Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Arlington, VA

    Is Arlington a good place to live?

    Watch Arlington

    Arlington ranks #18 of 45 Virginia cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (55/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.2% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $864,800
    +3.8% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $2,275
    per month
    Household income
    $140,160
    median
    Unemployment
    3.3%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Arlington

    The median home value in Arlington is $864,800 and median rent is $2,275 a month, against a median household income of $140,160. Homes cost about 6.2× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Arlington crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Virginia the 2025 rate was 210 violent and 1,394 property crimes per 100,000 people — #33 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Arlington, VA

    Arlington has about 235,463 residents, 3.3% unemployment and 36% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Arlington with

    Arlington vs Virginia BeachArlington vs ChesapeakeArlington vs NorfolkArlington vs RichmondArlington vs Newport NewsArlington vs AlexandriaArlington vs HamptonArlington vs Roanoke

    More: Where to move in Virginia · Best counties in Virginia

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report