Cost of living in Washington, District of Columbia
Washington, District of Columbia has about 681,294 people. Typical rent is $1,954 a month, including utilities, and a typical household earns $109,870 a year. Both figures are Census 2020–2024 medians, not a listing or your pay. This site does not approve or deny benefits. A missing figure stays blank. We do not guess it.
Ranked #1 in District of Columbia on the 2026 Most Affordable Towns Index.
Simple answer
Typical rent is $1,954 a month.
Washington is a city in District of Columbia. That rent number includes utilities. A typical household earns $109,870 a year.
- People
- 681,294
- Census average, 2020–2024
- Typical rent
- $1,954
- Median gross rent, includes utilities
- Typical pay
- $109,870
- Median household income, yearly
- Typical home
- $737,100
- Median home value
- 2-bedroom fair rent
- $2,438
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area
Washington, District of Columbia has about 681,294 people. That count is a 2020–2024 Census average, not a headcount from one day.
A typical home is worth about $737,100.
HUD's fair-market rent for a 2-bedroom in District of Columbia is $2,438 a month. That is the county number, not an apartment listing in Washington. It runs from October 2026 through September 2027.
In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, prices sit at 108.9 when the U.S. average is 100. That is a 2024 BEA index.
District of Columbia taxes wages. A typical combined sales tax is 6.0% as of January 1, 2026. That mix is statewide, not Washington's exact store tax.
In July 2026, a typical District of Columbia home paid 25.21¢ per kilowatt-hour. That is a state average from EIA, not Washington's bill.
EIA did not publish a 2025 all-grades gas price for District of Columbia in the table we use.
Nearby places
- Mount Rainier
Typical rent $1,457
Compare with Washington - Colmar Manor
Typical rent $2,222
Compare with Washington - Brentwood
Typical rent $1,600
Compare with Washington - Cottage City
Typical rent $1,565
Compare with Washington - Chillum
Typical rent $1,735
Compare with Washington - Arlington
Typical rent $2,322
Compare with Washington - Hyattsville
Typical rent $1,835
- Hillcrest Heights
Typical rent $1,545
EBT nearby
USDA has a live map of stores that take SNAP. We did not copy that store list here. The downloadable file is a history file for 2005 through 2025, so the live map is the one to use.
Locator page updated 2026-09-11. Last checked 2026-10-16.
Food stamps (SNAP) tools in District of Columbia
Census 2020-2024. HUD rents for October 2026–September 2027. BEA prices for 2024. Taxes as of January 1, 2026. Checked 2026-10-16. 15,000 places are in this guide.