Arlington County, Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Arlington County, 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 gradeAmong the top 3 healthiest counties in Virginia
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A+
Income Top gradeAmong the top 3 wealthiest counties in Virginia
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A+
Education Top gradeAmong the top 3 best educated counties in Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Arlington County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 236,150 | 8,702,460 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 9046.6 | 203.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.51% | 0.57% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.0 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 111,999 | 3,364,625 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Arlington County grew by 14.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 236,150 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Arlington County is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 29.6% of residents. That is 7.2 points above Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 55,106 23.3% +1.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 69,903 29.6% +7.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 47,288 20.0% -0.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 27,431 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 County and men 50.2%.
- Women 49.8% Virginia 50.6%
- Men 50.2% Virginia 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Arlington County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Arlington County has a the economy index of A+, which means it is exceptionally prosperous.
| Metric | Arlington County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $141,911 | $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 County is about 52% higher than in Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Arlington County | Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $370,061 | $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 County 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 County 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 County | 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) | 21,183 | 10,059 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,908 | 1,531 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Virginia:
Lexington city (10.6 min), Covington city (12.2 min), Norton city (13.1 min).
Slowest:
Amelia County (43.7 min), Craig County (41.3 min), Buckingham County (41.3 min).
The average commute time in Arlington County 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 County has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Arlington County | 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 |
Highest education index among counties in
Virginia:
Falls Church city (0.6), Arlington County (0.6), Alexandria city (0.5).
Lowest:
Greensville County (0.2), Lunenburg County (0.2), Buchanan County (0.2).
Health
Arlington County has a health index of A+, which means it is exceptionally healthy.
| Metric | Arlington County | 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% |
Highest health index among counties in
Virginia:
Falls Church city (0.8), Arlington County (0.8), Fairfax County (0.8).
Lowest:
Emporia city (0.7), Petersburg city (0.8), Galax city (0.8).
Arlington County, VA Compared With Nearby Counties
How Arlington County, VA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington County, VA | 236,150 | $141,911 #2/3 | $370,061 #3/3 | 25.4 min #1/3 |
| District of Columbia, DC | 678,314 | $110,571 | $597,276 | 30.3 min |
| Fairfax County, VA | 1,147,383 | $153,857 | $654,572 | 27.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Arlington County, Virginia.
How big is Arlington County, Virginia by population?
About 236,150 people live in Arlington County, Virginia, in 111,999 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 36.0, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Arlington County, Virginia mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Arlington County, 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.
Can a typical household afford a home in Arlington County, Virginia?
The median home costs 2.6 times the median household income ($370,061 against $141,911), 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 unemployment high in Arlington County, Virginia?
Unemployment in Arlington County, 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.
What share of adults in Arlington County, Virginia have a college degree?
74.8% of adults in Arlington County, 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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