Arlington vs McLean
Arlington, Virginia versus McLean, Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Arlington and McLean score about the same overall (47 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Arlington | McLean |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $137k | $250k |
| Cost of Living | $78k | $75k |
| Home Value | $833k | $1.3M |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.89% | 0.80% |
| Income Tax | 5.80% | 5.80% |
| Sales Tax | 5.77% | 5.77% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.11% | 11.70% |
| Unemployment | 2.8% | 2.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 37°F | 36°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.3 in | 46.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.8 in | 5.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 165 days | 165 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 79 days | 78 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 2.9 | 21.1 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 74.1 |
| Violent Crime | 893/100k | 570/100k |
| Property Crime | 2019/100k | 1745/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 235,845 | 49,587 |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 46.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.55 | 0.48 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+65 | D+65 |
| White (%) | 59.5% | 67.5% |
| Black (%) | 9.0% | 2.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 15.6% | 4.7% |
| Asian (%) | 10.3% | 20.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 15.4/20 | 12.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 4 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.0% | 96.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 113.51 | 132.90 |
| 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 Arlington or McLean more affordable?
- McLean has the lower cost of living: its index is $75k, compared with Arlington's $78k and McLean's $75k. Median rent is $2k in Arlington versus $3k in McLean.
- Is Arlington or McLean safer?
- McLean has the lower violent crime rate. Arlington reports 893/100k and McLean reports 570/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Arlington or McLean?
- The median home value is $833k in Arlington and $1.3M in McLean, so homes are more affordable in Arlington.