It’s pretty easy to get your steps in around Arlington, which for seven years running has held bragging rights as the nation’s fittest city. Much of that is by design: Sidewalks, parks, walking trails and entertainment districts built around public transportation all contribute to the county’s supreme walkability.
In fact, real estate site Redfin this year named Arlington the most walkable city in Virginia. Walk Score, a Redfin subsidiary, gives Arlington an overall score of 71 out of 100, noting that “most errands can be accomplished on foot.” The county’s walk score is based on an analysis of hundreds of pedestrian routes to various amenities. The shorter the distance, the more points cities get.
If there’s any downside to walkability, it may well be housing costs. While walkability is hardly the cause of Arlington’s skyrocketing real estate prices, it is a factor. Car-independent communities are in demand. According to a recent Smart Growth America report, homebuyers will spend 35% more to live in pedestrian-friendly areas with access to public transit, and renters will pay 41% more.
According to Redfin, the average monthly rent for an apartment in Arlington is $2,864, compared with a national average of $1,514.
Then again, there are many upsides to walkability, not the least of which are improved health, reduced fossil fuel consumption and greater community cohesion. Here’s a look at Arlington’s 10 most-walkable neighborhoods, according to Walk Score. For each neighborhood, we’ve also included Transit and Bike Scores.
10. Radnor-Fort Myer Heights
Walk Score: 84
Transit Score: 72
Bike Score: 67
Bordered by Rosslyn to the north, Courthouse to the west, and Arlington National Cemetery to the south, this urban village, which Niche deemed the second best place to live in Arlington, has a large concentration of townhomes and apartments, and a majority of residents are renters. The neighborhood is within walking distance of myriad restaurants and businesses and two metro stations, as well as the grassy lawns surrounding the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial and Netherlands Carillon, prime spots for summer concerts, July Fourth fireworks and views of the D.C. monuments.
9. Buckingham
Walk Score: 85
Transit Score: 61
Bike Score: 88
A diverse neighborhood of single-family homes, townhomes, condos and clutches of garden-style apartments connected by walking paths, Buckingham is home to the 126 apartment buildings built between 1937 and 1953 that comprise much of the Buckingham Village Historic District. Residents can take a short stroll to the shops, brewpubs and eateries of Ballston and connect with nature by hopping on the Arlington, Custis and Bluemont Junction trails.
8. Aurora Highlands
Walk Score: 85
Transit Score: 72
Bike Score: 87
This tight-knit community of single-family homes just west of Amazon’s HQ2 and Reagan National Airport has lots of small bungalows that are being remodeled. Nearby Virginia Highlands Park is a gathering spot with playgrounds and athletic fields, and the Four Mile Run trail is popular with walkers and cyclists. Residents of this 114-year-old community have their pick of restaurants in the nearby dining districts of Westpost, Metropolitan Park and Crystal City’s charming 23rd Street “Restaurant Row.” And Arlington’s largest shopping mall, the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, is also just few blocks down the road on foot.
7. Ashton Heights
Walk Score: 86
Transit Score: 68
Bike Score: 91
As we have reported before, this neighborhood adjoining Lyon Park won the location lottery. Bordered by commerce along Wilson Boulevard, North 10th Street, North Irving Street, Arlington Boulevard and Glebe Road, it’s one of Arlington’s oldest communities, with a patchwork of pretty single-family houses, each with its own architectural aesthetic (read: not cookie-cutter). Head out for an evening stroll to check out the latest exhibits at the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington or partake in the nightlife options in Clarendon and Ballston. You won’t even need to call an Uber.
6. Crystal City/National Landing
Walk Score: 86
Transit Score: 69
Bike Score: 83
The area critics once referred to as a “desolate concrete” forest of nondescript office buildings is today home to Amazon’s HQ2, and is exploding with new buildings, parks, bike lanes, sidewalk cafes and commissioned public artworks. It’s even got a new name—National Landing—which comprises Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard. Delivering on the promise of the local business improvement district’s Mobility Next initiative, residents can access just about everything they need on foot, from fast-casual and fine dining options to grocery stores, shops, service businesses and public transit. By 2030, the initiative envisions “unparalleled mobility access—where you can catch the Metro across town for lunch, a train to New York or Richmond for the night, or a flight to a vacation in the Caribbean, all within walking distance.”
5. Colonial Village
Walk Score: 88
Transit Score: 71
Bike Score: 80
This historic garden-style apartment community with 162 units serving diverse residents of all ages and incomes offers affordable housing one block from the Courthouse metro station. Sandwiched between Courthouse and Rosslyn, it’s a National Historic Site—the first large-scale rental housing project in the country to be insured by the Federal Housing Administration. Residents can hoof it to run errands, grab dinner (we have some dining recs in Rosslyn and nearby Clarendon) or hop on the bus or subway for a quick trip into D.C.
4. North Rosslyn
Walk Score: 88
Transit Score: 75
Bike Score: 78
The high-rise towers of this urban enclave on the Potomac are what make up Arlington’s “skyline” when viewed from across the river in D.C. Vertical living is the norm here, and many apartments and condos offer picturesque views of the nation’s capital. The adjacent Key Bridge makes for an easy walk or bike ride into Georgetown, and fitness enthusiasts can take advantage of the 18-mile, paved Mount Vernon Trail. Pocket parks, outdoor sculptures and cafes make for a vibrant streetscape, while public spaces such as Gateway Park and Central Place Plaza play host to live music performances, outdoor film screenings and seasonal festivals. Top-tier employers in the neighborhood include Nestle, Microsoft and Deloitte.
3. Lyon Village
Walk Score: 92
Transit Score: 69
Bike Score: 83
Walk Score calls this upscale neighborhood of close-knit single-family homes “a walker’s paradise,” in part because of its proximity to the heart of Clarendon, with its nexus of shops, eateries, markets and bars. Winding sidewalks, leafy parks and tidy houses—many of them remodeled postwar homes on small lots—create a village vibe in this neighborhood founded in 1923, which still stages quaint July Fourth parades and an annual spaghetti dinner, but also maintains its own Slack channel for keeping neighbors in the know about local happenings. Both the Courthouse and Clarendon metro stops are a block from the neighborhood’s borders.
2. Clarendon/Courthouse
Walk Score: 92
Transit Score: 69
Bike Score: 77
Metro’s Orange Line corridor has long been celebrated as a national model for smart growth, and this busy stretch of it is a haven for well-heeled young professionals and empty nesters who enjoy the proximity to restaurants, music venues, gyms, dog parks, coffee shops, art galleries, co-working spaces and other urban-style amenities. The Crossing Clarendon, with its mix of national and local retailers, offers seasonal events and sits just across the street from the ultimate anchor of affluence—a Whole Foods. Neighboring Courthouse, the center of the Arlington County government, is also lined with restaurants, coffee shops and come-as-you-are bars that draw denizens out of their offices, condos and apartment buildings to mix and mingle.
1. Ballston/Virginia Square
Walk Score: 92
Transit Score: 73
Bike Score: 85
All sidewalks lead to…Ballston? Perhaps its no surprise that several of the other walkable neighborhoods on this list—including Ashton Heights, Buckingham and Clarendon—connect to this burgeoning hub whose dramatic transformation in recent years has made it a sought-after place to live, work and play. Tech companies, government R&D labs and major universities have strongholds here, and shiny new buildings seem to be popping up like mushrooms as redevelopment continues. Perched high above the action is Medstar Capitals Iceplex, home of the Washington Capitals practice rink, while the street-level fun includes a bevvy of hip restaurants and bars, art installations, pocket parks, holiday observances and a weekly farmers market. The annual Quarterfest Crawl makes the most of the neighborhood’s walkability, with food vendors and live music stages spanning several blocks.