Washington, DC

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Population

693,972

1.88% growth

Median Age

34


Median Household Income

$82,372

9.09% growth

Poverty Rate

17.4%


Number of Employees

378,780

3.83% growth

Median Property Value

$607,200

5.4% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Washington, DC had a population of 694k people with a median age of 34 and a median household income of $82,372. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Washington, DC grew from 681,170 to 693,972, a 1.88% increase and its median household income grew from $75,506 to $82,372, a 9.09% increase.

The population of Washington, DC is 45.3% Black or African American Alone, 36.5% White Alone, and 11% Hispanic or Latino. 17.4% of the people in Washington, DC speak a non-English language, and 90.9% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Washington, DC are George Washington University (9,105 degrees awarded in 2016), Georgetown University (6,999 degrees), and American University (4,182 degrees).

The median property value in Washington, DC is $607,200, and the homeownership rate is 42.2%. Most people in Washington, DC commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 28.6 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 379k people. The largest industries in Washington, DC are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (74,365 people), Public Administration (67,717 people), and Other Services, Except Public Administration (37,359 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($91,390), Public Administration ($86,660), and Finance & Insurance ($82,454).

Median household income in Washington, DC is $82,372. Males in Washington, DC have an average income that is 1.22 times higher than the average income of females, which is $79,972. The income inequality in Washington, DC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.465, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$82,372

2017 value

± $2,651

9.09%

1 Year Growth

± 5.09%

Households in Washington, DC have a median annual income of $82,372, which is more than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $75,506 in 2016, which represents a 9.09% 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.

$97,668

Average Male Salary

± $6,627

$79,972

Average Female Salary

± $4,574

In 2017, full-time male employees in Washington, DC made 1.22 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Washington, DC 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. American Indian

    $104,385 ± $49,170

  2. White

    $103,032 ± $6,048

  3. Two or More Races

    $83,548 ± $23,730

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Washington, DC workers was American Indian. These workers were paid 1.01 times more than White 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 Washington, DC 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.

0.465

2017 Wage GINI

0.468

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in District of Columbia was 0.465 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.546% decline from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even.

The 2017 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 9.02

  3. Census Tract 15

In 2017, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Washington, DC was Census Tract 9.01 with a value of $231,542, followed by Census Tract 9.02 and Census Tract 15, with respective values of $200,893 and $200,031.

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 13.4%. 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

379k

2017 Value

± 10,609

3.83%

1 Year growth

± 3.75%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Washington, DC grew at a rate of 3.83%, from 365k employees to 379k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Washington, DC, are Other Management Occupations Except Farmers, Ranchers, & Other Agricultural Managers (43,001 people), Other Business Operations Specialists (24,957 people), and Lawyers & Judicial Law Clerks (21,480 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 Other Management Occupations Except Farmers, Ranchers, & Other Agricultural Managers (43,001 people), Other Business Operations Specialists (24,957 people), and Lawyers & Judicial Law Clerks (21,480 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Washington, DC has an unusually high number of residents working as Mathematical Science Occupations (9.42 times higher than expected), Lawyers & Judicial Law Clerks (7.42 times), and Social Scientists & Related Workers (7.1 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Washington, DC, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($124,026), Management Occupations ($92,586), and Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors ($84,333).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

379k

2017 Value

± 10,609

3.83%

1 Year growth

± 3.75%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Washington, DC grew at a rate of 3.83%, from 365k employees to 379k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Washington, DC, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (74,365 people), Public Administration (67,717 people), and Other Services, Except Public Administration (37,359 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 (74,365 people), Public Administration (67,717 people), and Other Services, Except Public Administration (37,359 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Washington, DC has an unusually high number of Public Administration (3.94 times higher than expected), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (2.63 times), and Other Services, Except Public Administration (2 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Washington, DC, by median earnings, are Utilities ($91,390), Public Administration ($86,660), and Finance & Insurance ($82,454).

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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. Alcoholic beverages

    $655M

  2. Furniture

    $652M

  3. Waste/scrap

    $625M

In 2015, the top outbound District of Columbia product (by dollars) was Alcoholic beverages with $655M, followed by Furniture with $652M and Waste/scrap and $625M.

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.

$4.62B

2015 Value

$6.97B

Projected 2045 Value

50.9% growth

In 2015, total outbound District of Columbia trade was $4.62B. This is expected to increase 50.9% 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

    $909M

  2. Virginia

    $535M

  3. Pennsylvania

    $152M

In 2015, the top outbound District of Columbia domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Maryland with $909M, followed by Virginia with $535M and Pennsylvania and $152M.

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 N/A patients per year on average, which represents a N/A N/A from the previous year (N/A patients). Compare this to dentists who see N/A patients per year, and mental health providers who see N/A 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 undefined.

N/A to 1

N/A

N/A in N/A see an average of N/A patients per year. This represents a N/A N/A from the previous year (N/A patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by N/A has been changing over time in N/A 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 694k people, from which 90.9% are citizens. As of 2017, 13.6% of Washington, DC residents were born outside of the country.

The ethnic composition of the population of Washington, DC is composed of 315k Black or African American Alone residents (45.3%), 253k White Alone residents (36.5%), 76.5k Hispanic or Latino residents (11%), 28.1k Asian Alone residents (4.04%), 15.7k Two or More Races residents (2.27%), 3.75k Some Other Race Alone residents (0.54%), 1.57k American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.227%), and 217 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0313%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Washington, DC are Spanish or Spanish Creole (56,171 speakers), French (Incl. Patois, Cajun) (9,527 speakers), and African Languages (8,318 speakers).

Age

Age by Nativity

33

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.3

39

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.3

In 2017, the median age of all people in Washington, DC was 34. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 33, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 39. But people in Washington, DC are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all Washington, DC residents was 34.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

13.6%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

13.6%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

As of 2017, 13.6% of Washington, DC residents 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

Most Common Origin

  1. El Salvador

    14,602 ± 2,935 people

  2. Mexico

    5,989 ± 1,892 people

  3. Ethiopia

    4,959 ± 1,723 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington, DC was El Salvador, the natal country of 14,602 Washington, DC residents, followed by Mexico with 5,989 and Ethiopia with 4,959.

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Citizenship

90.9%

2017 Citizenship

92.6%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 90.9% of Washington, DC residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Washington, DC was 92.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

    315k ± 2.76k

  2. White Alone

    253k ± 1.47k

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    76.5k ± 6.41k

In 2017, there were 1.24 times more Black or African American Alone residents (315k people) in Washington, DC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 253k White Alone and 76.5k 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 or Spanish Creole

    56,171 speakers (8.93%)

  2. French (Incl. Patois, Cajun)

    9,527 speakers (1.51%)

  3. African Languages

    8,318 speakers (1.32%)

17.4% of Washington, DC citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 21.5%. In 2015, the most common non-English language spoken in Washington, DC was Spanish or Spanish Creole. 8.93% of the overall population of Washington, DC are native Spanish or Spanish Creole speakers. 1.51% speak French (Incl. Patois, Cajun) and 1.32% speak Spanish or Spanish Creole, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    8,542 ± 1,561

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    7,716 ± 1,590

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    2,544 ± 901

Washington, DC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.11 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2016, universities in Washington, DC awarded 27,889 degrees. The student population of Washington, DC is skewed towards women, with 37,769 male students and 55,835 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Washington, DC are White (12,451 and 50.9%), followed by Black or African American (5,458 and 22.3%), Unknown (2,167 and 8.87%), and Asian (1,843 and 7.54%).

The largest universities in Washington, DC by number of degrees awarded are George Washington University (9,105 and 32.6%), Georgetown University (6,999 and 25.1%), and American University (4,182 and 15%).

The most popular majors in Washington, DC are Law (2,044 and 7.33%), International Relations & Affairs (1,946 and 6.98%), and General Business Administration & Management (1,799 and 6.45%).

The median tuition costs in Washington, DC are $41,800 for private four year colleges, and $4,752 and $10,896 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. Registered Nursing

    362 degrees awarded

  2. General Business Administration & Management

    1,333 degrees awarded

  3. International Relations & Affairs

    750 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Washington, DC was Registered Nursing with 362 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

    9,105 degrees awarded

  2. Georgetown University

    6,999 degrees awarded

  3. American University

    4,182 degrees awarded

$4,752

Median In-State Public

$41,800

Median Private

In 2016, the Washington, DC institution with the largest number of graduating students was George Washington University with 9,105 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

11,613

Degrees Awarded to Men

16,276

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2016, 11,613 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Washington, DC, which is 0.714 times less than the 16,276 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

    12,451 degrees awarded

  2. Black or African American

    5,458 degrees awarded

  3. Unknown

    2,167 degrees awarded

In 2016 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Washington, DC were to White students. These 12,451 degrees mean that there were 2.28 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 5,458 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Washington, DC was $607,200 in 2017, which is 2.79 times larger than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $576,100 to $607,200, a 5.4% increase. The homeownership rate in Washington, DC is 42.2%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Washington, DC have an average commute time of 28.6 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Washington, DC is lower than the national average, with an average of 1 car per household.

Income

Household Income

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

$82,372

Median Household Income

± $2,651

281k

Number of Households

± 8,032

In 2017, the median household income of the 281k households in Washington, DC grew to $82,372 from the previous year's value of $75,506.

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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Housing

Property Value

$607,200

2017 Median

± $19,159

$576,100

2016 Median

± $17,732

In 2017, the median property value in Washington, DC grew to to $607,200 from the previous year's value of $576,100.

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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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

42.2%

2017 Homeownership

39.2%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 42.2% of the housing units in Washington, DC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 39.2%.

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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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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Commute Time

28.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Washington, DC have a longer commute time (28.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 2.38% 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. Drove Alone

    34.4%

  2. Public Transit

    32.7%

  3. Walked

    12.7%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Washington, DC was Drove Alone, followed by those who Public Transit and those who Walked.

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