Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Washington's B covers 693,645 people, and the city's neighborhoods vary far more than any single grade can show. It grades better than 57% of U.S. towns. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 96% of the country and its schools rank ahead of 76% of District of Columbia towns. What weighs on its grade: its police reported 5,180 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 97% of U.S. towns, and the typical home is worth about $567K, 4.5 years of the Washington metro’s $127K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 93% of U.S. towns, with 687 places on the National Register. 69% of working residents work locally in Washington, above U.S. towns (8%). Washington is among the most walkable places in the country. Its National Register listings include Pan American Union Headquarters and National Archives Building.
Where Washington beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
National Archives Building| College | Students |
|---|---|
| George Washington University | 21,060 |
| Georgetown University | 17,465 |
| Howard University | 12,280 |
National Archives Building is one of 74 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its 687 National Register listings are more than in 0% of District of Columbia towns with a listing.
Census counts: 8,144 in 1800, 689,545 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 1700 and 6 maps from 1900 on.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within District of Columbia), ordered by how far Washington is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Washington. Close and well known come first.
Big drawin town National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big drawin town National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big drawin town LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big drawin town MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw3 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big drawin town National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a yearWhite House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain
Who provides power, water and the rest in Washington, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Mar 11, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Washington.
Washington draws workers from Arlington and beyond, has home values still below their peak and has seen reported crime fall by a fifth or more.
Reported crimes fell from 35,341 to 26,476 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Washington’s violent crime rate comes in at 7.5 per 1,000 residents. Its level of property crime comes in at 30.7 per 1,000 residents.
| Washington | District of Columbia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.5 per 1,000 residents | – | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 30.7 per 1,000 residents | – | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Two of the 294 schools are below, and why each made the list. The public schools here belong to the District of Columbia Public Schools. Public school enrollment in Washington: 4,750 students across 6 schools.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deal MSLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,462 | – |
| Jackson-Reed HSLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,855 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within DC on state tests and graduation
In Washington, 9.7% of adults smoke cigarettes. Among adults in the town, 25% have obesity and 9.4% report frequent physical distress.
| Washington | District of Columbia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 24% | – | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 25% | – | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 9.4% | – | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 15% | – | 25% |
| What stands out | Washington | DC |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 11.2% | 7.3% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 9% | 7.8% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 16% | 13.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
625,202 jobs are based in Washington, 2.1 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
The middle household income for Washington comes to $110,000. Half of commuters travel less than 4 miles. For workers here, the share who do their job from home is 33%. The top destinations are Arlington (4%), Bethesda (2%) and Tysons (2%).
| Washington | District of Columbia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 33% | – | 11% |
| Median household income | $110,000 | – | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | – | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | – | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Since 1978, 227 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Washington. Compared with 99% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in the town is lower. FEMA puts 45% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 21% to earthquakes. Also worth knowing: households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2003.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Washington’s density of trails is 1.7 miles per square mile. Across 237 parks and preserves: 118 miles of trail. Rock Creek Park, at 1,761 acres with 29.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rock Creek Park | 29.5 mi | 1,761 |
| 2. U.S. National Arboretum | 5.6 mi | 448 |
| 3. National Mall | 5.1 mi | 166 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The typical value, about $567K, is 13% below its June 2022 peak.
For Washington, the median rent is $1,954 a month. The typical Washington home is worth about $567,000, down 0.7% in a year, close to the District of Columbia typical home. Among households here, 42% are owner-occupiers.
| Washington | District of Columbia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 42% | – | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,954 a month | – | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Age groups here sit within 4 points of the District of Columbia average. Washington: 64% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more. For Washington, the midpoint age is 34.9 years.
| Washington | District of Columbia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 64% | – | 29% |
| Median age | 34.9 years | – | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 13% | – | 18% |
| Under 18 | 19% | – | 22% |
52.5% women, 47.5% men
About 91 men for every 100 women. Across District of Columbia, 52.5% of residents are women. Median age: women 34.9, men 34.8.
| Washington | DC | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.3% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.4% | 7.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.5% | 9.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 22% | 22% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.7% | 16.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.6% | 10.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.6% | 9.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.4% | 7.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.4% | 5.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.3% | 7.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 14.5% | 14.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 11.2% | 11.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 2.7% | 2.7% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 26.2% | 26.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 38% | 38% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
36 within 15 miles of the center of Washington
About 9 of every 100 Washington residents are enrolled in college, about the same as District of Columbia.
17 colleges in town.
687 places in Washington on the National Register of Historic Places.
23 notable people were born in Washington.
Federal capital district of the United States
Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington, is the federal capital city of the United States, and its only federal district. The city stands on the north-east bank of the Potomac River, across from the state of Virginia, surrounded by Maryland to its north, east, and south. The district was named for Columbia, the female personification of the American nation, through which human form and attributes are applied to the United States. "Washington" is a more recent addition to the city's common name, and is from the name of George Washington, the first U.S. president. The U.S. Constitution in 1789 called for the creation of a federal district under e…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
6 towns share a border with Washington.
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Washington grades B overall, better than 57% of U.S. towns. It grades A+ for health, D− for safety and A− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.
Washington reports more crime per resident than 97% of U.S. towns, a D− Safety Grade: 5,180 violent and 21,296 property crimes in 2025.
23 notable people were born here, including Al Gore and Samuel L. Jackson.
