Tax per $100: Arlington $1.053, Falls Church $1.18, Alexandria $1.135, Washington $0.85 for homes. Schools, home values, commute and services compared.
Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Tax rates come from each government’s own pages: Arlington County, the City of Falls Church, the City of Alexandria and the DC Office of Tax and Revenue. Virginia school ratings come from each school’s Virginia School Quality Profile and the state’s 2026-27 framework summary for Arlington; home values from the Zillow Home Value Index (Zillow Research); population, income, home value and commute from the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates (QuickFacts: Arlington, Falls Church, Alexandria, Washington).
Arlington’s three nearest city neighbors are three different kinds of government, and which one a home is in decides the tax bill, the schools and who answers a 911 call. Arlington is a county governed by its County Board, with no city inside it. The city of Falls Church, about four miles west, and the city of Alexandria, about four miles south, are independent cities that belong to no county. Washington, about five miles east across the Potomac River, is the District of Columbia, outside any state.
What this means for you
- Real estate tax per $100 of assessed value: Arlington $1.053, Falls Church $1.18, Alexandria $1.135, Washington $0.85 for most homes
- Schools: Arlington Public Schools, Falls Church City Public Schools, Alexandria City Public Schools or DC Public Schools
- Typical home value, September 2026 (Zillow): Arlington $802,232, Falls Church $1,160,523, Alexandria $673,546, Washington $567,289
- Check an address first: a “Falls Church” or “Alexandria” mailing address is often in Fairfax County
Real estate tax rates
| Place | Rate per $100 | What it covers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington County | $1.053 | 2026 base rate, adopted April 22, 2026 | Arlington County |
| Falls Church (city) | $1.18 | fiscal 2027, from July 1, 2026, down from $1.185 | City of Falls Church |
| Alexandria (city) | $1.135 | 2026; refuse and stormwater fees billed separately | City of Alexandria |
| Washington, DC | $0.85 | Class 1A residential; Class 1B homes pay $1.00 on value above $2.558 million | DC Office of Tax and Revenue |
Arlington has no city layer, and Falls Church and Alexandria are outside any county, so each rate is the whole local real estate tax. At these rates, a home assessed at $700,000 would owe about $7,371 a year in Arlington, $8,260 in Falls Church, $7,945 in Alexandria and $5,950 in Washington before its homestead deduction. Arlington also taxes office, retail and hotel property at a higher rate; see our property tax guide.
None of the three Virginia governments offers a general homestead exemption; each runs relief programs for older and disabled owners. Washington’s Office of Tax and Revenue lists a homestead deduction, senior citizen tax relief and trash credits that can reduce a home’s bill.
Chart: tax rates
High schools
Virginia’s ratings below are each school’s School Performance and Support Framework category and score for 2026-27, based on 2025-26 results, and every Virginia school listed is Fully Accredited. Washington rates its schools on its own scale, the DC School Report Card, so its scores cannot be set beside Virginia’s.
| School | Division | Performance level | Framework score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yorktown High | Arlington | Distinguished | 100.3 |
| Washington-Liberty High | Arlington | Meets Expectations | 92.2 |
| Wakefield High | Arlington | Approaching Expectations | 88.9 |
| Meridian High | Falls Church City | Distinguished | 100.13 |
| Alexandria City High | Alexandria City | Approaching Expectations | 81.16 |
Every Falls Church address is zoned for Meridian High and every Alexandria address for Alexandria City High. In Arlington the high school depends on the address: our neighborhoods guide shows which zones cover each area, and our schools guide has the division’s calendar and ratings.
Home values
| Place | September 2026 | September 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington County | $802,232 | $792,084 | up 1.3% |
| Falls Church | $1,160,523 | $1,100,374 | up 5.5% |
| Alexandria | $673,546 | $660,906 | up 1.9% |
| Washington | $567,289 | $571,375 | down 0.7% |
The figures are Zillow’s Home Value Index county-level series, which for Falls Church and Alexandria covers exactly the independent city and for Washington the whole District. It is a modeled typical value for mid-priced homes, not a sale price. Zillow’s city-level series for Arlington, used on our home prices guide and neighborhood pages, was $801,809 for the same month.
Chart: home values
People, income and commute
From the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates, the same vintage for all four:
| Place | Population | Median household income | Median home value | Mean travel time to work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington County | 236,254 | $142,114 | $895,000 | 26.2 minutes |
| Falls Church | 14,710 | $143,262 | $1,055,600 | 28.7 minutes |
| Alexandria | 156,976 | $119,681 | $735,100 | 28.4 minutes |
| Washington | 681,294 | $109,870 | $737,100 | 30 minutes |
The Census median home value is what owners estimate their homes are worth, so it differs from Zillow’s index.
Who provides services
| Service | Arlington | Falls Church | Alexandria | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Police | Arlington County Police Department | Falls Church Police | Alexandria Police Department | Metropolitan Police Department |
| Trash | County curbside collection (our guide) | City curbside service, run by contractor American Disposal Systems | City curbside collection, $500 a year on the tax bill | Department of Public Works |
| Schools | Arlington Public Schools | Falls Church City Public Schools | Alexandria City Public Schools | DC Public Schools |
| Local government | County Board | City Council | City Council | Mayor and Council of the District of Columbia |
How to check an address
- Which government is it in? Search the parcel on Arlington’s property search, Falls Church’s real property database, Alexandria’s real estate search or the DC Office of Tax and Revenue’s MyTax.DC.gov property records. The one that lists it is the one that taxes it; many “Falls Church” and “Alexandria” mailing addresses are in Fairfax County.
- Which school? For Arlington, use the APS boundary locator; for Alexandria, the ACPS Attendance Zone Locator.
- What will the tax be? Multiply the assessed value on the parcel record by the rate above and divide by 100, then add any fees.
All 10 Arlington areas we cover are on our Arlington neighborhoods guide.
Frequently asked questions
Are property taxes lower in Arlington than in Falls Church or Alexandria?
The rate is. Arlington County’s 2026 base real estate rate is $1.053 per $100 of assessed value, against $1.18 in Falls Church for fiscal 2027 and $1.135 in Alexandria for 2026. Washington’s residential rate is $0.85. The bill also depends on each home’s assessment and fees.
Is Arlington a city?
No. Arlington is a county with no incorporated towns or cities inside it, so the Arlington County Board is the local government. Falls Church and Alexandria are independent cities, outside any county.
What is the typical home value in Arlington, Falls Church, Alexandria and Washington?
Zillow’s Home Value Index for September 2026, county-level series: Arlington $802,232, Falls Church $1,160,523, Alexandria $673,546 and Washington $567,289. These are modeled values, not sale prices.
How long is the commute from Arlington?
Arlington workers’ mean travel time to work was 26.2 minutes in the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, against 28.7 in Falls Church, 28.4 in Alexandria and 30 in Washington.
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