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Annandale vs Arlington

Annandale, 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.

Overall livability

Annandale

Mixed · objective livability46/100

Arlington

Mixed · objective livability47/100

Annandale and Arlington score about the same overall (46 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorAnnandaleArlington
Affordability
Median Household Income$109k$137k
Cost of Living$75k$78k
Home Value$616k$833k
Monthly Rent$2k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$3k$3k
Property Tax Rate1.03%0.89%
Income Tax5.80%5.80%
Sales Tax5.77%5.77%
Estimated total tax burden13.52%13.11%
Unemployment3.4%2.8%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)36°F37°F
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F80°F
Annual Precipitation45.7 in47.3 in
Annual Snowfall18.5 in5.8 in
Sunny Days165 days165 days
Summer Humidity66°F66°F
Comfortable Days79 days79 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk11.52.9
Air Quality53 AQI50 AQI
School Quality74.1100.0
Violent Crime570/100k893/100k
Property Crime1745/100k2019/100k
Community
Population42,330235,845
Median Age40.135.3
Racial Diversity0.740.55
Male/Female Ratio0.961.02
Political LeaningD+65D+65
White (%)32.0%59.5%
Black (%)9.2%9.0%
Hispanic (%)32.2%15.6%
Asian (%)23.2%10.3%
Other / Multiracial (%)3.5%5.6%
Getting Around
Commute Time29 min28 min
Walkability12.8/2015.4/20
Airport Distance8 mi4 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.3%94.0%
Amenities Nearby230.33113.51
Park & Nature AccessLimitedLimited

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 Annandale or Arlington more affordable?
Annandale has the lower cost of living: its index is $75k, compared with Annandale's $75k and Arlington's $78k. Median rent is $2k in Annandale versus $2k in Arlington.
Is Annandale or Arlington safer?
Annandale has the lower violent crime rate. Annandale reports 570/100k and Arlington reports 893/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Annandale or Arlington?
The median home value is $616k in Annandale and $833k in Arlington, so homes are more affordable in Annandale.
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