Right across the Potomac River from each other the two centers of economic development and growing populations, Arlington, VA and Washington D.C. are coexisting quite harmoniously. Each stands by to answer and supply the others' needs without asking any questions. From jobs to tourism they both have plenty of options available to offer their residents. Afterall, they were initially part of the same square … quite literally as George Washington drew a square on the map when he selected the location for the U.S. capital. In the end, however, only the Eastern part of Potomac River became our nation’s capital and the Western side became Arlington. If you’re looking into moving to one of these two conglomerates, you have to take into consideration the reason why you’re moving in the first place and there are some things you should know before moving to Arlington, VA for example. Whether it is work or family, hopefully the following comparing analysis will help you decide which suits you better. A comparison between the two will be something like comparing apples to oranges, but there are certain similarities that can make things a bit difficult no matter how different they are in other parts of the spectrum. Housing As the biggest influencer on the cost of living on each side of the Potomac River, housing will be the first thing that we’re going to dissect. When looking at Washington D.C. its housing market is neutral with plenty of requests and enough listings to respond to the demand. This influenced the price over the last few years by making them grow steadily and settling at a somewhat acceptable value. A median home value in Washington D.C. is currently at $638,000 which is not incredibly high considering the fact that it is the nation’s capital. The median price for homes that were sold recently is $576,000. You can get in touch with real estate agents in Washington D.C. for guidance if you decide to move here. Arlington, VA can be considered adjacent to Washington D.C. as housing prices are not what one might expect. Many people believe that it might be cheaper to live in Arlington and work in D.C. but, unfortunately, that logic can’t hold up when we look at the price tag. With fewer listings available on the market than there are demands, the prices grew as Arlington, VA became a seller’s market. Currently, the median home value in Arlington is $750,000 and the median price for the homes that were sold recently is $661,000. With not enough inventory, sellers control the prices and so Arlington, VA became more expensive in real estate than Washington D.C. Renting in Arlington, VA is a viable, and maybe better option currently. There are real estate agents in Arlington VA who can help you whether you decide to rent or buy. On both sides of Potomac River, however, homeownership is lower than the national average with both having more renters. In Washington D.C. only 41.8% of residents own the housing they inhabit while in Arlington, VA the percentage of ownership is at 43.5% Jobs Washington D.C. has a median household income of $91,000 but there are very big differences when it comes to the industry you work in. The best areas for employment in the capital are the judicial system or the government. Either would allow for a comfortable living in Washington D.C. but if you come from a different background, owning is not obligatory. You can look into finding affordable rent in Washington as many millennials, as well as the biggest half of the D.C. residents, do. D.C. can pride itself on the largest GDP (gross domestic products) per capita but it has an unemployment rate of 5.2% which is the fourth-highest in the U.S. In Arlington, VA the median household income is around $122,000 which is relatively higher than D.C.’s but this difference is necessary when you take into account the housing markets. When comparing the unemployment rate the state of Virginia wins big time with 2.7% but it does have a GDP at 1.6% which is lower than the U.S. average of 2.1%. Safety This is where the big differences begin. The crime rates in Washington D.C. have decreased in recent years and currently there are 60 crimes per 1,000 residents. Compared to Arlington, VA, however, the reason why families choose Arlington over Washington becomes clear. In regards to the crime rate in Arlington, VA for every 1,000 residents there are 14 crimes. If in Washington the chances of becoming a victim of a violent crime are 1 to 100, in Arlington the chance is 1 in 724. When it comes to property crimes, in Washington there is a 1 in 23 chance of becoming a victim, while in Arlington there is a 1 in 77 chance of falling victim to property crime. With the larger number of police officers, Arlington, VA wins against Washington D.C. when it comes to safety, by a relatively long shot. Education With a quick look at the educational system on both sides of the Potomac River we see another difference. While Arlington, VA has the best school district in Washington, D.C. Area, D.C’s school district is ranked in ninth place. Arlington is only struggling with building more schools as the demand increases with each new young family that relocates there. Washington fails to rise to the challenge, that’s not to say however that the schools in D.C. aren’t good. The schools in District of Columbia just aren’t as great as the ones in Arlington. Even at the highschool level Arlington wins by 4% more graduates even if the school district in Arlington doesn’t manage to invest as much as D.C. in it’s students. Nightlife Now here is one that Washington D.C. wins. If you want a busy and ecstatic nightlife, Washington D.C. is the location for you, at least from the two options. In Washington you have clubs, piano bars, pubs as well as sports bars, pretty much anything for anyone when it comes to places to go at night. In Arlington, VA the nightlife is there but it’s less exuberant as its Washington equivalent. There is a wide variety of bars and restaurants in Arlington but for the clubs Washington D.C. is just a cab ride away. Arlington is more suited for the more at ease residents and, dare we say it, more family life oriented than Washington D.C.. There are plenty of young adults in Arlington, VA but in this particular instance Arlington can be seen as a suburb of Washington as D.C. is the Big City of the two.
ConclusionRegardless of which one you wind up choosing, they both have their share of benefits and disadvantages. It all depends on what kind of life you usually lead and what are the most important things for you. You can live in Arlington, VA while you work in Washington D.C. or the other way around, however it’s better to live close to your workplace for financial reasons. For either you'll find top Realtors on The Official Real Estate Agent Directory®. Let us know which one you think it’s better for you in the comments below and why. We are curious to find out, for educational purposes of course. Like & Share with your friends and family as this competition needs to have a winner. Tell us what the results are.
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There is more than one way to make a person's heart race, give them chills and make their skin crawl and the frightful season is certainly one of those times when even the strong can faint. Not everyone likes to be scared and have nightmares that would keep them awake through the night. However, if Halloween is your favorite holiday and both horror scenes and jump scares are right up your alley, there are some amazing places that you might be interested in visiting for some of the best terror experiences in America. The state of Arkansas is the place to be in for the scary season since it has some of the best haunted places and spine-chilling stories. Also if your plan is to bring the whole family, kids might not enjoy the scary experience so make responsible decisions and use your best parental discretion. Haunted houses in Arkansas are a big attraction that draws people every year, so if you are planning your next spooky adventure, here are some of the places you need to visit. The city of Bentonville, Arkansas Because of its attractions during the fall season, being located in northwest Arkansas, Bentonville is the place to be if you are looking for a haunting experience and some fun events. The Nightmare haunted house is such a place with intense, high energy haunted attractions using some of the latest technologies. It is the result of a crew of volunteers that created some of the best haunting experiences in Northwest Arkansas. Also, the city of Bentonville is known for some real haunted places such as Peel Mansion. Built in 1875 by Samuel Peel, it is believed to be haunted by the man himself and his daughter Minnie Belle who is often heard playing the piano, but the piano stops abruptly when someone enters the room. Halloween is close by and the locals are preparing to host an event called Ghouls Night Out. This event is well known for being a pleasant haunting fundraising experience. It is a Halloween/Costume themed event where people dance and enjoy the special themed crafted drinks and snacks, silent auctions, raffle prizes, photobooth, and many more fun activities. All the proceeds benefit Open Avenues (www.openavenues.org) whose mission is to help people with disabilities integrate into society and find their vocation. If you are interested in being part of these events and take your scary adventure to the next level by visiting a real haunted place, Bentonville could be the ideal place for you to relocate. Contact any of the top real estate agents in Bentonville to find the best housing and further you thrill-seeking experience. For any extreme adventure seekers that are wondering how it would be living in a haunted house, Arkansas is definitely the place to help you find the answer. The city of Little Rock, Arkansas Little Rock is the place for some of the scariest haunted houses there are in Arkansas and if you want to bring your friends along for a scary experience this is the city for you. The Reaper Haunted House is an intense never before seen haunted house that will definitely make everyone scream. A maze-type haunted place The Reapers Haunted House is 15,000 square feet filled with horror and 30 scenes of blood, gore and mayhem. It’s not kid-friendly and it is even better if you come along with a group. The Haunted Cathedral opens in October and it is known for being the largest haunted attraction in Arkansas. Behind The Haunted Cathedral, there is an annual fundraising event hosted while animatronics and actors offer clients one of the scariest experiences for their money. The Haunted Hotel is a place where the staff aims to please the visitors with a spook that is worth their money. With chill, thrills and room service that kills, red meat buffet, blood pools, and screamers this and many more will make your heart race and give you goosebumps. If you are looking for a real haunted place in Little Rock, Mount Holly cemetery is one of those places. It is rumored to be haunted by ghosts of Confederate Soldiers and Native American Indians and there have been numerous sightings of them during the night. Flute playing and tombstones moving around by themselves are some of the ghostly activities around the cemetery. Although experiencing all the paranormal activity around a cemetery might be fun for some people, know that owning property near a cemetery might affect your home value. The city of Jacksonville, Arkansas Fear factory 501 offers plenty of attractions that terrify even the most seasoned horror enthusiast. For an outwardly Halloween experience, here you can go from grotesque torture chambers to nerve-wracking escape rooms and you will be greeted by undead hosts. Jacksonville High School also has a haunting history behind it. The ghost stories of ‘The Mumbling Man’, a male spirit that haunts the school. More specifically this spirit haunts the auditorium and often people report a male voice mumbling and strange footsteps could be heard when nobody is actually there. The city of Eureka Springs, Arkansas This city is well known for its haunted hotels and their widely spread stories amongst the locals.
The Basin Park Hotel has a spooky reputation and “Boo at the Basin” is a commonly used slogan amongst people that has its origins around this hotel. Object moving and light orbs are often seen around the place. Also, locals talk about the ghostly appearance of a young blonde woman with a yellow dress. The Basin Park Hotel also offers tours guided by mediums that will also rundown through the hotel history. The Crescent Hotel is at the very highest point in the county and overlooks Eureka Springs and Ozark Mountains. It keeps most of its architectural design and integrity over time and it is filled with ghost stories. Not only that it is renowned as being the most haunted place in Arkansas but also amongst the most haunted places in the United States. It is said that it has several different ghost sightings and guests report seeing full-body apparitions, hearing strange noises and having weird sensations. If you are interested in finding the perfect place to take your ghost hunting adventures to a new level, or you feel like experiencing some well put together haunted houses that can raise your heart rate, give you the thrills and chills. Or maybe you just want to find the ideal place to experience the halloween spirit with you friends and family. Arkansas sounds like the ideal place that has it all. |
Theresa Hus
Theresa Hus is a member of the content team at The OFFICIAL Real Estate Agent Directory®, producing countless informative and trendy real estate articles for RealEstateAgent.com and its many outlets. Archives
April 2024
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