Cost of Living in Washington, DC

Population 671,803 · District of Columbia

Compare with:

Median Rent

Studio

$1,763

1 Bedroom

$1,885

2 Bedroom

$1,949

3 Bedroom

$2,249

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$724,600

Income

Median Household Income

$106,287

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$71,060

Household income: Census ACS, city. Metro median wage: BLS OEWS, all occupations, 2025 (metro area).

The People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.9 yrs

Homeownership

41.1%

Bachelor's+ (25+)

63.6%

Avg Commute

30.3 min

Crime

Violent Crime (per 100k/yr)

936

Property Crime (per 100k/yr)

3,627.1

FBI Crime Data Explorer, Washington Police Department (2024). Offenses per 100,000 residents per year. Agency reporting practices vary, so cross-city comparisons are approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

58.2°F

Annual Precipitation

39.7 in

Gas

Regular Gasoline (East Coast (PADD 1))

$4.30/gal

EIA weekly retail average, week of 2026-05-25.

Public Transit

Base Fare (WMATA (Metrobus))

$2.00

Adult base one-way fare on the primary agency (2026).

Utilities

Electricity

25.0¢/kWh

Natural Gas

$18.01/MCF

Residential, state-level averages (EIA, 2026-03-01). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.16

Bread (lb)

$1.73

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.56

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

Bananas (lb)

$0.61

Average prices, South (BLS, 2026-04-01). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes (DC)

State Sales Tax

State Income Tax (top rate)

Up to 10.75%

State-level rates. Local sales taxes may add more. Income tax shown is the top marginal rate; most filers pay less.

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981-2010 (climate); EIA (gas, utilities); BLS Average Price Data (groceries) & OEWS (metro wage); transit agencies (fares); FBI Crime Data Explorer (crime); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).