Part of series
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2000
2019
2018
Table Of Contents
Show More
Show Less
Data updates
Updated annually and as new data becomes available
Get email notifications -->
Share this page
Washington, D.C.
Key Indicators
A quick look at key numbers
Population
681,294
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Age
34.9
years ∙ half population younger than 34.9, half older
Diversity Index
67.5%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Nativity
14.3%
foreign-born population
Geographic Context
Location, size, and surroundings
About
Washington, D.C., also known as the District of Columbia or simply DC, is a federal district and the capital of the United States, located within the South Atlantic division of the South region, and is not part of any state.
Co-ordinates
DEC38.904247° N, 77.016517° W
DMS38° 54′ 15.29″ N, 77° 00′ 59.46″ W
Population Density & area
11,150/sq mi
(4,304/km²)
Demographics & Living
Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition
Population Composition
Key characteristics of the population
Sex Distribution
47.5%
male
Male
47.5%
Female
52.5%
males per 100 females
Washington, D.C.
90.6
South region
97
United States
98
Nativity
14.3%
foreign-born population
% Foreign-born
Washington, D.C.
14.3%
South region
12.9%
United States
14.1%
Age Distribution
How the population is spread across age groups
Median Age
34.9
years ∙ half population younger than 34.9, half older
Dependency ratio
45.9
dependents per 100 working-age adults
Washington, D.C.
45.9
South region
64.9
United States
64.4
AGE DISTRIBUTION
Distribution of age group
Median age
| Washington, D.C. | South region | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Group | |||
| Children (Under 18) | 18.7% | 22.5% | 22% |
| Working age (18-64) | 68.5% | 60.6% | 60.8% |
| Senior (65+) | 12.8% | 16.9% | 17.2% |
| Dependency ratio | |||
| Total dependency ratio | 45.9 | 64.9 | 64.4 |
| Child dependency ratio | 27.3 | 37.1 | 36.1 |
| Old-age dependency ratio | 18.7 | 27.9 | 28.3 |
Racial & Ethnic Composition
Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares
Race & Ethnicity
Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.
Diversity Index
67.5%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Washington, D.C.
67.5%
South region
63.8%
United States
61.4%
Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.
RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION
Race & Ethnicity
Percentage of Washington, D.C. population
| Washington, D.C. | South region | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.9% | 19.5% | 19.3% |
| Mexican | 2.4% | 10.4% | 11.3% |
| Puerto Rican | 0.8% | 1.7% | 1.8% |
| Cuban | 0.5% | 1.6% | 0.8% |
| Other Hispanic / Latino | 8.2% | 5.8% | 5.5% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 88.1% | 80.5% | 80.7% |
| One race | 83.2% | 76.5% | 76.4% |
| White | 36.5% | 53.6% | 57.4% |
| Black or African American | 41.6% | 18.2% | 11.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Asian | 4.3% | 3.8% | 5.9% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Some Other Race | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) | 4.9% | 4% | 4.3% |
Household & Families Composition
Household size, type, and family structure
Household structure
40.8%
family
Family
40.8%
Non family
59.2%
% family households
Washington, D.C.
40.8%
South region
65.1%
United States
64.2%
Average household size
1.99
persons per household
Household & Family COMPOSITION
Households
Percentage of Washington, D.C. population
| Washington, D.C. | South region | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total households | 324,491 | 49,758,750 | 129,227,496 |
| Average houshold size | 1.99 | 2.54 | 2.53 |
| Family households | 132,514 | 32,413,246 | 82,990,528 |
| Average family size | 3 | 3.14 | 3.14 |
| Married couple family | 80,186 | 23,353,101 | 60,637,388 |
| Other families | 52,328 | 9,060,145 | 22,353,140 |
| Male householder | 9,951 | 2,485,024 | 6,572,819 |
| Female householder | 42,377 | 6,575,121 | 15,780,321 |
| Non-family households | 191,977 | 17,345,504 | 46,236,968 |
| One-person households | 153,560 | 14,223,652 | 37,140,836 |
| Male householder | 66,600 | 6,383,029 | 16,871,444 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 12,643 | 1,929,139 | 5,225,110 |
| Female householder | 86,960 | 7,840,623 | 20,269,392 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 22,597 | 3,781,795 | 10,089,070 |
| Other living arrangements | 38,417 | 3,121,852 | 9,096,132 |
Housing Profile
Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens
Total housing units
361,014
housing units
Washington, D.C.
361,014
South region
56,321,476
United States
143,775,355
Occupancy status
89.9%
occupied
Occupied
89.9%
Vacant
10.1%
vacancy rate
Washington, D.C.
10.1%
South region
11.7%
United States
10.1%
Housing Characteristics
How the housing supply is structured and used
Types of Housing unit
32.7%
Single family houses
Median Year Built
1958
Half of houses were built before 1958, and half after.
Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.
Housing Characteristics
Units, rooms & bedrooms
Physical characteristics of housing units
| Washington, D.C. | South region | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms per unit | |||
| Median rooms | 3.9 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
| 1–3 rooms | 43.9% | 13.2% | 15.1% |
| 4–6 rooms | 36.3% | 53.9% | 51.6% |
| 7+ rooms | 19.7% | 33.1% | 33.4% |
| Bedrooms | |||
| No bedroom / studio | 11.7% | 2.2% | 2.9% |
| 1 bedroom | 31.2% | 9.4% | 10.9% |
| 2 bedrooms | 26.7% | 24% | 25% |
| 3 bedrooms | 18.4% | 42.1% | 38.7% |
| 4+ bedrooms | 11.9% | 22.3% | 22.4% |
| At a glance | |||
| Median year built | 1958 | 1989 | 1981 |
| Total housing units | 361,014 | 56,321,476 | 143,775,355 |
Occupancy Profile
Who is inside and how they use it
Homeownership
41.5%
owners
Renter-occupied
58.5%
Owner-occupied
41.5%
homeownership rate
Washington, D.C.
41.5%
South region
66.5%
United States
65.2%
Average household size
2.2
Owner-occupied
1.85
Renter-occupied
owner-occupied average size
Washington, D.C.
2.2
South region
2.63
United States
2.64
Housing Characteristics
Occupied unit characteristics
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Washington, D.C. | South region | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total occupied units | 324,491 | 49,758,750 | 129,227,496 |
| Year moved in | |||
| 2020 or later | 36.3% | 26.9% | 24.8% |
| 2010 to 2019 | 37.7% | 39.9% | 39.6% |
| 2000 to 2009 | 12.1% | 16.1% | 16.4% |
| 1999 or earlier | 13.8% | 17.2% | 19.1% |
| Occupants per room | |||
| 1.00 or fewer | 95.9% | 97% | 96.6% |
| 1.01 to 1.50 | 1.8% | 2% | 2.2% |
| 1.51 or more | 2.2% | 1% | 1.2% |
| Vehicles availability | |||
| No vehicles | 36% | 6.2% | 8.4% |
| 1 vehicle | 46.4% | 33.7% | 33.1% |
| 2 vehicles | 14.3% | 37.8% | 36.6% |
| 3 or more vehicles | 3.2% | 22.3% | 21.9% |
| House heating fuel used | |||
| Gas | 49% | 32.3% | 51.4% |
| Electricity | 46.9% | 64.6% | 41.3% |
| Solar | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Fuel oil, kerosene etc | 0.9% | 0.9% | 3.9% |
| All other fuels | 0.7% | 1% | 2% |
| No fuel used | 2% | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| Selected characteristics | |||
| Lacking complete plumbing | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Lacking complete kitchen | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| No telephone service available | 0.7% | 0.9% | 0.9% |
Housing Value
What owner-occupied units are worth
Median home value
$737,100
owner-occupied units
Housing Cost Burden
25.2%
of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened
Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.
Financial characteristics
Property value and housing costs
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Washington, D.C. | South region | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property value | |||
| Median Value | $737,100 | $290,100 | $332,700 |
| Under $100,000 | 1.6% | 13.8% | 11.4% |
| $100,000 - $200,000 | 1.6% | 17.6% | 15.8% |
| $200,000 - $300,000 | 3.6% | 20.4% | 17.8% |
| $300,000 - $500,000 | 20.5% | 28% | 26.9% |
| $500,000 - $1,000,000 | 42.2% | 16.2% | 20.9% |
| $1,000,000 and more | 30.5% | 4% | 7.1% |
| Owner-occupied households | |||
| With a mortgage | 75.7% | 58.2% | 60.6% |
| Without a mortgage | 24.3% | 41.8% | 39.4% |
| Median monthly owner costs | |||
| With a mortgage | $3,128 | $1,819 | $1,963 |
| Without a mortgage | $899 | $553 | $638 |
| Gross rent | |||
| Median rent | $1,954 | $1,344 | $1,413 |
Education Profile
How educated is the community and how education pays off
Adults with a college degree
64.2%
of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
Washington, D.C.
64.2%
South region
33.8%
United States
35.7%
Adults without a high school diploma
7.3%
of adults (25+) without a high school diploma
Washington, D.C.
7.3%
South region
11.1%
United States
10.4%
School Enrollment
Who is enrolled in school and at what level
School enrollment
161,200
population (age 3+) enrolled in school
College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)
50.9%
of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school
Enrollment & school type
Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split
Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school
| Washington, D.C. | South region | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total enrolled (age 3+) | 161,200 | 31,069,588 | 80,089,790 |
| Nursery / preschool | 8.9% | 5.7% | 5.7% |
| K–12 | 53.5% | 68.7% | 67.6% |
| Kindergarten | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5% |
| Elementary: Grades 1–4 | 17.4% | 20.3% | 19.8% |
| Elementary: Grades 5–8 | 16% | 21.3% | 21% |
| High School: Grades 9–12 | 14.9% | 21.9% | 21.7% |
| College or graduate school | 37.6% | 25.7% | 26.7% |
| College, undergraduate | 23.4% | 20.1% | 21% |
| Graduate, professional school | 14.1% | 5.5% | 5.8% |
| College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds | 50.9% | 38.6% | 40.9% |
| School type | |||
| Public school | 61% | 82.9% | 82% |
| Private school | 39% | 17.1% | 18% |
Education Attainment by Level & Gender
What is the highest level of education completed among adults
Education attainment
488,919
population 25 years and over
Attainment by gender
Male vs Female
Adults (25+) · Share within each education level
Educational Attainment Overview
Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)
Highest credential completed · adults 25+
| Washington, D.C. | South region | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (25+) | 488,919 | 88,400,874 | 230,807,303 |
| Less than 9th grade | 3% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| 9th–12th, no diploma | 4.3% | 6.4% | 5.7% |
| High school diploma or GED | 14.5% | 27.1% | 26% |
| Some college, no degree | 11.2% | 19.4% | 19.1% |
| Associate's degree | 2.7% | 8.7% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.2% | 33.8% | 35.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 26.2% | 20.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate or professional | 38% | 13.2% | 14.1% |
| High School or higher | 92.7% | 88.9% | 89.6% |
Earnings by education level
percentage as applicable
Median Earnings
$91,950
Median earnings for adults 25+, by level
Poverty Rate
4.1%
for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher
Outcomes by Education Level
Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)
Adults 25+
| Washington, D.C. | South region | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median earnings | |||
| Population 25+, with earnings | $91,950 | $49,901 | $52,696 |
| Less than high school graduate | $33,683 | $31,259 | $32,485 |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | $39,810 | $37,785 | $40,153 |
| Some college or associate's degree | $50,606 | $45,115 | $47,260 |
| Bachelor's degree | $95,471 | $65,784 | $70,044 |
| Graduate or professional degree | $123,909 | $84,770 | $90,720 |
| Poverty rates | |||
| Less than high school graduate | 38.5% | 25.8% | 24.2% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 28.8% | 15.2% | 14.4% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 18.4% | 10.2% | 9.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4.1% | 4.6% | 4.5% |
District of Columbia cities & counties by first letter
About Neilsberg Research
Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.
Share
Cite this page
Url to be used as reference
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal or tax advice. We recommend that you consult with a qualified professional such as a lawyer or accountant before making a decision. Many of the products and services featured here are from our affiliate partners. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Read advertiser disclosure.
