About
Life in Washington
Living in D.C. means accepting that you're in one of the country's most expensive housing markets—median rent hovers around $1,900 monthly and home values sit near $737,000—but you're also moving to a city where the job market is genuinely strong, anchored by federal government agencies, think tanks, nonprofits, international organizations, and the lobbying industry that clusters around K Street. What actually makes people stick around isn't the monuments or the tourist draw, though—it's the neighborhoods themselves, the 683 parks and greenspaces (99% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park), and a genuinely diverse food and cultural scene shaped by Latino communities concentrated in places like Mount Pleasant, Ethiopian neighborhoods, Salvadoran communities, and the broader mix of immigrants who call D.C. home. Summers hit hard—think hot and humid with heat indices approaching 100°F and frequent thunderstorms—but winters are relatively mild with occasional snow, and you'll spend actual weekends exploring Rock Creek Park's 1,754 acres of urban forest, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath, or one of the dozen neighborhood parks and gardens scattered throughout the city.
Washington at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.4%
Foreign-Born
14.3%
Broadband Internet
91.2%
of households
Population Growth
+0.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.3% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador
Who lives in Washington: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Washington, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (11.3%), and 9.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.7%
of residents
65 and Older
12.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
47.3%
of households
Married Couples
24.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.99
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for DC
Rent, home values, and income in Washington
Rent and home values here are close to the DC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,312
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
41.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1958
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $566,961 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for DC
Unemployment in Washington and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Washington is close to the DC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Washington Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area
Commute30 min avg
How Washington residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Washington, most residents work from home to work (33%), and 49% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Major hub12.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 128% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Washington runs 128% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
749.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,096.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Washington Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
97.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
District of Columbia County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In District of Columbia, which includes Washington, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Winter Weather | $1.7M |
| 2024 | 18 | Coastal Flood | $68,000 |
| 2023 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $25.3M |
| 2022 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | $257,500 |
| 2021 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | $742,000 |
| 2020 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | $562,000 |
| 2019 | 38 | Thunderstorm Wind | $500,000 |
| 2018 | 42 | Flood | $3,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
District of Columbia, county-wide
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in District of Columbia, which includes Washington, is typically good — 241 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
45
Good Days
241
per year
Moderate Days
120
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
District of Columbia, county-wide
Climate88°F summers, 30°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Washington has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and cold winters (avg low 30°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
67°/47°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/69°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
70°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
47°/30°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.6"
Annual Snowfall
9.7"
Hot Days/Year
47
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
84
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
121
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 28°F | 3.03" |
| Feb | 48°F | 30°F | 2.77" |
| Mar | 56°F | 37°F | 3.96" |
| Apr | 68°F | 46°F | 3.44" |
| May | 77°F | 57°F | 4.32" |
| Jun | 85°F | 66°F | 4.56" |
| Jul | 90°F | 71°F | 4.62" |
| Aug | 88°F | 69°F | 3.67" |
| Sep | 82°F | 62°F | 4.12" |
| Oct | 70°F | 49°F | 4.23" |
| Nov | 58°F | 39°F | 3.20" |
| Dec | 49°F | 32°F | 3.67" |
Healthcare10 hospitals, avg 2.9/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Washington
Washington has 10 hospitals, averaging 2.9 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
10
within city limits
Uninsured
3.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.9 / 5
Sibley Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Medstar Georgetown University Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
United Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Medstar Washington Hospital Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Virginia Hospital Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Arlington
Inova Alexandria Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.3 mi away · Alexandria
Holy Cross Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 7.8 mi away · Silver Spring
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education11.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Washington
Washington's student/teacher ratio is 11.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 64.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
244
within city limits
Private Schools
61
within city limits
College Degree Rate
64.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Washington
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 11,182 students · in-state tuition $70,170 · 86% graduate · median earnings $96,691 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 10,108 students · in-state tuition $38,936 · 69% graduate · median earnings $69,682 (10 yrs after entry)
Strayer University-Global Region
Private for-profit · 4-year · 9,376 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 14% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,569 students · in-state tuition $71,338 · 95% graduate · median earnings $110,516 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,266 students · in-state tuition $62,242 · 79% graduate · median earnings $85,458 (10 yrs after entry)
University of the District of Columbia
Public · 2-year · 3,351 students · in-state tuition $8,636 · 32% graduate · median earnings $49,165 (10 yrs after entry)
The Catholic University of America
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,154 students · in-state tuition $60,414 · 78% graduate · median earnings $81,308 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,414 students · in-state tuition $27,135 · 45% graduate · median earnings $57,561 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
University of Maryland Global Campus
9.1 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 49,664 students · in-state tuition $8,280 · 32% graduate · median earnings $68,110 (10 yrs after entry)
Northern Virginia Community College
12.8 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 33,048 students · in-state tuition $6,062 · 30% graduate · median earnings $56,892 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Maryland-College Park
6.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 30,760 students · in-state tuition $12,290 · 86% graduate · median earnings $89,228 (10 yrs after entry)
Prince George's Community College
10.4 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 8,815 students · in-state tuition $4,034 · 13% graduate · median earnings $52,882 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,810 students · in-state tuition $42,986 · 66% graduate · median earnings $74,032 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 1,668 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 28% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: African American Civil War Memorial, 1 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Washington
Washington has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being African American Civil War Memorial (1 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
African American Civil War Memorial
National Park Site
1 mi awayBelmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument
National Monument
1 mi awayCarter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
1 mi awayDwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
Memorial
1 mi awayFord's Theatre National Historic Site
National Historic Site
1 mi awayMary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site
National Historic Site
1 mi awayNational Mall and Memorial Parks
National Park Site
1 mi awayPennsylvania Avenue
National Park Site
1 mi awayPublic Libraries in Washington
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
901 G Street Nw, Washington
Anacostia Neighborhood Library
1800 Marion Barry Avenue Se, Washington
Bellevue (William O. Lockridge) Neighborhood Library
115 Atlantic Street Sw, Washington
Benning (Dorothy I. Height) Neighborhood Library
3935 Benning Road Ne, Washington
Capitol View Neighborhood Library
5001 Central Avenue Se, Washington
Chevy Chase Neighborhood Library
5625 Connecticut Avenue Nw, Washington
Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library
3310 Connecticut Avenue Nw, Washington
Deanwood Neighborhood Library
1350 49th Street Ne, Washington
Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library
3660 Alabama Avenue Se, Washington
Georgetown Neighborhood Library
3260 R Street Nw, Washington
Lamond-Riggs Neighborhood Library
5401 South Dakota Avenue Ne, Washington
Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Library
3160 16th Street Nw, Washington
Compare Washington
Popular side-by-side matchups
Cities Near Washington
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Washington?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Washington FAQ
Is Washington, District of Columbia affordable?⌄
Washington's median rent is $1,954/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $109,870/year. Median home value is $737,100.
Is Washington, District of Columbia safe?⌄
Washington's violent crime rate was 749 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3097 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Washington, District of Columbia?⌄
Washington has an unemployment rate of 6.3%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Washington, District of Columbia?⌄
The cost of living in Washington is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,954/month and median household income is $109,870/year. The median home value is $737,100. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Washington, District of Columbia?⌄
The average commute in Washington is 30 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from