Cost of Living in District of Columbia
What it costs to live in District of Columbia, how much tax you'll pay, and what common jobs keep after rent and everyday costs.
- Population
- 702,250
- Median household income
- $109,707
- State income tax
- Up to 10.8%
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 109.9
What a typical paycheck keeps in District of Columbia
The typical District of Columbia worker earns $91,540 (BLS). After taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, $22,796 is left. Pick a city for local rents and pay.
- Typical salary
- $91,540
- Federal income tax
- −$11,309
- Payroll taxes
- −$7,003
- State income tax
- −$4,812
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$26,448
- Everyday costs
- −$19,172
a year, or $1,900 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS statewide median. Rent: HUD FY2027, population-weighted across District of Columbia.
Cost of living in District of Columbia
Prices across District of Columbia run 10% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Housing55% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)7% above the US average
- Utilities13% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)3% above the US average
- All items10% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $2,204 | $26,448 |
| Food | $526 | $6,312 |
| Transportation | $416 | $4,992 |
| Healthcare | $363 | $4,356 |
| Utilities | $294 | $3,528 |
| Total before taxes | $3,803 | $45,636 |
Rent is the statewide average of county fair market rents, weighted by population. City rents differ.
District of Columbia taxes
State income tax, single filer (2026)
| Taxable income over | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 | 4% |
| $10,000 | 6% |
| $40,000 | 6.5% |
| $60,000 | 8.5% |
| $250,000 | 9.3% |
| $500,000 | 9.8% |
| $1,000,000 | 10.8% |
Taxes on the median household income
$109,707 of wages, one single filer (Census 2024 median).
| Federal income tax | −$15,306 |
| Payroll taxes | −$8,393 |
| State income tax | −$6,357 |
| Effective tax rate | 27.4% |
Cities in District of Columbia
What a typical worker keeps after taxes, rent and everyday costs in each District of Columbia city we cover.
What common jobs keep in District of Columbia
The 15 jobs that keep the most: statewide median pay, and what's left after taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $195,190 | $86,098 |
| Pharmacist | $153,400 | $60,424 |
| Dental hygienist | $137,220 | $50,741 |
| Software engineer | $136,880 | $50,538 |
| Nurse practitioner | $135,880 | $49,939 |
| Physician assistant | $135,140 | $49,496 |
| Veterinarian | $134,530 | $49,130 |
| Mechanical engineer | $133,300 | $48,395 |
| Data scientist | $126,490 | $44,319 |
| Respiratory therapist | $111,950 | $35,420 |
| Accountant | $111,530 | $35,159 |
| Speech-language pathologist | $109,380 | $33,829 |
| Occupational therapist | $109,170 | $33,700 |
| Financial analyst | $105,780 | $31,603 |
| Project manager | $104,900 | $31,059 |
Salary pages in District of Columbia, A–Z
Pay range, what’s kept and the best cities for each job.
- Accountant
- Auto mechanic
- Carpenter
- Civil engineer
- Data scientist
- Dental assistant
- Dental hygienist
- Diesel mechanic
- Electrician
- Financial analyst
- Firefighter
- HVAC technician
- Lawyer
- Licensed practical nurse
- Lineman
- Mechanical engineer
- Medical assistant
- Nurse practitioner
- Nursing assistant
- Occupational therapist
- Paralegal
- Paramedic
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacy technician
- Physical therapist
- Physician assistant
- Plumber
- Police officer
- Project manager
- Radiologic technologist
- Registered nurse
- Respiratory therapist
- Social worker
- Software engineer
- Speech-language pathologist
- Teacher
- Truck driver
- Veterinarian
- Welder
Top-paying jobs in District of Columbia
Median pay, jobs with at least 1,000 workers (BLS OEWS). Linked jobs have a salary page.
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Public Relations Managers | $197,600 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $195,190 |
| Lawyers | $195,190 |
| Financial Managers | $188,880 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $185,220 |
| Human Resources Managers | $184,350 |
| Marketing Managers | $177,170 |
| Purchasing Managers | $175,720 |
| Managers, All Other | $175,720 |
| General and Operations Managers | $168,000 |
| Economists | $167,590 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $167,520 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $160,760 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $156,730 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $156,590 |
Living in District of Columbia
District of Columbia against the US (Census Bureau, ACS 2024).
| Measure | District of Columbia | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $733,400 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,931 | $1,487 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 17.3% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 65.5% | 36.9% |
| Average commute, one way | 31 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 22.9% | 13.3% |
Nearby states
Compare District of Columbia with another state or city: what a job keeps in each, side by side.
Questions people ask
What is the cost of living in District of Columbia?
Prices in District of Columbia are 10% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). The statewide fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $2,204 a month (HUD, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person come to about $1,598 a month.
Does District of Columbia have a state income tax?
Yes. District of Columbia's income tax rate is up to 10.8%. On a typical wage of $91,540, a single filer pays about $4,812 a year in state income tax.
How much do you need to earn to live in District of Columbia?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom at the statewide fair market rent needs about $56,900 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs. The typical worker in District of Columbia earns $91,540 and keeps $22,796 after those costs.
What jobs pay the most in District of Columbia?
Among jobs with at least 1,000 workers, the highest median pay in District of Columbia goes to Public Relations Managers ($197,600); Computer and Information Systems Managers ($195,190); Lawyers ($195,190) (BLS OEWS).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
- HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by state, 2024
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate