What are the schools like in Washington, DC?

Washington is served primarily by District of Columbia Public Schools. The district operates 79 elementary schools, 14 middle schools, and 21 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 10.9:1.

What is the median household income in Washington?

The median household income in Washington, DC is $101,722 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 7.1%.

What is the weather like in Washington, DC?

Washington has an average high temperature of 44.7°F in January and 89.8°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 45.6 inches and annual snowfall averages 9.7 inches.

Washington, DC Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Washington, DC affordable or expensive?

Washington's cost of living index is 109, where 100 represents the national average. This means Washington is 9% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $705,000 and the median rent is $1,817 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Washington, DC?

Washington has a violent crime rate of 925.9 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 3588.0 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Washington, DC a Good Place to Live?

Washington is a large city of 670,587 in District of Columbia, with a median household income of $101,722 and a 7.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

Strengths: Washington stands out for solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, a higher-than-average crime index, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Washington is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Washington city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 108.6

Washington's overall cost of living index is 108.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Washington costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.

Metric	Washington, DC	National Avg
Median Home Value	$705,000	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,817	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	41.4%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$101,722	$74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Washington's violent crime rate is 925.9 per 100,000 residents — 144% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

925.9 /100k

Property Crime

3588.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Washington is served primarily by District of Columbia Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Washington, DC	National Avg
School District	District of Columbia Public Schools	—
Elementary Schools	79	—
Middle Schools	14	—
High Schools	21	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	10.9:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	62.6%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	92.7%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Washington sees average highs of 44.7°F in January and 89.8°F in July, with 45.6 inches of annual precipitation and 9.7 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Washington, DC
Average High — January	44.7°F
Average High — July	89.8°F
Annual Precipitation	45.6"
Annual Snowfall	9.7"

Demographics

Metric	Washington, DC	National Avg
Population	670,587	—
Median Age	34.8	38.9
Unemployment Rate	7.1%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	30.5 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	39.6%	59.3%
Black or African American	44.3%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	8.1%	18.9%
Asian	4.0%	6.3%
Under 18	18.5%	22.2%
65 and over	12.6%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Mount Rainier, MD 4 mi Colmar Manor, MD 4 mi Brentwood, MD 4 mi Cottage City, MD 4 mi North Brentwood, MD 5 mi

ZIP Codes in Washington

Washington, DC is covered by 57 ZIP codes:

20019 20011 20032 20002 20020 20016 20015 20007 20008 20018 20003 20017 20024 20012 20001 20009 20010 20037 20373 20005 20006 20317 20036 20004 20064 20057 20565 20319 20422 20560 20059 20230 20566 20052 20515 20540 20388 20520 20250 20260 20245 20220 20530 20535 20542 20240 20510 20408 20415 20418 20045 20591 20551 20431 20427 20204 20390

Washington vs Other Cities

Washington, DC vs Mount Rainier, MD Washington, DC vs Colmar Manor, MD Washington, DC vs Brentwood, MD Washington, DC vs Cottage City, MD Washington, DC vs North Brentwood, MD

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Washington, DC affordable or expensive?

Washington's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts Washington roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $705,000 and median rent is $1,817/month.

What is the crime rate in Washington, DC?

Washington's violent crime rate is 925.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3588.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Washington?

Public schools in Washington are operated by District of Columbia Public Schools. The district has 79 elementary, 14 middle, and 21 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.9:1. 62.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Washington, DC a good place to live?

Washington, DC has a population of 670,587, a median household income of $101,722, and an unemployment rate of 7.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Washington?

Washington averages 44.7°F in January and 89.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 45.6 inches with about 9.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Washington?

Washington, DC is covered by 57 ZIP codes: 20019, 20011, 20032, 20002, 20020, 20016, 20015, 20007, 20008, 20018, 20003, 20017, 20024, 20012, 20001, 20009, 20010, 20037, 20373, 20005, 20006, 20317, 20036, 20004, 20064, 20057, 20565, 20319, 20422, 20560, 20059, 20230, 20566, 20052, 20515, 20540, 20388, 20520, 20250, 20260, 20245, 20220, 20530, 20535, 20542, 20240, 20510, 20408, 20415, 20418, 20045, 20591, 20551, 20431, 20427, 20204, 20390.

What is the population of Washington?

The population of Washington, District of Columbia is 670,587 with a median age of 34.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Washington?

Key numbers for living in Washington: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $705,000, median household income $101,722, crime index 215 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Washington side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.