6. Crystal City
Average home price per square foot: $468
Difference from county average: +$60
Once distinctly unfriendly to pedestrians (much of it was built out in the ’60s, when cars were king), Crystal City is finally beating its “concrete canyon” rap. Redevelopment efforts, particularly along the east side of Route 1, have sparked a renaissance of green spaces, pocket parks, public art murals and new restaurants — all of which are popular with tourists, as well as residents of surrounding neighborhoods such as Aurora Hills, Aurora Highlands and Arlington Ridge. Home to one of the nation’s first WeLive complexes (a new residential model for communal living) and the 1776 tech incubator, Crystal City is currently on the short list of possible locations for Amazon’s East Coast headquarters. Bonus: it’s close to Reagan National Airport and Long Bridge Park.