The area around Fort Myer, Arlington County and Alexandria, Virginia, is densely populated. Arlington County has about 221,000 people; Alexandria has a population of about 148,000. The major nearby city is Washington DC, with about 633,000 people. The average commute in Arlington County is about 27 minutes.

Local Housing Rental Prices: The average apartment rent, for a one bedroom apartment in the Arlington County area ranges from $1100 for a one-bedroom to $1800 per month, with a rough median of $1400.

Local Housing Purchase Prices: The average price for a detached house in Arlington County is about $667,000, compared to $331,000 for Virginia.

Short Description of the Area: Arlington County is southwest of Washington DC, on the western bank of the Potomac River. Overall the county has low rolling plains, and is a mix of parkland and dense urban neighborhoods. Arlington County has a deep US history, with settlement going back to the mid-1700s; this part of Virginia was a theater in the War of Independence, the War of 1812, and was an important strategic site in the US Civil War.

Climate and Weather: Arlington County is a little rainy and has snowy winters but is about usually sunny . Summers tend to be humid for Virginia. Summer temperatures range from the low 90s to low 70s, and winter temperatures from the mid-50s to high 20s.

Cool Features Near Post: Arlington has several parks, and many national monuments, parks, memorials, and historic sites. Only a few are mentioned here. Arlington and Alexandria also have a fairly large amount of parkland, suitable for walks, picnics, and casual sports. Some of these are linked by the Mt. Vernon Trail, a hiking-biking trail along much of the Potomac River.

Transportation: Much of the area is a walkable and bikeable city, with readily available mass transit through the Washington DC area. The Metro and bus system can generally get riders where they are going, close to anywhere in the greater city, and into the suburbs.

Washington DC is at the southern end of the BosWash Northeast megalopolis urban corridor, and connected to Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and the rest of the urban Northeast by road and Amtrak rail (Acela makes the route fast).