NOVA neighborhood profile
Moving to Arlington — Shirlington
38.84°N · 77.09°W
Arlington — Shirlington fits quiet professionals who want walkable dinners but not bar-scene Wilson Boulevard. 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
$2,100/mo (1BR)
Metro
no Metro, ART bus to Pentagon (15 min)
By car
20 min to DC off-peak
What Arlington — Shirlington is actually like
Shirlington Village is one block of restaurants, a movie theater, a Harris Teeter, and a regional library. That’s it. That’s the appeal. People who move here usually wanted Clarendon-level walkability minus the chaos and minus $400 a month in rent. Trade-off is no Metro.
Worth knowing before you commit
The dog park here is one of the largest in NOVA and has the best ground cover, which means less mud after a rainy week. The dog parents who live in Shirlington are also the dog parents most likely to know which boarding kennel actually answers the phone.
Local independent worth the drive: T.H.A.I. in Shirlington, 4029 Campbell Avenue, Arlington 22206 (Shirlington Village). Family-run since 1995, ~860 Yelp reviews; the neighborhood standby for green curry and pad see ew, with a patio that fills the moment the weather turns. Park in the Campbell Avenue garage (first hours free).
Arlington — Shirlington vs the 3 closest NOVA neighborhoods
Compare rent, Metro access, and car commute side-by-side.
| Neighborhood |
Rent |
Metro |
By car |
| Arlington — Shirlington (this page) |
$2,100/mo (1BR) |
no Metro, ART bus to Pentagon (15 min) |
20 min to DC off-peak |
| Beverley Hills (Alexandria) |
Rentals are rare; most of the roughly 600 1930s and 40s Colonials and Cape Cods sell in the $850K to $1.2M range (approximate) |
No Metro station in the neighborhood; King St-Old Town or Braddock Road, about a 10-min drive |
About 20 min to DC off-peak via the GW Parkway or Route 1 |
| Alexandria — Del Ray |
$2,000/mo (1BR), $700K to buy a small craftsman |
25 min to DC (Yellow/Blue, Braddock Rd or Potomac Yard) |
30 min to DC |
| Arlington — Pentagon City |
$2,300/mo (1BR) |
12 min to L’Enfant Plaza (Blue/Yellow Line, Pentagon City) |
15 min to DC, 10 min to DCA |
Mistakes people make moving to Arlington — Shirlington
- 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 — Shirlington
Is Arlington — Shirlington a good place to live?
Arlington — Shirlington works well for quiet professionals who want walkable dinners but not bar-scene Wilson Boulevard. The tradeoffs are covered in detail below, but the short version is: Shirlington Village is one block of restaurants, a movie theater, a Harris Teeter, and a regional library.
What is the average rent in Arlington — Shirlington?
$2,100/mo (1BR)
Does Arlington — Shirlington have a Metro station?
no Metro, ART bus to Pentagon (15 min)
How long is the commute from Arlington — Shirlington to Washington DC?
20 min to DC off-peak
What are the closest neighborhoods to Arlington — Shirlington?
The three closest tracked NOVA neighborhoods are Beverley Hills (Alexandria) (0.8 miles), Alexandria — Del Ray (1.8 miles), Arlington — Pentagon City (2.0 miles).
Where should I eat if I visit Arlington — Shirlington?
T.H.A.I. in Shirlington, 4029 Campbell Avenue, Arlington 22206 (Shirlington Village). Family-run since 1995, ~860 Yelp reviews; the neighborhood standby for green curry and pad see ew, with a patio that fills the moment the weather turns. Park in the Campbell Avenue garage (first hours free).
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