Arlington, VA
| U.S. News Ratings | |
| Population: | 203,689 |
| Crime: | Average |
| Cost of Living: | High |
| Health Care: | Comprehensive |
| Housing Price: | High |
| Income: | Average |
It's just across the river from one of the world's most important (and self-important) cities, yet Arlington has a folksy, small-town air. Tidy homes sit close together, neighbors wave at each other, and residents scoff at more uppity colleagues who live in "the District" (Washington) or tonier suburbs like McLean and Fairfax. Arlington has a population of 203,689, and its weather ranges from the mid-20s to the upper 80s from winter to summer.
Think of the icons: The Pentagon. The Iwo Jima Memorial. Arlington National Cemetery. They're all in this tiny county just across the river from the nation's capital, which conveys the degree to which Arlington is dominated by the government—and in particular, the U.S. military. About 40,000 Arlingtonians work at the Pentagon or nearby military facilities. Thousands more work for the State Department, across the Potomac River in D.C., or for defense contractors scattered all around the beltway ringing the capital. Some work at "the Agency"—CIA headquarters in Langley—just a few miles away. The high proportion of government jobs helps stabilize the economy during downturns. It also produces a civic-minded citizenry and plenty of American flags waving from front porches.
Just a step or two beyond Arlington, however, are many of the allures of a cosmopolitan city. D.C.'s trendy Georgetown neighborhood is literally 1 mile away, right across the Key Bridge. Other D.C. neighborhoods, like Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan, offer multicultural night life and a multitude of hip restaurants. There are dozens of museums and galleries, including more than 15 belonging to the Smithsonian Institution—all free. The Redskins, Nationals, Wizards, and Capitals offer a year-round fix for professional sports junkies. Just to the south is Alexandria, with its quaint waterfront. And Shenandoah National Park, a wilderness respite, is less than 100 miles west.
Tranquility is harder to find. Since it's nestled between several highways and choke-point bridges, Arlington is literally surrounded by traffic much of the day. If you know the traffic patterns, navigating isn't so bad. But unsuspecting drivers can easily get snarled in surprise backups. And airplanes fly overhead continuously, since Arlington is right below one of the common approach paths to Reagan National Airport. Aviation buffs even gather at one of the public parks along the river to gaze at the underbellies of jetliners as they fly just a few feet overhead, seconds before landing.
The summers can be tough, with muggy highs in the 90s during much of July and August. The payoff comes in the fall, when moderate temperatures last until November, and in the spring, when flowers start to bloom as early as March. There's not much snow in the winter, but there can be plenty of cold rain and occasional ice.
Unlike Washington, with its low-rise, European-style architecture, Arlington actually has a skyline with several high-rises in its downtown area, known as Rosslyn. There are few other places in America where the suburbs tower over the city, so to speak. Yet that reflects the duality of Arlington, which views itself as a small, friendly place with as much sophistication as its big neighbor across the river.
If you're planning on retiring in Arlington, it's not as laid back as a golf-course community or mountain retreat. But Arlington is a comfortable, neighborhoody place with a sense of vitality, where your neighbor might be a think-tank expert or a retired Foreign Service officer. Three major airports are within an hour's drive or so, providing easy access to most major cities and many overseas destinations.
George Mason University has a sizable campus in Arlington, and Marymount, a small Catholic liberal-arts college, is based there. There are several major universities in Washington—George Washington (ranked No. 53 in U.S. News's Top National Universities), Georgetown (No. 23), Catholic (No. 116), Howard (No. 102), and American (No. 83).
There are two medical centers in Arlington, both operated by Virginia Hospital Center. Across the river in D.C., there are several world-class facilities, including the medical centers at Georgetown and George Washington universities.
Just like D.C., it's a government town. In addition to the Defense Department, big employers include the Arlington County government, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the State Department, and an alphabet soup of other agencies. Private employers include Virginia Hospital Center, Verizon, defense contractor SAIC, and Marriott.
At about $437,000, median home prices are in the nation's upper tier. That's because incomes are, too. The good news is that all those government jobs have helped keep the economy stable and home prices fairly firm: Home prices fell just 3 percent in 2008.
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