Arlington vs Kirkland
The short version
- Arlington is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 2% lower than in the Kirkland area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $895,000 in Arlington and $1,115,400 in Kirkland.
- Households earn more in Kirkland ($150,414 vs $142,114 median).
- Arlington gets far more snow: 14 inches a year vs 4.
- Arlington has more scorching days: 40 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 2.
- Kirkland is growing faster: +5.7% since 2020 vs +0%.
- Washington has no state income tax on wages; Virginia's top rate is 5.75%.
Side by side
| Arlington, VA | Kirkland, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 236,254 | 97,410 |
| Growth since 2020 | n/a | +5.7% |
| People per square mile | 9,088 | 5,471 |
| Median age | 35.5 | 38.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 77% | 66% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $142,114 | $150,414 |
| Median home value | $895,000 | $1,115,400 |
| Home value to income | 6.3× | 7.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,322 | $2,401 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 108.9 | 111.1 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 151.1 | 151.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $81,700 | $83,300 |
| Homeowners | 41% | 61% |
| Top state income tax | 5.75% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 5.77% | 9.57% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 26.2 | 23.9 |
| Work from home | 35% | 34% |
| Take public transit | 14% | 4% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.3% | 4.6% |
| Poverty rate | 7.4% | 6.1% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 45° / 30° | 47° / 37° |
| July high / low | 90° / 72° | 77° / 57° |
| Precipitation per year | 42 in | 38 in |
| Snowfall per year | 14 in | 4 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 40 | 2 |
| Nights below freezing | 60 | 25 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Low | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 66.8 | 99.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 59% | 56% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.6% | +0.3% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +33.9% | +24.6% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Arlington: April to June and September to October. Kirkland: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Arlington weather by month and Kirkland weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $81,700 in Arlington and $83,300 in Kirkland. Moving from Arlington to Kirkland, you would need about $76,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Arlington and Kirkland
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Arlington and Kirkland.
Which would you pick?
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