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It is widely agreed that Alexandria is a great place to live in Virginia. A calm and serene city on the western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria has a storied history on every cobblestone street. Amazingly beautiful, the city is also a center for culture and opportunities. Moreover, the city is just 7 miles south of Washington D.C., the U.S. capital.
Are you too serious about moving to Alexandria? With tasty dining options, a vibrant culture, and a historical ambiance waiting around every corner, who wouldn’t love to move here?
Relocating to Alexandria is a great idea. But it is also wise to know the city in detail before you pack the bags. There is no place like our Alexandria moving guide where you can find every fact about the city. Our experts have researched in detail about the city and have collated the cost of living, climate, school system, employment options, and neighborhoods along with safety and taxes.
So without wasting much time, let’s delve into the city details and know what makes Alexandria a hot moving destination.
With amazing open spaces, waterfront areas, and entertainment options, Alexandria gives its residents a dense suburban feel. Most residents here own a home and this makes living more fabulous. In addition, the cost of living is also lower here in comparison to Washington D.C., which lies just 7 miles away.
Alexandria is one of the most expensive places to live in Virginia. The cost of living here is 144.7, which means the total cost of housing, food, childcare, transportation, healthcare, taxes, and other necessities is 44.7% higher than the U.S. average. This is also 38.9% higher than the Virginia average. However, it is also interesting to note that the city’s expenses are 6% cheaper than Washington D.C., which lies just 7 miles away.
The city has about 158,185 residents, which means 10,629 people per mile. The city is growing, and so is the population. The proximity to Washington D.C. is a major catch point, and most residents here travel to the U.S. capital every day for jobs. The city is also one of the most highly diverse in terms of race in Virginia. The median age in Alexandria is 37.1, and the number of people per household is 2.2. About 8.6% of the population lives below the poverty line, much lower than the national average.
Alexandria is a growing city in terms of population, and this reflects on the city traffic. And the commute time in the city is one of the highest in the U.S. You may take 31.8 minutes for the average one-way commute in Alexandria, much higher than the U.S. average of 26.4 minutes.
The climate is a major factor that decides your relocation plan. When Alexandria is your new moving location, you need to know that the city has a humid subtropical climate with mild winters and hot, humid summers. Here, summers are typically hot and muggy with temperatures reaching up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit on average during the hottest days of the season. Winters tend to be mild, with temperatures rarely dropping below freezing for more than a few days at a time. The city also gets plenty of sunshine averaging close to 201 sunny days per year.
Alexandria has a list of reasons to be a popular moving destination. The city is splendid, waterfront, and is also an economic center. Moreover, there is no shortage of activities to get engaged in.
And we’ve collated a few positives of the city:
When you are serious about relocating to Alexandria, it is wise to have a list of both the pros and cons of living here. This will help you analyze both and conclude whether living is a good decision. Fortunately, we’ve got the pros and cons of moving to Alexandria to analyze before you make the final call.
After reaching Alexandria, your first priority would be to get a decent house in a good neighborhood. Luckily, Alexandria has many decent neighborhoods where you may search for accommodation. To help you, we’ve prepared a list of the 10 best neighborhoods in Alexandria.
We know how serious your concern is and have researched the best neighborhoods in Mobile. Here are the 10 best neighborhoods in Mobile.
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Vernon | $4,124 | $450,066 |
| 2 | Old Town | $4,300 | $680,000 |
| 3 | Del Ray | $4,880 | $710,000 |
| 4 | Rosemont | $4,950 | $770,000 |
| 5 | North Ridge | $5,120 | $840,000 |
| 6 | West End | $3,800 | $420,622 |
| 7 | Belle Haven | $4,600 | $710,000 |
| 8 | Potomac West | $3,980 | $575,000 |
| 9 | Landmark-Van Dorn | $1,450 | $290,000 |
| 10 | Cameron Station | $4,120 | $520,000 |
The proximity to Washington DC is a major advantage of picking up Alexandria as your new home. However, the same reason shoots up the cost of living. Alexandria is expensive to raise a family as the total cost of housing, food, childcare, transportation, healthcare, taxes, and other necessities is 44.7% higher than the U.S. average and 38.9% higher than the average for Virginia. However, the cost of living is 8% lower than in Washington DC.
We’ve got a break up of the costs of basic things in Alexandria which may give you a general idea.
| Living Expense | Mobile | Alabama | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 144.7 | 104.2 | 100 |
| Grocery | 112.6 | 99.6 | 100 |
| Health | 101.7 | 103.1 | 100 |
| Housing | 200.7 | 112.9 | 100 |
| Median Home Cost | $590,300 | $343,200 | $338,100 |
| Utilities | 97.3 | 99.3 | 100 |
| Transportation | 128.8 | 99.4 | 100 |
| Miscellaneous | 143.9 | 113.7 | 100 |
Many people relocate to Alexandria for job purposes as the city has a booming market backed by a robust economy. The city’s job growth is much higher than the US average and even the unemployment rate is much lower here. We know that you may be keen to know more. To help you, we’ve collated a few job-related facts, which may benefit you.
Here is a breakdown table to better understand the Mobile job market.
| Employment Information | Alexandria | United States |
|---|---|---|
| The income per Cap | $68,640 | $37,638 |
| Household Income | $105,450 | $69,021 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 6% |
| Recent Job Growth | 5.0% | -6.2% |
| Future Job Growth | 40.9% | 33.5% |
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Start My Quote NowAlexandria's job market is robust and has shown steady growth in recent years. It is expected to grow further in the coming years. As you are in the last leg of the relocation process, you may also be keen to know the fast-growing jobs in the city, which will help you analyze relocating there and also, give you the chance to grab the job of your choice. Knowing this, we’ve made a table of the fastest-growing jobs along with the average salary.
| Rank | Job Title | Growth | Average salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nurse practitioner | 147.4% | $133,130 |
| 2 | Physical therapist | 146.1% | $130,290 |
| 3 | Interpreter and translator | 144.5% | $124,600 |
| 4 | Statistician | 139.6% | $111,020 |
| 5 | Web developer | 135.0% | $112,100 |
| 6 | Operations analyst | 131.5% | $131,940 |
| 7 | Occupational therapy assistant | 127.1% | $101,210 |
| 8 | Diagnostic medical sonographer | 122.4% | $105,200 |
| 9 | Veterinary technician | 118.9% | $80,100 |
| 10 | Information security analyst | 112.8% | $141,610 |
When you have a list of the best-paid jobs in Alexandria, it becomes easier to search for one. Realizing this, our experts have got the list of highest-paying jobs in Alexandria and nearby areas.
| Rank | Job Title | Average salary | Entry level salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | President/chief executive officer | $340,810 | $174,230 |
| 2 | Executive vice president | $290,880 | $149,120 |
| 3 | Anesthesiologist | $288,900 | $160,460 |
| 4 | Cardiac surgeon | $241,810 | $140,100 |
| 5 | Finance services director | $248,340 | $181,200 |
| 6 | Psychiatrist | $210,100 | $127,210 |
| 7 | Consultant and sales representative | $201,230 | $144,410 |
| 8 | Hospitalist physician | $196,460 | $141,300 |
| 9 | Assistant secretary | $190,200 | $77,670 |
| 10 | Neurologist | $187,520 | $76,500 |
So what is a decent salary in Mobile? As per the recent stats, any amount above $41,000 is a good salary here. And when you receive $41,000 in your salary account, you’ll be earning more than what half of the population earns here. A good hourly wage in Mobile is $19.71 per hour.
Here are a few informative points related to the average salary and income in Mobile.
As you will be landing in Alexandria in a short time, knowing the best industries will be good as you may also be aspiring to find a job here. Learning the major industries will give an idea about the businesses here and how good your chances are.
Here is a list of major industries in Alexandria, VA
You may prefer working somewhere the policies are employee-friendly and motivating. And when you’re in Alexandria, you’re lucky to have many companies that rank high in employee satisfaction. We’ve researched to find 10 firms for you and can apply for one among them.
Here’s the list.
When you are in the last leg of moving, it is normal to be curious about the salaries as your goal is to have a comfortable life. In Alexandria, you can be confident about the basic package as the city is home to many organizations that offer attractive salaries. Though your pay scale may differ based on the qualification, type of profile, company, and experience, there are many common factors and we thought of giving you some of the basic salary details. Here, the average salary is $105,450. About $97,000 is a good salary here and the cost of living is 44.7% higher than the national average.
Here are a few informative points related to the average salary and income in Alexandria.
As you’ve determined to relocate to Alexandria, you’ll be curious to know the housing cost here. Having an idea about the approximate costs for houses will help you determine whether moving is a good idea. You need to know that housing in Alexandria is costly and an average home may cost about $590,300, much higher than both state and national average. The home prices are also expected to shoot up in the coming years. While about 51.4% of the city residents stay in rented homes, 2.2% of homes in Alexandria are available for rent.
After reaching Alexandria, your initial days will be in rented homes. And that means home rentals play a major role in your life. As you love to know the details of home rentals, we thought of giving them.
You know that the final income is calculated by deducting the different taxes levied on the salary on paper. Knowing the basic cuts by authorities will help you get an idea about the actual take-home salary. You may compare it with your expectations to make a final call on the moving decision. We’ve got the details of different taxes in Alexandria, based on which you can get a clear idea.
Here are a few tax-related facts existing in Alexandria, VA.
Alexandria is culturally rich and is home to many monuments that denote the historic significance of the city. In addition, the city is also scenic and serene, offering unlimited outdoor recreational options. The proximity to Washington DC also makes it easier to explore the national monuments on weekends and holidays. To help everyone who will move here sooner, we’ve prepared a list of the top 10 things you can get hooked up here.
Here are 10 top things to do in Alexandria.
While you have a plan to move to Alexandria, you may be concerned about the safety of the family there. And you are fortunate as the city is much safer than most cities in Virginia. The city’s crime rate is almost half the national average which means you are safer in Alexandria. The crime rate in Alexandria is 11.9 and is safer than 21% of US cities. About 80% of the residents feel absolutely safe here.
To help you know the crime stats in Alexandria, we’ve got a few facts.
Tip:Often, you feel like calculating the moving cost before you connect with a moving company. To help you, we've got a free moving cost calculator.
As you have decided to relocate to Alexandria, you will be curious to know the standard of education and the quality of schools in the city. Alexandria is a major hub of education and you can breathe easy if you’ve got the family with you. To help you, we’ve collated some of the best top-ranked schools and colleges here.
Hayfield Elementary School
Public, K-6 | 685 students | Rating: 8/10
Stratford Landing Elementary School
Public, K-6 | 708 students | Rating: 8/10
Waynewood Elementary School
Public, K-6 | 671 students | Rating: 7/10
John Adams Elementary School
Public, K-5 | 666 students | Rating: 6/10
Island Creek Elementary School
Public, K-5 | 712 students | Rating: 6/10
Twain Middle School
Public, 7-8 | 1,130 students | Rating: 8/10
Glasgow Middle School
Public, 6-8 | 1,923 students | Rating: 7/10
Holmes Middle School
Public, 6-8 | 972 students | Rating: 6/10
Francis C Hammond Middle School
Public, 6-8 | 1,429 students | Rating: 5/10
George Washington Middle School
Public, 6-8 | 1,569 students | Rating: 4/10
Edison High School
Public, 9-12 | 2,151 students | Rating: 8/10
West Potomac High School
Public, 9-12 | 2,664 students | Rating: 7/10
Mount Vernon High School
Public, 9-12 | 2,013 students | Rating: 6/10
Alexandria City High School
Public, 9-12 | 4,173 students | Rating: 5/10
Bryant High School
Public, 9-12 | 193 students | Rating: 3/10
George Washington University
Cornell University
Strayer University
Northern Virginia Community College - Alexandria Campus
Marymount University
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