Arlington’s Colonial Village has claimed the top spot in a 2025 ranking of the “Best Places to Live in America,” besting Atlantic Station in Midtown Atlanta and Chesterbrook, located in the Philadelphia suburbs, to round out the top three.
The annual ranking, compiled by Niche.com, evaluates neighborhoods across the U.S. for livability, weighing factors such as cost of living, the quality of local schools, crime rates, housing trends, employment statistics, and access to amenities such as restaurants and theaters.
Situated just north of Wilson Boulevard near the Arlington County Courthouse and adjacent to Metro’s Orange Line corridor, Colonial Village is home to about 3,000 residents. Most are college graduates—44% have a master’s degree or higher—and a majority (63%) are between 25-44 years old.
Factoring in data from the Census Department’s American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with resident reviews, the rankings were weighted to “ensure that no single factor could have a dramatic positive or negative impact on a particular place’s final score,” according to Niche’s methodology.
Colonial Village’s walkability and proximity to public transit earned it an A+ for nightlife and commute times. It also scored high marks for health, fitness and outdoor activities, reinforcing other rankings that have recognized Arlington as the country’s fittest city and most walkable. Residents can enjoy the centrally located Colonial Village Playground and hop on the Custis and Mount Vernon trails, which run along the neighborhood’s northern border.
High scores for public schools, jobs, ethnic diversity, economic diversity, housing and weather further contributed to the neighborhood’s top standing.
Built between 1935 and 1940, Colonial Village was the first large-scale rental housing project to be insured by the Federal Housing Authority. The National Historic Site is a tight-knit enclave of more than 1,000 brick, garden-style apartments clustered around shared courtyards.
About 73% of residents are renters, according to Niche, which pegs the average monthly rent at $2,187 per month. That’s $800 higher than the national median for rental units. Arlington has seen the steepest rent increases in the D.C. area in the past year.
Homeownership in the neighborhood is getting costlier, too. In February, the median sales price of a home in Colonial Village was $346,000, up 19.6% over the year prior, according to Redfin.
Other Arlington neighborhoods making the top 20 rankings including Ballston/Virginia Square (at No. 17) and Radnor/Fort Myer Heights (No. 18).