Reston vs. Herndon: Which Silver Line Town Fits Your Life?

Reston and Herndon are next-door neighbors in northwest Fairfax County, and both sit on Metro’s Silver Line, but they are different kinds of places. Reston is a planned community with a big community association, lakes and miles of pathways, plus urban-style condos around its Metro stations. Herndon is a small incorporated town with a historic downtown, its own town government and a town tax. If you value amenities and walkable paths everywhere, Reston often fits; if you want a small-town main street and fewer neighborhood-wide rules, look hard at Herndon.

Where they are and how they connect

Both communities sit along the Dulles Toll Road (Route 267) between Tysons and Washington Dulles International Airport. Reston is east of Herndon, and the two share a long border along Sunrise Valley Drive, Fairfax County Parkway and the W&OD Trail.

The Silver Line extension to Dulles and Loudoun County opened in November 2022, which changed the commuting math for both areas. I covered the bigger picture in living near Metro after the Silver Line, but here is the short version for these two:

	Reston	Herndon
Government	Unincorporated; Fairfax County services	Incorporated town within Fairfax County
Metro stations	Wiehle-Reston East, Reston Town Center, Herndon	Herndon station (shared), Innovation Center nearby
Main roads	Dulles Toll Road, Fairfax County Pkwy, Route 7	Route 28, Route 606, Dulles Toll Road, Elden St.
Real estate tax	Fairfax County rate plus small Reston service district levy	Fairfax County rate plus Town of Herndon rate
Community association	Reston Association covers most homes, plus cluster HOAs	Varies by subdivision; many older streets have no HOA
Signature places	Lake Anne Plaza, Reston Town Center, four lakes	Historic downtown, W&OD Trail depot, Runnymede Park

Taxes and fees: the difference people miss

This is where I see the most confusion, so let me be precise.

Herndon’s town tax

Herndon homeowners pay the Fairfax County real estate tax and a separate Town of Herndon real estate tax. The town’s rate for fiscal 2025 is 26 cents per $100 of assessed value, and local reporting in March 2025 noted the town council was weighing a 1-cent increase in its fiscal 2026 budget, which would be the first increase since 2011. In exchange, the town provides its own police department, street maintenance, and town water and sewer service for many addresses.

Reston Association and the Reston service district

Most Reston homes belong to Reston Association, which maintains the lakes, pools, tennis courts, paths and common areas. For 2025, the RA board set the annual assessment at $848. Many Reston homes also sit in a cluster or condo association with its own separate dues, so a Reston townhouse can carry two association payments. Reston properties also pay a small Fairfax County special district levy that funds Reston Community Center.

Neither setup is better on paper. A Reston buyer pays for amenities through association dues; a Herndon buyer pays for town services through town tax. When I compare homes for clients, I put all of it into a monthly figure so we are comparing true carrying costs. You can check rates and districts on Fairfax County’s tax pages and the Town of Herndon website.

Housing stock: what you can buy in each

Reston

• High-rise and mid-rise condos around Reston Town Center and Wiehle-Reston East, many with garage parking and concierge-style amenities.
• 1960s and 1970s cluster townhouses near Lake Anne and Hunters Woods, often with modernist architecture and strict exterior design review.
• Single-family neighborhoods from the 1970s through 1990s in North Reston and South Lakes, many backing to wooded RA land.
• Newer townhomes and condos in transit-area redevelopment near the stations.

Herndon

• Older single-family homes close to downtown, including ramblers, split-levels and some early 20th century houses.
• 1980s and 1990s townhouse and single-family subdivisions, some with small HOAs, some with none.
• Newer condos and mixed-use buildings tied to downtown redevelopment and the area near the Herndon station.
• Larger lots in pockets on the town’s edges compared with typical Reston cluster housing.

If architectural review boards make you nervous, read the covenants before you fall in love with a Reston house. Exterior changes in RA require approval, and cluster associations may add their own standards. That is not a negative, just something to plan for.

Daily life: parks, trails and gathering spots

Both towns share the W&OD Trail, a paved rail-trail that runs from Arlington to Purcellville. Beyond that, the feel is different.

• Reston: Lake Anne Plaza and its waterfront, the Saturday farmers market there in season, Reston Town Center’s pavilion and restaurants, Lake Audubon, Lake Thoreau and Lake Newport, and wooded paths connecting many neighborhoods.
• Herndon: the historic downtown along Elden and Station streets, the restored depot on the W&OD, Runnymede Park’s natural trails, Herndon Centennial Golf Course, and the town’s community center.

Shopping is close for both, with Reston Town Center, Plaza America, the Spectrum and Worldgate centers nearby. Data center and office growth along Route 28 is a factor in both markets; I break down the questions to ask in data centers near homes.

A worked example: comparing monthly carrying costs

This is an illustrative comparison using round numbers, not a quote. Assume two townhouses, each assessed at $600,000.

Monthly item (illustrative)	Reston townhouse	Herndon townhouse
Fairfax County real estate tax (about $1.10 per $100)	$550	$550
Town of Herndon tax ($0.26 per $100)	$0	$130
Reston Association ($848 a year)	$71	$0
Cluster or subdivision HOA (varies widely)	$120	$80
Total of these items	$741	$760

In this example the totals land within a few dollars of each other, which is common. Your real numbers will depend on the exact assessment, HOA budgets and any special district. Run the mortgage piece with my mortgage calculator and add these line items on top.

Common mistakes when choosing between Reston and Herndon

• Assuming a Herndon mailing address means the Town of Herndon. Many homes with a Herndon address are outside town limits and pay no town tax. Always check the parcel on the county records.
• Forgetting that a Reston home can carry both RA dues and a cluster or condo fee.
• Skipping the resale disclosure packet review. Virginia law gives you a short window to review association documents and cancel.
• Picking a home by distance to a station without walking the route. Some neighborhoods look close on a map but require crossing the Toll Road.
• Not checking school boundaries yourself. Use the Fairfax County Public Schools boundary locator for the specific address.

If you are still deciding on the broader region, my guide on how to choose a neighborhood in Northern Virginia walks through the commute, budget and lifestyle filters I use with clients.

Frequently asked questions

Is Reston part of Herndon?

No. Reston is an unincorporated community governed by Fairfax County, while Herndon is a separate incorporated town. They share a border and some mailing addresses overlap, which causes confusion.

Do you pay extra taxes to live in Herndon, VA?

Homes inside town limits pay a Town of Herndon real estate tax in addition to Fairfax County’s rate. Homes with a Herndon mailing address outside town limits do not.

Is Reston Association mandatory?

For properties covered by its deed restrictions, yes. Membership and the annual assessment run with the property, and most homes in Reston are included.

Which Metro stations serve Reston and Herndon?

Reston has Wiehle-Reston East and Reston Town Center, and the Herndon station sits on the Reston and Herndon border. Innovation Center station is the next stop west.

Sources

• FFXnow: Reston Association 2025 budget and assessment
• FFXnow: Town of Herndon budget and tax rate, March 2025
• WMATA