Virginia · main city

Buying a home in Arlington, Virginia

In Arlington, the median value of owner-occupied homes is $954,700, Arlington County's effective property tax rate is 0.91%, a purchase mortgage carried a median $6,596 in total loan costs in 2025, and median gross rent is $2,322 a month.

Data as of : Census ACS 2025 1-year, Census Vintage 2024, Census ACS 2020-2024, FHFA HPI 2026Q2, HMDA 2025, HUD FY 2027. Sources

Checked on against the official sources listed at the bottom of the page.

Arlington home costs, fact by fact

  • Arlington lies in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area. (Census Vintage 2024)
  • That metro area is the 7th largest in the United States, with 6,436,489 residents. (Census Vintage 2024)
  • Arlington itself counts 236,254 residents. (Census ACS 2020-2024)
  • The median value of owner-occupied homes in Arlington is $954,700. (Census ACS 2025 1-year)
  • That figure is what owners estimate their home is worth, not a sale price. (Census ACS 2025 1-year)
  • The FHFA House Price Index shows Virginia prices up 3.1% and Arlington–Alexandria–Reston prices up 3.6% between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026. (FHFA HPI 2026Q2)
  • Owners occupy 41.3% of the occupied homes in Arlington. (Census ACS 2020-2024)
  • Median gross rent in Arlington is $2,322 a month. (Census ACS 2020-2024)
  • Homeowners in Arlington County pay a median $8,153 a year in property tax. (Census ACS 2020-2024; Virginia property tax by county)
  • That is 0.91% of the median home value in Arlington County, its effective property tax rate. (Census ACS 2020-2024)
  • Home-purchase mortgages in Arlington County carried median total loan costs of $6,596 in 2025, across 1,674 loans. (HMDA 2025; Arlington County loan costs)
  • Half of those loans fell between $5,057 and $9,825. (HMDA 2025)
  • HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom home is $2,438 a month in its rent area, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. (HUD FY 2027)
  • Virginia has no tax called a transfer tax but taxes the recording of the deed: a state recordation tax of 25 cents per $100 and a grantor tax of 50 cents per $500 paid by the seller. (official sources; Virginia transfer tax)

Calculate for Arlington

If you buy

Virginia state transfer tax

Recordation tax (Va. Code 58.1-801) and grantor tax (58.1-802): State recordation tax $0.25 per $100 or fraction; grantor tax $0.50 per $500 or fraction.

Price$954,700
State transfer taxnot computed
Who paysSet by the purchase contract

Default price: the Arlington median value of owner-occupied homes, $954,700 (Census ACS 2025). Not computed: Recordation tax = $0.25 per $100 (or fraction) of the greater of price or the most recent property tax assessment. Grantor tax = $0.50 per $500 (or fraction) of the greater of price or value, excluding any lien that stays on the property; the state keeps half and the locality half. Total state-level cost on a sale = both added. Regional fees in Northern Virginia are extra. Who pays: The grantor tax and the two regional fees are the grantor's (seller's) by statute unless the parties agree otherwise. The sections read do not say who pays the state and county recordation tax; the contract and loan documents decide. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, the tax on the mortgage, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Virginia transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

Local taxes in Arlington County, on top of the amount above at $954,700: $2,705. Rates, who pays and sources: transfer tax in Arlington County.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: Virginia state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

In short

The median value of owner-occupied homes in Arlington County is $954,700, according to the Census Bureau’s 2025 American Community Survey. Arlington County’s adopted real estate tax rate for calendar year 2026 is $1.053 per $100 of assessed value, according to the county’s Budget & Finance page. Arlington is a county, and the Census Bureau’s figure for the Arlington place is identical to the county’s.

How much homes cost in Arlington

The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) asks owners how much they think their home would sell for. The median of those answers is a useful benchmark, but it is not a sale price: it covers every owner-occupied home, including homes bought long ago. Our page on Virginia home prices explains the method in detail.

AreaMedian value, 2025 (ACS)Margin of error (90%)
Arlington County$954,700±$59,241
Washington–Arlington–Alexandria metro area$612,500±$4,853
Virginia$422,600±$3,315
United States$371,100±$646

*Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-Year Estimates 2025, table B25077.

Are Arlington prices rising?

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) tracks repeat sales of the same single-family homes. Its purchase-only, seasonally adjusted index for the Arlington-Alexandria-Reston metro division, published August 25, 2026, shows:

Area1-year change (Q2 2025 to Q2 2026)5-year change (Q2 2021 to Q2 2026)
Arlington-Alexandria-Reston metro division+3.6%+27.4%
Virginia+3.1%+37.3%
United States+2.1%+33.4%

Source: FHFA House Price Index, quarterly purchase-only files. Changes calculated by Payotte from the published index values.

Closing costs at the median price

On top of the price, buyers and sellers pay closing costs: lender fees, the appraisal, the survey, recording fees and title insurance. Several depend on the loan and the providers you choose, so there is no single official figure. For the rules and who usually pays each item, see our guide to closing costs in Virginia and our page on transfer tax in Virginia.

Property tax in Arlington

Arlington County sets the real estate tax rate. Its Budget & Finance page lists the rate for calendar year (CY) 2026 at $1.053 per $100 of assessed value, up from $1.033 in CY 2025. The county’s FY 2027 adopted budget gives the average value of existing residential properties, including condominiums, townhouses and detached homes, as $882,900 in CY 2026, up 3.3% from $854,900, and says the average Arlington homeowner will pay $9,297 a year in real estate taxes at the adopted rate.

A worked example

Take a home assessed at the Arlington County median value, $954,700, and ignore exemptions and relief programs:

  • $954,700 ÷ 100 × 1.053 = about $10,053 a year, or about $838 a month. At the CY 2025 rate of $1.033, the same value would be about $9,862.

The county’s Business Improvement District rates (Ballston $0.045, National Landing $0.043, Rosslyn $0.078 per $100) are listed on the same page. Our Virginia property tax guide explains assessment, exemptions and appeals. To see how the tax is paid through a monthly mortgage payment, read our guide to escrow accounts.

Help for first-time buyers in Arlington

Arlington County’s Moderate-Income Purchase Assistance Program (MIPAP) is a 0% interest, 30-year down payment loan for first-time buyers who have not owned a home in the previous three years, with no monthly payments. The county’s fact sheet (revised May 20, 2026) caps it at 25% of the price and $112,500; the county’s web page lists higher caps, so confirm with the Housing Division. Details, income limits and Virginia Housing’s grants are in our guide to first-time buyer programs in Virginia.

Virginia guides for Arlington buyers

Frequently asked questions

What is the median home price in Arlington, VA?

The Census Bureau’s 2025 American Community Survey puts the median value of owner-occupied homes in Arlington County at $954,700 (±$59,241). This is what owners think their home is worth, not the median sale price of recent sales.

Are home prices in Arlington going up?

According to the FHFA purchase-only index, prices in the Arlington-Alexandria-Reston metro division rose 3.6% between the second quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2026, and 27.4% over five years.

What is the property tax rate in Arlington County?

The adopted real estate tax rate for calendar year 2026 is $1.053 per $100 of assessed value, up from $1.033 in 2025.

How much property tax would I pay on a median-valued home in Arlington?

On an assessed value of $954,700 with no exemptions, the CY 2026 rate gives about $10,053 a year. The county says the average homeowner will pay $9,297 at the adopted rate.

Is there help for first-time buyers in Arlington?

Yes. Arlington County’s MIPAP loan covers up to 25% of the price, with a cap the county states as $112,500 on its fact sheet, for eligible first-time buyers. Virginia Housing grants are also available near Arlington; see our first-time buyer guide.

More Virginia guides

Sources

Questions about buying a home in Arlington

How much is property tax in Arlington?

Homeowners in Arlington County pay a median $8,153 a year in property tax, 0.91% of the county median home value of $895,000 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Your bill depends on your assessed value and local rates.

What are closing costs on a mortgage in Arlington?

Home-purchase mortgages in Arlington County carried median total loan costs of $6,596 in 2025; half of the 1,674 loans fell between $5,057 and $9,825 (HMDA). Total loan costs are the lender and settlement-service charges of the Closing Disclosure; transfer taxes and prepaid items come on top.

Is there a transfer tax when you buy a home in Arlington?

Virginia has no tax called a transfer tax but taxes the recording of the deed: a state recordation tax of 25 cents per $100 and a grantor tax of 50 cents per $500 paid by the seller. Northern Virginia adds two regional fees of 10 cents per $100 each, and counties such as Arlington add a local recordation tax.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Arlington?

It depends on your mortgage rate, down payment and how long you stay. As a benchmark, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Arlington ($895,000) equals 32.1 years of the median gross rent ($2,322 a month), both from Census ACS 2020-2024.

Run your own numbers: rent vs buy calculator · closing costs calculator.

Professionals by sector of Arlington

Who licenses each trade in Virginia

Other large cities: see cities in Virginia.

Data sources for the figures above

Virginia · All states · Federal guides