The Town of Arlington was originally settled in 1635 as a village under the name Menotomy and remains proud of its history, even as it has grown into a thoroughly modern community. The birthplace of Uncle Sam, the location of the first public children's library, and the site of most of the fighting when the British marched through it returning from the Old North Bridge, Concord at the start of the Revolutionary War, Arlington has preserved many of its historical buildings and even recreated its town common. Once a thriving agriculture and mill town, Arlington's excellent access to metropolitan Boston has made it a very desirable place to live. Its diverse population has demanded good schools and recreation facilities which has made it attractive to families. The city is bordered by the Mystic River and the Mystic Lakes with commercial development centred along Massachusetts Avenue. Residences are located on the flat former agricultural land in East Arlington and on the slopes (Arlington Heights) on either side of the east-west Massachusetts Ave corridor. Arlington residents have easy access to Boston and Cambridge by car (along Massachusetts Ave or Route-2), numerous bus routes or the red-line subway at Alewife.

Arlington is categorized by MAPC as a Streetcar Suburb. These communities comprise village and transit-oriented residential neighbourhoods with a mix of single family homes, 2 - 4 family houses, and mid-sized multifamily housing. New growth occurs through limited redevelopment and infill and expansion of existing structures. More affluent than the Metro Core, the population is moderately diverse and stable, with a growing share of school-age children.