Arlington Ranks High on Top 100 Best Places to Live

Arlington has ranked No. 19 on Livability.com's list of the Top 100 Best Places to Live. The study says Arlington's perfect blend of both urban and suburban make it one of the most highly desirable places to live in the Washington, D.C. area.

Also in the top 20 out of 100 are Charlottesville, Virginia and Rockville and Columbia in Maryland. Other regional communities on the list are:

• No. 27 Fairfax, Virginia
• No. 29 Bethesda, Maryland
• No. 32 Alexandria, Virginia
• No. 58 Reston, Virginia
• No. 63 Ellicott City Maryland
• No. 80 Ashburn, Virginia
• No. 88 Burke, Virginia

Arlington's top-rated school district, robust arts scene, growing economy and high health scores helped it earn a spot in the list's top 20. In addition, residents say they love the area's mix of both urban and suburban feels.

"Arlington strikes a great middle ground for those who want something less urban than Washington D.C., but more suburban than many of the other towns that ring our nation’s capital," said Livability's Matt Carmichael.

Livability.com's Top 100 Best Places to Live list notes that one of Arlington's most attractive features is the fact that the Metro runs underground in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, allowing for more development around Metro stations and better walkability.

Back in the 1960s, planners envisioned the Rosslyn-Ballston Metro corridor as an "urban village."

"Each stop has its own function and identity. Together, its mix of retail, residential, government buildings, and offices help draw residents and businesses, but also help support the more traditional suburban parts of Arlington such as the cul-du-sac, single-family-home neighborhoods of Country Club Hills and Columbia Pike," Carmichael described.

Mary Hughes Hynes, vice-chair of the Arlington County Board, added, “We try to be in this niche of innovation and creativity and forward thinking, and that attracts business to us and other institutions. We are a magnet for the 25 to 35-year-olds.”

Though only 26 square miles, Arlington is home to people from more than 140 different countries. Hynes said, that's also part of the county's charm.

“Everywhere you go, there isn’t an obvious majority, which adds a cosmopolitan piece to this small-town feel,” she said.