District Of Columbia County · District of Columbia · South · 681k residents
Washington, DC: cost of living, taxes & quality of life
Residential facts for Washington: housing, taxes, monthly costs, climate, schools, and household income, with the District of Columbia median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
The median home value in Washington is $640,000. A two-bedroom rents for about $3,050/mo. Day-to-day costs index at 140 against a national baseline of 100. The median household here earns $101,000 a year.
What the numbers show
Source-confirmed findingsLimited coverage: This profile does not yet have enough source-confirmed local data for a city brief.
This profile does not yet have enough source-confirmed local data for a city brief.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates(2024 ACS 5-year; tables B01003, B15003, B19013, B25077). Geography: Census place where available. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
WhereToHQ calculates the comparisons. Figures are estimates for context, not a guarantee or personal financial advice. Read the methodology or send a correction.
What makes this place distinctive
A factual snapshot of the place, based on the profile data. It is not a tourism or cultural claim.
A capital of monuments and museums that also runs on neighborhood food, culture, and civic debate.
Known for: The National Mall, free museums, Black history, diplomacy, and diverse neighborhoods.
Calendar note: The National Cherry Blossom Festival is the city’s best-known annual celebration.
Story source: Washington DC
- Scale: A large city with a quarter-million or more residents in the profile data.
- Setting: The profile places Washington about 76 miles from the nearest tracked mountain.
- Climate signal: The profile records 203 sunny days and 10 inches of annual snow.
- Daily pace: The profile records a walk score of 77 and an average commute of 33 minutes.
WhereToHQ derives these signals from the committed city dataset. Read the methodology for coverage and source limits.
Compare Washington side by side
Cost of living index
140
Median home value
$640,000
2-bedroom rent
$3,050/mo
Median household income
$101,000
Housing momentum
How fast Washington's housing market is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
12/100
Cooling
Ranks Washington's home-price and rent growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. Not investment or relocation advice.
Adjusted by Washington's cost-of-living index versus the US average.
| Median home value | $640,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $480 |
| Property tax rate | 0.6% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $2,300/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,050/mo |
| State & local income tax | 3.8% |
| Sales tax | 6% |
| Cost of living index | 140 |
| Groceries index | 108 |
| Utilities | $165/mo |
| Transit pass | $105/mo |
| Gas price | $3.55/gal |
| Healthcare index | 104 |
| Childcare (per child) | $2,100/mo |
| Median household income | $101,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% |
| Population | 681k |
| Crime index | 53/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 |
| Walkability | 77/100 |
| Disaster risk | 98/100 |
| Avg. commute | 33 min |
| Sunny days / year | 203 days |
| July high | 90°F |
| January low | 28°F |
| Annual snowfall | 10 in |
| Home price YoY | -2.8% |
| Home price MoM | -0.5% |
| Rent YoY | -1.6% |
| Rent MoM | +0.1% |
| Ocean coast | 105 mi |
| Big lake | 171 mi |
| Mountains | 76 mi |
| Major airport | 4 mi |
| Ski resort | 99 mi |
Popular comparisons
Real listings in Washington
Homes on Zillow ↗Realtor.com ↗Rentals on Zillow ↗Apartments.com ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- What is the cost of living in Washington, DC?
- Washington indexes at 140 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $3,050/mo and a median home value of $640,000.
- How much does a house cost in Washington?
- The median home value in Washington is $640,000 (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Washington?
- A two-bedroom in Washington rents for about $3,050/mo.