With 601,723 people, District of Columbia is a state. This is an unusually credentialed place: 49% of adults have a four-year degree. Owners hold 42% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $443,300, having roughly tripled since 2000. This skews young, with a median age of 33.8. The poverty rate is 18.5%, above the 13.8% national rate.
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)37.3%(7,258)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.2%(4,123)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era28%(5,456)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6%(1,165)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1%(188)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 19,465 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.
Metropolitan areas are built around an urban core of 50,000 or more people; micropolitan areas around a core of 10,000 to 50,000. A statistical area can cross state lines, so each is listed under its primary state.
Frequently asked
How many people live in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia has about 601,723 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in District of Columbia?
The typical household in District of Columbia earns about $58,526 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is District of Columbia expensive?
In District of Columbia, the median home is worth about $443,300, and the typical rent is about $1,063 a month.
How educated are people in District of Columbia?
About 49.2% of adults age 25 and over in District of Columbia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in District of Columbia?
About 18.5% of people in District of Columbia live below the federal poverty line.
Has District of Columbia grown since 1990?
Yes, District of Columbia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 5,177 residents, a change of about -1 percent over that period.