Arlington, a Snohomish County city with a small-town feel
Arlington is a small Snohomish County city of close to 20,000 people, about than 50 miles north of Seattle. It has a small-town suburban feel with proximity to both city and rural benefits. “You can get away from the hustle and bustle and have less traffic but still have easy access to shopping, amenities, trails and outdoor recreation," says Amanda Wood, a Realtor with Keller Williams North Seattle.
The natural surroundings are a highlight of the area. "You can go from being waterfront at the coast one moment, to being in the mountains in the next," says Zach Hensrude, president and designated Broker at Re/Max Elite. Downtown Arlington is about 14 miles east of Puget Sound's Port Susan, which has beaches and recreational sites like Kayak Point Regional County Park. The city is set in the Cascade Mountains foothills, with views of Mount Rainier and Mount Pilchuck.
Cast out a line on the Stillaguamish River in Arlington Heights.
Catch a flick at the beautifully restored Olympic Theater in Arlington.
Find a hidden treasure at Sassafras Vintage & Gifts in Arlington.
The Stillaguamish River and the Centennial Trail are Arlington's great outdoors attractions.
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Cascades Foothills scenery, parks, trails and events
Arlington, designated a Tree City in 2003, has more than a dozen parks. Some standouts are the Arlington Rotary Disc Golf Course, the Arlington Skate Park and Haller Park, which has a splash pad. Haller Park hosts several events, including the 4th of July celebration which features the Great Stilly Duck Dash, with rubber ducks racing on the Stillaguamish River. Hikers, cyclists and equestrians enjoy various trails around the city. The Centennial Trail passes through Arlington on its 30-mile route from the Skagit County line to the City of Snohomish. The Portage Creek Wildlife Reserve and the Country Charm Conservation Area each offer over 100 acres of preserved open space and wildlife habitats.
Arlington Heights' Twin Rivers Park features a wooded disc golf course.
Haller Park in Arlington has play areas, trails, a water park and sidewalk art.
Go for a bike ride or walk on the Centennial Trail that runs through Arlington.
Country Charm Conservation Area is home to acres of wild area on the outskirts of Arlington.
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Shopping in Old Town, Smokey Point or the outlets
Olympic Avenue is the main street through the walkable, historical district of Old Town Arlington. “It’s very family oriented with a lot of small, family owned businesses," Wood says. Old Town is known for cafes, diners, boutiques and antique stores. Arlington Hometown Holidays is held here during December and includes a carousel, Ferris wheel and a covered, outdoor ice-skating rink.
Arlington has a variety of grocery store options, including Safeway and Grocery Outlet. Smokey Point, a neighboring area along the I-5 corridor, has Lakewood Crossing shopping center and an assortment of national brands. According to Hensrude, Smokey Point is known for having more big-box stores than central Arlington. About 10 miles southwest of Arlington, right off I-5, is the Seattle Premium Outlets, with over 120 stores and restaurants.
The Stilly Diner near Arlington Heights is a local hotspot for American diner cuisine.
Walker's Coffee offers a quick, tasty cup of caffeine for Smokey Point residents.
Hometown Holidays in Old Town Arlington is great family fun in the month of December.
Shop 'til you drop at The Seattle Premium Outlets near West Arlington.
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Arlington's transportation features, jobs and commuting
Major roads in the city include state routes 9 and 530, with Interstate 5 meeting 530 about 4 miles west of downtown Arlington. Via I-5, it's about a 45-mile drive to Seattle, though Hensrude says more people would commute to Everett, about 24 miles south. Also part of Snohomish County, Everett is known for jobs in health care and aerospace, such as those with the Boeing Company. People working in Arlington may be based at the Amazon distribution center, an aircraft manufacturer at the airport or one of the industrial parks, the number of which have increased in recent years. To the north, Skagit County has more industrial offerings.
Community Transit buses travel throughout Arlington and the Smokey Point Transit Center is a convenient hub. The Arlington Municipal Airport is a general aviation facility and site for aircraft manufacturing businesses. Everett's Seattle Paine Field International Airport, also called Paine Field and Snohomish County Airport, is served by Alaska Airlines. For flights on other major airlines, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, known as Sea-Tac, is about 60 miles south of Arlington.
Arlington's homes: from manufactured to million-dollar
Arlington's average sales price over 12 months — about $690,000 in late 2024 — was up 9% over the preceding year. The median price of $627,000 is about $200,000 higher than the national average.
There's a broad mix of housing styles in Arlington, and among those, there are spacious contemporaries, ranch-style homes and vintage Craftsmans, some of which are in Old Town Arlington. Among the new construction, there's the Bridgemont community on the east side, with contemporary single-family homes from the mid-$800,000s and up. Around the public Gleneagle Golf Course, these are larger, traditional homes with multicar garages. Million-dollar homes in Arlington generally range from 2,000 to 4,500 square feet.
Though single-family homes are most common, there also are townhouses, condominiums and manufactured homes, which are at the low-end of the price range: typically, less than $100,000. Arlington Heights, northeast of the city, stands out as a more secluded area for more rural living with opportunities to own larger parcels of land.
Ranch-style homes can be spotted throughout Arlington Heights.
Beautiful craftsmen homes are a popular choice in West Arlington.
Contemporary homes surrounded by nature are highly sought after in West Arlington.
Arlington Heights has beautiful traditional homes with large, equestrian-style plots.
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Public schools include Arlington High and choice school Weston High
The Arlington Public Schools district earns an overall B grade from Niche and has about 5,500 students. Most students graduate from Arlington High School (AHS), which features an agriculture building, a sports medicine lab and numerous extracurricular activities. Each year, the Stilly Cup, named for the Stillaguamish River, reignites the football rivalry between Arlington and Stanwood High. Arlington High's state-of-the-art Byrnes Performing Arts Center showcases student productions and hosts other performances and events. Weston High School, an application-based choice school, offers an alternative learning program with a different type of class credit system.
Cougar Creek Elementary School provides an excellent education for a better tomorrow.
Post Middle School offers an exceptional education and sports programs.
Weston High School prepares students for graduation and beyond.
Arlington High is rated a B+ overall by Niche.
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Weather west of the Cascades, crime data for the city
Arlington has relatively mild seasonal variations, though precipitation can be higher than elsewhere in the state. Generally, locations west of the Cascade Mountains tend to be cooler and wetter than those on the east. Summers can be warm, but the influence of the coast and the mountains keep temperatures moderate.
FBI data shows the city’s crime violent crime rate at the end of 2023 was about 32% higher than the statewide rate, but in step with the national rate. The property crime rate was about 18% lower in Arlington than in the state overall, though about 12% higher than seen nationwide.
Rigo is a real estate agent with Professional Realty Services in Bellevue, WA, and the state of Washington area, providing homebuyers and sellers with professional, responsive and attentive real estate services. Want an agent who'll really listen to what you want in a home? Need an agent who knows how to effectively market your home, so it sells? Give him a call! He's eager to help and would love to talk to you.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
