Cost of Living in Washington, DC
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Washington, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 693,645
- Median household income
- $109,707
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 108.9
- Unemployment rate
- 5.6%
Is Washington a good place to live?
Washington sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 111 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job.
A typical worker in Washington keeps $8,456 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living9% above the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$2,368 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$3,172 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in Washington
Prices in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area run 9% above the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 51% above the US average.
- Housing51% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)5% above the US average
- Utilities7% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)2% above the US average
- All items9% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $2,368 | $28,416 |
| Food | $518 | $6,216 |
| Transportation | $409 | $4,908 |
| Healthcare | $360 | $4,320 |
| Utilities | $278 | $3,336 |
| Total before taxes | $3,933 | $47,196 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Washington | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,269 | $2,111 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,368 | $2,204 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,619 | $2,438 |
| 3 bedrooms | $3,338 | $3,107 |
| 4 bedrooms | $3,932 | $3,658 |
Living in Washington
How Washington compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Washington | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $109,707 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $733,400 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,931 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 59.1% | 34.7% |
| 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% |
| Median age | 34.9 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 31 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 22.9% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 26.6% | 3.7% |
Home internet
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Washington, led by Xfinity, Verizon, T-Mobile, Astound Broadband. Fiber reaches 62.5% of homes and 79.7% can get gigabit speeds. Compare providers in Washington
Pros and cons of living in Washington
Pros
- Usable public transit. 26.6% of commuters take public transit, against 3.7% nationally.
- Higher incomes. Median household income is $109,707, against $81,604 nationally.
- Highly educated workforce. 65.5% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 36.9% nationally.
- Remote-work friendly. 22.9% of workers work from home, against 13.3% nationally.
Cons
- Expensive rent. Median rent is $1,931 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
- Higher cost of living. Prices are 9% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Pricey homes to buy. The median home is worth $733,400, against $360,600 nationally.
- Higher unemployment. Unemployment is 5.6%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2024 1-year).
What your job keeps in Washington
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $71,060
- Federal income tax
- −$6,803
- Payroll taxes
- −$5,436
- State income tax
- −$3,172
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$28,416
- Everyday costs
- −$18,777
a year, or $705 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $195,190 | $84,525 |
| Software engineer | $154,930 | $59,767 |
| Project manager | $127,030 | $43,069 |
| Registered nurse | $102,710 | $28,132 |
| Accountant | $102,140 | $27,779 |
| Police officer | $84,000 | $16,559 |
| Teacher | $79,249 | $13,620 |
| Electrician | $75,930 | $11,564 |
| Truck driver | $59,820 | $611 |
| Nursing assistant | $45,730 | −$9,847 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Washington on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $2,118
- Carpenter $1,334
- Civil engineer $27,556
- Data scientist $46,163
- Dental assistant −$8,501
- Dental hygienist $38,312
- Dentist $77,491
- Diesel mechanic $9,426
- Financial analyst $31,607
- Firefighter $5,850
- HVAC technician $9,005
- Licensed practical nurse $11,521
- Lineman $23,660
- Mechanical engineer $43,044
- Medical assistant −$9,170
- Nurse practitioner $47,743
- Occupational therapist $28,287
- Paralegal $15,068
- Paramedic $11,092
- Pharmacist $57,140
- Pharmacy technician −$9,155
- Physical therapist $28,298
- Physician assistant $55,739
- Plumber $8,967
- Radiologic technologist $24,841
- Respiratory therapist $27,686
- Social worker $12,310
- Speech-language pathologist $26,431
- Veterinarian $59,420
- Welder $1,239
Compare Washington with other cities
Compare Washington with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Washington
3 licensed interstate movers are based in Washington, and 294 more elsewhere in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Washington, DC a good place to live?
Washington sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 111 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job. The typical worker here earns $71,060 and keeps $8,456 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Washington?
Prices in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area are 9% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $2,368 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,565 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Washington?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $59,000 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area earns $71,060.
What is the average rent in Washington?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $2,269 for a studio, $2,368 for a 1-bedroom and $2,619 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Washington at $1,931 a month (2024).
Does Washington have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $71,060, District of Columbia state income tax comes to about $3,172 a year. Washington has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Washington?
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Washington, led by Xfinity, Verizon, T-Mobile, Astound Broadband. 62.5% of homes can get fiber and 79.7% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
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, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area 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 MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate