Arlington County Virginia Government

Arlington County occupies 26 square miles on the western bank of the Potomac River, making it the smallest self-governing county by land area in the United States (according to the U.S. Census Bureau). Despite that footprint, the county holds a population of approximately 238,643 residents as of the most recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates, producing one of the highest population densities of any jurisdiction in Virginia. That combination — minimal land, dense population, and direct proximity to Washington, D.C. — shapes every dimension of the county's governing structure.

County Government Structure

Arlington operates under the County Manager Plan, one of two optional forms of county government authorized under the Virginia Code. Under this plan, a five-member elected County Board holds all legislative and policy authority, while a professional County Manager appointed by the Board administers day-to-day operations. This structure separates political accountability from administrative execution — a design the National League of Cities identifies as characteristic of high-capacity urban counties nationwide.

The Arlington County Board sets tax rates, adopts the annual budget, enacts local ordinances, and appoints the County Manager, County Attorney, and members of advisory commissions. Board members serve four-year staggered terms. Elections are nonpartisan in format but conducted under Virginia's standard electoral calendar, administered by the Virginia Department of Elections.

Arlington has no separate municipal governments within its borders. Unlike most Virginia counties, it contains no incorporated towns or cities. All municipal-level functions — zoning, public works, parks, schools, police, and courts — fall under unified county authority. The Arlington County Public Schools system operates as a legally separate entity governed by an elected School Board, but it remains fiscally dependent on County Board appropriations.

The County Manager and Administrative Departments

The County Manager leads more than 30 departments and offices organized under the Arlington County government umbrella. Major operational departments include:

Department of Environmental Services — manages transportation infrastructure, utilities, and solid waste
Department of Human Services — consolidates health, mental health, aging, and social services under a single administrative roof, a structure relatively rare among Virginia jurisdictions
Arlington County Police Department — provides primary law enforcement with jurisdiction over the full 26-square-mile footprint
Department of Parks and Recreation — administers more than 170 parks and recreational facilities

The County Manager position is a professional appointment, not an elected office. The manager reports directly to the five Board members and can be removed by Board majority vote at any time.

Legislative and Regulatory Authority

Arlington County's ordinance-making power derives from the Dillon Rule, which governs all Virginia local governments. Under the Dillon Rule, localities possess only those powers expressly granted by the Virginia General Assembly, those necessarily implied by granted powers, and those indispensable to the declared purposes of the local government (according to the Virginia Association of Counties). This contrasts with home-rule jurisdictions in Maryland or the District of Columbia, where local governments hold broader inherent authority.

The Arlington County Code, accessible through the Virginia Division of Legislative Services, contains the county's local ordinances governing land use, zoning, business licensing, noise regulations, and public safety. Zoning administration represents one of the Board's most consequential ongoing functions, as the county manages significant transit-oriented redevelopment corridors along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and the Route 1 corridor.

Fiscal Structure

Arlington County operates on an annual General Fund budget. The FY2024 adopted budget totaled approximately $1.56 billion across all funds (according to Arlington County). The real property tax rate is set annually by the County Board and constitutes the primary local revenue source. As of FY2024, the residential real property tax rate stood at $0.973 per $100 of assessed value (according to Arlington County).

The county does not levy a local income tax — Virginia law reserves individual income taxation to the state. Local business taxes, meals taxes, and transient occupancy taxes supplement real property revenues.

Regional Coordination

Arlington participates in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG), the regional planning body that coordinates transportation, environmental, and emergency management policy across the Washington MSA (metropolitan statistical area 47900). MWCOG membership includes the District of Columbia, 22 local governments, and 2 state governments — Virginia and Maryland.

Transit connectivity is managed primarily through WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority), the bi-state compact agency that operates Metrorail and Metrobus service across the region. Arlington contains 11 Metrorail stations across 3 lines — Orange, Blue, and Silver — concentrated along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. Arlington's annual WMATA subsidy contribution is set through the regional compact formula and approved annually by the County Board as part of the capital and operating budget process.

Economic Profile

Arlington Economic Development functions as the county's official economic development agency, operating under contract with the county government. The county's commercial tax base is substantial: Amazon's HQ2 development in National Landing adds approximately 25,000 projected jobs to the corridor, representing one of the largest single economic development commitments in the county's history. The defense and federal contracting sector anchors employment, with the Pentagon — located within county boundaries — serving as one of the largest single-site employers in the region.

Electoral Administration

All elections in Arlington County are administered by the Virginia Department of Elections in coordination with the Arlington County Electoral Board and General Registrar. The county participates in Virginia's statewide voter registration system. County Board elections occur in odd-numbered years on the November general election date.

References

The law belongs to the people. Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 590 U.S. (2020)

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