The Fairfax county school system is one of the best, however these are the 'burbs and the vast majority of people do drive which contributes to the horrible congestion in this area.

There are decent bus routes in the area (metro is available but limited in where it reaches within VA) including theFairfax connector and Metrobus.

While rush hour in reality goes both directions, the morning rush is considered worse eastbound (into DC) and the reverse in the evening but you really can't escape traffic around here. Based on that - how far are you willing to drive to get to the office each day? There are a ton of great locations (pricey housing - be warned) to consider but I always consider proximity to the office and the respective commute to be the primary consideration.