Rosslyn BID 2025 Perception Survey Highlights Safety, Cleanliness, and Convenience as Top Neighborhood Strengths
Residents and Employees Report Strong Satisfaction; Results Guide Strategic Priorities for Growing District in FY26
Rosslyn, VA, November 19, 2025 – The Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID), a 17-block mixed-use, urban hub in the heart of Arlington, Virginia, today announced the findings of its 2025 Perception Survey, a comprehensive community-wide survey of 1,093 residents, employees, visitors, and property owners. The survey captures how these stakeholders experience Rosslyn, and the enhancements they feel would make it an even more vibrant place to live, work, and visit.
Conducted online via SurveyMonkey, the survey revealed safety, cleanliness, and a diverse range of amenities as key strengths, and highlighted community interest in additional gathering spaces, as well as enhanced lighting and décor.
“The Perception Survey is a wonderful opportunity to hear directly from our incredible community and allows us to build on our strengths while further enhancing the quality of life for our residents and employees,” said Mary-Claire Burick, President of the Rosslyn BID. “It’s encouraging that over the years, we’ve seen consistent improvement across categories, including overall engagement and advocacy of Rosslyn.”
When asked to highlight strengths of the BID, 91% of respondents indicated they feel safe during the daytime, and 82% feel safe on weekends. Additionally, 86% of respondents cited the neighborhood’s cleanliness; More than 80% cited Metro access and walkability as a top benefit, and 89% listed the BID’s diverse food scene as a strength.
Additional strengths include:
- Growing Resident Champions: More than 65% of residents recommend living in the neighborhood, reflecting strong community pride, satisfaction, and a sense of belonging.
- Rosslyn's multifamily residential inventory has been on the rise, cementing its status as a true mixed-use neighborhood.
- Engaged Workforce: Employees remain highly engaged in the community, with 41% of employees working in the office five days a week. This underscores the neighborhood’s ongoing appeal for professionals.
- Rosslyn remains a premier place for business, attracting and retaining top talent.
- Diverse Amenities: 89% of survey participants cited dining satisfaction as a major strength of the neighborhood.
- Employees ranked “restaurants, bars, and dining” as the most important amenity in Rosslyn during the workday to support work-life balance.
The 2025 Perception Survey insights will guide the Rosslyn BID’s FY26 Strategic Priorities to best serve its population of over 16,000 residents and more than 25,000 employees. These results will shape Rosslyn’s urban character, activate the neighborhood with high-quality events and public spaces, enhance perception through marketing and communication, and deepen engagement with stakeholders.
When asked what would most improve daily life, respondents prioritized:
- More parks and gathering spaces (60%)
- Improved street lighting (32%)
- Seasonal décor and murals (26%)
- Better construction visuals (20%)
The BID has already begun incorporating this feedback into its plans. Recognizing the community needs more parks and gathering spaces, in September, the BID unveiled the NOW, a first-of-its-kind pop-up park. In partnership with Yellowstone Landscape and Monday Properties, the BID transformed an underutilized terrace at 1401 Wilson Blvd. into a versatile destination to connect, learn, and play.
By leveraging the survey findings, the BID will continue to deliver innovative services and foster partnerships that support economic development, community pride, and a vibrant Rosslyn for years to come.
Download the full 2025 Perception Survey Report at rosslynva.org/survey.
Rosslyn Business Improvement District:
The Rosslyn Business Improvement District provides high-quality, customer-oriented services designed to define, enhance, and continually improve Rosslyn for those who work, live, visit, and do business here. As a resourceful and collaborative organization, we work in partnership with our key stakeholders and Arlington County to create a welcoming, creative, thriving environment that supports Rosslyn’s residents and a wide range of business types, from innovative start-ups to established Fortune 500 companies and international associations. We take an active leadership role in all that we do, serving as a collaborator, community builder, and agent for positive change. For more information, please visit www.rosslynva.org.