About Washington, District Of Columbia

Washington, D.C. has an economy unlike any other American city — driven primarily by the federal government, lobbying, defense contracting, and the professional services firms that orbit Capitol Hill. Government workers, lawyers, consultants, and nonprofit professionals make up an outsized share of the workforce. The District's neighborhoods span enormous income ranges: Georgetown and Chevy Chase are among the most affluent in the nation, while Anacostia and Congress Heights have some of the lowest incomes in the metro. D.C. levies its own income tax with rates up to 10.75% for high earners. The city has experienced intense gentrification over the past two decades, reshaping historically Black neighborhoods and pushing average incomes upward. With strong public transit and walkable neighborhoods, D.C. attracts highly educated workers willing to pay premium housing costs.