District of Columbia
Among the top 4% of US states for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 12% 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 violent crime
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)
- The median home value in District of Columbia is $705k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in District of Columbia is $102k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in District of Columbia is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- District of Columbia has a violent crime rate of 3268/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in District of Columbia is 31 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
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$131kbetter than 31% 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 0% of US states
Property Crime3576/100kbetter than 0% 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 100% of US states
Airport Distance3 mibetter than 100% 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
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)
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. Median rent is $2k.
- 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.