District of Columbia Cost of Living & Economic Score
Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis data on price levels, real income, and household-budget impact for District of Columbia. Last updated 2024.
InflationRank Score
Cost of living in District of Columbia
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, prices in District of Columbia run 9.9% above the U.S. average (Regional Price Parity index 109.9 on a base of 100). The state sits in the South region. That puts it on the costlier end of U.S. states.
Real per-capita personal income — what local residents actually earn after adjusting for cost of living — is $80.0K (vs $59K nationally). Locals have higher real purchasing power than the U.S. average — high incomes here more than compensate for any cost premium.
Notable cost factors: high top-marginal income tax of 10.75%.
Cost of living in District of Columbia's major metro areas
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC RPP 114.0 F
How does cost of living in District of Columbia compare to other states?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 109.9 (U.S.=100), meaning prices are 9.9% above the national average. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.
Is District of Columbia affordable to live in?
District of Columbia has an InflationRank score of 65/100 (grade D), reflecting costs above the national average relative to local incomes. Real per-capita income is $80.0K (U.S. avg $59K).
What is the InflationRank score for District of Columbia?
District of Columbia's InflationRank score is 65/100 (grade D). The score blends cost burden (60%), inflation pressure (25%), and income resilience (15%), using Bureau of Economic Analysis and Bureau of Labor Statistics federal data.
About the InflationRank Score
The InflationRank Score is a proprietary 0–100 composite that summarizes a place's cost-of-living and economic conditions on a familiar A–F grading scale. Higher scores reflect a better cost-of-living-adjusted economic situation.
The composite weighs three dimensions sourced from federal government datasets: cost level (how local prices compare to the national average), inflation pressure (recent direction and pace of cost movements), and income resilience (real, cost-adjusted earning power of local residents). The score is anchored to the U.S. national average and reviewed annually as federal data refreshes.
Underlying data is drawn from authoritative federal economic agencies and public housing datasets. See full data sources →