Living in Arlington is cool if you like the urban life. There is access to nature but traffic makes it annoying to get there. It’s really easy to make friends and there’s plenty of things to do. The only downside is that it isn’t cheap. I am unhappy living here simply because I don’t think there is enough nature here. I’m packing my bags and moving to Denver.

1.2 hours to Shenandoah-fall leaf changes are pretty the first year if you've never been on the east coast during autumn. 2. Drinking and promiscuous living make it easier to make friends, but tech sector makes teetotaling easier than say State College. Lots of temp buddies to do things with for a day, but many transients that keep each other single until 29 out of hidden competition. 3. Politicos live in McLean and on Capitol Hill, not Arlington. Many careers in Law, Health, and IT, and being a US Citizen (cleared office work with a few espionage). 4. The car accidents in Falls Church and Arlington are bad, the judicial system is very orchestrated, there is a constant "hustle", and many perma-singles and DINKS vs deep connections and easy baby-making. Arlington has lots of money, but it is better for guys who want to marry a foreign national at 29 than women who want families. PS-Europe has a great rail pass if you are under 26.

Depends on where you live and if you’ll bring your car…the southern part of Arlington is very urban, and though there’s lots of nice trails and parks it’s in the context of a large (and growing) city. Northern Arlington is a bit more suburban and is close to nice parks and trails, but comes with a notable price bump and longer commutes to work. Also parking is more expensive (ie at least $100 per month) the closer you are to a major urban area. If you’re looking for nature, go closer to Falls Church or Fairfax county.

There should be enough farmers markets to satisfy you in the entire Metro DC area…at least during the right seasons.

As for making friends, the good news is that, aside from perhaps Clarendon, Arlington is a hub for introverts that would be more interested in hobbies and other nerdy passions. The bad news…is that Arlington is full of introverts, so it may seem hard at first to find people who are quick to make friends. My suggestion (for Arlington and in general) is to look up groups on meetup or other sites for your interests and see if DC, Arlington, or NoVA come up. In my personal experience, all my friends are outside Arlington.

Arlington is very liberal on social issues, but is more moderate-left fiscally and militarily (lots of defense contractors live here thanks to the Pentagon). In general, people are very tolerant of differing viewpoints as long as you demonstrate a willingness to listen and respond respectfully. If your job involves working in the federal government (as a civilian OR contractor), you are likely to be discouraged (and possibly forbidden) from being overtly political.

I think Arlington right now is good, but not great, in terms of livability. Public transit and diversity of things to do can hardly be rivaled, and you have DC across the river in case you want something more culturally enriching. However, it is expensive, and people living here are very transient, moving due to better jobs or the desire to own a bigger home. I think Arlington and NoVA in general is a good starting point for living an urban lifestyle if you can afford it.

Forget the garden, it ain’t happening.

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Thank you! This is super detailed and helpful. Some follow up questions:

Do you think public transit is good enough where I don't need a car?

Do you think it's reasonable to rent an apartment in Fairfax or Falls Church and commute into the office? I think my job will be flexible where I don't need to be at work at 9am every day...

Where do people move to? Is it to a nearby suburb or just out of NoVa altogether?

I hope you have a better time in Denver! I also dislike city living but feel a bit trapped by my career ):.

One advantage of Arlington I saw online is that there are some nice Amish farms nearby, so it seems like you can get natural food if that's important to you.

3 hours nearby ??

They deliver!

Thank you! I still haven't internalized how squished everything is in cities. I also thought 6 figures was a bigger salary than it is ;-;.

you make it sound like the worst parts of college socializing lol :,,,)

If you love the worst parts college socializing, there is no better place. It is an extension of the frat parties, keggers, and dramas.

It’s great but it ain’t gonna be cheap. Plenty of outdoors space, neighborhoods, and also city living.

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Are you from the US originally? Where is the job offer in Europe? I feel like having a job in a different country might make you slightly more appealing when/if you come back and would be a great life experience. I’m sure Europe has its problems, but the US has quite a lot. Also, It’s not every day someone gets an offer for a job in another country, I do think it’s every day that people in Arlington get new jobs. And, if you don’t have a solid friend group here, then what are you sad about leaving (maybe family??) Also, it’s so easy to travel within Europe, you could visit all sorts or different areas of nature, in different countries so easily; one weekend go to the Swiss alps, next check out a waterfall in Croatia. You could say the same thing about the US, but we are much larger so weekend trips aren’t quite as easy/quick plus the public transportation and cheap/quick flights and trains between European cities are very appealing. I’m team Europe!! Wishing you the best in your choice!

yes we truly have fantastic farmers markets if that is important to you

>Do you think public transit is good enough where I don't need a car?

Probably not unless you live directly on the ballston/clarendon corridor next to metro. Also, if you don't have a car access to nature is nonexistent.

Arlington is one of the best places to live in the country IMO (plenty of other good ones, but Arlington is just top tier). The biggest concern is how urban it is and how expensive it is if that's not something you are prepared for. Expect to pay 2000-2400 for a one-bedroom apartment. I can just tell you aren't prepared for how dense and urban it may be.

Not for nothing, but I'd absolutely pick Europe over Arlington.

More walking paths than hiking in the immediate vicinity, but they’re nice. Check out custis trail, Potomac heritage river trail, river bend park (especially for the blue bells) and the billy goat trail.

Within a two and a half hour drive there are lots of state parks and national parks, the Shenandoah being probably the most impressive.

Politics depends on your social circle. None of my friends worked in politics.

The best farmers market around here is the one in DuPont (NW DC), but the Arlington ones are also pretty good.

As others will say: public transportation is excellent along the orange/silver line corridor between Rosslyn and Ballston. It is very possible to live there without a car, as far as most of your normal needs.

Access to nature is...ok. Without a car, the closest you will get to nature will be Roosevelt Island, which is actually a nice park in the summer--a nice look into what the area would have been like before it was settled. A little bit of forest cover, a little bit of marsh, some nice places to sit and look out onto the river.

Living in Fairfax or Falls Church will put you outside the best public transport area. You'll need/want a car, there. Fairfax especially is extremely car-dependent, and what public transport exists (bus lines) is so infrequent as to be nearly unusable.

I work in DC and I moved from Fairfax into Arlington. The proximity and the ease of the commute has saved my sanity--at the cost of more expensive housing.

If and when you age out of that, it's still a nice place to be.

>Not for nothing, but I'd absolutely pick Europe over Arlington.

This isn't too far wrong, but it would depend on where in Europe.

(Although you're far more likely to get decent/functional public transport in Europe)

I love living in Arlington, but I’m mid-thirties, married, and have a good group of local friends. Not sure I would have loved it at 22. But: there’s a lot to love.

It sounds like you’re hoping for a more spacious, nature-friendly life here, and that’s really only possible if you’re rich or willing to move an hour out of the city. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck in the urban sprawl junk of Fairfax/Falls Church, with stupid traffic, crowded parking lots, and crowded everything. (No offense to anyone who loves their neighborhood in those areas, there are cute ones!)

If your office is in DC or Arlington proper, I’d embrace the city life here instead. It’s actually a lot less stressful! You can rent a nice apartment on a 6-figure salary. Live along Wilson/Clarendon somewhere between Rosslyn and Ballston, and you won’t need a car. You can walk to lots of great cafes, restaurants, bakeries, and a cool farmer’s market in Courthouse. You can walk to some amazing parks, including the Iwo Jima memorial. You can walk (or bike/scooter) to Georgetown. The protected bike lanes are great. You can jump on the metro and be at all of the amazing DC parks, landmarks, museums, etc. in minutes. You can Uber in 15-20 minutes to some of the best theaters and music venues in the country. When you do want to get out into real nature, it’s easy to rent a zip car or rental for the day, and much cheaper than maintaining a car here. (I have a car here, and that’s also fine!)

You can find friends. In a post-Covid world it’s harder, as I understand it, but very possible. There are some cool Arlington meetup groups (I’m in a fun ladies’ book club through Meetup). There are lots of hiking groups, and a robust rock climbing community with some great gyms. Expand your search into DC, as a lot of young professionals start in the city proper. (Despite what DC citizens will tell you, it’s all basically the same city.) Dating is a fun way to explore the city — I always discovered the coolest local spots on mediocre Tinder dates, haha.

As someone else covered, it’s primarily a left-leaning, intellectual area. You’ll meet a ton of people who work in defense contracting, defense, the Pentagon, etc. Because of this, Arlington is a bit more politically mixed than the city or Maryland suburbs, which I think is a good thing. In DC, you’ll meet more Congressional staffers, NGO and non-profit workers, and government employees. My least favorite thing about the DC area is how often people talk about their BORING jobs that they think are interesting. My favorite thing about DC is how many people read books on the Metro. Lots of nerds here.

Hope that gives you a sense of life here. Feel free to DM me any questions!

Im in my early 20s and live in Arlington. Here is some info:

1. a lot actually. I have a few hiking places I frequent, there’s also a lot of trails and stuff like that closer. Typically to go hiking it’s a 30-60min drive for me depending on which place I want to to go. Ppl saying there’s no hiking nearby are clueless/have never looked, Shenandoah is about an hour out, sugarloaf is even closer.
2. yes if you’re willing to put yourself out there. If you’re a girl, there’s a group I can refer you to to make other female friends in the area. If you think you’ll make friends just by sitting home though, then probably not, but that’s true of everywhere.
3. yes and no. People can be, but not everyone is. I work in that sphere and am friends with people on both sides of the aisles. People talk about politics a lot, yes, but usually are also open to being friends with anyone.
4. yes. I miss my home but I am happy here too. It’s a great taste of city life without being as overwhelming as like New York.

I love Europe, been all over it, and it’s not a bad idea to spend some time there if you get the chance and you think that’s something you’re interested in. But it also depends on where in Europe and if the job there is something that you can transition into a long term successful job here. Do YOU want to live in Europe for a bit?

Overall- Arlington is a good place to live in your early 20s. It’s very walkable but safer/cheaper than DC. It’s cheaper to live further out in like Alexandria but the commute sucks and you’re further from the social life. Public transport is cheap and easy, or cars are definitely doable too (although expensive to park longterm if you live in DC). You also get the opportunity to thoroughly explore an incredible place most people only get to visit once or twice in their lifetimes.

I grew up in the area, moved away to Europe in my late 20s, stayed for almost 13 years where I met my partner and we had a kid. We eventually decided to move back to the US - the Pacific NW to be more specific for 4 years… then then back to DC area (Arlington) and have been here since.

I love the area and have a good group of friends - new and old. But it is expensive here. Good hiking and trails are easily accessible. And some better mountain hiking 45 min drive away at minimum. It’s diverse here and access to so many things to do including great museums and beach only 2.5 hours or so away by car.

Where in Europe can your work take you?

I will say, the best thing I did was move to another country to experience another culture. And have easy access to so many other countries to travel to and explore. I learned so much about myself and other people and cultures. If you are up for the adventure, I’d say go… if after a year or so it isn’t for you, at least you gave it a go! I told myself I’d give it 2 years in the country I landed in. I stayed for 13 and it’s my second home with amazing memories and where I learned so much about myself. Sometimes my partner and I dream about moving back one day. But we also have strong roots here and our son has family close by. This area has a lot to offer but so does the world. It’s your oyster, good luck on your decision! Whatever you choose will be the right one.

Feel free to DM me if you’d like to chat more. Best of luck!

Cost of living isn’t worth it in my opinion. It’s a really cool area for a lot of reasons, but cost was enough to make me move

I landed in South Arlington/Shirlington 15 years ago, still here, love it! A bit cheaper. Proximity to everything. What drew me to S Arlington was that the trees typically exceed the height of buildings, four mile run/W&OD bike path (and connections to other trails), parks up the four mile run watershed, quiet, etc. Feels like you aren't so close to the nation's capital but you could get there in a jiffy. I had a community garden plot for a couple of years, determined I did not have the time for it. The bus service to Pentagon from Shirlington is top-notch, or a bike ride is made simple to get into DC. You could get away with not having a car, even in S. Arlington, but not if you want escapes to the mountains on weekends.
Political? No way to escape it. Most workers are feds or contractors for feds. I'm not out enough to understand how Amazon's presence in Arlington has changed the scene, if any.
There are lots of meet-up groups to find your people if the party scene is not your vibe. You can easily pop-up to the Ballston corridor/DC for the 20-something gatherings/partying from Shirlington. Farmer's Markets abound in many Arlington neighborhoods. Your hikes are going to be short or on asphalt/concrete, but there is plenty of elevation to be had in Arlington.
I love it here because of my access to urban nature, trails, quiet, tree tops in the viewshed, and amenities. I'm moving into a different phase of life so I'm thinking about different things - excellent and diverse medical services, can walk to the grocery store and restaurants. Volunteering opportunities are plenty.

If you can get hired in Arlington making 6 figures in your 20s, you can afford to go to Europe and come back to work in Arlington. It’s an opportunity that many want but never get. Sorry, this sounds pretty straightforward to me.

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I'd rather not share where in Europe because I am afraid of being identified by either of the companies which hired me ;-;. My family is from the same European country though; my parents moved to the States before I was born. I have lived there before and loved it. I was ready to move.

Unfortunately, the salary I was offered in Europe is less than half (in the native currency) what I was offered in Arlington (in dollars). I think I could barely make ends meet, with no money left to spend on frivolous things or save for old age :(.

I suppose I could return to my ancestral roots for a couple years and then move back to the States, but the US economy seems to be starting a downward spiral and I am afraid that the excellent offer I have now in Arlington will not be available in a couple years.

So basically, I love living in Europe too but I think it would be irresponsible. Arlington seems a nice place to live, especially compared to the low standard of living I would have in Europe. Thank you for the good wishes :,).

Thank you for the transportation details! I can't drive right now and am debating whether I need to finally bite the bullet and get a license, car, all that hassle...

Thank you for the trail reccs! I will probably be checking all of those out :).

I am definitely not prepared for urban living ;-;!

Why would you pick Europe over Arlington?

I was prepared to chose Europe before I got the concrete offer, but I didn't count on how much lower European salaries are. If I took the Europe offer, I would be able to afford a small apartment with no roommates near my office and healthy food but not much else :P. In Arlington, my standard of living would be much higher.

> but I’m mid-thirties, married, and have a good group of local friends.

hahahha i am jealous of you :,,,)

I don't even have a driver's license right now so your advice on public transport is very helpful!!

Overall this was a really kind and helpful reply. I am a woman also and if I accept the Arlington offer I will totally dm you about the book club :).

Good advice :) ... thank you for the trail reccs!

Thank you! This was a really nice post :)

1. which places? I am making a list of all the trails to explore when I get there
2. This is very kind! I am a girl and will definitely pm you if I accept the arlington offer
3. I'm glad it's not super confrontational ... my perception of American politics is that the different sides REALLY dislike each other and are always fighting ... would make for an unpleasant environment with them both squished together in DC hahaha

The Europe job is in the same industry, so I could theoretically transition back to the States. But the Arlington offer I have now is pretty good for a new grad so I am hesitant to give it up if my plan is not to stay in Europe long term. A bird in the hand and all that ...

First of all, congrats on the offer! I used to live in Arlington a year ago, and I loved it. Just driving down the highway with the DC skyline and the monuments, it feels like history of right in your back yard!

Depending on where you live in Arlington, a car can be it's own hassle. I would think coming without a car and getting one if you find getting to the outdoors too difficult without and you have a plan on where to park.

Even though the salaries are lower so is the cost of living, but the quality of life is higher (depends on where in Europe but almost always true).

My best friend lives in London and I literally earn 90% more than she does but our quality of life is the same. I know how much she spends for things and we think in terms of purchasing power we make about the same.

For example, when I lived in Madrid in 2015 my salary was 1,350 a month and locals thought it was really good even though it sounded like peanuts in American terms. My rent was 350, my groceries were like 100, cell phone was only 20. I had plenty of left over money a month and traveled internationally at least once a month. I never had healthcare costs because I had Spanish insurance. There is way more sane work/life balance, they have vacation/sick leave and just in general more workers rights. The food systems there are wayyy better and I always unintentionally lose weight while abroad. Our food is full of junk.

The place where it will ding you is if you plan to retire to the US then you won't be contributing as much to a 401k so you'd need to figure out what you need to save for retirement to stay on track.

I would have lived there forever if I could but it's super hard to get a permanent visa over there! Living abroad will really open your mind, let you meet types of people you've never met, and help you really grow as a person. It's truly an adventure and makes life so much richer to live abroad for a bit. I would do it in a heart beat if I were you! I plan to move abroad again the second I get another chance.

Within the Ballston-to-Rosslyn corridor, you will not need a car. If you expect to be traveling by air or train (either for business or pleasure) the Metro now connects to both major airports and the main intercity train station. So connectivity is actually pretty good--it's hilariously easier to get to, say, Paris from Arlington than it is to get to Leesburg.

The problem is that public transport quality decays VERY quickly as you get away from that Ballston to Rosslyn corridor. Buses on some of the suburban routes are scheduled for every 30 minutes--and cannot be relied upon to arrive at any given stop on time. If your bus journey requires a transfer, you can just forget about it--you're not going to get where you're going in anything like a reasonable time period.

Along the Ballston-to-Rosslyn corridor, especially moving east/west, there are multiple overlapping bus lines that add up to pretty good frequency. Of course there is also the Metro, which runs underground in this stretch. Headways/frequencies are down from where they used to be, but they're at about every six minutes during the morning and afternoon rush and every 12 minutes or so off-peak. That's acceptable as far as public transport. On the extremely rare occasions where the region gets crippling snow (more than a foot of snow), the Metro will sometimes restrict its operations to only the underground lines, and all of the Arlington stations remain operational.

A lot of the corridor is easily walkable/cyclable too. I live nearest to Courthouse Metro; but I routinely walk down to Rosslyn or up to Clarendon to run errands or just hang out. If I'm feeling lazy and I happen to catch it, I'll grab the 38B bus or the ART 55.

Transport north or south of the main Fairfax Drive/Wilson Blvd/Clarendon Blvd. corridor gets a little less good. Metro's Blue Line runs south to Pentagon and down towards Alexandria. I haven't really tried the north/south bus lines in the area, so I'll defer to folks with more familiarity, especially along Glebe Road (which will connect Ballston Metro to points South).

I have a car here in Courthouse. It is very much a nice-to-have, but not a must-have; I could do without it if I really had to. So my total miles driven per year is really really low.

I moved to Arlington in my early 20’s while single and two decades later I’m now married raising my kids here. Living here is a privilege in so many ways and while it’s easy to get cynical we really do have access to the best of nearly everything.

From South Arlington you’re a short metro, bike, or car ride away from walking the monuments or world class museums. The parks in Arlington are well maintained and there are a surprising number of long walks through forested valleys. With a car, the Virginia countryside is breathtaking and within an hour’s drive. Shenandoah National Park is about an hours drive and tens of thousands of acres of national forest are accessible within two hours. There are a number of weekly farmers’ markets throughout the county - some year round.

I’m no longer a single 20-something, but what I most love about this area is the number of fascinating people with varied backgrounds and interests that congregate here. A lot of smart, down-to-earth people congregate here and a lot of creative people. A lot of people come here because they want to make the world a better place.

We do have a high cost of living, but not so high that a single person cannot make ends meet on a six-figure salary. I would avoid long commutes by car. Traffic is an issue if you live further out but is much less of a problem if you live in Arlington or Falls Church.

Europe is a big place. It is filled with some amazing cultures and cities and people. Depending on the specifics of where you’d be and the opportunities in the area it could be a tough decision.

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How big a place do you need - do you have a spouse and children or are you alone? Apartments on the metro are expensive. Definitely look at the prices before you decide on your job. We have amazing access to restaurants with food from around the world. Most are very reasonably priced and having a car makes it easy to eat around the world. Some great choices for inexpensive ethnic restaurants on Columbia Pike. Many more inexpensive ethnic restaurants are in Fairfax County and not metro accessible. Access to DC and the Smithsonian is fantastic - it's easy to pop in just to see one work of art or make a last minute decision to visit. Bars are kind of expensive for cocktails - almost NYC prices! Eating and drinking in DC is pretty expensive overall but you can find inexpensive gems and lots of happy hours. Groceries are expensive (as they are everywhere!) but there are 2 Aldi supermarkets right outside of Arlington's boundaries. Lots of young people live in Arlington and Arlington is frequently on top of lists like "best places to live" "most fit population" "highest level of education" etc. That's what makes Arlington really amazing. Living Wage for Arlington is $50K for a single - that's meeting all basic needs. $100K would be very comfortable but keep on saving! https://livingwage.mit.edu/counties/51013

This is a great site to learn about hikes. https://gohikevirginia.com/tag/northern-virginia/

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