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Barcroft

Barcroft

Neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia

Arlington County 22204

Neighborhood Reviews
4.3
$971,341 Average Value
$496 Average Price per Sq Ft
5 Homes For Sale

Residential community resting between Arlington Boulevard and Columbia Pike

Barcroft is a historic residential neighborhood in Arlington centrally located on several major commuter roads. It was established in 1903 and named for Dr. John Woolverton Barcroft, an inventor and physician who operated a mill in the area. Barcroft's active civic association, the Barcroft School & Civic League, has been in continuous operation since 1907. The neighborhood's appeal comes from its general affordability compared to other areas of Arlington, its smooth access to D.C. for commutes, and its proximity to retail along roads like Columbia Pike. Locals here can have a genuine suburban experience living at home and connection to the Washington and Old Dominion Trail while being a few minutes' drive from Arlington's city attractions, like shopping in Ballston or nightlife in Clarendon.

W&OD Trail access and community spaces like Grandma's Creek

The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail is one of Northern Virginia's most popular parks and runs by the homes of many Barcroft residents, who have even built the 9th Street and South Buchanan Community Garden beside the trail. Built on the former Washington & Old Dominion Railroads, this trail runs for 45 miles. It cuts through many large Arlington parks like Glencarlyn Park, Bluemont Park and Bon Air Park further north, allowing residents to get out and explore neighboring areas by foot or bike. Arlington Hall West Park covers seven acres for more recreation and features a playground and multi-use field where kids can play tag or toss a ball on the weekends. Alternatively, the more sizable Alcova Heights Park borders the neighborhood to the east and features amenities like a fire pit, volleyball and basketball courts, a picnic shelter, a playground, and more. Doctor's Run Park has a playground and a small walking trail through tall shade trees and rests south of the neighborhood on the other side of Columbia Pike. There are also beloved locales like Grandma's Creek, a small stream that has recently received an EPA grant to protect this watershed landmark in Barcroft. Grandma's Creek was named after a Barcroft grandmother in the early 1900s who would take her family to this cool stream in the hot Arlington summers as a place to relax; almost a century later, this small backyard tributary is dedicated to her and grandmothers everywhere.

Central single-family ramblers, with outlying condos and apartments available

Barcroft comprises detached single-family homes with modest suburban lawn space, but buyers seeking other options can find them here. Katie Loughney, an Associate Broker and Senior Vice President at Compass Real Estate. "It has townhomes, single-family homes, and duplexes, and there's a whole new condo complex in the southwest corner." One-bedroom condos start in the low $200,000s and rise to around $500,000 for two-bedroom, two-bathroom units in a newer building. Single-family homes start in the $800,000s for a modest brick rambler or Cape Cod and reach $1.5 million for a large new Craftsman or renovated four-bed colonial. The single-family homes, placed along gridded streets with a tree or two on each lot, make up Barcroft's center. At the same time, the larger multi-unit housing complexes are located along the neighborhood's perimeter on busy streets like Columbia Pike and Arlington Boulevard. Most homes have driveways, and few have garages, though there's plenty of on-street parking on residential streets. The recent Barcroft Redevelopment plan has been rolled out over the last few years; the plan is meant to maintain and renovate the existing complex of Barcroft Apartments to keep a percentage of units in Barcroft as affordable housing options. Jean-Pierre Lteif, a Realtor with Keller Williams Metro Center, says, “It’s a better value moving here than in North Arlington, as far as the home pricing.”

Columbia Pike is a retail corridor

For groceries, a Harris Teeter was built in the southeast corner of Barcroft in 2020, with an underground parking garage to save ground-level space. Along Columbia Pike are businesses such as an Orangetheory fitness studio, Great Clips hair salon, a veterinarian, and a nail salon. Locals can walk down Columbia to Taqueria La Ceibita, a food truck between South Buchanan Street and South Wakefield Street with birria tacos. Further down Columbia Pike is the Barcroft Shopping Center, which has a laundromat,  a Goodwill thrift store, and a Salvadoran restaurant called Atlacatl and Ayana Ethiopian Market for East African groceries.

Arlington County Public Schools are some of Virginia's most lauded

Parents can send their children to Arlington Public Schools, ranked as the No. 2 best public school district in Virginia by Niche. Barcroft Elementary School is in the center of the neighborhood and rates a B on Niche. Kenmore Middle School holds a B-plus, and Wakefield High School has an A-minus. The Wakefield Warriors basketball team recently won the Liberty District tournament with a record of 20-4, the team's first 20-win season since 2018.

Barcroft civic events and local festivals

The Barcroft School & Civic League maintains community engagement by holding events throughout the year, from annual cleanups for parks like Grandma's Creek to their Fourth of July parade and monthly meetings for members. Their meeting house is in the historic Barcroft Community House, which was initially a Methodist chapel and later used as a one-room schoolhouse. It's now on the National Register of Historic Places and is considered the heart of the neighborhood. Lteif says, “Down the street, they have annual festivals. Columbia Pike also has a farmer’s market on Saturdays.” The Columbia Pike Farmers Market occurs on Saturday mornings year-round just half a mile east in Pike Park, and residents can pick from locally sourced produce, baked goods and artisan crafts. The Columbia Pike Blues Festival has been staged just a mile east of Barcroft every year since 1995 and hosts live performances from blues musicians from all over the country.

Barcroft's houses of worship

Barcroft hosts several churches, with the catholic Holy Martyrs of Vietnam Church resting on South Wakefield Street and featuring ornate architecture like steep, curved tile roofing. Right along Arlington Boulevard to the north is the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, which has dedicated halls for Christian, Buddhist, Islam and Judaic prayer, and all are welcome to worship.

Transportation

The neighborhood is 2 miles from the retail center of Ballston Quarter, which offers more grocery options, dining options like Bartaco, and a Regal Cinemas movie theater. Ballston also has a metro station that is the nearest to Barcroft, offering Orange and Silver Line access through northern Virginia, D.C. and Maryland. For nightlife options, Clarendon is less than 3 miles from Barcroft residents, with the rooftop bar Don Tito's or Clarendon Ballroom and Bar Bao for late-night dancing. Commuters are a 6-mile drive to downtown D.C. along Arlington Boulevard or a 5-mile drive to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Maxwell Olarinde
Written By
Maxwell Olarinde
Tyson Le
Photography Contributed By
Tyson Le
Chris Freeman
Video By
Chris Freeman

Agents Specializing in this Area

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Schools

Source:
GreatSchools: The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process. View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Bob Mathew, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Parks in this Area

Transit

Airport

Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl

13 min drive

Bus

S George Mason Dr Sb & 8th St S Fs

Bus

Columbia Pike & Buchanan St

Bus

Columbia Pike & S Thomas St

Bus

S George Mason Dr & 4th St

Bus

S George Mason Dr & Entr To Natl Guard Ctr

Reviews

Niche Reviews
4.3 6 Reviews
3.0 Niche User
2/10/2015 Niche Review
Hot humid summers and cold bitter winters. Thankfully, in an urban area the effects are mitigated by proximity to government services.
5.0 Current Resident
8/7/2019 Niche Review
We've lived here since 1998. This Great neighborhood has it's own community center, neighborhood events, newsletter and award winning school. Easy access to some of the best parks, bike trails and hiking in the state. Lots of ethnic restaurants, bars and things to do near by.
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Crime and Safety

1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime Barcroft US
Homicide 4 4
Sexual Assault 3 4
Assault with Weapon 3 4
Robbery 5 4
Burglary 3 4
Motor Vehicle Theft 4 4
Larceny 3 4
Crime Score 4 4

Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com

Demographics and Home Trends

Home Trends

Median Price (12 Mo)
$895,000
Median Single Family Price
$909,150
Median Townhouse Price
$850,000
Median 2 Bedroom Price
$529,500
Median 1 Bedroom Price
$315,000
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$496
Number of Homes for Sale
5
Last 12 months Home Sales
24
Months of Supply
2.50
Median List Price
$852,500
Median Discount From 1st List Price
0%
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
1%

Home Facts

Number of Homes in Neighborhood
761
Median Year Built
1950
Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,999
On par with the national average
1,935
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
2,066
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,013
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
654
Average Studio Size Sq Ft
450
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
7,405

Open Houses

  • Sunday, Apr 27
    1 - 3pm

    989 S Buchanan St Unit 221, Arlington, VA 22204

    $429,000

    • 1 Bed
    • 1 Bath
    • 750 Sq Ft
    • 989 S Buchanan St
    • Unit 221

    OPEN SUN 1-3. Unsurpassed in quality and upgrades! Largest 1BR/1BA condo in Trafalgar Flats at 750sf and a condo fee of just $370. The unit comes with 1 garage space and a bonus large, secure storage unit. Open floor plan with high-end features throughout. High ceilings and windows facing SE let in great morning light. Upgrades include luxury flooring, brand new HVAC compressor, upgraded quartz

    Phil Cefaratti Potomac River, Realtors

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Distribution of Home Values

Source: Public Records

Homes for Sale

Homes for Rent

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Bob Mathew, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Average Home Value




Source: Public Records

Property Mix - Square Feet

This Neighborhood Has More Renters

Demographics

Total Population
3,773
Median Age
38
Population Density
16 ppl/acre
Population under 18
24%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
12%
Below the national average
19.1%

Finances

Median Household Income
$151,144
Significantly above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$164,758

Education and Workforce

High School Graduates
84.1%
College Graduates
66.6%
Significantly above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
37.3%
Above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
82%

Weather

Annual Precipitation
42''
Average Winter Low Temperature
31°F
Average Summer High Temperature
89°F
Annual Snowfall
13''

Area Factors

Very Bikeable

Bike Score®

88 / 100

Somewhat Walkable

Walk Score®

65 / 100

Good Transit

Transit Score®

56 / 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score

Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.

Nearby Neighborhoods

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.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Barcroft
Bob Mathew
MXW Real Estate
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