The Washington metro area: Alexandria City, Arlington County, Charles County, Clarke County, Culpeper County, District of Columbia, Fairfax City, Fairfax County, Falls Church City, Fauquier County, Frederick County, Fredericksburg City, Jefferson County, Loudoun County, Manassas City, Manassas Park City, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Prince William County, Rappahannock County, Spotsylvania County, Stafford County and Warren County · Population 6,318,377 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in the Washington area
Household size in the Washington area
| Period | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.19 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.82 | 2.29 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.86 | 2.38 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.77 | 2.09 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
The typical household in the Washington area holds 2.77 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.73, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the east.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in the Washington area
| Period | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.0 | 36.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.6 | 35.6 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.5 | 35.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.2 | 36.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +0.2 | +2.3 |
At 39.2, the median age in the Washington area is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is older than in the District of Columbia overall, where the median age is 36.2. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.0, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in the Washington area
| Period | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 12.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in the Washington area (10.4%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.9 points, in line with the national trend.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in the Washington area
Renters in the Washington area
| Period | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.0% | 56.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.6% | 58.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.8% | 58.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.3% | 58.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in the Washington area rent their homes (36.3%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the District of Columbia overall (58.5%). Just over a quarter of owners (26.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.3 points, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in the Washington area
| Period | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 13.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 10.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 10.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −3.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in the Washington area than nationally: 5.9%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only seven of the 100 large U.S. metro areas have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in the Washington area
| Period | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1952 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1954 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1957 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +10 | +6 |
The typical home in the Washington area was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the District of Columbia overall, where the median home dates to 1963. The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the east has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in the Washington area
| Period | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,470 | $1,166 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,583 | $1,368 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,907 | $1,677 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,236 | $2,078 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$766 | +$912 | +$606 |
A typical rental in the Washington area costs $2,236 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $766 a month from 2006–10, a 52% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.6% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; the highest are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in the Washington area
Bachelor's degrees in the Washington area
| Period | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.6% | 47.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 48.2% | 52.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 51.0% | 58.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 53.9% | 63.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +16.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
The Washington area is highly educated: more than half of adults 25 and older (53.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in the District of Columbia overall (63.4%). The share with a degree has risen 7.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 100 large U.S. metro areas, only two have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in the Washington area
| Period | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.4% | 86.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.2% | 88.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.8% | 91.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.2% | 92.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +6.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in the Washington area have finished high school (91.2%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The figure for the District of Columbia is much the same. The share with a diploma has risen 1.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in the Washington area
| Period | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 10.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 7.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 7.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.8%, unemployment in the Washington area is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the District of Columbia overall (7.0%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Largest cities in the Washington area
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington area (all) | 2.77 | 39.2 | 10.4% | 36.3% | 5.9% | 1982 | $2,236 | 53.9% | 91.2% | 4.8% |
| Alexandria | 2.39 | 38.8 | 9.4% | 52.7% | 6.5% | 1975 | $2,281 | 58.7% | 90.0% | 4.3% |
| Arlington | 2.22 | 37.3 | 5.4% | 58.8% | 8.7% | 1973 | $2,521 | 76.5% | 94.9% | 3.4% |
| Fredericksburg | 2.74 | 38.4 | 11.1% | 29.0% | 5.8% | 1995 | $1,907 | 39.4% | 92.1% | 4.4% |
| Fairfax | 2.76 | 38.3 | 5.8% | 32.4% | 3.2% | 1982 | $2,405 | 68.7% | 94.8% | 3.5% |
| Gaithersburg | 3.00 | 39.8 | 9.9% | 38.3% | 4.8% | 1986 | $2,132 | 50.2% | 86.9% | 5.3% |
| Silver Spring | 2.64 | 39.6 | 11.9% | 48.7% | 6.0% | 1969 | $2,035 | 57.8% | 88.2% | 5.5% |
| Frederick | 2.61 | 39.3 | 11.7% | 32.7% | 6.3% | 1988 | $1,953 | 45.0% | 90.6% | 3.3% |
| Germantown | 2.86 | 38.5 | 11.1% | 35.6% | 3.7% | 1990 | $2,148 | 50.2% | 89.7% | 5.3% |
| Stafford | 3.24 | 35.5 | 9.1% | 19.3% | 4.9% | 1998 | $2,181 | 45.1% | 91.9% | 4.0% |
| Ashburn | 2.84 | 40.5 | 6.8% | 29.9% | 3.4% | 2005 | $2,794 | 70.1% | 95.9% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Metro areas of similar size: Phoenix area · Boston area · Atlanta area · Miami area · Philadelphia area · Houston area · Dallas area · Chicago area · Los Angeles area · New York area
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up the Washington area. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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