Author: Scott McCaffrey

A Northern Virginia native, Scott McCaffrey has four decades of reporting, editing and newsroom experience in the local area plus Florida, South Carolina and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. He spent 26 years as editor of the Sun Gazette newspaper chain. For Local News Now, he covers government and civic issues in Arlington, Fairfax County and Falls Church.

News

Alexandria’s jobless count has remained above 3,000 for nearly a full year

By Scott McCaffrey
Job interview (via Tim Gouw/Unsplash)

The number of Alexandria residents among the ranks of the unemployed stayed above 3,000 for the 11th consecutive month in March, according to new state data.

The 3,333 Alexandrians reported as seeking work in March was up 14.8% from 2,902 a year before, according to figures reported May 19 by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.

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More public input on Route 7 bus improvements sought as planning moves toward Alexandria

By Scott McCaffrey
F20 Metrobus service runs from Tysons east to Alexandria (photo courtesy of NVTC)

As planning efforts move eastward toward Alexandria, the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) has embarked on a new round of community engagement in its Envision Route 7 effort to upgrade transit options.

Both in-person and online opportunities will be available over the next month, focused on the eastern portions of what will become a 14-mile bus rapid transit (BRT) line running from Tysons to Alexandria’s Mark Center.

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News

Alexandria sees homelessness increases among youth and Black residents

By Scott McCaffrey
Volunteers and human services personnel spread out across the region on Feb. 4 for 2026 the Point-in-Time Survey of homelessness (via Council of Governments)

Alexandria posted a significant year-over-year increase in the number of residents counted as homeless, with major upticks in the number of Black residents and children experiencing homelessness, according to new data.

A total of 189 people across the city were tabulated as experiencing homelessness in the 2026 Point-in-Time Survey, conducted in early February across the Washington region.

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Buyers, sellers active as Alexandria sees strong April home sales data

By Scott McCaffrey
Townhomes on the Potomac River in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria real estate market saw a strong start to spring, with April sales up 33% year over year.

A total of 217 properties went to closing during the month, according to data from MarketStats by ShowingTime.

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News

Alexandria’s unemployment rate eases but remains elevated in new data

By Scott McCaffrey
Help wanted sign (photo by Eric Prouzet/Unsplash)

Though still up more than 50% from the final days of the Biden administration, the total number of Alexandria residents recorded as unemployed in February was the second lowest over the preceding year.

A total of 3,323 city residents were counted as seeking jobs in February data reported last week by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.

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Median Alexandria rent grows from start of year but still lags 2025 figures

By Scott McCaffrey
Notch 8 apartments in Potomac Yard (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria’s median apartment rent rose for the fourth consecutive month in April but stands 3% lower than at the same point in 2025, according to new data.

The median apartment rental rate was $2,224 for the month — $2,040 for one-bedroom units and $2,506 for two bedrooms — according to new data from Apartment List.

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News

Alexandria’s unemployment rises nearly 34% year over year in latest data

By Scott McCaffrey
The Alexandria skyline (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Unemployment among city residents rose by one-third year over year to start 2026, according to new state data.

A total of 3,656 Alexandria residents were reported as seeking jobs in January, according to figures released April 16 by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.

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Alexandria DAR chapter celebrates preservation of historic boundary marker

By Scott McCaffrey
DAR leaders at Boundary Stone SW8 rededication (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

An Alexandria patriotic organization last week rededicated one of the original D.C. boundary stones, which its members have cared for over the past three-quarters of a century.

Members of the Dr. Elisha Dick chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution held a rededication ceremony April 10 for Boundary Stone Southwest 8.

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Alexandria’s home sales stable, prices see mixed results in early 2026

By Scott McCaffrey
Real estate home interior (via Francesca Tosolini/Unsplash)

First-quarter home sales were flat across Alexandria while pricing data was mixed, according to new data.

A total of 401 city properties went to closing between Jan. 1 and March 31, up three homes — 0.8% — from the 398 transactions during the same period a year before, according to data reported April 11 by MarketStats by ShowingTime.

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Alexandria’s apartment rents are rising again but remain below 2025 costs

By Scott McCaffrey
The Stratford apartment complex at Southern Towers (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria’s median apartment rental rate in March was up 2.5% during the first quarter of 2026 but remains 2.7% below where it stood a year ago.

The median citywide rental rate was $2,032 for one-bedroom units, $2,497 for two bedrooms and $2,219 overall, according to figures reported March 30 by Apartment List.

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Alexandria home sales are solid, but Iran war tensions add uncertainty

By Scott McCaffrey
Couple moves into new home (via Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash)

A modestly solid start to home sales across the city in 2026 could be complicated by Middle East war anxiety.

Home sales in Alexandria totaled 116 for February, according to figures reported March 10 by MarketStats by ShowingTime. That’s up 1.8%, from sales in February 2025.

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