Situated just minutes away from Washington D.C., Mclean is a highly affluent unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, North Virginia. The city is home to many diplomats, military, members of Congress, and high-ranking government officials partially due to its proximity to Washington, D.C., The Pentagon, and the Central Intelligence Agency. Mclean is the location of Hickory Hill, the former home of Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Robert F. Kennedy.   

What is the community of McLean like?  

Ranked by Niche as the 5th best place to raise a family in Fairfax County, Mclean is a thriving community that is located between the Potomac River and the town of Vienna and is often distinguished by its luxury homes and nearby high-profit shopping destinations: Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria. In 2018, data from the American Community Survey revealed that McLean was the 3rd wealthiest city in the United States.  
At the same time, Mclean is known for its many natural preserves and scenic walking and hiking trails. Thanks to its proximity to the Potomac River, residents of Mclean can enjoy tons of water activities including kayaking, canoeing, and fishing, to name a few. Located close to the bank of the Potomac River, the 800-acre Great Falls Park is open from sunrise to sunset and offers its visitors opportunities to hike, kayak, rock climb or go white water rafting. The park is surrounded by 15 miles of hiking trails, as well as a number of waterfalls that stretch over several cascades and total 76 feet in length. 
When it comes to shopping, Mclean is the place to be. The city is notably home to Tysons Corner Center, and Tysons Galleria. The Tysons Corner Center is a gigantic shopping mall – the 9th largest in America and the largest in Washington Metropolitan Area – and features upscale shops and eateries, a cinema, and an outdoor plaza, among a plethora of other things. Opened in 1968, the Tysons Corner Center is located a short distance away from Washington D.C.’s Central Business District and sits adjacent to Tysons Galleria. 
Although Mclean is famous for its high-end shopping at Tyson's Galleria and Tyson's Corner Center, residents and visitors can still easily find local attractions—for example, buying fresh produce at the McLean Farmer's Market or taking in a performance at the intimate Robert Ames Alden Theatre. You can also find a myriad of eateries in Mclean offering everything from local cuisines to international ones – for instance, Amoo's House of Kabob, which features a highly regarded Persian-fusion menu. 

What is Real Estate like in McLean?     

Real estate in McLean has shown a remarkable average growth of 4.23% per year since the year 2000. Since 2000, the prices of homes in McLean have overall appreciated by a strong 141.06%. National real estate firm, Berkshire Hathaway, categorizes McLean’s housing market as ‘somewhat competitive.’ The sale prices of homes in McLean have experienced incredible growth of more than 30% since May last year.   
The median home price in McLean is $1,699,000. Currently, there are 502 active homes for sale in McLean, and at present, it typically takes just 43 days for a listed home to sell. Moreover, the average cost to rent a house in McLean is $4,005 per month. Currently, there are 16,409 homes and apartments in the city, 86.4% of which are owned, and the remaining 13.6% are rented.  

How is the economic landscape of McLean?     

Capital One, Mars, Geebo, Booz Allen Hamilton, Freddie Mac, Hilton Worldwide, DynCorp, and the Gannett Company are among the companies based in McLean. The headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency is located in the Langley area of McLean, and the headquarters of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence is also located in McLean.   
Over the last year, McLean’s job market has grown by 2.0%, while its unemployment rate stands at a decent 4.6%. The US average is 6%. Also, the city’s job market is expected to grow by 36.7% over the next ten years.  
Mclean is one of the most affluent communities in America. On average, a McLean resident earns around $94,000 per annum, substantially higher than the US average of $28500. The city’s median household income of almost $189,000 per resident is amazingly three-and-a-half folds greater than the US average of approximately $53000. Most of the residents of McLean work in information, manufacturing, retail, finance, real estate, educational services, public administration, professional and technical services, and healthcare.   

How are the schools in McLean?     

Mclean is covered by Fairfax County Public Schools, which encompasses 218 schools and more than 183,000 enrolled students. Mclean also lies in proximity to many colleges including, among others, Potomac College Washington, Corcoran College of Art and Design, and North Virginia Community College.  
When it comes to higher education, Mclean lies in the vicinity of several top-notch universities, most prominent among them being the prestigious Georgetown University. Founded in 1789 as Georgetown College, Georgetown University has grown to comprise ten undergraduate and graduate schools, among which are the School of Foreign Service, School of Business, Medical School, Law School, and a campus in Qatar.     
In addition, Georgetown is ranked among the top universities in the United States and admission is highly selective. The university offers degree programs in forty-eight disciplines, enrolling an average of 7,500 undergraduate and 10,000 post-graduate students from more than 135 countries.   

McLean in a nutshell        

To sum up, Mclean is an affluent community that enjoys the highest quality of life just a stone’s throw away from the nation’s capital, Washington D.C. The city plays home to a plethora of outstanding recreational opportunities and houses the headquarters of several governmental organizations, as well as national and international corporations. If you are mulling over moving to Virginia or near Washington D.C., Mclean is the place to be.