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Arlington, Massachusetts

Among the top 5% of US places for safety & wellbeing.

AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 10% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 16% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A+, better than 95% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 84% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 65% of US places
  • top 1% for walkability
  • top 3% for airport distance
  • bottom 2% for cost of living

Arlington is a mid-size city in Massachusetts with about 46,000 residents. It grades A+ for safety & wellbeing and D for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and school quality. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and cost of living.

Climate

Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow

very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
57%45%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.2 in3.8 in
humid 98%dry

Livability factors

Affordability

Median Household Income$136k94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$82kbetter than 2% of US places
Home Value$839k97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 7% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 4% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.06%better than 46% of US places
Income Tax9.00%better than 17% of US places
Sales Tax6.25%better than 81% of US places
Estimated total tax burden17.58%better than 12% of US places
Unemployment3.6%better than 53% of US places

Weather

Winter Temp (Jan)28°F35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.4 in73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall59.0 inbetter than 10% of US places
Sunny Days181 daysbetter than 9% of US places
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 64% of US places
Comfortable Days90 daysbetter than 70% of US places

Safety & Wellbeing

Natural Disaster Risk41.5better than 80% of US places
Air Quality45 AQIbetter than 57% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime356/100kbetter than 73% of US places
Property Crime555/100kbetter than 68% of US places

Community

Population45,90697th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.749th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4074th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9030th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+641st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)74.0%34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.8%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.1%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)13.3%97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.8%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked

Getting Around

Commute Time32 minbetter than 15% of US places
Walkability14.8/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance9 mibetter than 97% of US places

Lifestyle & Connectivity

Broadband Access94.0%better than 80% of US places
Amenities Nearby316.95better than 77% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 19% of US places

Similar places

Frequently asked questions

Is Arlington an affordable place to live?
Arlington is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $82k, better than 2% of comparable areas.
What is the median home value in Arlington?
The median home value in Arlington is $839k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
What is the median household income in Arlington?
Median household income in Arlington is $136k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
How much is rent in Arlington?
Median gross rent in Arlington is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Is Arlington safe?
Arlington is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 356/100k (better than 73%). Property crime is 555/100k.
What is the weather like in Arlington?
Arlington averages 73°F in July and 28°F in January, with 48.4 in of annual precipitation and about 181 sunny days a year.
How are the schools in Arlington?
Public-school quality in Arlington is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
How long is the commute in Arlington?
The average one-way commute in Arlington is 32 min.

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Data sources

  • EPA Air Quality (AQI)
  • EPA Smart Location Database
  • EPI Family Budget Calculator
  • FAA airport enplanements
  • FBI Uniform Crime Reports
  • FEMA National Risk Index
  • MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
  • NCES School Finance Survey
  • NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
  • NOAA nClimGrid
  • OpenStreetMap
  • Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
  • U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
  • USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)