District Of Columbia County · District of Columbia · South · 681k residents
Washington, DC: economy, jobs & business costs
The site-selection read on Washington: labor costs, talent, corporate tax, energy, and business activity, 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.
Average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $2,478/wk. District of Columbia's corporate income tax rate is 8.25%. Commercial electricity averages 17.1¢/kWh.
Compare Washington side by side
Avg. weekly wage
$2,478/wk
Corporate income tax
8.25%
Bachelor's degree or higher
64.2%
Commercial electricity
17.1¢/kWh
Economic momentum
How fast Washington's economy is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
22/100
Cooling
Ranks Washington's residential building-permit and jobs 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. This is economic activity, not commercial lease rates or vacancy. Not investment or relocation advice.
| 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% |
| Corporate income tax | 8.25% |
| Avg. weekly wage | $2,478/wk |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.2% |
| Commercial electricity | 17.1¢/kWh |
| Businesses per 1k residents | 73.1/1k |
| Wage: Software developer | $154,930 |
| Wage: Registered nurse | $102,710 |
| Wage: General manager | $156,460 |
| Wage: Customer service | $46,220 |
| Wage: Warehouse worker | $37,870 |
| Wage: Heavy truck driver | $59,820 |
| Wage: Electrician | $75,930 |
| Wage: Retail salesperson | $36,610 |
| 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% |
| Employment (jobs) YoY | -2.3% |
| Building permits YoY | -8.4% |
| 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
LoopNet ↗Crexi ↗CommercialCafe ↗
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- Is Washington a good place to run a business?
- District of Columbia's corporate income tax rate is 8.25%; average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $2,478/wk; commercial electricity averages 17.1¢/kWh. Weigh these against your own priorities in the business comparison tool.
- 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.