Arlington, VA Homes For Rent

Homes for Rent in Arlington, VA: What You Need to Know

Arlington is a medium-size county (population: 236,842) in Virginia without any incorporated towns or cities. It’s located on the Potomac River, just across from the nation’s capital.

Job Opportunities in Arlington

Arlington’s proximity to Washington, D.C., is a magnet for companies that want to be close to policymakers and also take advantage of the county’s highly educated workforce. The Pentagon and U.S. Department of Defense are based in Arlington, as well as nonprofit organizations such as the Navy League of the United States and the Association of the U.S. Army. World-class companies such as Accenture, Deloitte, Axios, and BAES Systems have offices in Arlington. Amazon is building its second headquarters in Arlington and will be hiring 25,000 employees. 

The Cost of Living in the City

Proximity to the nation’s capital doesn’t come cheap. The cost of living and housing costs in Arlington are 59.6% and 37.1% higher than the national average, respectively. Arlington’s median gross rent is $1,936 while the median rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area is $3,128. On the positive, food cost is 0.9% lower than the national average plus Virginia doesn’t tax Social Security benefits. The state’s progressive income tax system levies a 2% to 5.75% tax rate. 

Know Your Neighborhoods

For suburbanites, living anywhere in Arlington is a plus factor since it’s one big suburb of Washington, D.C. The Bluemont and Ballston neighborhoods are popular for their restaurants, shops, and parks. The majority of residents in Ballston are renters. Bluemont has ample apartments, townhomes, and single-family homes. Both neighborhoods are known for their great schools. 

Shopping in the City

Arlington is a shopper’s paradise with its numerous indoor and outdoor shopping venues. Head to Fashion Centre at Pentagon City for name-brand retailers and to Pentagon Row for shopping and dining both. Ballston Quarter combines shopping and entertainment. You’ll find plenty of home furnishings and artisan crafts at Market Common Clarendon’s outdoor stores. For unique boutiques and outdoor dining, stop by the Village at Shirlington. 

Getting Around Arlington

Getting around Arlington and the Washington, D.C., area is easy with the Metro, the regional bus and rail public transit system. Metrobus is the regional bus service with over 1,500 buses operating on 325 routes while Metrorail is the regional subway system. Arlington Transit operates within the county to supplement Metrobus with cross-county and neighborhood connections to Metrorail. STAR is the paratransit component of Arlington Transit, which serves county residents unable to use public transit due to age or disability. For those traveling by plane, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is located in Arlington.