Arlington has no shortage of trusted family physicians who see the whole picture — faithfully tracking the health of their patients and supporting them through all of life’s medical ups and downs.
Aurora Hills branch manager Megan Wianecki cuts a cake celebrating the library's 100th birthday (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)
Community leaders and neighborhood residents celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Aurora Hills branch library on Saturday.
Megan Wianecki, manager of the branch library, said the day’s events were not just a celebration of the centennial, but all those who support the library and community.
This regularly scheduled column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. If you would like to work with Eli and his team in Northern Virginia and the greater D.C. Metro area, you can reach him directly at[email protected].
Question: What areas of Northern VA have the most and least expensive new construction homes?
Answer: The biggest and most expensive new builds in Northern VA are in Great Falls and Mclean. Prince William County offers the most affordability, along with the most house and land for your money.
The following data is based on MLS sales of new construction detached homes in Northern Virginia from 2025-June 1 2026.
Great Falls, Mclean, and Everybody Else
The small town of Middleburg is the only city with an average new home price over $3,000,000.
Dumfries and Bristow are the only Northern VA cities where the average new home costs less than $1,000,000
The average price for a new home in Vienna is $22,000 higher than Arlington
How Big Are New Homes?
Most new homes throughout Northern VA come in around 5,000-6,000 finished square feet
Mclean (8,450) and Great Falls (8,700) average nearly 2,000SF more than homes in Vienna, the city with the third largest average new home
Despite having significantly more room to build, homes in Loudoun County and Prince William County are constructed with a “modest” 4,800 finished SF
On average, 5,700 finished SF in Northern VA is filled with 5.4 bedrooms and 5.1 full bathrooms
If Yard and Privacy Matter the Most
The average new home in Prince William County sits on nearly 2.7 acres and provides new home buyers with the lowest cost per acre for a new home
Privacy in your new home is hard to come by in Arlington, Ashburn, Brambleton, Dumfries, and Bristow with average lot sizes under 0.2 acres
Great Falls (1.69) and Oakton (2.07) are the only jurisdictions within Fairfax County with an average lot size over one acre
In Northern VA, the average new home is built on 0.84 acres
County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)
All three Democratic candidates for County Board say they support at least some district-based representation on the governing body.
While the five seats on the Board are all currently at-large, some advocates have called for creating voting districts as part of potential future governance changes. Current County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti and challengers James DeVita and Julie Farnam endorse the concept, at least to some extent.
Sign held at School Board 2025 hearing (courtesy Thomas Jefferson Middle School PTSA)
Significant divisions appear to remain among School Board members on the scope of a planned renovation and addition to Thomas Jefferson Middle School.
Three design concepts — with costs of $130 million, $140 million and $168 million — are still on the table, while at least one School Board member has not given up on the possibility of a complete replacement.
Join Jadin O’Brien, Olympic athlete, 3x NCAA pentathlon champion and 10x All-American (heptathlon) winner for this in-person and virtual 5K. This event is sponsored by The Alex Manfull Fund to raise awareness and advance research on debilitating infection-associated neuroimmune disorders (including PANS and PANDAS) that affect young people. The 5K is part of the organization’s 36 Hours for PANS and PANDAS Advocacy in Motion event. Runners will receive a Finisher’s Medal, Technical (Drifit) Event Shirt and A Chip Timed Event. The event commemorates the life of Alex Manfull, who died at age 26 due to PANDAS. Susan and William Manfull established the Fund in their daughter’s name with the vision that no life ever again be cut short—or interrupted—by these illnesses. Learn more at TheAlexManfullFund.org.
“Our Lady of Exxon” in Rosslyn (courtesy George Brazier)
Americana Sign Seeks New Home — The National Landing Business Improvement District is working with Arlington County to relocate the neon sign that marked the Americana Hotel, the mid-century Crystal City motel demolished in 2023. “We’re avid fans of the Americana sign,” said BID president Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, who hopes to find it a spot near Long Bridge Park. [WBJ]
Bond Sale Generates Savings — Arlington County issued $169.3 million in general obligation bonds on June 3, with Bank of America winning the competitive sale at a 3.61% average interest rate. Refunding $8.4 million of higher-rate bonds generated $374,000 in debt service savings for the county and schools. [Arlington County]
Acquisition for Local Company — Arlington-based Bloomberg Industry Group has acquired Palo Alto-based Regology, an AI-powered platform that monitors federal, state and international regulations. CEO Josh Eastright said the deal expands how the company supports customers “managing increased regulatory complexity.” [Potomac Tech Wire]
National Night Out Returns — The Arlington County Police Department is inviting neighborhoods, businesses and organizations to host National Night Out events on Tuesday, Aug. 4 from 5-8 p.m. The annual event pairs residents with public safety personnel at cookouts and block parties. Registration is free and due by July 24. [ACPD]
Celebrating Pride Month — There are a number of Pride Month events around the area, including a Pride celebration at the Mosaic District on June 6, a Pride Senior Prom at Central Library on June 12 and the Penrose Pride Parade on June 28. [Arlington Magazine]
A Swimmer’s Comeback — Marymount University senior Miah Lopez, a psychology major, returned to competitive swimming after a nontraditional path that included time away following her brother’s death. She won Rookie Athlete of the Year for the Atlantic East Conference. “It’s never too late to pursue something important to you,” she said. [Marymount]
Gun Purchases Surge in Virginia — Virginia recorded 72,956 firearm background checks in May — more than double the 35,571 from a year earlier — as a state ban on “assault firearms” takes effect July 1, according to Virginia State Police. The new law makes it a misdemeanor to buy, sell or manufacture such weapons. [WJLA]
Optimism for Housing Bill — A bipartisan housing bill backed by Virginia’s congressional delegation is nearing passage, with provisions to convert vacant commercial sites to housing and curb large investors from buying single-family homes. “Never underestimate the ability of Congress to screw up a sure thing,” Sen. Mark Warner (D) said, though he is cautiously optimistic the Senate can finish the deal. [Virginia Mercury]
RGGI Return Draws Warning — Virginia is set to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in July, but the American Action Forum, a center-right policy institute, argues in a new paper that layering carbon pricing on the state’s net-zero mandate is “a recipe for high utility bills.” The group’s energy policy director urged policymakers to delay Virginia’s compliance until at least 2027. [Shuting Pomerleau/X]
It’s Friday — Expect a mix of sun and some clouds today, with a high near 93 and west winds of 2–6 mph. Skies turn partly cloudy overnight with a low around 69. [NWS]
Rendering of proposed arch near Memorial Bridge (via Commission of Fine Arts)
The National Capital Planning Commission has kept alive the triumphal arch that President Donald Trump wants built between the Memorial Bridge and Arlington National Cemetery.
However, the body is requesting more information on how it could potentially impact air travel navigation in the area, as well as other specifics on construction and traffic in the area.
Expect a sunny day with a high of 93°F and calm winds shifting to the west at about 6 mph in the afternoon. Friday night will be partly cloudy with temperatures dropping to around 69°F and a gentle south wind blowing at 3 to 5 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln
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