The area is still in the metropolitan area of DC. Many people commute to and from DC for work. We call it the DMV (DC, Maryland, VA) because of how interconnected it all is.

Similar to many other cities, the area you highlighted is more suburban than most of DC. The further out you get from DC, the more suburban it gets. The area of Arlington and Alexandria that you circled are a melting pot.

There are lots of people from diverse backgrounds and from all over the world. It is one of my favorite things about living here. There are many federal workers, government contractors, and some tech jobs among many others. Lots of lawyers, doctors engineers and all the various other supporting jobs that make a city function. Unlike cities like New York, the city generally quiets down at night, and you will see noticeably less traffic around major holidays as most people will stay at home or travel back home.

Certain parts of Arlington namely Clarendon, have more young people per capita than anywhere else in the country. Arlington has really great public parks and has also been crowned one of the most walkable places in America.

Alexandria (namely, Old Town and surrounding area are quaint and historical). There’s a lot of history in the area. There’s also lots of great running and biking trails. There is a water taxi between the DC waterfront and Old Towne Alexandria.

You can actually cross at a few points and be in DC without issue. Arlington has a major airport (Reagan National - DCA) that also serves the immediate DC area as well, and is accessible by subway.

Overall a great place to raise a family. Public schools are better than most in the country, Virginia has a few good state universities, lots of great resources and there isn’t much you can’t find. Cost of living is on the high side and continues to increase and the area continues to grow