Any search for property in the greater Boston area will certainly include Arlington, MA real estate. Founded more than 350 years ago, Arlington is a residential suburb in Mill Valley about eight miles from downtown Boston. Many of its historic buildings have survived the years, and its town common has been rejuvenated. It is the birthplace of Uncle Sam and George Grant, inventor of the golf tee. An investment in Arlington, MA real estate generally pays off in more ways than one.

Numbers Behind Arlington, MA Real Estate

At the 2000 US census, Arlington's population numbered 42,389, of whom 19,679 were male and 22,710 were female. Some 14 percent of the population was foreign born. The median age was 39.5, above the statewide average. Other statistics on Arlington are also above Massachusetts norms. Median income was some $64,000 and median house value $383,000.

Education levels are also high. Those with high school diplomas came to 91.7 percent of the population, those with bachelors degrees to 52.8 percent, and those with graduate degrees to 28.2 percent. The town has three private high schools and one public. There are roughly equal numbers of private and public primary and middle schools.

Actual Arlington, MA real estate numbers are also revealing. In 1996 the town granted 11 single-family home building permits at an average cost of $105,900. In 2002 it granted 20 such permits at an average cost of $169,000. The town had 19,411 houses in 2000, of which 19,011 were occupied, 11,190 by owners and 7,815 by tenants. Of the 19,411 houses, 9,554 were built before 1935. The estimated value of the majority of these houses--5,458--fell between $200,000 and $400,000.