Arlington is an urban county of about 26 square miles located directly across the Potomac River from Washington DC.  No incorporated towns or cities lie within Arlington’s boundaries.  Originally part of the area surveyed for the nation’s capital, the portion on the west bank of the Potomac River was returned to the Commonwealth of Virginia by the U.S. Congress in 1846.  This area was known as Alexandria City and Alexandria County until 1920 when the county portion was renamed Arlington County.
Arlington had an estimated population of 200,226 on January 1, 2006, reflecting a 5.2% increase since 2000.  It is among the most densely populated jurisdictions in the country with a population density of about 7,761 persons per square mile–higher than cities such as Seattle, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh.  Arlington’s population is racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse.  About 43% of Arlington’s residents are Hispanic/Latino, African- American, Asian or multi-racial.  More than one-quarter of residents were born outside the United States.  Arlington County public school children speak more than 60 different languages.  Arlington residents are among the most highly educated in the nation.  In 2000, over 60% of adults, age 25 and older had a bachelor’s degree or higher and 30% had a graduate or professional degree.
Although perhaps best known to visitors as the home of the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington boasts high quality residential neighborhoods.  Residents are actively involved in the community.  Arlington has 57 civic associations, dozens of citizen boards and commissions, and over 100 community service organizations.  There are almost 200 public parks and playgrounds, 86 miles of biking/jogging trails, 14 community centers, 5 theaters, and 8 libraries in Arlington for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Arlington’s central location in the Washington DC metropolitan area, its ease of access by car and public transportation, and its highly skilled labor force have attracted an increasingly varied residential and commercial mix.  Arlington has focused high-density commercial and residential development around Metrorail stations in the Rosslyn-Ballston and Jefferson Davis Metro Corridors, while maintaining lower density residential neighborhoods in the rest of the County.
Arlington had an estimated 199,731 jobs as of January 1, 2006.  The federal government is the largest single employer in the County.  Arlington’s top five private employers are Virginia Hospital Center, Verizon, SAIC, Marriott International Inc. and US Airways.  In December 2005, Arlington’s unemployment rate was 2.1%.
Arlington has more private office space than downtown Los Angeles, Atlanta, or Seattle.  In 2005, 837,471 square feet of office space was completed and 368,496 square feet of office space was under construction.  The office vacancy rate in 4th quarter 2005 was 9.6%, but the vacancy rates in some office markets, including Rosslyn, Clarendon/Court House, Virginia Square, and Pentagon City, were significantly lower.
Arlington’s tax base is approximately evenly divided between commercial and residential properties, enabling the County to maintain one of the lowest property tax rates in the Washington DC region.  In 2005, the tax rate was $0.878 per $100 of assessed value.