The neighborhood consists of primarily of a mix of townhouse and condominium apartments built in the 1940s as the largest housing project financed by the Defense Homes Corporation during World War II.

In the early 18th century, a 534-acre (216 ha) tract including Fairlington and extending to nearby Four Mile Run was granted under the headright system to William Struttfield, one of 48 original landowners in what is now Arlington County.

[3] Carlyle used his plantation as a stud farm and operated a grist mill downstream from Fairlington above what is now Arlandria.

Following the American Revolution, new federal district governed by Congress was created in 1790 and the area that is now Fairlington (except for part of the section now within Alexandria) was included within the original boundaries of the new District of Columbia, forming part of Alexandria County, D.C. Congressional control began in 1801 and the area was no longer under Virginian jurisdiction.

A line of redoubts and breastworks above Four Mile Run was constructed to defend the main base of the occupying Army of the Potomac in Alexandria and the Fairlington area was the site of two of these.

Fort Reynolds, a redoubt, was constructed in September 1861 to command the approach to Alexandria by way of the Four Mile Run valley.

At the time of the United States entry into World War II in December 1941, the Defense Homes Corporation (a component of the Federal Housing Administration) had purchased most of the area.

The corporation was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940 through the allocation of emergency funding and, by February 1942, it had assembled 322 acres (130 ha) for construction of housing for civilian and military defense personnel to be called Seminary Heights.

In 1952, the independent City of Alexandria annexed the small Fairfax County portion of Fairlington, rendering the name an anachronism.

In 1966, a mutual agreement between Arlington and Alexandria adjusted the city-county boundary through North Fairlington that had followed the original District of Columbia-Virginia line.

Virginia had only permitted condominium development since 1962 and Fairlington was the largest scale project ever undertaken to that date.

Fairlington was sold to Chicago Bridge and Iron and operated by CBI-Fairmac and a five-year project to physically modify the apartments for their new use commenced.

Common basement areas were divided between apartments and boiler houses were removed and replaced with recreation facilities.

Beginning in South Fairlington, CBI-Fairmac converted the area into seven legal entities under the Virginia Horizontal Property Act.

Fairlington was the first large-scale apartment community to be considered for such designation and the campaign for listing was largely a volunteer effort.

Fairlington's streets and common areas are heavily treed with oaks, maples, elms, and sycamores (planes).

Alexandria Union Station provides Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express service to the area and is accessible by DASH from Fairlington.

Within the confines of Fairlington, there are several commercial buildings that house local businesses such as health care service providers (dentist, physical therapy, chiropractic, etc.)

The Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site, the Virginia Theological Seminary, both in Alexandria, are a short distance from South Fairlington.

The Arlington County Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources provides continuing education at the Fairlington Community Center.

7 of the Arlington County Fire Department housing Engine 107, is located on South Abingdon Street in North Fairlington (temporarily closed due to structural/foundation issues).

The Arlington County office of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service is located in the Fairlington Community Center.