NOVA neighborhood profile
Moving to Arlington — Ballston
38.88°N · 77.11°W
Arlington — Ballston fits tech workers who want a denser downtown feel near Amazon HQ2 and Virginia Tech’s new campus. 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
$2,600/mo (1BR)
Metro
16 min to Foggy Bottom (Orange/Silver Line, Ballston-MU)
By car
20 min to DC off-peak
What Arlington — Ballston is actually like
Ballston is becoming the tech anchor of Arlington. Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus is changing the corner permanently, and the new mall renovation actually worked. Slightly more family-friendly than Clarendon, slightly less nightlife, slightly more affordable on the buy side.
Worth knowing before you commit
The Ballston Quarter food hall is the easiest weeknight dinner option you can walk to from any of the high-rises. Quincy Park is the unsung gem for dogs.
Local independent worth the drive: SER, 1110 N Glebe Road. Family-owned Spanish kitchen, ten years in Ballston, made Washingtonian 100 Very Best. Known for paella and tortilla espanola.
Arlington — Ballston vs the 3 closest NOVA neighborhoods
Compare rent, Metro access, and car commute side-by-side.
| Neighborhood |
Rent |
Metro |
By car |
| Arlington — Ballston (this page) |
$2,600/mo (1BR) |
16 min to Foggy Bottom (Orange/Silver Line, Ballston-MU) |
20 min to DC off-peak |
| Bluemont (Arlington) |
$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 — Clarendon |
$2,700/mo (1BR) |
12 min to Foggy Bottom (Orange/Silver Line, Clarendon) |
15 min to DC off-peak via Memorial Bridge |
| 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 |
Mistakes people make moving to Arlington — Ballston
- 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 Arlington — Ballston
Is Arlington — Ballston a good place to live?
Arlington — Ballston works well for tech workers who want a denser downtown feel near Amazon HQ2 and Virginia Tech’s new campus. The tradeoffs are covered in detail below, but the short version is: Ballston is becoming the tech anchor of Arlington.
What is the average rent in Arlington — Ballston?
$2,600/mo (1BR)
Does Arlington — Ballston have a Metro station?
16 min to Foggy Bottom (Orange/Silver Line, Ballston-MU)
How long is the commute from Arlington — Ballston to Washington DC?
20 min to DC off-peak
What are the closest neighborhoods to Arlington — Ballston?
The three closest tracked NOVA neighborhoods are Bluemont (Arlington) (0.2 miles), Arlington — Clarendon (0.9 miles), Westover (Arlington) (1.1 miles).
Where should I eat if I visit Arlington — Ballston?
SER, 1110 N Glebe Road. Family-owned Spanish kitchen, ten years in Ballston, made Washingtonian 100 Very Best. Known for paella and tortilla espanola.
The NOVA Relocation Guide
Get one NOVA neighborhood a day
Free 6 AM ET daily brief. One neighborhood, one move task, one honest tradeoff. Mon-Sat.
Subscribe free