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District of Columbia, DC: population growth, jobs and income

District of Columbia gained 2,335 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.3%).

District of Columbia had an estimated 693,645 residents in 2025, up 3.4% (22,687 more people) since 2020. That is about as fast than District of Columbia as a whole (+3.4%), and the 1st fastest growth of 1 counties in District of Columbia.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the District of Columbia report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for District of Columbia, ranked against District of Columbia and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$1,954/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes10.1%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months2,0202025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 4,128 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 558,653 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +3.5% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 6.3% in 2025, 0.8 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 1,591 new homes in 2025, or 2.3 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $109,870 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +20.9% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 895th.

Part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area.

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District of Columbia population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
2025693,645+2,335
2024691,310+8,751
2023682,559+8,058
2022674,501+4,864
2021669,637−1,321
2020670,958–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in District of Columbia

District of Columbia grew by 22,687 people since 2020 even though 18,507 more residents moved to other U.S. counties than came from them: births outnumbered deaths by 13,970, and net international migration added 27,350.

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths+2,516+13,970
International migrationfrom and to other countries+3,915+27,350
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−4,128−18,507
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+32−126
Total change+2,335+22,687

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn District of ColumbiaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth1st of 1895th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents1st of 12,647th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth1st of 11,400th of 3,092
Median household income1st of 1101st of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate1st of 12,939th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents1st of 11,405th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for District of Columbia, DC as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

District of Columbia grew faster than all 4 of its neighbouring counties (+3.4%, 2020–25).

3 of its 4 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than District of Columbia's $109,870 (2020–24).

District of Columbia, DC and its 4 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
District of Columbia, DC This county693,645+3.4%−6.02.3$109,870
Arlington County, VA243,931+2.1%0.35.4$142,114
Alexandria, VA160,662+1.0%−13.60.1$119,681
Prince George's County, MD970,374+0.5%−3.42.2$101,798
Montgomery County, MD1,074,582+1.3%−9.21.3$132,450

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – 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.

All 1 District of Columbia counties · Every state

Questions

Is District of Columbia growing?

Yes. Its population grew 3.4% between 2020 and 2025, about 22,687 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). District of Columbia as a whole changed +3.4% over the same years. That ranks 1st of 1 counties in District of Columbia for population growth.

How many people moved to District of Columbia?

On net, none in 2025: about 4,128 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in District of Columbia?

It averaged 6.3% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of District of Columbia?

About 693,645 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in District of Columbia?

Private employers there had 558,653 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +3.5% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in District of Columbia

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other District of Columbia county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

District of Columbia data alerts

Email me when District of Columbia gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for District of Columbia is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

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.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.