Living in Arlington, MA
Suburb in Massachusetts
Arlington is a suburb in Massachusetts, home to about 46,000 people, with 3.4 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Arlington a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Strong healthcare: 14 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Highly educated: 74% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 9 research universities are within 31 mi
- Safe: violent crime is 0.2× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Easy flying: BOS is 9 mi away
👎 Cons
- Higher taxes: about $3,502 state income tax per resident, 1.03% property tax
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $1.10M, and rent is $3,530 a month
- Cloudier than most places
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Arlington ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Arlington: common questions
What is the cost of living in Arlington?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $1.10M, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,530 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 108, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Arlington?
Massachusetts collects about $3,502 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.03% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Arlington safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.2× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Arlington?
Arlington has cold winters: winter days average around 39°F and summer days around 83°F, with roughly 64″ of snow a year.
Does Arlington get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.14 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Arlington?
The nearest major airport is BOS, about 9 mi away.
How Arlington scores
Each bar compares Arlington with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
Places like Arlington
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.
Nearby
See all the best places to live in Massachusetts.
Is Arlington right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.