SperlingViews - Arlington, Virginia

Great urban area.[read more...]

Like many DC-area neighborhoods and cities, Arlington has much to offer residents of all ages and stages of life. And, like many DC-area neighborhoods and cities, it has the housing prices to match.[read more...]

Public transportation is excellent with the metro (subway)and buses for local travel. Roads are excellent for privately owned vehicles. Highways and main streets are crowded during rush hours morning and night. [read more...]

It's hard to get gigs here. While this area does have a few good venues (IOTA, Jammin' Java, etc), there are more musicians who want to play than the venues can handle. There doesn't seem to be a guaranteed crowd anywhere, either. Places are hit-or-miss, and so venues focus on a band's ability to bring people, not so much their actual talent. Which makes it hard to move here, because you can't get a gig without a crowd of fans. You can't get crowds of fans without gigs. Catch 22. The people at open mics are pretty nice and the community of musicians itself is friendly and welcoming. It's not a bad place to play out if you don't care about getting paid or doing anything regularly. It's a weird scene here, though. So far (I've been here about 4 months), I see a lot of old rich (usually ex-government types) people walking their dogs and driving big SUVs, and I see a lot of blue collar or serving position people from everywhere in the world you can imagine. Which means there's awesome ethnic food here: it's cheap and authentic. But there seems to be a lack of people here who are 20s-30s and culturally aware. Most of the people around the DC area I've met in that age bracket seem to care a lot about their budding careers and are making more money than they know what to do with. But they listen to really bad music and play stupid drinking games like they never left college. It's been hard to find the group of struggling artist types I normally call friends. [read more...]

Arlington is a booming city, unaware of the economic misfortune of other urban areas outside of US cities. It's young, hip and on the move. [read more...]

Arlington's proximity to DC makes it a super place to live. There are endless cultural and sports opportunities in the area. Some are expensive, but there are plenty of events that are free. The pols are a little full of themselves, but it is always an interesting show. Rents/properties are pricey, but there are some neighborhoods that are affordable. Traffic is pretty bad. Spring and Fall are delightful. Winters aren't bad. Summer is stifling hot/humid.[read more...]

Hot and muggy summers with mosquitos make it less likely you will enjoy the beautiful yards and parks.[read more...]

For a region where life is very fast-paced and work-focused, Arlington is a good choice for a more balanced place to live. You can easily get into DC on the metro lines and go to the Kennedy center, the Smithsonian museums, or take part of the nightlife/ live music at the 9:30 club. Depending on where you work and where your clients/customers are, the commute is probably better than other areas in the DC metro region. Yes, it is more expensive to live in Arlington than other cities in Northern Virginia, but for us the higher costs are worth it because we get to fully participate in the cultural and urban attractions in DC.[read more...]

some of the highest cost of living in the country; but, good schools, services and security[read more...]

Arlington is a great place to live. We have very good schools, responsive county government and good transportation options.[read more...]

Moving here 9 years ago, I found a 3 bedroom apartment with all utilities paid for $863.00 with a 10% government discount. Since then it has gone up to $1,350.00. I am going to retire next year and am looking for somewhere about half the cost of here.[read more...]

The entire DC metro area which incldes Arlington, VA is WAY overpriced. I mean people are paying like 2K a month for a little itty bitty teeny tiny one bedroom apartment or condo. Unless your Bill Gates rich stay away from this dry out your bank account and have nothing to show for it place.[read more...]

Arlington is a very decent place to live and I love to visit often. Being close to Washington DC it has a lot of culture to offer. However, i want to caution anyone who is thinking of making here home that it has a very high cost of living that will make you wonder why you are not in Manhattan anyway. If your job depends on being in Arlington shut up and move there, you will enjoy it, but if you find same job in another decent locale, take it and visit Arlington and DC next time you are in town. Thanks[read more...]

I HATE IT HERE!!! I can't wait to get out of this place. I have to rent a ROOM for $650 a month just to have somewhere to sleep at night! My sister lives in Greensboro, NC renting a three bedroom house for same! Efficiencies START at $1300 a month. You've got to be kidding me... I won't even say goodbye when I high tail it outta here!!![read more...]

The cost of living in Arlington is expensive.[read more...]

There is so much to do in Arlington, and it is all in walking distance or Metro (subway) walking distance. The culture is very diverse, very educated. Cost of living is extremely high, but what you get in return is worth it. The climate is mild, with a few unberable days in August and January; outdoor exercise is in abundance, as are parks. We are also near the Chesapeake Bay for all of the water lovers. When you tire of city life, the beaches are less than two hours drive. Right across the Patomic (a five minute walk) is Washington DC. You become enveloped in a sense of pride to be an American (or live in America)![read more...]

I recently moved to an urban village in Arlington. It's near the Metro and provides great access to DC. We enjoy walking to most places.[read more...]

Better than some of the surrounding area in terms of cost of living, but still pretty expensive. Especially if you are living on one income.[read more...]

The subway corridor is densely developed for office, commerical, and residential, and it is pedestrian friendly. the county itself promotes bike use and offers its own limited bus service. The county government is starting to emphasize carbon reduction. The schools are good, the politics liberal, and the property tax rate low relative to the rest of the metro area, but the housing prices are quite high.[read more...]

I love living in North Arlington. We are only leaving because we have to. We are walking distance to 3 grocery stores, a metro, a bus stop, banks, restaurants, and much more. The schools are great and the neighborhoods are wonderful. I only use a tank of gas every two weeks because I rarely travel outside a 5 mile radius from my house. The area is a little utopia. The only downside is everyone has money, so if a middle-class family feels poor.[read more...]