Arlington Is More Diverse — But Deep Income Gaps Remain

ARLINGTON, VA — Arlington became more racially diverse and digitally connected between 2019 and 2024, but substantial disparities in income, poverty and access to remote work persisted, according to a new county report.

The county’s five-year review of its Race and Ethnicity Dashboard found that people of color accounted for 39.6% of Arlington’s population in 2024. The white population represented 60.4%, down from 71.5% in 2019. Arlington’s total population increased 1.2% during the period, from 233,464 to 236,254 residents.

County researchers cautioned that the apparent demographic shift was not caused entirely by people moving into or leaving Arlington. Changes made to the American Community Survey’s race question in 2020 allowed respondents to identify themselves more precisely, resulting in more people being classified as multiracial. The county’s multiracial category increased from 9.1% of the population in 2019 to 19.6% in 2024.

Income And Poverty Gaps Remain

The countywide median household income was $142,114 in 2024, about 4% lower than in 2019 after adjusting the earlier figure for inflation.

White households had the highest median income at $162,762. The median was $119,024 for Asian households, $94,758 for Black households, $94,375 for Hispanic households and $89,910 for multiracial households.

Black households experienced the largest increase, with median income rising 24% from an inflation-adjusted $76,363 in 2019. Despite that gain, Black and Hispanic household median incomes were each about 58% of the white household median. The multiracial household median was about 55% of the white figure.

“We see both meaningful progress and persistent structural disparities that shape residents’ daily life and long-term opportunities,” Community Planning, Housing and Development Director Samia Byrd said in a statement. “Using this data, we will continue to explore the actions needed to expand opportunity and advance equity for all residents.”

The percentage of Arlington residents living below the federal poverty level increased from 6.8% in 2019 to 7.4% in 2024. The 2024 federal poverty threshold for a family of four was about $32,000, according to the report.

The poverty rate remained at 5% among white residents. It increased from 13% to 15% among Black residents and from 12% to 14% among Asian residents. Rates declined from 12% to 9% among multiracial residents and from 11% to 10% among Hispanic residents.

Education And Digital Access Improve

Educational attainment increased among nearly every racial and ethnic group included in the review. In 2024, 77% of Arlington residents age 25 or older held at least a bachelor’s degree, up from 75% in 2019.

The rate reached 87% among white residents, 77% among Asian residents, 54% among Black and multiracial residents and 48% among Hispanic residents. Asian residents were the only group to record a decline, moving from 78% in 2019 to 77% in 2024.

The county also reported a sharp reduction in the number of residents without access to a computing device. The countywide rate fell from 3.5% in 2019 to 1.1% in 2024.

Limited device access fell across every group studied, but disparities remained. In 2024, the rate was 1.9% among Black residents, 1.8% among Hispanic residents and 1.6% among multiracial residents, compared with 0.9% among white residents and 0.5% among Asian residents.

Pandemic Reshapes Arlington Commutes

Working from home increased from 7% of Arlington workers in 2019 to 35% in 2024. Over the same period, the percentage driving alone fell from 51% to 38%, while the share using public transportation dropped from 27% to 14%.

Remote-work rates varied by race and ethnicity. About 38% of white workers and 37% of Asian workers worked from home, compared with 32% of Black workers, 27% of multiracial workers and 23% of Hispanic workers.

The report connected those differences to the types of jobs held by residents. Remote work is more common in higher-paying fields such as professional and technical services, information, finance and management, while lower-paying hospitality, construction, transportation and health care positions often provide less flexibility.

Arlington’s population also grew older during the review period. The number of residents age 65 or older increased 15%, while the population of children younger than 5 declined 15%. Adults between 25 and 44 remained the county’s largest age group, accounting for 39% of residents.

The Race and Ethnicity Dashboard was introduced in 2021 to track demographic and economic indicators using American Community Survey estimates. The county said future reviews will be released on a five-year schedule.

Arlington established Realizing Arlington’s Commitment to Equity after the County Board adopted an equity resolution in September 2019. The initiative is intended to identify and reduce racial disparities in county policies, practices, services and community engagement.