Old Town
Alexandria.
Virginia's most storied address. Cobblestone streets, Federal rowhouses, and a Potomac waterfront that has drawn diplomats, admirals, and statesmen for 270 years.
Virginia's historic waterfront
Old Town Alexandria predates Washington, DC by decades. Founded in 1749 as a tobacco trading port on the Potomac's south bank, it grew into one of the most prosperous colonial towns in America â and its built environment reflects that prosperity. The historic district encompasses hundreds of intact Federal and Georgian period buildings, cobblestone streets that have survived nearly three centuries, and a waterfront restored from industrial use to one of the region's finest public amenities.
The real estate market is defined by this character. The finest Old Town properties â Federal rowhouses on Prince Street's Captain's Row, detached colonial estates between the waterfront and Washington Street, and the rare freestanding homes on tree-canopied blocks west of Royal Street â are products with no comparable elsewhere in Northern Virginia. They are old, architecturally significant, and consistently valued.
Alexandria city-wide is projected by NVAR to see 4.2% single-family home price appreciation in 2026 â the highest of any Northern Virginia locality. Old Town's premium historic product draws a national and international buyer pool that does not thin when broader market conditions soften. This is one of the most resilient residential markets in the DC metro.
| Metric | Figure | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $700K â $850K | Stable to rising |
| Historic rowhouses (3â4BR) | $1.2M â $4M | Active demand |
| Waterfront condos | $600K â $1.5M | Stable |
| King St corridor condos | $350K â $900K | Buyer leverage |
| City SFH appreciation (NVAR) | +4.2% projected | Highest in NoVA |
| Avg. days on market | 42 â 56 days | Stable |
Who chooses Old Town
Old Town Alexandria attracts a buyer who has consciously chosen character over modernity â someone for whom the specific combination of historic architecture, waterfront access, walkable King Street, and Virginia jurisdiction represents an optimal set of trade-offs relative to Georgetown, West End, or McLean.
State Dept., Patent Office & senior attorneys
The Patent and Trademark Office â one of Northern Virginia's largest federal employers â is headquartered in Alexandria. Several State Department components and senior civil servants with Foreign Service backgrounds form a consistent buyer segment. The walk-to-work potential and historic residential quality are the defining draws. Old Town's King Street-Old Town Metro provides direct Yellow Line access to L'Enfant Plaza, Pentagon, and DC's government core.
Pentagon officials & defense professionals
Old Town's Yellow Line Metro connection to the Pentagon â approximately 12 minutes â makes it one of the most efficient residential choices for Pentagon officials and defense contractors who want historic character without a lengthy commute. The neighborhood's quieter profile relative to McLean and Arlington, combined with genuine walkability and Potomac character, suits defense buyers who value discretion and quality of life over suburban scale.
DC transferees & executive downsizers
Old Town consistently attracts two relocation buyer categories: professionals new to the DC area who shortlist Old Town for its instant neighborhood character and Georgetown-comparable quality at more accessible price points; and established DC or suburban Maryland homeowners downsizing from larger homes who want walkable, architecturally interesting urban living without DC jurisdiction tax implications.
Old Town's defining addresses
Old Town is a grid of named streets running north-south and east-west from the waterfront. The character changes with each block you move west from the Potomac. Knowing which corridor a property sits on determines price tier, buyer profile, and the character of daily life.
The 100 block of Prince Street â "Captain's Row" â is one of the most intact cobblestone streets in America, lined with Federal-era rowhouses built by 18th-century sea captains. Properties here represent Old Town at its most architectural and most historically significant. They appear rarely, command consistent premiums, and attract buyers from across the country and internationally.
The blocks along and immediately behind the waterfront â South Union Street, South Fairfax, and Strand Street â offer Old Town's most dramatic Potomac River views and immediate access to Founders Park, the marina, and the waterfront promenade. A mix of restored historic rowhouses and modern waterfront condominiums. The highest price-per-square-foot in the neighborhood.
King Street is Old Town's commercial and residential spine â the axis connecting the King Street Metro station at the western end to the Potomac waterfront at the eastern end. Condominiums above retail, boutique mid-rise buildings, and mixed-use rowhouse conversions line the corridor. The best value-per-square-foot for buyers prioritizing Metro access and walkability over historic residential character.
The interior residential blocks between King Street and Duke Street â roughly the area between Royal and Washington Streets â contain the bulk of Old Town's Federal and Georgian rowhouse stock. Less premium than the waterfront blocks but architecturally equivalent in many cases. The best opportunity to enter Old Town's historic rowhouse market at a price point below the waterfront tier.
North of the historic core, Old Town North and the Del Ray adjacent corridor offer Old Town proximity at a meaningful discount. A mix of post-war bungalows, craftsman homes, and newer townhome infill. Popular with buyers priced out of historic Old Town proper who want the Alexandria city address, Yellow Line Metro access, and the Del Ray neighborhood's walkable commercial strip on Mount Vernon Avenue.
West of Washington Street, Old Town transitions to a more suburban character â larger lots, more recent construction, and lower price points relative to the historic core. Seminary Hill and the West End Alexandria neighborhoods attract buyers seeking Alexandria city schools, Pentagon-corridor commute access, and proximity to Old Town's amenities at price points that Old Town proper cannot offer.
Alexandria City Public Schools
Old Town Alexandria is served by Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS). The system has undergone significant investment and improvement in recent years. Private school access in and around Old Town is strong, with several nationally recognized options within a short drive.
School assignments vary by address. Verify with ACPS before purchase. Many Old Town families choose private school options.
Connecting Old Town to the region
The King Street-Old Town Metro station on the Blue and Yellow lines anchors Old Town's transit access at the western end of King Street. A free King Street Trolley shuttle runs between the Metro and the Potomac waterfront during operating hours. The George Washington Parkway provides a fast and scenic routing north to DC and Georgetown. I-395 and the Beltway provide access to the broader NoVA corridor.
Life in Old Town
King Street is one of the best restaurant and wine bar streets in the DC metro â a half-mile stretch of independent dining from the Metro to the waterfront. Brabo, Vermilion, and Jackson 20 anchor the dining scene. The Cork Wine Bar and Virtue Feed & Grain are neighborhood institutions. The Saturday Old Town Farmers Market, running continuously since 1753, is the oldest continually operating farmers market in the United States.
The waterfront offers a level of outdoor access that no other Northern Virginia neighborhood matches at a comparable price point. Founders Park, the marina, and the Potomac Heritage Trail connect to the Mount Vernon Trail â 18 miles of paved waterfront trail running south to George Washington's estate and north to Memorial Bridge. Weekend cyclists and runners from across the region converge on this corridor.
Old Town's social character is established and community-oriented â residents who have lived here for 10 or 20 years are the norm, not the exception. The neighborhood's low commercial turnover, long-tenured restaurant owners, and annual events â the Scottish Christmas Walk, the Saint Patrick's Day Parade, the Fourth of July waterfront celebration â reinforce a sense of place that money can replicate in design but not in time.
Our read on Old Town Alexandria
Old Town's price gap relative to Georgetown has persisted for decades, and it is not a sign of inferiority â it is a reflection of jurisdiction, school system, and perception. The architectural quality, the waterfront, the walkability, and the established community infrastructure are Georgetown-comparable at a 40 to 50% discount on price per square foot. For buyers who understand that gap and are not anchored to DC jurisdiction, Old Town represents one of the clearest value propositions in the region.
The 4.2% projected appreciation â the highest in Northern Virginia per NVAR â reflects the market's fundamentals: constrained historic supply, a resilient and geographically diversified buyer pool (Pentagon, Patent Office, State Department, relocating nationals), and a neighborhood that does not lose its appeal through economic cycles because its character is protected by law. You cannot tear down Captain's Row and build luxury condominiums. That protection is part of the value.
On the sell side, Old Town's premium historic product â the Captain's Row rowhouse, the waterfront-facing colonial, the detached estate west of Washington Street â requires national marketing reach. The buyer for a $2.5 million Federal rowhouse in Old Town may be in New York, London, or Riyadh. FORWARD's approach to Old Town is built around that reality: precise pricing, exceptional presentation, and a marketing strategy that reaches the right buyer regardless of geography.
Old Town Alexandria â frequently asked
Ready to explore Old Town?
Historic character, waterfront access, and Virginia's strongest appreciation outlook. FORWARD brings the advisory perspective and national buyer reach that Old Town's premium market demands.