District of Columbia
Among the top 4% of US states for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 10% of US states
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 4% of US states
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 8% of US states
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 96% of US states
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 61% of US states
- top 1% for walkability
- top 1% for airport distance
- bottom 1% for monthly owner costs
District of Columbia is a U.S. state with about 671,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include walkability, airport distance, and amenities nearby. It rates lower on violent crime and property crime.
Official websitedc.gov (opens in new tab)
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$102k100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$71kbetter than 4% of US states
Home Value$705k96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 4% of US states
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 1% of US states
Property Tax Rate0.56%better than 82% of US states
Income Tax8.53%better than 16% of US states
Sales Tax6.00%better than 76% of US states
Estimated total tax burden14.40%better than 26% of US states
Unemployment7.1%better than 2% of US states
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)36°F63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation46.0 in57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall11.7 inbetter than 61% of US states
Sunny Days165 daysbetter than 2% of US states
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 31% of US states
Comfortable Days78 daysbetter than 38% of US states
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk97.6better than 4% of US states
Air Quality50 AQIbetter than 16% of US states
School Quality100.0better than 97% of US states
Violent Crime3268/100kbetter than 1% of US states
Property Crime3576/100kbetter than 1% of US states
Community
Population670,5874th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age34.82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6496th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.922nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+890th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)36.3%8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)43.5%100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)11.5%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)4.0%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.7%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time31 minbetter than 6% of US states
Walkability14.4/20better than 99% of US states
Airport Distance3 mibetter than 99% of US states
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.0%better than 69% of US states
Amenities Nearby44.68better than 98% of US states
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 8% of US states
Frequently asked questions
- Is District of Columbia an affordable place to live?
- District of Columbia is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $71k, better than 4% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in District of Columbia?
- The median home value in District of Columbia is $705k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in District of Columbia?
- Median household income in District of Columbia is $102k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in District of Columbia?
- Median gross rent in District of Columbia is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is District of Columbia safe?
- District of Columbia is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 3268/100k (better than 0%). Property crime is 3576/100k.
- What is the weather like in District of Columbia?
- District of Columbia averages 80°F in July and 36°F in January, with 46.0 in of annual precipitation and about 165 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in District of Columbia?
- Public-school quality in District of Columbia is above average, scoring better than 97% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in District of Columbia?
- The average one-way commute in District of Columbia is 31 min.
Best places to live in District of Columbia
Top cities in District of Columbia
Counties in District of Columbia
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)