Small but growing town between D.C. and the Blue Ridge Mountains
Warrenton may be a small village of about 10,000 people, but it's also the county seat and the largest town in Fauquier County. From Warrenton, it's an hour's drive east into Washington, D.C., and Fairfax County, while a 45-minute drive west leads to Shenandoah National Park, the largest national park in Virginia. But the town possesses plenty of appeal on its own: The walkable Old Town Warrenton has many independent shops and restaurants, and the state's most popular equestrian events, such as the Gold Cup Races, are just down the road. "There's enough local amenities that you don't need to drive. It's a growing area for sure,” says Michele Noel, a Warrenton local and owner of Michele Noel Realty LLC. "Years ago, it was a sleepy town, and now it's more of a destination with affordable housing and parks."
New developments in Warrenton are attractive to families looking for low-maintenance homes.
Inviting historic colonial homes can be found in the Warrenton area.
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Old Town Warrenton has dozens of local businesses
The town's center for boutique shopping and dining is Old Town Warrenton. “You’ll see local personalities having lunch, residents supporting local shops and tourists spending the day here,” says Tyler Ross, a longtime Warrenton local who's a broker with Ross Real Estate. “The area has a calming, familial charm.” Old Town provides several hangout spots, such as Molly’s Irish Pub and Altered Suds Beer Co., and D.C. has countless more offerings an hour away.
Enjoy a nice meal at Claire's at the Depot in Warrenton.
Music lessons and instruments are available in old town Warrenton.
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Historic houses and new apartments on the way
Warrenton’s median home price is $620,000, above the national median price of $430,000 but below the median price of nearby suburbs like Gainesville. Old Town Warrenton has historic homes dating as far back as the early 1800s, when the town was incorporated. These styles include colonials, Georgians and 1900s Foursquares. Most of Warrenton’s homes, however, are in more modern subdivisions that include ranch-style houses and bi-levels built in the late 20th century and new traditional homes built within the last 20 years.
In August 2024, the Town Council approved plans for a mixed-use development with nearly 400 townhouses and apartment units just off Broadview Avenue. Over 50 of the new units would be designated as affordable housing, and the development would also include new businesses, green spaces and improved pedestrian infrastructure. “Right now, the population is more older adults or families,” says Percy Sampson, aquatics supervisor at the Warrenton Aquatics and Recreational Facility. "I think the new apartment complex will be more accessible for low-income households or younger adults."
Homebuyers searching for historic homes will find many great options in Warrenton.
Colonial style homes in Warrenton offer plenty of room for growing families.
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Recreation and events at the WARF and strolls along the Warrenton Branch Greenway
Residents can walk or bike along the Warrenton Branch Greenway, a 2-mile stretch with paved trails branching off from Old Town. “I’ll meet up with my friend there and push her kid in her stroller," Sampson says. "People will also walk their dogs there all the time, and it’s right next to the dog park." Nearby Eva Walker Park has basketball courts, a playground and paved walking paths through a grassy area, and Rady Park offers more wooded trails along a creek and rolling farmland. A day trip about 35 miles west of Warrenton leads to Shenandoah National Park, which spans 311 miles of wilderness with mountain overlooks and waterfall hikes.
Locals can exercise at Warrenton Community Center's basketball half-court and multipurpose room or head to the Warrenton Aquatic and Recreation Facility — also known as the “WARF” — which has indoor pools, a fitness center, a skating rink and an accessible playground. The nearly 60,000-square-foot facility also hosts events like the Warrenton Town Limits Festival and Swim with Santa through the town’s parks and recreation department.
Residents of Warrenton enjoy walking and cycling at the Warrenton Branch Greenway.
The Warrenton Rec Center offers programming throughout the year for people of all ages.
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Equestrian competitions in the rural land surrounding Warrenton
Horse farms dot the vast land surrounding Warrenton’s city limits, and equestrian events are a regional staple. “Raising horses is one of the bigger agricultural money makers in Fauquier County,” Sampson says. “There’s a huge horse scene.” The Virginia Gold Cup is a steeplechase horse race that has been happening every spring for the past 100 years. Crowds come out to Great Meadow, a venue just north of Warrenton, to watch horses race across long distances while negotiating ditches and jumping obstacles along the way. From May through October, Twilight Polo welcomes spectators to watch professional polo as the sun sets on Saturdays. The Twilight Polo Club of Middleburg is about 23 miles north of Warrenton.
Private and public schooling options in Fauquier County
Fauquier County Public Schools, which covers Warrenton, has an overall B grade from Niche. Noel says many of the town’s schools are within walking distance for students and are smaller than Northern Virginia schools. Students may start at CM Bradley Elementary School or James G. Brumfield Elementary School and progress to B-minus-rated Taylor Middle School and B-rated Fauquier High School. Taylor Middle and Warrenton Middle School recently merged, and all students are in the old Warrenton Middle School Building while the Taylor Middle School building undergoes renovation and expansion. The district expects the project to be complete by the 2028-2029 school year.
Private schools in Warrenton include the A-plus-rated Highland School and the B-plus-rated Providence Christian Academy. Both serve kindergarten through 12th grade.
Fauquier High School has 1,162 students in grades 9-12, according to Niche.com.
C.M. Bradley Elementary School offers a quality education to children living in Warrenton.
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Commuting to D.C. and raising horses in Fauquier County
Warrenton is 47 miles west of D.C., and residents can drive to the nation's capital in about an hour on Interstate 66. According to Sampson, commuters to D.C. often park at the Vienna Metro Station, about 32 miles east, and ride into the city on the Orange line to minimize parking and traffic issues. Dulles International Airport is about 35 miles northeast of Warrenton, and Fauquier Health hospital is in Warrenton.
Warrenton has a CAP Index crime score of 3, slightly lower than the national average of 4. The number of crimes reported by Warrenton Police has remained relatively steady in recent years. The department reported a total of 374 crimes in 2023 and 410 in 2022.
Hot summers in Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia experiences hot, humid summers and moderately cold winters. Hurricanes and thunderstorms are the most common types of severe weather in the region.
Taylor Barnes is a third generation Realtor® licensed in Virginia and Washington D.C. His license is affiliated with Barnes Real Estate Company, where he is the firms Owner and Principal Broker, located in Alexandria, VA. Taylor is a member of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors®. He graduated from the University of Mississippi in May of 2017 with a BBA in Real Estate. He has been an NVAR Top Producer Award Recipient every year from 2018-2024, all of them at the Gold or Platinum level. He has been member of the Rotary Club of Alexandria since 2018, becoming a board member of the club in 2020, and won the Rotarian of the Year award for the 2024/2025 year. In 2024, Taylor was recognized by The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce as a 40 under 40 award recipient at the age of 28. He became an Associate Broker at Barnes Real Estate Co. after passing the Virginia National and State brokerage exams in March of 2022, and became the owner principal broker of Barnes Real Estate Company on in March of 2024. Being a lifelong Virginia resident who grew up in a real estate family, along with his heavy involvement in the local community make Taylor and Barnes Real Estate Company one of the premier residential and commercial real estate brokerages in northern Virginia.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
