Inexpensive Spots Near Arlington (Fairfax, Tysons Corner: apartments, renting, income)

[Jimwriter]

Ok, I'm sure this has been addressed but given the vast number of posts in the NoVA forum, I'm hoping one or two kind souls will humor me and shoot out some quick answers.

I might have a solid lead for a job in Arlington. I'm doing a little research on the area (Arlington, Falls Church, Tysons Corner...all the nearby communities) and I'm looking at the cost of living. Criminy.

Are there any cities/towns within a comfortable driving distance of Arlington (no more than 40 min.) that offer relatively safe communities with affordable housing?

[claremarie]

Are there any cities/towns within a comfortable driving distance of Arlington (no more than 40 min.) that offer relatively safe communities with affordable housing?

It depends upon what you mean by "affordable." Some areas are more affordable than others, but 40 minutes is not much of a commute in these parts, and since everyone wants safe communities and affordable housing, the huge demand tends to drive up the prices.
However, South Arlington is, as a rule, more affordable than North Arlington. Prince George's County in suburban Maryland is more affordable than Arlington, Fairfax, or Montgomery County (Maryland). But there's a reason for their relative affordability -- for example, the housing stock in South Arlington is older and smaller, there are many more garden and high-rise apartments, there are more low-income and immigrant communities, and there is more crime.

[saganista]

Commute-wise, 40 minutes equates to about 10 miles. There are many safe places within a ten-mile radius of Arlington. There really aren't any that are going to count as being cheaper in the long run than what you've no doubt been seeing. Mostly, you've got pretty expensive, and you've got really expensive. You might look into the idea of renting out someone's spare bedroom or basement space. Quite a bit of that goes on, and it can get you in and on the ground in NoVa with little or no commitment until you have a chance to get a feel for the place and decide where it is that you'd really like to live and whether you can afford it...