DC
District of Columbia
Population 681,294
6 Sources
Updated September 10, 2026
681,294
Population
334,922,499 U.S.
$109,870
Median Income
$80,734 national
$184.3B
GDP (current $), change real
5.3%
Unemployment
4.0% national
Area Map
Click a county to view its economic profile
Demographics & Population
Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024 · 5-Year Estimates
Household Income
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Household
$109,870
Per Capita
$77,348
Mean Household
$162,297
Poverty Rate
15.4%
Age & Race / Ethnicity
Source: Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 · Table B01001, B02001, B03003
Cohorts
Under 18 · 18.7%
18-34 · 31.6%
35-54 · 27.3%
55-64 · 9.6%
65+ · 12.8%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnic category and overlaps with the race categories above.
Educational Attainment
Source: Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 · Table B15003 · Population 25+
92.7%
High School+
National: 89.6%
+3.1 pts
64.2%
Bachelor's+
National: 35.7%
+28.5 pts
38%
Graduate+
National: 14.1%
+23.9 pts
Employment Overview
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
681,294
Population
400,406
Labor Force
Employed
374,990
Unemployment Rate BLS LAUS 2024 annual
5.3%
2025 is not shown for District of Columbia: a state annual average needs all 12 months and the Bureau of Labor Statistics has published 11. County pages draw on the separate annual series and may show 2025.
Mean Commute 4 min above national avg
30.0 min
Work From Home vs 15.1% national
33%
Labor Force and Employed are ACS 5-Year survey estimates; the Unemployment Rate above comes from BLS LAUS, a separate monthly survey with its own methodology. The two won't reconcile by subtracting one from the other.
District of Columbia's median household income sits 36% above the national median. At 15.4%, its poverty rate runs 2.9 pts above the ~12.5% national level, relevant for federal funding eligibility narratives. Bachelor's-or-higher attainment of 64.2% exceeds the national average of 35.7%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (released December 2025). Figures reflect the most recent Census release, older news reports may cite prior vintages.
Key Takeaways
- Income premium: Households earn well above the national median, supporting strong consumer markets statewide.
- Elevated poverty: At 15.4%, the rate supports federal funding narratives across distressed counties (CDFI, NMTC, EDA).
- Talent advantage: Bachelor's-or-higher attainment exceeds the national average by 28.5 pts, supports knowledge-economy positioning.
- Young population: Median age of 35 is materially below the U.S. norm, a workforce pipeline asset.
Economy & Industry
Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW · Bureau of Economic Analysis
$184.3B
Gross Domestic Product · 2024
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis · CAGDP2 Regional GDP
109.901
Cost of Living - Above Avg
Key Takeaways
- Largest private-sector industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services employs 115,138 workers (31.1% of the tracked sectors), at an average wage of $198,031. Every industry figure on this page is private sector; government employs a further 227,371 and is counted separately.
- Economic scale: State GDP of $184.3B (2024).
- Wage stratification: Management of Companies and Enterprises averages $297,134 while Retail Trade averages $52,831, a 5.6x spread in the same economy, with implications for workforce development and talent strategy.
Source: BLS QCEW + BEA Regional GDP (CAGDP2).
Industry Concentration
Location Quotient measures regional specialization vs. national average. LQ > 1.0 = concentrated.
Attraction Opportunities - Below-Average Industries
LQ < 0.5, below-average employment, screened against industrial power cost. Source: BLS QCEW · 3-digit NAICS sub-sector
0.01x
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
42 employed
0.01x
Truck Transportation
85 employed
0.01x
Warehousing and Storage
81 employed
0.02x
Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing
88 employed
0.03x
Food Manufacturing
195 employed
0.03x
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing
41 employed
Energy-intensive sector in a state where industrial electricity costs 1.71x the national average.
0.04x
Chemical Manufacturing
124 employed
Energy-intensive sector in a state where industrial electricity costs 1.71x the national average.
0.04x
Miscellaneous Manufacturing
102 employed
Screened on industrial power cost only.
Industrial electricity in District of Columbia costs 14.78¢/kWh against 8.62¢/kWh nationally (2025).
Land area and freight access are not assessed at state level.
Source: EIA.
Key Takeaways
- Top specialization: Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional Orgs concentrates at 9.81x the national norm, top-decile concentration, the kind of signature sector that defines a region's economic identity.
- Cluster depth: 9 sub-sectors register LQ ≥ 1.5, suggesting an interconnected industrial base across the state.
- Attraction whitespace: 8 sub-sectors register LQ < 0.5, candidates for diversification or recruitment.
Source: BLS QCEW sub-sector Location Quotients.
Housing & Affordability
Census ACS · HUD Fair Market Rents FY2026
Housing Overview
Source: Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates · Tables B25001, B25077, B25064
$737,100
Median Home Value vs 2019
$1,954
Rent/Mo
41.5%
Owner-Occ
10.1%
Vacancy
6.7x
Home Value to Income Ratio - Stretched
vs. ~4.1x national average
HUD Fair Market Rents (Statewide)
Renter-household-weighted average across 1 Fair Market Rent areas · Source: HUD · Fair Market Rents FY2026 · Affordability threshold and renter cost burden from Census ACS B25119, B25070
Studio
$1,953/mo$1,953 to $1,953
1 Bedroom
$2,015/mo$2,015 to $2,015
2 Bedroom
$2,246/mo$2,246 to $2,246
3 Bedroom
$2,835/mo$2,835 to $2,835
4 Bedroom
$3,332/mo$3,332 to $3,332
30% of monthly median renter household income (~$1,920/mo, from a renter median of $76,809) · rents above this line are typically considered cost-burdened.
Measured: 44.3% of renter households already pay 30% or more of income on rent, and 22.5% pay 50% or more.
Key Takeaways
- Stretched market: Home value to income ratio of 6.7x is well above the ~4.1x national average; attainable workforce housing may be a recruitment friction.
- Renter-majority market: 41.5% owner-occupied; flexible labor mobility but consider home-buying pipeline if attracting families.
- Elevated vacancy: 10.1% vacancy rate; potential redevelopment opportunity.
- Rent affordability gap: None of the 5 HUD Fair Market Rent bedroom sizes sit below what a household on the median renter income of $76,809 can pay without cost burden (~$1,920/mo), and 44.3% of renter households are already cost-burdened, 22.5% severely so.
Source: Census ACS housing tables.
Workforce Pipeline
Labor force readiness, commuting, and workforce composition
Labor Market Overview
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Tables B01001, B23025, B08303, B08301
466,821
Working Age (18-64) vs 2019
vs 2019
Mean Commute 4 min above national avg
30.0 min
Work From Home vs 15.1% national
33%
Education & Talent Pipeline
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Table B15003 · College Scorecard
Bachelor's+
64.2%
HS Diploma+
92.7%
6 Largest Institutions by Credentials Awarded
Degrees, certificates, and other credentials awarded last academic year (College Scorecard).
9,285/yr
7,598/yr
4,493/yr
2,415/yr
2,097/yr
1,522/yr
Aging Workforce
Source: Census Bureau ACS · Derived from age & employment tables
14%
55-64 of working-age population (18-64)
Same cohort is 9.6% of total population, the basis used in the Demographics cohort chart.
Workforce by Occupation
Source: Census ACS 2020-2024 · Table C24010 · Civilian employed population 16+
Management / Professional
71.7%
Service
11.2%
Sales & Office
12.1%
Construction / Maint.
1.7%
Production / Transport
3.3%
Bars are drawn on a 0% to 80% axis, so bar length is proportional to actual share. Labels give each group's share of 374,990 employed workers.
Key Takeaways
- Healthy participation: 73% of the population aged 18+ is in the labor force, reflecting a steady, available workforce statewide.
Source: ACS workforce data.
District Profile
A single federal district
AI Insights
Sample output. Pulse AI analysis draws on 6 federal data sources.
Sample AI Insight
District of Columbia shows strong potential for religious, grantmaking, civic, professional orgs attraction, with a 9.81x concentration and 54,163 jobs in this sub-sector.
Cluster depth across religious, grantmaking, civic, professional orgs, internet publishing and broadcasting, and private households creates supply-chain attraction leverage, a structural advantage for industrial recruitment.
Industry Shift Analysis
Manufacturing Automation Risk
High
Healthcare Growth Forecast
+4.2% CAGR
Remote Work Migration
67/100
Prospect Match Scores
Advanced Manufacturing
92/100
Life Sciences
84/100
Data Centers
71/100
Illustrative example
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Data Sources
Updated from official federal government data.
Census ACS 5-Year2024
BLS QCEW2025
BEA Regional GDP2024
Census CBP2024
HUD Fair Market RentsFY2026
USAspending.govFY2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Key economic and demographic figures for District of Columbia, from federal data sources.
What is the population of District of Columbia?
681,294 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates).
What is the median household income in District of Columbia?
$109,870 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in District of Columbia?
5.3% (2024 annual average, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS).
What is the GDP of District of Columbia?
$184.3B (BEA CAGDP2 (Regional)).
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