Arlington vs Newton
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $895,000 in Arlington and $1,264,900 in Newton.
- Households earn more in Newton ($190,304 vs $142,114 median).
- Arlington has the warmer winter: January highs of 45°F vs 37°F.
- Newton gets far more snow: 49 inches a year vs 14.
- Arlington has more scorching days: 40 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 14.
- Newton is growing faster: +2% since 2020 vs +0%.
Side by side
| Arlington, VA | Newton, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 236,254 | 90,741 |
| Growth since 2020 | n/a | +2% |
| People per square mile | 9,088 | 5,090 |
| Median age | 35.5 | 42.1 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 77% | 81% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $142,114 | $190,304 |
| Median home value | $895,000 | $1,264,900 |
| Home value to income | 6.3× | 6.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $2,322 | $2,370 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 108.9 | 108.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 151.1 | 148.4 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $81,700 | $81,200 |
| Homeowners | 41% | 70% |
| Top state income tax | 5.75% | 9% |
| Combined sales tax | 5.77% | 6.25% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 26.2 | 26.6 |
| Work from home | 35% | 32% |
| Take public transit | 14% | 8% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.3% | 3.8% |
| Poverty rate | 7.4% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 45° / 30° | 37° / 23° |
| July high / low | 90° / 72° | 82° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 42 in | 44 in |
| Snowfall per year | 14 in | 49 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 40 | 14 |
| Nights below freezing | 60 | 92 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Low | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 66.8 | 96.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 59% | 71% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.6% | +2.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +33.9% | +39.7% |
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. Newton: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Arlington weather by month and Newton 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 $81,200 in Newton. Moving from Arlington to Newton, you would need about $74,600 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Arlington and Newton
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 Newton.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.