Where in Arlington to move?

[Anonymous]

We are interested in moving to Arlington for the public schools. Heard that not all of the middle schools are good but that Williamsburg and Swanson are. Which middle schools aren't considered good or are having issues?

[Anonymous]

I think they are all fine, but Swanson and Williamsburg are generally considered "the best" whatever that means. If you want those schools, look in the 22205, 22207, and 22213.

[Anonymous]

Gunston Middle School has not met its minimum standards for several years in a row. The Arlington County schools website has helpful reports that compare % proficiency. Unfortunately, most of the schools that underperform in these reports are in South Arlington. It's a shame because there are some really fantastic houses/neighborhoods there!

[Anonymous]

I live in Westover where Swanson is. I love, love, love the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

I recommend the Waterview Condos above the Palomar Hotel ... incredible views of Georgetown and the river and a beautiful rooftop open terrace. As for the schools ... all I know is the high school is Yorktown ... but trust me, the view is the thing!!!

[Anonymous]

A lot of 22201 feeds into Swanson. Also, 22205 and 22209 (much of which goes to Wmbg, I think).

[Anonymous]

Bump - I have the same question! Also, if we were to buy a house in Arlington, are there any good resources for researching the neighborhoods beyond just looking at a school boundary map?

[Anonymous]

Not sure what type of research you're looking for, but many of the civic associations have web pages: http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/CountyBoard/org/civic.asp

[Anonymous]

Clarendon and Lyon Village area which are close to metro stops are excellent areas to explore if you want to be able to walk to things like Whole Foods. Starbucks, Walgreens, Barnes&Nobles, PotteryBarn, etc.... Lots of families and excellent triad of schools! You will love it!

[Anonymous]

Washingtonian Mag did a "best places to live" sort of things a few years back, and 22205, 22207 were on the list. Really, you're pretty much fine with most of North Arlington and will kind of have to check out which place you like the most. Some are a bit more "neighborhood" like than others, some are closer to the Ballston/Rosslyn/Clarendon corridor and the shopping/restaurants/metros. Most of N. Arlington has a lot to offer.

[Anonymous]

basically, the odd number zip codes are north arlington and the even numbers are south arlington. most, but not all, of north arlington goes to Williamburg and Swanson - although some are at Kenmore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:basically, the odd number zip codes are north arlington and the even numbers are south arlington. most, but not all, of north arlington goes to Williamburg and Swanson - although some are at Kenmore.

Yes, my nieces go to Kenmore and they are in Arlington Forest (22203). It is a more diverse population with more non-native English speaking students, so the test scores are not as high, but the facilities are new and they are happy there. Apparently, they have a great music program if you are interested in that. Overcrowding is a huge issue in N. Arlington as well, so that might be something to consider.

[Anonymous]

Yorktown is higher-ranked than Washington & Lee (and much higher ranked than Wakefield) but I personally like the areas around W&L a lot - definitely a more urban feel with more diversity - and metro accessibility. Yorktown is also pretty lily-white, which makes sense given how much the houses cost in-boundary. Basically, if your budget is $500K or less for a house/townhouse, you're probably going to have to stick to South Arlington. There's some cool houses there, though, and commuting to DC is pretty easy.

A friend of mine who teaches at Wakefield (and who used to teach at their feeder middle school) says that middle school in general is a really rough time for kids and a lot of middle schools - even in good districts - are kind of mediocre.

PP - wouldn't the Waterview condos feed into W&L and not Yorktown? Yorktown is further out and I thought Rosslyn-Ballston fed into W&L.

[Anonymous]

PP - wouldn't the Waterview condos feed into W&L and not Yorktown? Yorktown is further out and I thought Rosslyn-Ballston fed into W&L.

Check the Arlington maps; you don't always go to the closest school.

[Anonymous]

I highly recommend that you check out Hall's Hills/High View Park, in the 22207. We've lived here for several years and absolutely love it. It is a great N. Arlington location, walking distance to Ballston Metro, but less expensive than the rest of the 22207. There are plenty of parks and it is an easy commute to DC and Tysons. There are houses that could be fixer-uppers or could be torn down to build.

High View has a very interesting history in that the whole area was originally a plantation, after the emancipation former slaves were given the opportunity to buy lots and some neighbors have long family history in the area. Today there is no one racial majority. For years, our neighborhood was surrounded by a 10 foot cinder block wall- and there were dirt roads here and no streetlights until Arlington finally paved the roads just around the time of the civil rights movement.