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District of Columbia, DC vs Arlington County, VA: growth, jobs and income compared

Arlington County, VA is growing faster than District of Columbia, DC: +1.8% vs +0.3% between 2024 and 2025. District of Columbia, DC gained 2,335 residents and Arlington County, VA gained 4,244 residents (Census Bureau population estimates).

Data as of 2025 · updated

Side by side

District of Columbia, DC vs Arlington County, VA side by side: public federal figures
MeasureDistrict of Columbia, DCArlington County, VA
Population2025693,645 Larger243,931
Population change2020–25+3.4% Higher+2.1%
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025−6.00.3 Higher
Private-sector job growth2018–23+3.5%+10.4% Higher
Median household income2020–24$109,870$142,114 Higher
Unemployment rate20256.3%2.9% Lower
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents20252.35.4 Higher

The tag marks the stronger figure in each row: the higher one, or the lower one for the unemployment rate ("Larger" is only the head count). Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

The two counties share a border, and both are part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area.

Each county in full

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Questions

Is District of Columbia, DC or Arlington County, VA growing faster?

Arlington County, VA is growing faster than District of Columbia, DC: +1.8% vs +0.3% between 2024 and 2025. District of Columbia, DC gained 2,335 residents and Arlington County, VA gained 4,244 residents (Census Bureau population estimates).

Which has the higher median household income, District of Columbia, DC or Arlington County, VA?

Arlington County, VA: $142,114, against $109,870 in District of Columbia, DC (American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–24).

Which has the lower unemployment rate, District of Columbia, DC or Arlington County, VA?

Arlington County, VA: 2.9%, against 6.3% in District of Columbia, DC (2025 annual average, BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics).

Where they rank in the state

More comparisons

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.