[Greater DC]

Arlington County

Arlington County seal

Fast Facts:

  • Arlington County was home to 234,162 people and had 123,963 housing units in 2023. Since 2010, Arlington has added an average of 2,000 people and 1,400 housing units per year.
  • Fifty-eight percent of households were renters and 40 percent of renters had unaffordable housing costs.
  • Arlington exceeded the annual production target of 1,393 units, with 2,629 new units built in 2024. Cumulatively, Arlington has produced at least 12,525 units since 2019, exceeding its 6-year target of 8,358.
  • Arlington has not adopted the 2030 COG housing targets but has established a local goal for 17.7% of rental housing stock to be affordable at 60% of AMI or less and 28.4% of new ownership stock to be affordable between 80-120% of AMI by 2040.
Sources: Census Population and Housing Unit Estimates, Decennial Census, American Community Survey (2019-23), and the HIT survey of local jurisdictions.
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Arlington County
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Policy Status

Solving the region's affordable housing crisis requires a portfolio of policies to preserve existing affordable housing, produce more housing, and protect people from discrimination and displacement.

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Right of First Refusal

  • Arlington County

Preservation Inventory - Subsidized

  • Arlington County

Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized

  • Arlington County

Rental Assistance Demonstration

  • Arlington County

Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners

  • Arlington County

Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing

  • Arlington County

Housing Outcomes

Local jurisdictions submitted data to enable the region to track housing production, preservation, and rental affordability.

Amount of Housing

Number of units built by type

01,0002,0003,0004,0005,000Units2,0501842,4171,5102222092,0301972,399230Arlington County201920202021202220232024
Multifamily
Single-family

Affordability of Housing

Share of units affordable to households with low incomes

020406080100Percent ArlingtonCounty11%11%15%24%5%5%
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024

Accessibility of Housing

Share of affordable units in COG Activity Centers or near high-capacity transit

020406080100Percent ArlingtonCounty100%8%100%64%100%100%
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024

Housing Cost: Lowest
Percentage
# of Units

Units built affordable to households with incomes 0-29.9% of area median

020406080100Share of annual target ArlingtonCounty0%0%0%8%4%7%
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024

Housing Cost: Low
Percentage
# of Units

Units built affordable to households with incomes 30-49.9% of area median

020406080100Share of annual target ArlingtonCounty16%23%19%41%13%25%
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024

Housing Cost: Low-Middle
Percentage
# of Units

Units built affordable to households with incomes 50-79.9% of area median

020406080100120140Share of annual target ArlingtonCounty102%115%112%79%36%36%
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024

Building Permits for New Construction

Number of units permitted by type

01,0002,0003,0004,000Units2441,9031961,054212154Arlington County2021202220232024
Multifamily
Single-family

Affordable Housing in Development

Number of units

01,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,000Units3781,126390719Arlington County2021202220232024
In the pipeline
Under construction

Affordable Housing Preservation

Number of units preserved as committed affordable by type

05001,0001,5002,000Units011800Arlington County202220232024
Units with existing subsidies
Units previously unsubsidized

Structural Racism

Discriminatory actions and racist public policies have produced inequitable outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and people of color in the Washington region, including lower incomes and wealth, lower homeownership rates, and higher rates of housing cost burden.

Income

Average household income by race and ethnicity, 2019-23

$0$50,000$100,000$150,000$200,000$ ArlingtonCountyRace and ethnicity$148,800$110,300$132,100$142,400$211,500
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are not mutually exclusive. People identifying as Hispanic may also be represented in other bars except white.

Source: American Community Survey

Homeownership

Homeownership rate by race and ethnicity, 2019-23

020406080100Percent ArlingtonCountyRace and ethnicity37%21%29%32%48%
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are not mutually exclusive. People identifying as Hispanic may also be represented in other bars except white.

Source: American Community Survey

Homebuying

Share of mortgage originations by race and ethnicity, 2023

For first-lien owner-occupied home purchases of 1-4 unit dwellings

020406080100Percent ArlingtonCountyRace and ethnicity4%4%8%20%64%
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous or Multiple race
White

Note: Categories are mutually exclusive, borrowers identifying as Hispanic are not also represented in a race category. For mortgages with an applicant and a co-applicant, if they identify the same way they are captured in that category, otherwise if they have different identities they would be included in the Indigenous or Multiple race category.

Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act

Credit Denials

Ratio of denial rates for mortgages between white borrowers and borrowers of color, 2023

For first-lien owner-occupied home purchases of 1-4 unit dwellings

00.20.40.60.81Ratio ArlingtonCounty0.587

Note: If White borrowers and borrowers of Color were denied mortgages at the same rate we would expect to see a ratio equal to 1. Values under 1 indicate that borrowers of Color have higher denial rates than White borrowers.

Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act

Rental Housing Cost Burden

Renter households paying more than 30% of their monthly income in rent, 2019-23

020406080100Percent ArlingtonCountyRace and ethnicity40%46%53%49%32%
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are not mutually exclusive. People identifying as Hispanic may also be represented in other bars except white. Households paying more than 30 percent of their monthly income in housing costs are considered to be cost burdened.

Source: American Community Survey

Owner Housing Cost Burden

Owner households paying more than 30% of their monthly income in housing costs, 2019-23

020406080100Percent ArlingtonCountyRace and ethnicity24%27%30%22%15%
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are not mutually exclusive. People identifying as Hispanic may also be represented in other bars except white. Households paying more than 30 percent of their monthly income in housing costs are considered to be cost burdened.

Source: American Community Survey

Housing Context

Understanding how household incomes relate to the supply of affordable rental and homeownership units will inform jurisdictions' efforts to meet the current and future housing needs of residents.

Household Income

Distribution of households by income level relative to the area median income, 2019-23

020406080100Percent ArlingtonCounty11%7%6%26%28%22%
Below 30%
30-49.9%
50-79.9%
80-119.9%
120-199.9%
200% and above

Note: Income categories reflect HUD Income Limits by household size for 2023.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Change in Household Income

Change in households by income level relative to the area median income, 2008-12 to 2019-23

-15,000-10,000-5,00005,00010,00015,000Households ArlingtonCountyIncome level2,8601,7202,0104,7206,650
Below 30%
30-49.9%
50-79.9%
80-119.9%
120-199.9%
200% and above

Note: Incomes are in 2023 dollars. Income categories reflect HUD Income Limits by household size for 2023.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Renter Housing Supply by Cost

Renter housing units by monthly housing cost, 2019-23

020406080100Percent ArlingtonCounty5%24%27%20%11%14%
$0-$1,099
$1,100-$1,899
$1,900-$2,399
$2,400-$2,899
$2,900-$3,399
$3,400 and higher

Note: Rental costs include the contractual monthly rent payment plus any additional costs to the tenant for utilities and fees.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Change in Renter Housing Supply by Cost

Change in renter housing units by monthly housing cost, 2008-12 to 2019-23

-5,00005,00010,00015,000Change in Units ArlingtonCountyRent level-8206,1303,9802,3104,400
$0-$1,099
$1,100-$1,899
$1,900-$2,399
$2,400-$2,899
$2,900-$3,399
$3,400 and higher

Note: Costs are in 2023 dollars. Rental costs include the contractual monthly rent payment plus any additional costs to the tenant for utilities and fees.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Housing Cost Burden

Renter households paying more than 30% of their monthly income in rent, 2019-23

020406080100Percent ArlingtonCounty40%

Note: Households paying more than 30 percent of their monthly income in housing costs are considered to be cost burdened.

Source: American Community Survey

Deeply Affordable Units

Estimated number of public housing units and vouchers relative to renter households with incomes below 30% of area median, 2019-23

020406080100Per 100 households ArlingtonCounty31

Note: Estimated number of units and vouchers is for 2024. Vouchers include federally-funded Housing Choice Vouchers and locally-funded vouchers where information was available. Income is for 2019-23 and based on the 2023 HUD Income Limits by family size.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS); HUD Picture of Subsidized Households 2024; and HUD HCVP Power BI Dashboard

Need for Accessible Units

Number of households with one or more people with a disability by income level relative to the area median, 2019-23

02,0004,0006,0008,000Households ArlingtonCountyIncome level2,6601,0904302,1601,420950
Below 30%
30-49.9%
50-79.9%
80-119.9%
120-199.9%
200% and above

Note: Income categories reflect HUD Income Limits by household size for 2023. People will a disability includes those with cognitive disabilities, physical or self-care disabilities, ambulatory disabilities, independent living difficulties, vision disabilities, or hearing disabilities.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Homeowner Housing Supply by Cost

Owner housing units by monthly housing cost for a first-time homebuyer, 2019-23

020406080100Percent ArlingtonCounty6%4%5%8%7%70%
$0-$1,899
$1,900-$2,399
$2,400-$2,899
$2,900-$3,399
$3,400-$3,899
$3,900 and higher

Note: Costs for owner housing were calculated as the monthly payment for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage for 90 percent of the market value to the unit, along with estimates of other monthly costs including mortgage insurance, taxes, utilities, and fees.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Affordable Homebuying

Share of mortgage originations to households with moderate incomes and below, 2023

For first-lien owner-occupied home purchases of 1-4 unit dwellings

020406080100Percent ArlingtonCounty11%21%
0-80% of area median
80-120% of area median income

Source: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act

Potential Homebuyers

Number of potential homebuyers with low or moderate incomes by race and ethnicity, 2019-23

For renter households with a head of household age 45 years or younger and incomes between 50-120% of AMI

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,000Households ArlingtonCountyRace and ethnicity2,1001,2002,4001,0008,400
Asian or Pacific Islander
Black
Hispanic/Latinx
Indigenous, Other or Multiple Race
White

Note: Categories are mutually exclusive, borrowers identifying as Hispanic are not also represented in a race category. Income categories reflect HUD Income Limits by household size for 2023. Renter households with a head of household under age 22 were excluded.

Source: American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS)

Elected Officials

  1. Julius D. Spain, Sr.

    Julius D. Spain, Sr.

    County Board Member

  2. Susan Cunningham

    Susan Cunningham

    County Board Member

  3. Maureen Coffey

    Maureen Coffey

    County Board Member

  4. Takis P. Karantonis
  5. Matt de Ferranti

Housing Officials

  1. Samia Byrd

    Samia Byrd

    Director, Community Planning, Housing and Development

  2. Anne Venezia