Washington, District of Columbia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Washington, DC Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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A
Income Above average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Washington | District of Columbia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 678,327 | 678,314 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 9924.3 | 9924.5 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.38% | 0.38% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 33.8 | 33.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 322,662 | 322,655 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Washington grew by 15.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 678,327 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Washington is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 29.4% of residents. That is about the same share as District of Columbia.
- Gen Z 13–28 157,104 23.2% on par
- Millennials 29–44 199,585 29.4% on par
- Gen X 45–60 113,705 16.8% on par
- Boomers 61–79 90,771 13.4% on par
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below District of Columbia, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 52.3% of the people living in Washington and men 47.7%.
- Women 52.3% District of Columbia 52.3%
- Men 47.7% District of Columbia 47.7%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Washington
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Washington has a the economy index of A, which means it is very prosperous.
| Metric | Washington | District of Columbia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $110,570 | $110,571 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.30% | 5.30% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3% | 6.3% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Washington is about the same as in District of Columbia.
Housing
| Metric | Washington | District of Columbia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $597,269 | $597,276 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,953 | $1,953 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 41.5% | 41.5% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Washington is about 25.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,953 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Washington spend about 61 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 252 hours, about 10.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Washington | District of Columbia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 30.3 | 30.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 60.6 | 60.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 252 | 252 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $7,824 | $7,824 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 32.9% | 32.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 24,235 | 23,558 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,590 | 4,264 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Washington is about the same as in District of Columbia.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Washington has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Washington | District of Columbia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.7% | 58.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 1.99 | 1.99 | 2.53 |
Health
Washington has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Washington | District of Columbia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.4 | 76.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.3% | 12.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 14.1% | 14.1% | 19.0% |
Washington, DC Compared With Nearby Cities
How Washington, DC compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | 678,327 | $110,570 #1/2 | $597,269 #1/2 | 30.3 min #1/2 |
| Chillum, MD | 32,171 | $80,952 | $322,020 | 33.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Washington, District of Columbia.
How big is Washington, District of Columbia by population?
About 678,327 people live in Washington, District of Columbia, in 322,662 households of 2.0 people on average. The median age is 33.8, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
How densely populated is Washington, District of Columbia?
Averaged over its land area, Washington, District of Columbia has 9,924 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 115 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Washington, District of Columbia?
The median home costs 5.4 times the median household income ($597,269 against $110,570), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,953 a month takes about 21% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Washington, District of Columbia have a college degree?
58.7% of adults in Washington, District of Columbia hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 6 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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