NOVA neighborhood profile
Moving to Bluemont (Arlington)
38.88°N · 77.12°W
Bluemont (Arlington) fits quiet, tree-lined renters and young families who want an Arlington address between Ballston and East Falls Church, with a park and trail system at the center of it. If that description does not sound like you, one of the 4 nearby neighborhoods below is probably a better read.
The 60-second read
Rent
$2,850/mo (1BR), approximate aggregator average; verify against current listings
Metro
no Metro station in the neighborhood; East Falls Church or Ballston-MU (Orange/Silver) about 10 min by bus or car, then 25 to 30 min in
By car
20 to 25 min to DC off-peak via I-66, longer in rush
What Bluemont (Arlington) is actually like
Bluemont is the in-between neighborhood most relocators never get shown, which is exactly its appeal. It sits along Wilson Boulevard between the bar scene in Ballston and the quieter blocks of East Falls Church, built mostly out of brick colonials, post-war ramblers, and a growing number of townhome infill projects. The center of gravity is Bluemont Park itself, 25-plus acres with a splash pad, tennis courts, and the W&OD Trail and Bluemont Junction Trail crossing right through it, so you get real green space and a car-free bike commute option without paying Clarendon prices for it.
Worth knowing before you commit
Skip the chains on Wilson Boulevard and go to La Union Restaurant at 5517 Wilson Blvd, a family-run Mexican and Salvadoran kitchen that has been in Bluemont since the late 1990s. Get the pupusas and the horchata, and go on a weeknight if you want a table without a wait.
Local independent worth the drive: La Union Restaurant, 5517 Wilson Blvd, Arlington (Bluemont). Family-run Mexican and Salvadoran kitchen operating in the neighborhood since the late 1990s (current owner Jose Zelaya took full control in 2008). Pupusas and horchata are the regulars’ order. (Researched 2026-07-06; verify current star/review counts before quoting in print.)
Bluemont (Arlington) vs the 3 closest NOVA neighborhoods
Compare rent, Metro access, and car commute side-by-side.
| Neighborhood |
Rent |
Metro |
By car |
| Bluemont (Arlington) (this page) |
$2,850/mo (1BR), approximate aggregator average; verify against current listings |
no Metro station in the neighborhood; East Falls Church or Ballston-MU (Orange/Silver) about 10 min by bus or car, then 25 to 30 min in |
20 to 25 min to DC off-peak via I-66, longer in rush |
| Arlington — Ballston |
$2,600/mo (1BR) |
16 min to Foggy Bottom (Orange/Silver Line, Ballston-MU) |
20 min to DC off-peak |
| Westover (Arlington) |
About $1,800/mo (1BR), below Arlington’s roughly $2,495 average (estimate, verify against current listings) |
No station in the neighborhood; Ballston-MU or East Falls Church (Orange/Silver) are each about a 10-min drive |
About 20 min off-peak via Route 66 or Washington Boulevard |
| Arlington — Clarendon |
$2,700/mo (1BR) |
12 min to Foggy Bottom (Orange/Silver Line, Clarendon) |
15 min to DC off-peak via Memorial Bridge |
Mistakes people make moving to Bluemont (Arlington)
- Underestimating rush-hour math. Off-peak commute times posted on rental sites are often the ONLY times most tenants will experience. Add 30 to 60 percent to any drive that crosses I-495, I-66, or the American Legion Bridge between 7 and 9:30 AM eastbound or 4 to 7 PM westbound.
- Treating “close to Metro” as walkable. Half a mile in DC is walkable. Half a mile in most of NOVA means crossing a stroad with no sidewalk and a parking lot. Check Google Street View before touring anywhere that markets itself as Metro-adjacent.
- Ignoring HOA and condo fees. NOVA condo fees frequently run $400 to $800 per month on top of the mortgage. Get the resale package early, read the reserve study, and price the full monthly nut before falling in love with a unit.
- Assuming the school pyramid is stable. Fairfax, Loudoun, and Arlington counties redistrict every few years. If school assignment is a factor, verify current boundaries directly with FCPS, LCPS, or APS admissions rather than trusting the address on Zillow.
Frequently asked questions about Bluemont (Arlington)
Is Bluemont (Arlington) a good place to live?
Bluemont (Arlington) works well for quiet, tree-lined renters and young families who want an Arlington address between Ballston and East Falls Church, with a park and trail system at the center of it. The tradeoffs are covered in detail below, but the short version is: Bluemont is the in-between neighborhood most relocators never get shown, which is exactly its appeal.
What is the average rent in Bluemont (Arlington)?
$2,850/mo (1BR), approximate aggregator average; verify against current listings
Does Bluemont (Arlington) have a Metro station?
no Metro station in the neighborhood; East Falls Church or Ballston-MU (Orange/Silver) about 10 min by bus or car, then 25 to 30 min in
How long is the commute from Bluemont (Arlington) to Washington DC?
20 to 25 min to DC off-peak via I-66, longer in rush
What are the closest neighborhoods to Bluemont (Arlington)?
The three closest tracked NOVA neighborhoods are Arlington — Ballston (0.2 miles), Westover (Arlington) (1.0 miles), Arlington — Clarendon (1.1 miles).
Where should I eat if I visit Bluemont (Arlington)?
La Union Restaurant, 5517 Wilson Blvd, Arlington (Bluemont). Family-run Mexican and Salvadoran kitchen operating in the neighborhood since the late 1990s (current owner Jose Zelaya took full control in 2008). Pupusas and horchata are the regulars’ order. (Researched 2026-07-06; verify current star/review counts before quoting in print.)
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