Put down your $14 craft cocktail and listen up: Reston is one of the best places for the rich and single.
That is a subcategory of Money Magazine’s 2014 “Best Places to Live” list, on which Reston was ranked No. 10 on Monday. Reston made the list two years ago as well, when it came in at No. 7. Money picks the best places with populations of 50,000 to 300,000 based on a strong economy, access to good jobs and recreational amenities, among others.
Money’s subset of Best Places to Be Rich and Single includes “a disproportionate number of wealthy people who aren’t yet paired off. To create this list, we considered all places where singles represent at least 30 percent of the population, then ranked the cities by median income. (NOTE: We make no promises about youth or attractiveness.)”
Reston comes in at No. 5, behind Brookline, Mass., Lower Merion, Pa., Newton, Mass., and our neighbor to the east, Arlington, Va.
Money says 31 percent of Reston’s population of 61,000 is single. The median family income in Reston is $142,404.
Says the magazine:
Reston, which is No. 10 on our Best Places list, prides itself on being the country’s first modern planned community. Because the city was designed around its five residential “villages,” it doesn’t have a traditional downtown, but that’s not so say that there’s nowhere for singles to mingle. Reston Town Center is the city’s main gathering spot, and offers socializing opportunities ranging from evening painting classes and classic film screenings to running workshops and wine tastings.
Lake Anne Plaza is another popular spot for shopping, snacking or just hanging out by the lake enjoying the free Wi-Fi.
For more serious nightlife — or to commute to their high-paying jobs — many residents make the trek to Washington, D.C., a trip that’s gotten quicker and easier with the new D.C. metro extension. Now, you can take the Silver Line from Reston to the capital in about 40 minutes.
Reston has been recognized by Money Magazine as one of the 2014 Best Places to Live.
Money biennially ranks the 50 best small cities (with populations between 50,000 and 300,000) in the country, looking at such things as “great jobs, strong economies, affordable homes, excellent schools,” and more. It starts out with 781 candidates.
Reston’s rank is No. 10. Â Two years ago, Reston also made the magazine’s list, coming in at No. 7.
Here is what the magazine has to say about Reston:
Reston was the first modern planned community in the country, and the vision of its founder (who still lives there) has held up beautifully.
The city is made up of five woodsy “villages,” which encompass a range of lakes, pools, shopping areas, golf courses, and more. Fifty-five miles of paths wind through these communities, ensuring that most homes are within a half-mile walk of a village center.
The city’s de facto downtown is the lively if generic Reston Town Center mall, which has the usual assortment of shops and eateries, plus a pavilion that hosts concerts and, in winter, ice-skating.
The headquarters of ComScore and Rolls-Royce North America are also located in Town Center, along with a Google office.
Traffic in the area can be brutal, but things are looking up for folks who don’t work in town: An extension of the D.C. ÂMetro opened in July, and it whisks Restonians to the center of Washington in a speedy 40 minutes.Â
(Mistake alert: Money has a nice picture of a paddleboarder on a Reston lake. Caption credit says “City of Reston.” If you live here you know that Reston is not a city, but that is for a whole other discussion).
Money points out some Reston stats such as a population of 61,177, a median family income of $142,404, median home price of $395,550 and projected job growth of 1.8 percent.
Here’s Money’s 2014 list:
1. McKinney, Texas
2. Maple Grove, Minnesota
3. Carmel, Indiana
4. Castle Rock, Colorado
5. Kirkland, Washington
6. Columbia and Ellicott City, Maryland
7. Clarkstown, New York
8. Ames, Iowa
9. Rochester Hills, Michigan
10. Reston, Virginia
