The 6 Best Neighborhoods in North Arlington for Families Moving from DC
Last Updated: April 7, 2026
Most neighborhood guides give you adjectives. This one gives you numbers, school names sourced directly from GreatSchools.org, and an honest opinion on who each neighborhood is actually right for.
If you are a DC professional with a growing family looking at North Arlington, you already know the basics: strong schools, a manageable commute, and more space than your current place. What you need is specifics. We have sold more homes in Arlington than any other team for three consecutive years. Here is where we actually send our clients.
TL;DR / Quick Summary
- Westover: $1.2M to $2.2M. Walkable village feel, farmers market, 15 minutes to DC. Best for Capitol Hill and Petworth families.
- Yorktown: $1.6M to $2.8M. Strong school cluster, bigger lots, near Lee Harrison Shopping Center. Best for school-first families.
- Williamsburg: $1.8M to $3M. Most new construction options in North Arlington. Best for buyers who want new builds in a great school cluster.
- Lyon Village: $1.8M to $4M. Highest price per square foot in Arlington. Walk to Clarendon metro. Best for buyers who want city energy and neighborhood feel.
- Donaldson Run: $1.6M to $3.5M. The hidden gem. Winding streets, character homes, Taylor Elementary rated 9 on GreatSchools.org. Best kept secret at $2.5M and above.
- Cherrydale: $1.4M to $2.8M. Neighborhood feel, semi-walkable, Glebe Elementary rated 9. Best for families who want quality without the top-of-market price.
Westover / $1.2M to $2.2M
Schools per GreatSchools.org: Cardinal Elementary (8), Swanson Middle (6), Yorktown High (9). Commute to Washington DC: 15 minutes.
Westover has a farmers market every Saturday that the neighborhood turns out for. Not a trend, a tradition that has been running for decades. People know each other here. There is a local restaurant strip that fills up on weekends with people who live two blocks away, not people who drove in from somewhere else.
If you are coming from Petworth or Capitol Hill and the walkable village feeling is non-negotiable, Westover is the closest thing to it in North Arlington. The commute keeps Washington DC within reach without feeling like you have moved to the suburbs. 15 minutes to the city. You keep the energy. You gain the space and the schools.
Best for: DC families coming from walkable neighborhoods who want to keep that feel while gaining space and access to strong schools.
Yorktown / $1.6M to $2.8M
Schools per GreatSchools.org: Discovery Elementary (8), Williamsburg Middle (8), Yorktown High (9). Commute to DC: 20 minutes.
Yorktown is where families go when schools are the number one priority and they are ready to make a 10-year decision. Bigger lots, more new construction, quieter streets. Right by Lee Harrison Shopping Center, which gives you a grocery store, restaurants, and everyday errands without getting on a highway.
The tradeoff is metro distance. Yorktown sits further from the metro than Clarendon or Ballston. For families whose daily commute is by car, that is an easy trade. For daily metro commuters, it is worth factoring in before you fall in love with a house.
Best for: School-first families making a long-term decision who do not depend on the metro for their daily commute.
Williamsburg / $1.8M to $3M
Schools per GreatSchools.org: Nottingham or Discovery Elementary (both rated 8, address-dependent), Williamsburg Middle (8), Yorktown High (9). Commute to DC: 20 minutes.
Williamsburg is where builders go because the lots are prime for new construction. If schools and a brand new home are your two non-negotiables, this is the neighborhood with the most inventory. More new construction options here than almost anywhere else in North Arlington. Builders know it. Buyers who have done their research know it.
One thing we always tell buyers here: verify your exact address for the school feed before you commit to a home. Both Nottingham and Discovery Elementary are strong, but the feeds are not identical and the specific street matters.
Best for: Buyers who want brand new construction in a strong school cluster and have flexibility on which new build they choose.
Lyon Village / $1.8M to $4M
Schools per GreatSchools.org: Arlington Science Focus Elementary (7) or Innovation Elementary (6) depending on address, Dorothy Hamm Middle (7), Washington-Liberty High (6). Commute to DC: 10 to 15 minutes.
Lyon Village commands the highest price per square foot in Arlington. What buyers are paying for is real: walkability to the Clarendon metro, restaurants and coffee shops on foot, and a genuine neighborhood feel all in the same package. Craftsman bungalows mixed with newer construction on the same block. It does not feel like you have left Washington DC.
For buyers who will not choose between city energy and a house they are proud of, Lyon Village is the answer. The school ratings are lower than Yorktown and Williamsburg. That is the honest tradeoff for the location premium.
Best for: Metro-dependent commuters and buyers who prioritize walkability and urban energy over school ratings.
Donaldson Run / $1.6M to $3.5M
Schools per GreatSchools.org: Taylor Elementary (9), Dorothy Hamm Middle (7), Yorktown High (9). Commute to DC: 20 to 25 minutes.
Most DC buyers have never heard of Donaldson Run. Winding streets, mature tree canopy, homes with actual character and not the same floor plan repeated on every block. At the $2.5M and above level, this is consistently where we send buyers who tell us they do not want something that looks like every other new build in Northern Virginia.
Taylor Elementary rates a 9 on GreatSchools.org, one of the highest elementary ratings in Arlington. That combination of character, privacy, and a top-rated elementary school makes Donaldson Run the best-kept secret at this price point.
Best for: Luxury buyers at $2M and above who want homes with character, strong schools, and privacy without the cookie-cutter new construction feel.
Cherrydale / $1.4M to $2.8M
Schools per GreatSchools.org: Glebe Elementary (9), Dorothy Hamm Middle (7), Washington-Liberty High (6). Commute to DC: 15 minutes.
If you want a neighborhood feel but still want to be semi-walkable, Cherrydale is a great option. Close to Ballston, people know their neighbors, and you are not paying the premium that comes with some of the other neighborhoods on this list. Glebe Elementary rates a 9 on GreatSchools.org, one of the strongest elementary feeds in North Arlington.
Cherrydale gives you North Arlington quality at a price point that does not require pushing your budget to its limit. For families who want to be in the county without overpaying for a zip code, this is the neighborhood that consistently gets overlooked.
Best for: Families who want North Arlington quality and a strong elementary school without the top-of-market price tag.
Ready to Find Your Neighborhood?
Every block in these neighborhoods changes. Homes trade off-market. School feeds shift by street. The difference between getting this right and getting it wrong at the $2M and above level is not information. It is knowing which information to trust.
We have been the number one team in Arlington by sales volume for three consecutive years. We know what is coming to market before it hits Zillow, and we will give you an honest opinion even when it is not what you want to hear.
If you want a straight answer about which neighborhood is right for your family, text Blake directly at 703-350-8800. Tell us your timeline and your top priority and we will tell you exactly where to look.
Resources & Next Steps
- Search the Market: View all Homes for Sale in Arlington
- Go New Construction: Explore Arlington New Builds
- Neighborhood Deep Dive: The Complete Arlington Neighborhood Library
- Eat Like a Local: Our 2026 Arlington Food & Drink Guide
- Join the Club: Get Access to the Local Perks Club
- Let’s Talk Strategy: Book a Discovery Call with The Davenport Group