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Population Review

Census ACS · #6 MSA

Washington Metro Area

The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, Dc-Va-Md-Wv Metropolitan Statistical Area has 6,263,796 residents across 4 states. The median household income is $123,896 and the median home value is $553,000.

6,263,796

Population

1038

People / sq mi

$123,896

Median Income

$553,000

Median Home Value

The Washington CBSA covers 6,034 sq mi of land at 1038.1 people per square mile.

Race & Ethnicity

White45.5%
Black or African American24.9%
Asian0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)1.6%

Economy & Income

$123,896

Median Household Income

$62,026

Per Capita Income

5.4%

Poverty Rate

3.3%

Unemployment

Cost of Living

The Washington metro's price level is 108.9 on the BEA Regional Price Parity index (US average = 100), meaning prices are 8.9% higher the US average. The local median income of $123,896 has the buying power of $113,787 in average-priced US metros.

108.9

Price Level (US = 100)

$113,787

COL-Adjusted Median Income

$123,896

Nominal Median Income

Housing

$553,000

Median Home Value

$1,975

Median Rent

63.5%

Homeownership

Education

91.5%

High School+

53.8%

Bachelor's+

Commute

7.9%

Drive Alone

22.6%

Work From Home

33.0 min

Avg Commute

41.8%

Foreign Born

Washington spans these states

Largest cities in Virginia

Largest counties in Virginia

Part of Virginia

Metro areas in Virginia

Metro rankings

Frequently Asked Questions

The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, Dc-Va-Md-Wv Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of 6,263,796 according to Census ACS 5-Year estimates, making it the #6 largest CBSA in the US.

The median household income in the Washington metro area is $123,896, with a per capita income of $62,026.

The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, Dc-Va-Md-Wv CBSA spans 4 states: Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, District of Columbia.

Data for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, Dc-Va-Md-Wv CBSA (47900) from the American Community Survey 5-Year estimates. Core-Based Statistical Areas combine cities, suburbs, and surrounding counties tied together by commuting patterns.

this entity is one of the data points covered by this site’s U.S. population demographics dataset. The detail above comes directly from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files; the context that follows situates the headline numbers against the broader distribution across U.S. states, metros, cities, and ZIPs.

The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.

For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. states, metros, cities, and ZIPs with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.