Arlington, Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Arlington, VA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A+
Health Top grade
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A+
Income Top grade
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Arlington | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 236,144 | 8,702,460 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 9046.7 | 203.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.51% | 0.57% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.0 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 111,997 | 3,364,625 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Arlington grew by 14.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 236,144 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Arlington is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 29.6% of residents. That is 7.2 points above Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 55,105 23.3% +2.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 69,901 29.6% +7.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 47,287 20.0% -0.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 27,430 11.6% -4.9 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Virginia, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 49.8% of the people living in Arlington and men 50.2%.
- Women 49.8% Virginia 50.6%
- Men 50.2% Virginia 49.4%
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Economy
Arlington has a the economy index of A+, which means it is exceptionally prosperous.
| Metric | Arlington | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $141,910 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.18% | 4.33% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Arlington is about 52% higher than in Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Arlington | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $370,064 | $256,082 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,321 | $1,579 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 41.3% | 67.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Arlington is about 13.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,321 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Arlington spend about 51 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 212 hours, about 8.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Arlington | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 25.4 | 23.2 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 50.8 | 46.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 212 | 193 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,567 | $5,986 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 35.3% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 17,533 | 10,059 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,514 | 1,531 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Arlington is 25 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Virginia.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Arlington has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Arlington | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 74.8% | 37.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.08 | 2.52 | 2.53 |
Health
Arlington has a health index of A+, which means it is exceptionally healthy.
| Metric | Arlington | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.8 | 77.3 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 8.0% | 16.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 9.5% | 19.0% | 19.0% |
Arlington, VA Compared With Nearby Cities
How Arlington, VA compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington, VA | 236,144 | $141,910 #1/3 | $370,064 #3/3 | 25.4 min #1/3 |
| Bailey's Crossroads, VA | 24,625 | $87,998 | $624,938 | 26.1 min |
| Alexandria, VA | 156,972 | $118,677 | $505,002 | 27.4 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Arlington, Virginia.
How many people live in Arlington, Virginia?
About 236,144 people live in Arlington, Virginia, in 111,997 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 36.0, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Arlington, Virginia urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Arlington, Virginia has 9,047 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 105 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Arlington, Virginia?
The median home costs 2.6 times the median household income ($370,064 against $141,910), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $2,321 a month takes about 20% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Arlington, Virginia?
Unemployment in Arlington, Virginia is only 3.2%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Arlington, Virginia?
74.8% of adults in Arlington, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 7 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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