Washington, DC

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Population

702,455

1.22% growth

Median Age

33.9


Median Household Income

$85,203

3.44% growth

Poverty Rate

17.4%


Number of Employees

380,983

0.582% growth

Median Property Value

$617,900

1.76% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2018, Washington, DC had a population of 702k people with a median age of 33.9 and a median household income of $85,203. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Washington, DC grew from 693,972 to 702,455, a 1.22% increase and its median household income grew from $82,372 to $85,203, a 3.44% increase.

The population of Washington, DC is 44.4% Black or African American Alone, 36.9% White Alone, and 11.3% Hispanic or Latino. 16.9% of the people in Washington, DC speak a non-English language, and 92.4% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Washington, DC are George Washington University (9,660 degrees awarded in 2017), Georgetown University (7,089 degrees), and American University (4,079 degrees).

The median property value in Washington, DC is $617,900, and the homeownership rate is 42.3%. Most people in Washington, DC commute by Public Transit, and the average commute time is 29 minutes. The average car ownership in Washington, DC is 1 car per household.

About the photo: A look at the east front of the U.S. Capitol from the Senate wing.

Photo by Phil Roeder

United StatesDistrict of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia, DCWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

Economy

The economy of Washington, DC employs 381k people. The largest industries in Washington, DC are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (75,591 people), Public Administration (61,097 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (37,860 people), and the highest paying industries are Finance & Insurance ($116,235), Manufacturing ($106,287), and Public Administration ($96,801).

Median household income in Washington, DC is $85,203. Males in Washington, DC have an average income that is 1.23 times higher than the average income of females, which is $83,099. The income inequality in Washington, DC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.448, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$85,203

2018 value

± $3,414

3.44%

1 Year Growth

± 4.97%

Households in Washington, DC have a median annual income of $85,203, which is more than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $82,372 in 2017, which represents a 3.44% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Washington, DC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for District of Columbia.

$102,125

Average Male Salary

± $6,233

$83,099

Average Female Salary

± $4,478

In 2018, full-time male employees in District of Columbia made 1.23 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in District of Columbia by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for District of Columbia.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. White

    $107,302 ± $5,718

  2. Asian

    $87,300 ± $12,195

  3. Two or More Races

    $80,362 ± $19,807

In 2018 the highest paid race/ethnicity of District of Columbia workers was White. These workers were paid 1.23 times more than Asian workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in District of Columbia by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Washington, DC is from District of Columbia.

0.448

2018 Wage GINI

0.465

2017 Wage GINI

In 2018, the income inequality in District of Columbia was 0.448 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 3.73% decline from 2017 to 2018, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even.

The 2018 the GINI for District of Columbia was lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in District of Columbia in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in District of Columbia across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 9.01

  2. Census Tract 6

  3. Census Tract 9.02

In 2017, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Washington, DC was Census Tract 9.01 with a value of $242,208, followed by Census Tract 6 and Census Tract 9.02, with respective values of $221,103 and $205,469.

The following map shows all of the places in Washington, DC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

17.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Washington, DC (111k out of 638k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 18 - 24.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. Black

    81,287 ± 1,980

  2. White

    18,242 ± 1,100

  3. Hispanic

    9,665 ± 816

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Washington, DC is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

381k

2018 Value

± 10,615

0.582%

1 Year growth

± 3.84%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Washington, DC grew at a rate of 0.582%, from 379k employees to 381k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Washington, DC, are Management Occupations (62,396 people), Business & Financial Operations Occupations (42,955 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (34,536 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Washington, DC.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Washington, DC, by number of employees, are Management Occupations (62,396 people), Business & Financial Operations Occupations (42,955 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (34,536 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Washington, DC has an unusually high number of residents working as Legal Occupations (5.84 times higher than expected), Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations (3.75 times), and Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, & Media Occupations (3.04 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Washington, DC, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($135,707), Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors ($100,859), and Management Occupations ($100,370).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

381k

2018 Value

± 10,615

0.582%

1 Year growth

± 3.84%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Washington, DC grew at a rate of 0.582%, from 379k employees to 381k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Washington, DC, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (75,591 people), Public Administration (61,097 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (37,860 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Washington, DC, though some of these residents may live in Washington, DC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Washington, DC, by number of employees, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (75,591 people), Public Administration (61,097 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (37,860 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Washington, DC has an unusually high number of Public Administration (3.51 times higher than expected), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (2.64 times), and Information (1.96 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Washington, DC, by median earnings, are Finance & Insurance ($116,235), Manufacturing ($106,287), and Public Administration ($96,801).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from District of Columbia to other states, or from other states to District of Columbia.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Furniture

    $757M

  2. Alcoholic beverages

    $742M

  3. Waste/scrap

    $690M

In 2015, the top outbound District of Columbia product (by dollars) was Furniture with $757M, followed by Alcoholic beverages ($742M) and Waste/scrap ($690M).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound District of Columbia products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for District of Columbia state.

$5.11B

2020 Value

$6.97B

Projected 2045 Value

36.5% growth

In 2020, total outbound District of Columbia trade was $5.11B. This is expected to increase 36.5% to $6.97B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound District of Columbia trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from District of Columbia to other states, or from other states to District of Columbia.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. Maryland

    $1B

  2. Virginia

    $576M

  3. Pennsylvania

    $169M

In 2015, the top outbound District of Columbia domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Maryland with $1B, followed by Virginia with $576M and Pennsylvania and $169M.

The following map shows the amount of trade that District of Columbia shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

96.2% of the population of Washington, DC has health coverage, with 50.4% on employee plans, 23.1% on Medicaid, 6.9% on Medicare, 14.5% on non-group plans, and 1.3% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the place of Washington, DC was $11,944 in 2014. This is a 4.17% increase from the previous year ($11,466).

Primary care physicians in Washington, DC see 871 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.25% decrease from the previous year (882 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 836 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 229 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, District of Columbia has the highest prevalence of diabetes (8%). Additionally, District of Columbia has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (22.8%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for District of Columbia, DC.

871 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in District of Columbia, DC see an average of 871 patients per year. This represents a 1.25% decrease from the previous year (882 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in District of Columbia, DC in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for District of Columbia.

$11,944

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$8,831

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$8,998

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,814

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in District of Columbia (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4.17%, from $11,466 to $11,944.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

3.8%

Uninsured

50.4%

Employer Coverage

23.1%

Medicaid

6.9%

Medicare

14.5%

Non-Group

1.3%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Washington, DC declined by 3.12% from 3.93% to 3.8%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Washington, DC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. District of Columbia

    8% prevalence

  2. N/A

    N/A

  3. N/A

    N/A

District of Columbia has the highest prevalence of diabetes in District of Columbia, at 8%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in District of Columbia by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Washington, DC is home to a population of 702k people, from which 92.4% are citizens. As of 2017, 13.6% of Washington, DC residents were born outside of the country (94.4k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Washington, DC is composed of 312k Black or African American Alone residents (44.4%), 259k White Alone residents (36.9%), 79.2k Hispanic or Latino residents (11.3%), 27k Asian Alone residents (3.84%), 20.1k Two or More Races residents (2.86%), 3.5k Some Other Race Alone residents (0.499%), 1.28k American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.182%), and 336 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0478%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Washington, DC are Spanish (55,077 speakers), French (Incl. Cajun) (9,079 speakers), and Amharic, Somali, or Other Afro-Asiatic Languages (7,028 speakers).

Age

Age by Nativity

33

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.3

40

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.4

In 2018, the median age of all people in Washington, DC was 33.9. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 33, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 40. But people in Washington, DC are getting getting younger. In 2017, the average age of all Washington, DC residents was 34.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

13.6%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

94.4k people

13.6%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

92.5k people

As of 2017, 13.6% of Washington, DC residents (94.4k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Washington, DC was 13.6%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Washington, DC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for District of Columbia.

Most Common Origin

  1. El Salvador

    10,697 ± 2,520 people

  2. Ethiopia

    7,231 ± 2,077 people

  3. Mexico

    3,190 ± 1,384 people

In 2018, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of District of Columbia was El Salvador, the natal country of 10,697 District of Columbia residents, followed by Ethiopia with 7,231 and Mexico with 3,190.

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Citizenship

92.4%

2018 Citizenship

90.9%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 92.4% of Washington, DC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Washington, DC was 90.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Washington, DC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. Black or African American Alone

    312k ± 2.57k

  2. White Alone

    259k ± 567

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    79.2k ± 7.3k

In 2018, there were 1.2 times more Black or African American Alone residents (312k people) in Washington, DC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 259k White Alone and 79.2k Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Washington, DC as a share of the total population.

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. Spanish

    55,077 speakers (8.38%)

  2. French (Incl. Cajun)

    9,079 speakers (1.38%)

  3. Amharic, Somali, or Other Afro-Asiatic Languages

    7,028 speakers (1.07%)

16.9% of Washington, DC citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 21.9%. In 2018, the most common non-English language spoken in Washington, DC was Spanish. 8.38% of the overall population of Washington, DC are native Spanish speakers. 1.38% speak French (Incl. Cajun) and 1.07% speak Spanish, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Gulf War (2001-)

    7,526 ± 1,542

  2. Vietnam

    4,931 ± 972

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    2,853 ± 819

Washington, DC has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.53 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Washington, DC awarded 28,446 degrees. The student population of Washington, DC is skewed towards women, with 38,428 male students and 58,087 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Washington, DC are White (12,412 and 50.8%), followed by Black or African American (5,261 and 21.5%), Unknown (2,030 and 8.31%), and Hispanic or Latino (1,967 and 8.05%).

The largest universities in Washington, DC by number of degrees awarded are George Washington University (9,660 and 34%), Georgetown University (7,089 and 24.9%), and American University (4,079 and 14.3%).

The most popular majors in Washington, DC are International Relations & Affairs (2,222 and 7.81%), General Business Administration & Management (1,997 and 7.02%), and Law (1,944 and 6.83%).

The median tuition costs in Washington, DC are $43,300 for private four year colleges, and $4,896 and $11,232 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. Registered Nursing

    349 degrees awarded

  2. General Business Administration & Management

    1,523 degrees awarded

  3. International Relations & Affairs

    1,042 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Washington, DC was Registered Nursing with 349 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Masters Degree from schools in Washington, DC according to their major.

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. George Washington University

    9,660 degrees awarded

  2. Georgetown University

    7,089 degrees awarded

  3. American University

    4,079 degrees awarded

$4,896

Median In-State Public

$43,300

Median Private

In 2017, the Washington, DC institution with the largest number of graduating students was George Washington University with 9,660 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

11,843

Degrees Awarded to Men

16,603

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 11,843 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Washington, DC, which is 0.713 times less than the 16,603 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Washington, DC by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    12,412 degrees awarded

  2. Black or African American

    5,261 degrees awarded

  3. Unknown

    2,030 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Washington, DC were to White students. These 12,412 degrees mean that there were 2.36 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 5,261 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Washington, DC was $617,900 in 2018, which is 2.69 times larger than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $607,200 to $617,900, a 1.76% increase. The homeownership rate in Washington, DC is 42.3%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Washington, DC have an average commute time of 29 minutes, and they commute by Public Transit. Car ownership in Washington, DC is lower than the national average, with an average of 1 car per household.

Housing

Property Value

$617,900

2018 Median

± $17,497

$607,200

2017 Median

± $19,159

In 2018, the median property value in Washington, DC grew to to $617,900 from the previous year's value of $607,200.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Washington, DC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Washington, DC the largest share of households have a property value in the $500k - $750k range.

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$85,203

Median Household Income

± $3,414

287k

Number of Households

± 8,375

In 2018, the median household income of the 287k households in Washington, DC grew to $85,203 from the previous year's value of $82,372.

The following chart displays the households in Washington, DC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

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Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Washington, DC distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Washington, DC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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Rent vs Own

42.3%

2018 Homeownership

42.2%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 42.3% of the housing units in Washington, DC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 42.2%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Washington, DC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Commute Time

29 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Washington, DC have a longer commute time (29 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.7 minutes). Additionally, 2.06% of the workforce in Washington, DC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Washington, DC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Public Transit

    34.4%

  2. Drove Alone

    34.2%

  3. Walked

    13.3%

In 2018, the most common method of travel for workers in Washington, DC was Public Transit (34.4%), followed by those who Drove Alone (34.2%) and those who Walked (13.3%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

1 car

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Washington, DC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Washington, DC have 1 car, followed by 0 cars.

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