Living in Washington DC, DC
On Locationistics's default family weighting, Washington DC ranks #31 of 103 US metros and #1 of 1 in District of Columbia. Typical home $590k · median income $118k · 6,380k residents.
Live data: 103 of 103 metros refreshed — BLS unemployment 2026-07 · FBI crime 2025 · Census ACS ACS 2024 5-year · Zillow ZHVI 2026-07-31 · last refresh Sep 6, 2026. Sources and limits.
Strongest here
- School sports & recruiting — 98/100
- Income vs. cost — 98/100
- Self-employment health — 94/100
Weakest here
- Safe neighbourhoods — 0/100
- Short commutes — 1/100
- Job market — 2/100
All 14 factor scores
- Temperate climate
- 29°F Jan low · 89°F Jul high
- 82
- School academics
- 76/100 school index
- 86
- School sports & recruiting
- 82/100 recruiting reach
- 98
- Safe neighbourhoods
- 0/100 safety index
- 0
- Home affordability
- $590k typical home · 5.0× income
- 39
- Property growth
- +30% over 5 years
- 76
- Faith community
- 420 adherents per 1,000
- 22
- College pipeline
- 82/100 college pipeline
- 93
- Job market
- 1.6% annual job growth
- 2
- Income vs. cost
- $118k median · cost index 119
- 98
- Self-employment health
- 78/100 small-business index
- 94
- Short commutes
- 33 min mean commute
- 1
- Population diversity
- 50/100 diversity index
- 24
- Healthcare access
- 84/100 healthcare index
- 88
Common questions
Is Washington DC a good place to live?
It depends on your weighting, which is the whole point of this tool. On the default family weighting it sits at #31 nationally, carried by school sports & recruiting and held back by safe neighbourhoods. Re-weight the factors to see where it lands for you.
How much does a house cost in Washington DC?
The typical home value is about $590k, roughly 5.0× the median household income, and values are up 30% over five years.
What is the weather like?
Around 29°F for a typical January low and 89°F for a typical July high, using NOAA 1991–2020 normals.
Similar metros in the South
Thinking of moving to Washington DC?
The relocation guide covers what an interstate move costs, the licence, registration and tax paperwork with its deadlines, and how to line up work in a new metro before you arrive.
Want the whole picture in one place? The Washington DC relocation report is a full written analysis of this metro — ranks, every factor, affordability maths, schools, community and comparable metros — for $29.
Figures are compiled public-data estimates. Methodology and sources.