools: 223 schools, 180,714 students, 13.7 students per teacher. District facts

Franconia, VA

12 min drive · 4.8 road mi
Median rent
$2,605
2 bedrooms
$2,578
3 bedrooms
$2,919
Home value
$567,100
People
18,335
Homes rented
24%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$554 a month

Fairfax County Public Schools: 223 schools, 180,714 students, 13.7 students per teacher. District facts

Alexandria, VA

26 min drive · 11.3 road mi
Median rent
$2,089
2 bedrooms
$2,362
3 bedrooms
$2,672
Home value
$735,100
People
156,976
Homes rented
58%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$770 a month

Alexandria City Public Schools: 19 schools, 16,406 students, 14.7 students per teacher. District facts

Arlington, VA

30 min drive · 18.1 road mi
Median rent
$2,322
2 bedrooms
$2,666
3 bedrooms
$3,358
Home value
$895,000
People
236,254
Homes rented
59%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$466 a month

Arlington County Public Schools: 42 schools, 27,508 students, 12.5 students per teacher. District facts

Where these numbers come from

  • Towns: every town, city and census place of 1,000 or more people within about an hour's drive, from the U.S. Census Bureau.
  • Drive time: from each town's center to the main post area on OpenStreetMap roads, without traffic, so rush hour runs longer.
  • Rent, home value, renters: Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 medians. They include long-time renters and utilities, so new leases usually cost more. Use them to compare towns, and the HUD rent on the BAH page for today's level.
  • Schools: the public district that covers each town's center, with size from the NCES Common Core of Data (2023-24). Confirm the school for a specific address with the district.

Updated October 12, 2026. How we get our numbers.

Fort Belvoir base guide   Fort Belvoir BAH   Other bases

FAQ

Living near Fort Belvoir

What is the closest town to Fort Belvoir?

Woodlawn, VA is about 7 minutes from the main post area (3.3 road miles) without traffic.

What is the biggest town near Fort Belvoir?

Arlington, VA, with about 236,254 people, 30 minutes from the main post area. Bigger towns usually mean more rentals, schools and jobs to choose from.

Which town near Fort Belvoir has the lowest rent?

Mount Vernon, VA, where the Census median rent is $1,620 a month (rent plus utilities, 2020-2024 average). New leases usually cost more than the median, so check current listings too.

Does BAH cover rent near Fort Belvoir?

For an E-5 with dependents the 2026 DoD BAH is $3,132 a month. That is at or above the Census median 2-bedroom rent in 9 of the 9 towns here with a Census figure for that size, with the most left over in Mount Vernon, VA.

What school district serves Woodlawn?

Fairfax County Public Schools, with 223 schools and 180,714 students (13.7 students per teacher), from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.