Washington, DC

Census Place

Add Comparison

2019 Population

705,749

0.469% 1-year growth

2019 Median Age

34.3

1.18% 1-year increase

2019 Poverty Rate

16.2%

3.45% 1-year decrease

2019 Median Household Income

$92,266

8.29% 1-year growth

2019 Median Property Value

$646,500

4.63% 1-year growth

2019 Employed Population

387,826

1.8% 1-year growth

About

In 2019, Washington, DC had a population of 706k people with a median age of 34.3 and a median household income of $92,266. Between 2018 and 2019 the population of Washington, DC grew from 702,455 to 705,749, a 0.469% increase and its median household income grew from $85,203 to $92,266, a 8.29% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Washington, DC are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (44.1%), White (Non-Hispanic) (37.3%), White (Hispanic) (5.23%), Other (Hispanic) (4.03%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.02%). 0% of the households in Washington, DC speak a non-English language at home as their primary language.

93.8% of the residents in Washington, DC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Washington, DC are George Washington University (10,413 degrees awarded in 2019), Georgetown University (7,354 degrees), and American University (4,492 degrees).

In 2019, the median property value in Washington, DC was $646,500, and the homeownership rate was 41.5%. Most people in Washington, DC used public transit to get to work, and the average commute time was 29.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Washington, DC was 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 States District of Columbia District of Columbia, DC Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

Diversity

Washington, DC is home to a population of 706k people, from which 93.8% are citizens. As of 2019, 30.4% of Washington, DC residents were born outside of the country (215k people).

In 2019, there were 1.18 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (312k people) in Washington, DC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 263k White (Non-Hispanic) and 36.9k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Washington, DC

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
312k ± 2.81k
White (Non-Hispanic)
263k ± 609
White (Hispanic)
36.9k ± 4.81k

11.3%

Hispanic Population

79.5k people

11.3% of the people in Washington, DC are hispanic (79.5k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Washington, DC as a share of the total population.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

30.4%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

215k people

13.7%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

96.2k people

As of 2019, 30.4% of Washington, DC residents (215k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 34%. In 2018, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Washington, DC was 13.7%, 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.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.3

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.6

In 2019, the median age of all people in Washington, DC was 34.3. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 33, were generally younger than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 42. But people in Washington, DC are getting getting older. In 2018, the average age of all Washington, DC residents was 34.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

El Salvador
9,859 ± 2,421 people
Dominican Republic
5,523 ± 1,817 people
Ethiopia
4,283 ± 1,602 people

In 2019, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of District of Columbia was El Salvador, the natal country of 9,859 District of Columbia residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 5,523 and Ethiopia with 4,283.

Citizenship

93.8%

2019 Citizenship

92.4%

2018 Citizenship

As of 2019, 93.8% of Washington, DC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2018, the percentage of US citizens in Washington, DC was 92.4%, 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.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
9,451 ± 1,986
Vietnam
5,451 ± 1,148
Gulf War (1990s)
2,324 ± 734

Washington, DC has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.73 times greater than any other conflict.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for . Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in , as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

View Full Dashboard

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Economy

Median household income in Washington, DC is $92,266. In 2019, the place with the highest median household income in Washington, DC was Census Tract 9.01 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 9.02 and Census Tract 15, with respective values of $215,875 and $214,561.

Males in District of Columbia have an average income that is 1.19 times higher than the average income of females, which is $89,522. The income inequality in District of Columbia (measured using the Gini index) is 0.44, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Washington, DC employs 388k people. The largest industries in Washington, DC are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (81,991 people), Public Administration (62,355 people), and Educational Services (38,743 people), and the highest paying industries are Public Administration ($101,709), Finance & Insurance ($100,835), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($93,120).

Wages

Median Household Income

$92,266

2019 value

± $2,497

8.29%

1 Year Growth

± 4.47%

Households in Washington, DC have a median annual income of $92,266, which is more than the median annual income of $65,712 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $85,203 in 2018, which represents a 8.29% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Washington, DC compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

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.

$106,300

Average Male Salary in District of Columbia

± $6,097

$89,522

Average Female Salary in District of Columbia

± $4,735

In 2019, full-time male employees in District of Columbia made 1.19 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.

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 in District of Columbia

White
$109,367 ± $5,430
Two or More Races
$93,279 ± $23,831
Asian
$92,849 ± $13,221

In 2019 the highest paid race/ethnicity of District of Columbia workers was White. These workers were paid 1.17 times more than Two or More Races workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in District of Columbia.

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.

Wage Distribution

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

0.44

2019 Wage GINI in District of Columbia

0.448

2018 Wage GINI in District of Columbia

In 2019, the income inequality in District of Columbia was 0.44 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.85% decline from 2018 to 2019, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for District of Columbia was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9.01
Census Tract 9.02
Census Tract 15

In 2019, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Washington, DC was Census Tract 9.01 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 9.02 and Census Tract 15, with respective values of $215,875 and $214,561.

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

Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

16.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Washington, DC (107k out of 660k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.3%. 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.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

Black
79,190 ± 2,184
White
16,824 ± 971
Hispanic
8,776 ± 826

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

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

388k

2019 Value

± 10,696

1.8%

1 Year growth

± 3.85%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Washington, DC grew at a rate of 1.8%, from 381k employees to 388k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Washington, DC, are Management Occupations (64,364 people), Business & Financial Operations Occupations (47,873 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (28,917 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Washington, DC.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Washington, DC, by number of employees, are Management Occupations (64,364 people), Business & Financial Operations Occupations (47,873 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (28,917 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Washington, DC has an unusually high number of residents working as Legal Occupations (6.23 times higher than expected), Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations (3.67 times), and Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, & Media Occupations (2.73 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Washington, DC, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($130,841), Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($105,189), and Management Occupations ($100,717).

Industries

Employment by Industries

388k

2019 Value

± 10,696

1.8%

1 Year growth

± 3.85%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Washington, DC grew at a rate of 1.8%, from 381k employees to 388k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Washington, DC, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (81,991 people), Public Administration (62,355 people), and Educational Services (38,743 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.

Most Common

The most common industries in Washington, DC, by number of employees, are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (81,991 people), Public Administration (62,355 people), and Educational Services (38,743 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other places, Washington, DC has an unusually high number of Public Administration (3.6 times higher than expected), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (2.77 times), and Information (1.89 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Washington, DC, by median earnings, are Public Administration ($101,709), Finance & Insurance ($100,835), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($93,120).

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

In 2018, the top outbound District of Columbia product (by dollars) was Electronics with $2.15B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($1.94B) and Basic chemicals ($1.2B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for District of Columbia.

$14.7B

2018 Value in District of Columbia

$14.1B

Projected 2045 Value in District of Columbia

4.12% decline

In 2018, total outbound District of Columbia trade was $14.7B. This is expected to decrease 4.12% to $14.1B by 2045.

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

Maryland
$1.86B
Virginia
$1.85B
North Carolina
$1.42B

In 2018, the top outbound District of Columbia domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Maryland with $1.86B, followed by Virginia with $1.85B and North Carolina and $1.42B.

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

Education

In 2019, universities in Washington, DC awarded 30,910 degrees. The student population of Washington, DC is skewed towards women, with 38,371 male students and 61,121 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Washington, DC are White (13,038 and 49%), followed by Black or African American (5,988 and 22.5%), Hispanic or Latino (2,513 and 9.44%), and Asian (2,206 and 8.29%).

The largest universities in Washington, DC by number of degrees awarded are George Washington University (10,413 and 33.7%), Georgetown University (7,354 and 23.8%), and American University (4,492 and 14.5%).

The most popular majors in Washington, DC are International Relations & Affairs (2,396 and 7.75%), General Business Administration & Management (2,283 and 7.39%), and Law (1,873 and 6.06%).

The median tuition costs in Washington, DC are $46,950 for private four year colleges, and $5,160 and $11,844 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

International Relations & Affairs
1,039 degree-majorss awarded
Other Public Health
365 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
1,852 degree-majorss awarded

In 2019, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Washington, DC was International Relations & Affairs with 1,039 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

George Washington University
10,413 degrees awarded
Georgetown University
7,354 degrees awarded
American University
4,492 degrees awarded

$5,160

Median In-State Public

$46,950

Median Private

In 2019, the Washington, DC institution with the largest number of graduating students was George Washington University with 10,413 degrees awarded.

Student Gender for Common Institutions

12,458

Degrees Awarded to Men

18,452

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2019, 12,458 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Washington, DC, which is 0.675 times less than the 18,452 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.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
13,038 degrees awarded
Black or African American
5,988 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
2,513 degrees awarded

In 2019 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions in Washington, DC was White students. These 13,038 degrees mean that there were 2.18 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 5,988 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Washington, DC was $646,500 in 2019, which is 2.69 times larger than the national average of $240,500. Between 2018 and 2019 the median property value increased from $617,900 to $646,500, a 4.63% increase. The homeownership rate in Washington, DC is 41.5%, which is lower than the national average of 64.1%. People in Washington, DC have an average commute time of 29.3 minutes, and they used public transit to get to work. Car ownership in Washington, DC is lower than the national average, with an average of 1 car per household.

Housing

Property Value

$646,500

2019 Median

± $19,826

$617,900

2018 Median

± $17,497

In 2019, the median property value in Washington, DC grew to to $646,500 from the previous year's value of $617,900.

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.

Household Income

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

$92,266

Median Household Income

± $2,497

292k

Number of Households

± 8,494

In 2019, the median household income of the 292k households in Washington, DC grew to $92,266 from the previous year's value of $85,203.

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.

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.

Rent vs Own

41.5%

2019 Homeownership

42.3%

2018 Homeownership

In 2019, 41.5% of the housing units in Washington, DC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 42.3%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 64.1%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Washington, DC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

29.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Washington, DC have a longer commute time (29.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26 minutes). Additionally, 1.62% 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.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2019

Public Transit (34.2%)
Drove Alone (33%)
Walked (13.4%)

In 2019, 34.2% of workers in Washington, DC used public transit to get to work, followed by those who drove alone to work (33%) and those who walked to work (13.4%).

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.

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 false.

Health

96.5% of the population of Washington, DC has health coverage, with 53.6% on employee plans, 21% on Medicaid, 7.34% on Medicare, 13.3% on non-group plans, and 1.22% on military or VA plans.

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

Primary care physicians in District of Columbia, DC see 850 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.118% decrease from the previous year (851 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 813 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 194 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, District of Columbia has the highest prevalence of diabetes (8.1%). Additionally, District of Columbia has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (24%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

850 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in District of Columbia, DC

Primary care physicians in District of Columbia, DC see an average of 850 patients per year. This represents a 0.118% decrease from the previous year (851 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 its neighboring geographies.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
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.

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 in District of Columbia

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.

Health Care Coverage

3.52%

Uninsured

53.6%

Employer Coverage

21%

Medicaid

7.34%

Medicare

13.3%

Non-Group

1.22%

Military or VA

Between 2018 and 2019, the percent of uninsured citizens in Washington, DC grew by 11.3% from 3.16% to 3.52%.

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.