Niche 2022 Best Places To Live: See Where Arlington Ranks

ARLINGTON, VA — Niche, a platform for community and school ratings, released its 2022 Best Places to Live rankings this week, and Arlington and its neighborhoods ranked high on the lists.

This year, Arlington County ranked No. 3 in Best Cities to Raise a Family in America, No. 4 in Best Cities to Live in America, and No. 5 for Best Cities for Young Professionals in America.

The only jurisdictions to rank ahead of Arlington for "Best Cities to Live in America" were The Woodlands, Texas; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Naperville, Illinois.

"In Arlington there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks," Niche said. "Many young professionals live in Arlington, and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in Arlington are highly rated."

This is the eighth straight year Niche has done Best Places to Live rankings, covering 228 cities and 18,515 neighborhoods and towns. The rankings are used by millions of people each year on deciding where to live and attend school.

Rankings are based on data from the U.S. Census, FBI, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as Niche resident reviews. Niche evaluates factors like affordability, the housing market, neighborhood diversity, public schools, walkability and more in the rankings.

The Best Places to Live, Best Cities to Live, Best Suburbs to Live and Best Neighborhoods to Live are available on a national level as well as by state, metro area and county. More specialized lists include Best for Families, Best for Young Professionals, Best for Homebuyers, Best for Retirees and more.

Four of the top five places to live in the D.C. area are located in Arlington, according to the ranking. In Arlington, Radnor/Fort Myer Heights ranked as the top place to live in the D.C. area, followed by Bluemont at No. 2, Colonial Village at No. 3 and Ballston/Virginia Square at No. 5. North Potomac in Maryland was the only community outside of Arlington to make the top five.

The Clarendon/Courthouse, Arlington Forest, Rosslyn, North Highland and Waycroft/Woodlawn neighborhoods in Arlington also made the top 20 in the D.C. area rankings.

Arlington received an overall A+ on livability factors based on data and reviews. On specific factors, Arlington also received an A+ grade for its public schools. The lowest grade for Arlington was a C+ for housing due to the lack of affordable housing.

Multiple reviews noted the high cost of living in Arlington. "Arlington is pretty much perfect if you’re wealthy. Great restaurants everywhere, easy access/commute to D.C., lots of nice new housing and apartments, and very clean," one reviewer said.

"I've lived in Arlington for almost 18 years, and I really love it. It's the perfect mix of urban and suburban. There is plenty of outdoor space to enjoy," another reviewer said. "Commuting to and from work is not super tedious. I know plenty of people who can easy walk, metro, or bike each day. I do believe that there is something great for everyone here, and there is always something new to explore."

Visit the Niche website to view the Best Places to Live in Virginia and Best Places to Live in the Washington, D.C. Area lists. You can also search for your community on Niche's website to see its rankings.