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METRO AREA · 2010 ACS

Washington Metro

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV · 23 counties · 5,547,495 residents · 6,034 sq mi
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The short version

Washington is a metro area of 5,547,495 people. 47% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 28% nationally. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $431,460. Households take in $87,067 a year at the median, 65% more than the country as a whole. Renters pay $1,308 a month at the median. 21% of people across the metro were born outside the United States.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $52,703
Mid-age
median age 36.2
US median: 37.2
More educated
47% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 87%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
5,547,495
+16%since 2000
from 4,762,865 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
919 / sq mi
+16%since 2000
from 789 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
36.2
+4%since 2000
from 34.9 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
6,034 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
3.9M4.5M5.2M5.9M6.5M19902000201020202024Washington
20246.3M
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 56.7%(373,728)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 96.6%(364,178)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.5%(359,476)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.6%(366,930)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.7%(370,901)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3415.4%(853,191)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4415.1%(835,451)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5415.2%(845,382)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6411.2%(623,045)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 745.7%(318,422)
US avg: 7%
75 to 843%(164,531)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over1.3%(72,260)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$87,067
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $64,059 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$41,854
+37%since 2000
from $30,646 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
56.7%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 55.8% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
7.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2000
from 7.5% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.419
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Information8.3%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade6.8%
US avg: 7.2%
Other services6.7%
US avg: 7%
Public administration4.2%
US avg: 4.9%
Finance & insurance3.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Arts, entertainment, food3.4%
US avg: 2.4%
Retail trade3.3%
US avg: 10.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.2%
US avg: 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing1.4%
US avg: 3.1%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.4%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$431,460
+87%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $181,721 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,308
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $835 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
65.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2000
from 64.5% in 2000
34.8% rent
Vacancy rate
7.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Persons per household
2.66 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.67 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
Owner cost-burdened
33.9%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 33.3% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
45.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 44.7% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
5.1
−3%since 2009
from 5.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic55.1%(2,624,169)
Black26.3%(1,250,659)
Hispanic / Latino9%(429,502)
Asian6.9%(327,069)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic48.3%(2,680,713)
Black25.3%(1,405,187)
Hispanic / Latino13.9%(772,743)
Asian9.3%(513,305)
Other2.8%(154,545)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Central American6.1%(326,387)
Salvadoran4%(217,209)
South American2.6%(137,998)
Mexican2.1%(113,154)
Puerto Rican0.9%(49,814)
Guatemalan0.9%(49,394)
Bolivian0.8%(41,195)
Peruvian0.7%(39,425)
Honduran0.6%(32,409)
Colombian0.4%(20,753)
Cuban0.3%(14,685)
Dominican0.3%(14,425)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Nicaraguan0.3%(13,206)
Ecuadorian0.2%(9,163)
Argentine0.2%(9,061)
Spaniard0.2%(8,575)
Chilean0.1%(6,700)
Panamanian0.1%(5,945)
Venezuelan0.1%(5,036)
Costa Rican0.1%(3,148)
Uruguayan0%(2,140)
Paraguayan0%(1,850)
Ancestry
German11.7%(629,128)
Irish10%(534,454)
English8.6%(460,824)
Italian4.5%(241,329)
American4%(215,526)
Subsaharan African3.6%(191,586)
Polish2.5%(132,620)
Scottish2%(106,013)
French2%(105,475)
Scotch-Irish1.7%(90,944)
Russian1.4%(77,717)
West Indian1.1%(58,068)
+ 51 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.9%(49,528)
Arab0.9%(48,853)
Swedish0.8%(44,725)
British0.7%(39,474)
Norwegian0.7%(38,271)
Welsh0.7%(35,602)
Ethiopian0.7%(32,344)
Greek0.6%(29,686)
Jamaican0.5%(27,505)
Iranian0.5%(26,209)
Hungarian0.5%(26,014)
French Canadian0.4%(21,501)
Ukrainian0.4%(20,492)
Nigerian0.4%(20,307)
Czech0.3%(18,573)
Austrian0.3%(18,368)
Swiss0.3%(15,621)
Lithuanian0.3%(15,094)
Danish0.3%(15,062)
Portuguese0.3%(13,729)
Slovak0.3%(13,467)
Ghanaian0.3%(13,006)
Lebanese0.2%(12,032)
Romanian0.2%(9,664)
Canadian0.2%(9,651)
Haitian0.2%(8,696)
Turkish0.2%(7,866)
Brazilian0.1%(7,723)
Egyptian0.1%(6,445)
Armenian0.1%(6,351)
Finnish0.1%(5,877)
Croatian0.1%(5,442)
Guyanese0.1%(4,794)
Moroccan0.1%(4,740)
Belgian0.1%(4,527)
Serbian0.1%(3,558)
Somali0.1%(3,102)
Palestinian0.1%(3,100)
Slovene0.1%(3,043)
Israeli0.1%(2,923)
Latvian0.1%(2,821)
Bulgarian0.1%(2,814)
Syrian0.1%(2,710)
Kenyan0.1%(2,191)
Australian0%(1,882)
Iraqi0%(1,806)
Jordanian0%(1,546)
Barbadian0%(1,205)
Macedonian0%(731)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
46.8%
+4.7 ptssince 2000
from 42.1% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
89.5%
+2.7 ptssince 2000
from 86.8% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
21.9%
+3.1 ptssince 2000
from 18.9% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
33.5 min
+38%since 2000
from 24.3 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
66.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 66.1% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
11.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
13.9%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
4.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
3.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.5%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
9.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
12.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
50.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 50.0% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.9% in 2009
Female
51.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 51.1% in 2009
Foreign born
21.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 20.0% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
10.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married38.7%(967,194)
Married52.5%(1,313,007)
Widowed1.9%(48,104)
Divorced6.9%(172,210)
Women 15+
Never married35.5%(935,186)
Married47.6%(1,254,239)
Widowed6.5%(170,499)
Divorced10.4%(272,763)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
7.4%
−4.2 ptssince 2013
from 11.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
65.0%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 65.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
11.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 12.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
14.2%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 13.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.1%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 13.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
76.2%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 77.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
28.5%
+2.6 ptssince 2020
from 25.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)42.5%(147,965)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)38.4%(133,837)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era23.8%(82,930)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.1%(10,880)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.7%(2,558)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 348,179 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
In this metro

Largest cities

WashingtonCENTRAL693,645ArlingtonCENTRAL236,254AlexandriaCENTRAL160,662FrederickCENTRAL92,059Germantown90,719Waldorf82,943Silver Spring81,462Centreville71,706GaithersburgCENTRAL71,113Dale City71,016BethesdaCENTRAL69,397RockvilleCENTRAL67,563RestonCENTRAL64,414Bowie58,383Aspen Hill53,279Wheaton52,926Leesburg49,917North BethesdaCENTRAL49,677McLeanCENTRAL49,627Lake Ridge46,049Ashburn46,026Potomac45,902Manassas44,332Burke44,029Woodbridge43,945Linton Hall41,876Annandale41,705Clinton38,376Oakton36,528Olney35,797

The 30 most populous of 357 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

23 component counties

Fairfax CountyCENTRAL1,167,873Montgomery CountyCENTRAL1,074,582Prince George's CountyCENTRAL970,374District of ColumbiaCENTRAL693,645Prince William CountyCENTRAL502,966Loudoun CountyCENTRAL449,749Frederick County302,883Arlington CountyCENTRAL243,931Charles County176,593Stafford CountyCENTRAL170,803AlexandriaCENTRAL160,662Spotsylvania County155,388Fauquier County76,503Jefferson County63,102Culpeper County57,666ManassasCENTRAL44,332Warren County42,740Fredericksburg30,393FairfaxCENTRAL26,772Manassas ParkCENTRAL16,560Clarke County15,609Falls ChurchCENTRAL15,159Rappahannock County7,439
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Washington

San Francisco
Pop 4,630,041
Boston
Pop 5,034,221
Philadelphia
Pop 6,329,118
Atlanta
Pop 6,482,182
Places similar to Washington
Head to head

Compare Washington side by side

WASHINGTON VS
San Francisco
Income$136,713+57%
Home value$1,186,704+175%
Population4,630,041−28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WASHINGTON VS
Boston
Income$116,759+34%
Home value$656,837+52%
Population5,034,221−22%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WASHINGTON VS
Philadelphia
Income$94,031+8%
Home value$347,163−20%
Population6,329,118−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WASHINGTON VS
Atlanta
Income$91,036+5%
Home value$376,129−13%
Population6,482,182same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV has about 5,547,495 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

The typical household in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV earns about $87,067 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV expensive?

In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, the median home is worth about $431,460, and the typical rent is about $1,308 a month.

How educated are people in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

About 46.8% of adults age 25 and over in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?

About 7.4% of people in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV live below the federal poverty line.

Has Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV grown since 1990?

Yes, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,441,540 residents, a change of about 35 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →