Arlington, Virginia is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the "10 miles square" parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States.
Arlington's central location in the Washington DC metropolitan area, its ease of access by car and public transportation, and its highly skilled labor force have attracted an increasingly varied residential and commercial mix.
Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and received the Environmental Protection Agency¹s highest award for "Smart Growth" in 2002. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world - including the Pentagon - Arlington stands out as one of America¹s preeminent places to live, visit and do business.
Arlington is the epicenter of scientific research for the defense and homeland security industries with the nation¹s greatest concentration of scientific research agencies, anchored by the National Science Foundation, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Office of Naval Research and several top academic research institutes.
Despite housing market downturns throughout the rest of the U.S., Arlington¹s market remains stable and diverse, offering a range of housing options from condominiums, town homes and single-family houses. Dense residential development along with retail and office space are centered around Metro stations and organized into mixed-use developments, which gradually taper into surrounding neighborhoods.
Arlington residents and commuters enjoy a sought-after, urban community, with abundant access to world-renowned museum, theater, restaurants, colleges and universities. Arlington is the most urban suburban community adjacent to the nation¹s capital, and is often described as having the most notable ³big city feel² of any place in the Washington area.
Arlington's focus on schooling is apparent; the county spends about half of its revenue on education, and is second in the nation, behind New York City. The Arlington Public Schools system is known for its top-tier high schools: Yorktown High School, Washington-Lee High School and Wakefield High School, as well as the H-B Woodlawn Program. The only private high school in Arlington is the Catholic college preparatory school, Bishop O'Connell. In 2008, Newsweek ranked all four Arlington Public School high schools in the top two percent in the nation, and Washingtonian magazine named Arlington "a national model for teaching diverse students."
The only university located within Arlington is Marymount University, while George Mason University operates an Arlington campus in the Virginia Square area between Clarendon and Ballston. The campus is home to the School of Law, School of Public Policy and other programs. Satellite campuses in Arlington include Northern Virginia Community College, Strayer University and DeVry University. Also, located across the Rosslyn Metro Station in the Ames center is The Art Institute of Washington.
Housing Cost
Estimated median house or condo value in 2007: $596,600
Mean prices in 2007: All housing units: $635,591; Detached houses: $770,165; Townhouses or other attached units: $538,913; In 3-to-4-unit structures: $340,545; In 5-or-more-unit structures: $409,914; Mobile homes: $170,700.
Demographics
Population in July 2008: 209,969. Arlington covers 25.9 square miles.
Weather
Arlington, VA climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 30's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 88.30 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 27.30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be fairly limited during summer with a difference that can reach 18 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 16 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Arlington is 39.35 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is May with an average rainfall of 3.82 Inches.
Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com
