Springfield, Virginia

Homey, affordable Springfield is a census-designated place within Fairfax County, Virginia. It is one of the larger communities in Northern Virginia. While Springfield proper contains about 30,500 residents, many people living in neighboring North Springfield, West Springfield, and Newington are given a “Springfield” mailing address. With all these combined, some 100,000 people live in the Springfield community. Springfield has a total land area of just under eight square miles, and contains four ZIP codes. 

Springfield’s history begins sometime between 1796 and 1800 with the construction of a saw and grist mill owned by one James Keene. Eventually, it would give its name to Old Keene Mill Road. The mill was intact for about sixty years before being torn down, leaving behind only two mill races. Springfield was officially founded in 1847, being named for "Springfield Farm", owned by Henry Daingerfield, an Alexandria businessman who sat on the board of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. The fledgling community was built around the railroad’s Daingerfield Station. In 1881, the post office officially changed the name of the town to “Garfield,” in honor of the president who had just been assassinated. The name Springfield wasn’t restored until 1910. The community didn’t start really growing until the 1950s and 1960s. Major expansion came with the opening of the Springfield Mall in 1973. At the time, it was the only major shopping destination in Northern Virginia besides Tyson’s Corner. The mall has since been converted into living and retail space.

Commuters can access the Virginia Railway Express commuter rail at the Backlick Road station, or Washington Metro's Blue Line at the Franconia-Springfield station. As for drivers, Springfield is dominated by the Springfield Interchange, which is known locally as the “Mixing Bowl” or “Melting Pot.” Improvements to the Interchange were completed in 2007 after eight years of construction. 

Construction-related jobs are most plentiful in Springfield, accounting for 22% of all employment. The next-ranked industry is professional, scientific, and technical services (13%), followed by retail trade (12%), and public administration (10%) rounding out the majority of all jobs. 

Things to do in Springfield include visiting Lake Accotink Park, a beautifully scenic site that is popular as an outdoor wedding venue. It features an antique carousel, canoeing and kayaking, and miniature golf. There are gorgeous hiking trails and bike paths. Alternately, Hidden Pond Nature Center is another fantastic place to commune with the outdoors. There are sports fields, playgrounds, and lovely nature trails. The Springfield Town Center, the former mall, is a hub of great shopping and dining, and a pleasant place to spend the day. There is a gym and a movie theater on site as well.  

Home prices in Springfield are a bit lower than in some other communities in Fairfax and surrounding counties. The median home or condo value in 2013 was $385,840. The mean for all homes was $538,610. The median gross rent was just over $1,800. 

Interested in owning a home in beautiful Springfield? Contact a licensed real estate professional today!