NOVA neighborhood profile
Moving to Arlington — Rosslyn
38.90°N · 77.07°W
Arlington — Rosslyn fits consultants and lawyers who want to walk over the Key Bridge to Georgetown after work. 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
$2,800/mo (1BR)
Metro
8 min to Foggy Bottom (Orange/Silver Line, Rosslyn)
By car
10 min to DC via Key Bridge
What Arlington — Rosslyn is actually like
Rosslyn is the closest you can get to DC without paying DC property taxes. The skyline is corporate, the food scene is improving slowly, and the walking access to Georgetown via Key Bridge is genuinely useful. Buildings here are mostly high-rise, mostly newer, mostly priced for the Big Four consulting crowd.
Worth knowing before you commit
The Mt Vernon Trail starts at Roosevelt Island just below Rosslyn. From there you can walk or bike all the way to Mt Vernon. Best free amenity in NOVA.
Local independent worth the drive: Pho 75, 1721 Wilson Boulevard (Rosslyn, 22209). Cash-only Vietnamese institution, legendary pho, fast-moving lunch line. Bring cash.
Arlington — Rosslyn vs the 3 closest NOVA neighborhoods
Compare rent, Metro access, and car commute side-by-side.
| Neighborhood |
Rent |
Metro |
By car |
| Arlington — Rosslyn (this page) |
$2,800/mo (1BR) |
8 min to Foggy Bottom (Orange/Silver Line, Rosslyn) |
10 min to DC via Key Bridge |
| Courthouse (Arlington) |
about $2,500/mo (1BR), mostly high-rise apartments and condos, approximate |
about 10 min to Foggy Bottom (Orange/Silver Line, Court House) |
about 12 min to DC via Key Bridge off-peak |
| Lyon Park |
$1,900/mo (1BR), approximate; wide range by building age |
no station in the neighborhood; Clarendon or Courthouse (Orange/Silver Line) each about a 10 to 15 min walk |
about 12 min to DC off-peak via Wilson Blvd or Route 50, 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 |
Mistakes people make moving to Arlington — Rosslyn
- 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 — Rosslyn
Is Arlington — Rosslyn a good place to live?
Arlington — Rosslyn works well for consultants and lawyers who want to walk over the Key Bridge to Georgetown after work. The tradeoffs are covered in detail below, but the short version is: Rosslyn is the closest you can get to DC without paying DC property taxes.
What is the average rent in Arlington — Rosslyn?
$2,800/mo (1BR)
Does Arlington — Rosslyn have a Metro station?
8 min to Foggy Bottom (Orange/Silver Line, Rosslyn)
How long is the commute from Arlington — Rosslyn to Washington DC?
10 min to DC via Key Bridge
What are the closest neighborhoods to Arlington — Rosslyn?
The three closest tracked NOVA neighborhoods are Courthouse (Arlington) (0.8 miles), Lyon Park (1.5 miles), Arlington — Clarendon (1.5 miles).
Where should I eat if I visit Arlington — Rosslyn?
Pho 75, 1721 Wilson Boulevard (Rosslyn, 22209). Cash-only Vietnamese institution, legendary pho, fast-moving lunch line. Bring cash.
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