Residential comparison · 13 facts
McLean, VA vs Reston, VA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in McLean needs about $96,000 in Reston to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Reston, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $74,000 in McLean.
A few differences
- McLean is higher on median household income ($250,001 vs $148,710).
- Reston is lower on cost of living index (128 vs 181).
- Reston is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,236/mo vs $2,961/mo).
McLean vs Reston · facet by facet
| Facet | McLean, VA | Reston, VA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,412,700 | $642,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,961/mo | $2,236/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.87% | 0.87% |
| State & local income tax | 4.36% | 4.36% |
| Sales tax | 5.75% | 5.75% |
| Cost of living index | 181 | 128 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $175/mo |
| Median household income | $250,001 | $148,710 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Crime index | 32/100 | 32/100 |
| School rating | 6.8/10 | 6.8/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 210 days | 210 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: McLean, VA · Reston, VA
Questions & answers
- Is McLean cheaper than Reston?
- Reston has the lower day-to-day cost index (128 vs 181 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Reston equals $85,000 in McLean?
- A household earning $85,000 in McLean needs about $96,000 in Reston to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Reston lifestyle costs about $74,000 in McLean.