Alexandria vs Arlington
Alexandria, Virginia versus Arlington, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Alexandria and Arlington score about the same overall (44 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Alexandria | Arlington |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $113k | $137k |
| Cost of Living | $71k | $78k |
| Home Value | $656k | $833k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.00% | 0.89% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.50% | 13.11% |
| Unemployment | 3.2% | 2.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 37°F | 37°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8 in | 47.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7 in | 5.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 165 days | 165 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 79 days | 79 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 15.4 | 2.9 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 83.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1394/100k | 893/100k |
| Property Crime | 1959/100k | 2019/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 157,594 | 235,845 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 35.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.62 | 0.55 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+64 | D+65 |
| White (%) | 51.1% | 59.5% |
| Black (%) | 20.9% | 9.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 16.6% | 15.6% |
| Asian (%) | 6.3% | 10.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 14.2/20 | 15.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 4 mi | 4 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.6% | 94.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 81.22 | 113.51 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Alexandria or Arlington more affordable?
- Alexandria has the lower cost of living: its index is $71k, compared with Alexandria's $71k and Arlington's $78k. Median rent is $2k in Alexandria versus $2k in Arlington.
- Is Alexandria or Arlington safer?
- Arlington has the lower violent crime rate. Alexandria reports 1394/100k and Arlington reports 893/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Alexandria or Arlington?
- The median home value is $656k in Alexandria and $833k in Arlington, so homes are more affordable in Alexandria.