City comparison
Leesburg, VA is about 20 miles (40 km) from McLean, VA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 30 miles, or about 28 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Leesburg, VA to McLean, VA takes about 3 min, covering roughly 20 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
McLean has a population of 49,587, vs 48,465 in Leesburg — about the same size. By land area, McLean covers about 25 sq mi vs 13 sq mi for Leesburg.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Leesburg | McLean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,859/mo | $3,319/mo | 78.5% higher in McLean |
| Median home value | $572,500 | $1,257,900 | 119.7% higher in McLean |
| Median household income | $132,298 | $250,001 | 89.0% higher in McLean |
| Groceries index | 104.3 | 104.3 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 105.6 | 105.6 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 102.2 | 102.2 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 101.6 | 101.6 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Leesburg, you'd need $103,552 in McLean to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Leesburg, VA is about 3.4% cheaper overall than McLean, VA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 7% higher in McLean than in Leesburg. If you earn $80,000 in Leesburg, you'd need about $82,841 in McLean to keep the same standard of living.