District of Columbia by the numbers
A decision-oriented profile: what it costs to live here, what the job market looks like, and how it stacks up against where you are now. Every figure links to its official source.
The bottom line on District of Columbia
The cost-of-living picture
Overall prices in District of Columbia run at 109.9 on the BEA index, where 100 is the US average — among the most expensive states in the country. That makes it the 3rd-most-expensive state of 51, with everyday costs about 10% above the national level. The single biggest factor is housing rents, which sits at 155 — 55% above the national norm.
Housing
The typical renter pays $1,954 a month — 38% above the national median of $1,413, the 3rd-highest rent in the country. Buying is a bigger gap: the median home is worth $737,100, 122% above the national median, so ownership is where the real premium bites. 41.5% of homes are owner-occupied, making it unusually renter-heavy. Renters here spend a median 28.6% of their income on rent, within the range usually considered affordable.
Do paychecks keep up with prices?
Median household income is $109,870, the 1st-highest of 51 states. But income only matters relative to prices: adjusted for local costs, that is worth $99,973 in national-average terms. Its rank barely moves after adjusting for costs, so pay and prices here are broadly in step.
The tax trade-off
Income is taxed through graduated brackets, topping out at 10.75%. Combined sales tax averages 6.00%. The two roughly offset, leaving a middle-of-the-pack tax profile. (Tax figures are hand-verified from the Tax Foundation and dated on the page below.)
The job market
Unemployment stands at 6.1% (May 2026), 45% above the national 4.2%. That is a looser labor market than the national picture. It is also the one figure here that refreshes monthly, rather than annually.
Every figure above is drawn from the sourced data on this page — no estimates, no filler.
What it costs to live here
Price level by component, 100 = US average. Higher means more expensive than the national average.
| Component | District of Columbia | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 109.9 | +9.9% |
| Housing rents | 155.0 | +55.0% |
| Goods | 106.5 | +6.5% |
| Utilities | 112.8 | +12.8% |
| Other services | 103.0 | +3.0% |
BEA Regional Price Parities · SARPP · 2024 · rel. February 2026 · Official API
Housing & income (ACS)
| Median gross rent | $1,954/mo |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $737,100 |
| Median household income | $109,870/yr |
| Homeownership rate | 41.5% |
| Median rent as % of income | 28.6% |
| Median owner costs as % of income | 18.1% |
US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates · ACS5 · 2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official API
The job market
The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in District of Columbia is 6.1% as of May 2026 (preliminary). This is the one figure here that updates monthly.
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics · LAUS · May 2026 · rel. May 2026 · Official API
How District of Columbia has changed since 2005
Home prices (FHFA index)
Home prices in District of Columbia are up 80% since 2005 (FHFA index). That trails the national 97% — home values here have grown slower than the country as a whole.
Data table
| Year | District of Columbia | US |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 591 | 363 |
| 2006 | 625 | 379 |
| 2007 | 624 | 375 |
| 2008 | 575 | 348 |
| 2009 | 563 | 330 |
| 2010 | 567 | 324 |
| 2011 | 576 | 313 |
| 2012 | 605 | 315 |
| 2013 | 656 | 328 |
| 2014 | 710 | 345 |
| 2015 | 759 | 362 |
| 2016 | 801 | 382 |
| 2017 | 835 | 403 |
| 2018 | 875 | 422 |
| 2019 | 905 | 444 |
| 2020 | 946 | 471 |
| 2021 | 1029 | 556 |
| 2022 | 1048 | 617 |
| 2023 | 1018 | 649 |
| 2024 | 1037 | 685 |
| 2025 | 1068 | 708 |
| 2026 | 1064 | 713 |
Unemployment rate
State unemployment peaked at 10.1% in 2011 and stands at 6.4% today — a long recovery from that high.
Data table
| Year | District of Columbia | US |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 6.5% | 5.1% |
| 2006 | 5.8% | 4.6% |
| 2007 | 5.5% | 4.6% |
| 2008 | 6.5% | 5.8% |
| 2009 | 9.5% | 9.3% |
| 2010 | 9.8% | 9.6% |
| 2011 | 10.1% | 8.9% |
| 2012 | 9% | 8.1% |
| 2013 | 8.4% | 7.4% |
| 2014 | 7.7% | 6.2% |
| 2015 | 6.9% | 5.3% |
| 2016 | 6.2% | 4.9% |
| 2017 | 6.1% | 4.4% |
| 2018 | 5.7% | 3.9% |
| 2019 | 5.5% | 3.7% |
| 2020 | 8% | 8.1% |
| 2021 | 6.9% | 5.4% |
| 2022 | 4.7% | 3.7% |
| 2023 | 4.9% | 3.6% |
| 2024 | 5.3% | 4% |
| 2025 | 6.3% | 4.3% |
| 2026 | 6.4% | 4.3% |
FRED (FHFA House Price Index & state unemployment) · FRED · through 2026 · rel. continuously updated · Official API
What you'd pay in tax
| Individual income tax | 10.75% top rate (graduated) |
|---|---|
| Sales tax (state) | 6.00% |
| Sales tax (combined avg) | 6.00% |
Tax Foundation — 2026 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets · Income · 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
Tax Foundation — State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 · Sales · 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
How it compares to where you are now
See how far your income would go here versus your current state — adjusted for what things actually cost.
Compare your income in District of Columbia →Where District of Columbia ranks
Sources for every figure on this page
BEA Regional Price Parities ·
SARPP· 2024 · rel. February 2026 · Official APIBLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics ·
LAUS· May 2026 · rel. May 2026 · Official APIUS Census ACS 5-Year Estimates ·
ACS5· 2024 · rel. December 2025 · Official APITax Foundation — 2026 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets ·
Income· 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20Tax Foundation — State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 ·
Sales· 2026 · rel. tax year 2026 · Manually maintained · verified 2026-07-20
Occupation wages and a full tax profile for District of Columbia are being added. See the methodology →