Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally theDistrict of Columbiaand commonly known asWashingtonorD.C., is thecapital cityandfederal districtof theUnited States. The city is on thePotomac River, across fromVirginia, and shares land borders withMarylandto its north and east. It was named afterGeorge Washington, the firstpresident of the United States. The district is named forColumbia, the femalepersonification of the nation.
TheU.S. Constitutionin 1789 called for the creation of afederal districtunder theexclusive jurisdictionof theU.S. Congress. As such, Washington, D.C., is not part of anystate, and is not one itself. TheResidence Act, adopted on July 16, 1790, approved the creation of thecapital districtalong the Potomac River. The city was founded in 1791, and the6th Congressheld the first session in the unfinishedCapitol Buildingin 1800 after the capital moved fromPhiladelphia. In 1801, the District of Columbia, formerly part of Maryland and Virginia and including the existing settlements ofGeorgetownandAlexandria, was officially recognized as the federal district; initially, the city was a separate settlement within the larger district. In 1846, Congress reduced the size of the district when itreturned the land originally ceded by Virginia, including the city of Alexandria. In 1871, it created asingle municipalityfor the district. There have been several unsuccessfulefforts to make the district into a statesince the 1880s; astatehood billpassed theHouse of Representativesin 2021 but was not adopted by theU.S. Senate. To become law it would have to be passed by the Senate and signed by president; it would have renamed the cityWashington, Douglass Commonwealthand shrunk the Federal District to about the size of the National Mall.
Designed in 1791byPierre Charles L'Enfant, the city is divided intoquadrants, which are centered on the Capitol Building and include 131neighborhoods. As of the2020 census, the city had a population of 689,545.Commuters from the city's Maryland and Virginia suburbs raise the city's daytime population to more than one million during the workweek.TheWashington metropolitan area, which includes parts of Maryland, Virginia, andWest Virginia, is the country'sseventh-largest metropolitan area, with a 2023 population of 6.3 million residents.A locally elected mayorand13-member councilhave governed the district since 1973, though Congress retains the power to overturn local laws. Washington, D.C. residents do not have voting representation in Congress, but elect a singlenon-voting congressional delegateto the U.S. House of Representatives. The city's voters choose threepresidential electorsin accordance with theTwenty-third Amendment, passed in 1961.
Washington, D.C. anchors the southern end of theNortheast megalopolis. As the seat of theU.S. federal government, the city is an importantworld political capital.The city hosts the buildings that house federal government headquarters, including theWhite House, the Capitol, theSupreme Court Building, andmultiple federal departments and agencies. The city is home to many nationalmonuments and museums, located most prominently on or around theNational Mall, including theJefferson Memorial, theLincoln Memorial, and theWashington Monument. It hosts177 foreign embassiesand the global headquarters of theWorld Bank, theInternational Monetary Fund, theOrganization of American States, and other international organizations. Home to many of the nation's largest industry associations, non-profit organizations, andthink tanks, the city is known as alobbyinghub, which is centered on and aroundK Street.It is also among the country's top tourist destinations; in 2022, it drew an estimated 20.7 million domesticand 1.2 million international visitors, seventh-most among U.S. cities.
TheAlgonquian-speakingPiscataway people, also known as the Conoy, inhabited the lands around thePotomac Riverand present-day Washington, D.C., when Europeans first arrived and colonized the region in the early 17th century. TheNacotchtank, also called the Nacostines byCatholic missionaries, maintained settlements around theAnacostia Riverin present-day Washington, D.C. Conflicts withEuropean colonistsand neighboring tribes ultimately displaced the Piscataway people, some of whom established a new settlement in 1699 nearPoint of Rocks, Maryland.
Nine cities served as capitalsto theContinental Congressand under theArticles of Confederation.New York Citywas the first capital upon the adoption of theConstitution, succeeded byPhiladelphia, which was capital from 1790 to 1800.
On October 6, 1783, after the capital was forced by thePennsylvania Mutiny of 1783to move to Princeton, Congress resolved to consider a new location for it.The following day,Elbridge Gerryof Massachusetts moved "that buildings for the use of Congress be erected on the banks of theDelawarenearTrenton, or of thePotomac, nearGeorgetown, provided a suitable district can be procured on one of the rivers as aforesaid, for a federal town".
InFederalist No. 43, published January 23, 1788,James Madisonargued that the newfederal governmentwould need authority over a national capital to provide for its own maintenance and safety.The Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783 emphasized the need for the national government not to rely on any state for its own security.
Article One, Section Eightof the Constitution permits the establishment of a "District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States".However, the constitution does not specify a location for the capital. In theCompromise of 1790, Madison,Alexander Hamilton, andThomas Jeffersonagreed that the federal government would pay each state's remainingRevolutionary Wardebts in exchange for establishing the new national capital in theSouthern United States.
On July 9, 1790, Congress passed theResidence Act, which approved the creation of a national capital on thePotomac River. Under the Residence Act, the exact location was to be selected by PresidentGeorge Washington, who signed the bill into law on July 16, 1790. Formed from land donated by Maryland and Virginia, the initial shape of the federal district was a square measuring 10 miles (16 km) on each side and totaling 100 square miles (259 km).
Two pre-existing settlements were included in the territory, the port ofGeorgetown, founded in 1751,and theportcity ofAlexandria, Virginia, founded in 1749.In 1791 and 1792, a team led byAndrew Ellicott, including Ellicott's brothersJosephandBenjaminand African AmericanastronomerBenjamin Banneker, whose parents had been enslaved, surveyed the borders of the federal district and placedboundary stonesat every mile point; many of these stones are still standing.Both Maryland and Virginia wereslave states, andslavery existedin the District from its founding. The building of Washington likely relied in significant part on slave labor, and slave receipts have been found for the White House, Capitol Building, and establishment of Georgetown University. The city became an importantslave marketand a center of the nation'sinternal slave trade.
After its survey, the newfederal citywas constructed on the north bank of the Potomac River, to the east of Georgetown centered onCapitol Hill. On September 9, 1791, three commissioners overseeing the capital's construction named the city in honor of President Washington. The same day, the federal district was named Columbia, a feminine form ofColumbus, which wasa poetic name for the United Statescommonly used at that time.Congress held its first session there on November 17, 1800.
Congress passed theDistrict of Columbia Organic Act of 1801, which officially organized the district and placed the entire territory under theexclusive controlof the federal government. The area within the district was organized into two counties, theCounty of Washingtonto the east and north of the Potomac and theCounty of Alexandriato the west and south.After the Act's passage, citizens in the district were no longer considered residents of Maryland or Virginia, which ended their representation in Congress.
On August 24, 1814, during theWar of 1812,Britishforces invaded and occupied the city after defeating an American forceat Bladensburg. In retaliation for acts of destruction by American troops inthe Canadas, the British set fire to government buildings in the city, gutting theUnited States Capitol, theTreasury Building, and theWhite Housein what became known as theburning of Washington. However, a storm forced the British to evacuate the city after just 24 hours.Most government buildings were repaired quickly, but the Capitol, which was largely under construction at the time, would not be completed in its current form until 1868.
In the 1830s, the district's southern territory ofAlexandriadeclined economically, due in part to its neglect by Congress.Alexandria was a major market in thedomestic slave tradeand pro-slavery residents feared thatabolitionistsin Congress would endslavery in the district. Alexandria's citizens petitioned Virginia to retake the land it had donated to form the district, a process known asretrocession.
TheVirginia General Assemblyvoted in February 1846, to accept the return of Alexandria. On July 9, 1846, Congress went further, agreeing to return all territory that Virginia had ceded to the district during its formation. This left the district's area consisting only of the portion originally donated by Maryland.Confirming the fears of pro-slavery Alexandrians, theCompromise of 1850outlawed the slave trade in the district, although not slavery itself.
The outbreak of theAmerican Civil Warin 1861 led to the expansion of the federal government and notable growth in the city's population, including a large influx of freed slaves.PresidentAbraham Lincolnsigned theCompensated Emancipation Actin 1862, which ended slavery in the district, freeing about 3,100 slaves in the district nine months before theEmancipation Proclamation.In 1868, Congress granted the district'sAfrican Americanmale residents the right to vote in municipal elections.
By 1870, the district's population had grown 75% in a decade to nearly 132,000 people,yet the city still lacked paved roads and basic sanitation. Some members of Congress suggested moving the capital farther west, but PresidentUlysses S. Grantrefused to consider the proposal.
In theOrganic Act of 1871, Congress repealed the individual charters of the cities of Washington andGeorgetown, abolishedWashington County, and created a new territorial government for the whole District of Columbia.These steps made "the city of Washington...legally indistinguishable from the District of Columbia."
In 1873, President Grant appointedAlexander Robey Shepherdas Governor of the District of Columbia. Shepherd authorized large projects that modernized the city but bankrupted its government. In 1874, Congress replaced the territorial government with an appointed three-member board of commissioners.
In 1888, the city'sfirst motorized streetcarsbegan service. Their introduction generated growth in areas of the district beyond the City of Washington's original boundaries, leading to an expansion of the district over the next few decades.Georgetown's street grid and other administrative details were formally merged with those of the City of Washington in 1895.However, the city had poor housing and strained public works, leading it to become the first city in the nation to undergourban renewalprojects as part of theCity Beautiful movementin the early 20th century.
TheCity Beautifulmovement built heavily upon the already-implementedL'Enfant Plan, with the newMcMillan Planleading urban development in the city throughout the movement. Much of the oldVictorianMallwas replaced with modernNeoclassicalandBeaux-Arts architecture; these designs are still prevalent in the city's governmental buildings today.
Increased federal spending under theNew Dealin the 1930s led to the construction of new government buildings, memorials, and museums in the district,though the chairman of the House Subcommittee on District Appropriations,Ross A. CollinsofMississippi, justified cuts to funds for welfare and education for local residents by saying that "my constituents wouldn't stand for spending money on niggers."
World War IIled to an expansion of federal employees in the city;by 1950, the district's population reached its peak of 802,178 residents.
TheTwenty-third Amendment to the United States Constitutionwas ratified in 1961, granting the district three votes in theElectoral Collegefor the election of president and vice president, but still not affording the city's residents representation in Congress.
After theassassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.on April 4, 1968,riots broke out in the city, primarily in the U Street, 14th Street, 7th Street, and H Street corridors, which were predominantly black residential and commercial areas. The riots raged for three days until more than 13,600 federal troops andWashington, D.C., Army National Guardsmenstopped the violence. Many stores and other buildings were burned, and rebuilding from the riots was not completed until the late 1990s.
In 1973, Congress enacted theDistrict of Columbia Home Rule Actproviding for an elected mayor and 13-member council for the district.In 1975,Walter Washingtonbecame the district's first elected and first black mayor.
Since the 1980s, theD.C. statehood movementhas grown in prominence. In 2016, areferendum on D.C. statehoodresulted in an 85% support among Washington, D.C., voters for it to become the nation's51st state. In March 2017, the city's congressional delegateEleanor Holmes Nortonintroduced a bill for statehood. Reintroduced in 2019 and 2021 as theWashington, D.C., Admission Act, theU.S. House of Representativespassed it in April 2021.After not progressing in the Senate, the statehood bill was introduced again in January 2023.The bill would have made D.C. into a state with one representative and two senators, with the name Washington, Douglass Commonwealth (thus keeping the same abbreviation Washington, D.C.).The legalities, reasons, and impact of statehood have been heavily debated in the 2020s.
Washington, D.C., is located in theMid-Atlantic regionof theU.S. East Coast. The city has a total area of 68.34 square miles (177 km), of which 61.05 square miles (158.1 km) is land and 7.29 square miles (18.9 km) (10.67%) is water.The district is bordered byMontgomery County, Maryland, to the northwest;Prince George's County, Maryland, to the east;Arlington County, Virginia, to the west; andAlexandria, Virginia, to the south.
The south bank of thePotomac Riverforms the district's border with Virginia and has two major tributaries, theAnacostia RiverandRock Creek.Tiber Creek, a natural watercourse that once passed through theNational Mall, was fully enclosed underground during the 1870s.The creek also formed a portion of the now-filledWashington City Canal, which allowed passage through the city to the Anacostia River from 1815 until the 1850s.TheChesapeake and Ohio Canalstarts inGeorgetownand was used during the 19th century to bypass theLittle Fallsof the Potomac River, located at the northwest edge of the city at theAtlantic Seaboard fall line.
The highest natural elevation in the district is 409 feet (125 m)above sea levelatFort Reno Parkin uppernorthwest Washington, D.C.The lowest point is sea level at the Potomac River.The geographic center of Washington is near the intersection of 4th and L streets NW.
The district has 7,464 acres (30.21 km) of parkland, about 19% of the city's total area, the second-highest among high-density U.S. cities afterPhiladelphia.The city's sizable parkland was a factor in the city being ranked as third in the nation for park access and quality in the 2018 ParkScore ranking of the park systems of the nation's 100 most populous cities, according toTrust for Public Land, a non-profit organization.
TheNational Park Servicemanages most of the 9,122 acres (36.92 km) of city land owned by the U.S. government.Rock Creek Park is a 1,754-acre (7.10 km) urban forest in Northwest Washington, which extends 9.3 miles (15.0 km) through a stream valley that bisects the city. Established in 1890, it is the country's fourth-oldest national park and is home to a variety of plant and animal species, including raccoon, deer, owls, and coyotes.Other National Park Service properties include theChesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, theNational Mall and Memorial Parks,Theodore Roosevelt Island,Columbia Island,Fort Dupont Park,Meridian Hill Park,Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, andAnacostia Park.TheDistrict of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreationmaintains the city's 900 acres (3.6 km) of athletic fields and playgrounds, 40 swimming pools, and 68 recreation centers.TheU.S. Department of Agricultureoperates the 446-acre (1.80 km)United States National ArboretuminNortheast Washington, D.C.
Washington's climate ishumid subtropical(Köppen:Cfa), oroceanic(Trewartha:DoborderingCfdowntown).Winters are cool to cold with some snow of varying intensity, while summers are hot and humid. The district is in planthardiness zone8a near downtown, and zone 7b elsewhere in the city.
Summers are hot and humid with a July daily average of 79.8 °F (26.6 °C) and average daily relative humidity around 66%, which can cause moderate personal discomfort. Heat indices regularly approach 100 °F (38 °C) at the height of summer.The combination of heat and humidity in the summer brings very frequent thunderstorms, some of which occasionally produce tornadoes in the area.
Blizzards affect Washington once every four to six years on average. The most violent storms, known asnor'easters, often impact large regions of theEast Coast.FromJanuary 27 to 28, 1922, the city officially received 28 inches (71 cm) of snowfall, the largest snowstorm since official measurements began in 1885.According to notes kept at the time, the city received between 30 and 36 inches (76 and 91 cm) from a snowstorm in January 1772.
Hurricanes or their remnants occasionally impact the area in late summer and early fall. However, they usually are weak by the time they reach Washington, partly due to the city's inland location.Flooding of thePotomac River, however, caused by a combination of high tide, storm surge, and runoff, has been known to cause extensive property damage in theGeorgetownneighborhood of the city.Precipitation occurs throughout the year.
The highest recorded temperature was 106 °F (41 °C) on August 6, 1918, and on July 20, 1930.The lowest recorded temperature was −15 °F (−26 °C) onFebruary 11, 1899, right before theGreat Blizzard of 1899.During a typical year, the city averages about 37 days at or above 90 °F (32 °C) and 64 nights at or below the freezing mark (32 °F or 0 °C).On average, the first day with a minimum at or below freezing is November 18 and the last day is March 27.
Washington, D.C., was aplanned city, and many of the city'sstreet gridswere developed in that initial plan. In 1791, PresidentGeorge WashingtoncommissionedPierre Charles L'Enfant, a French-born military engineer and artist, to design the new capital. He enlisted the help of Isaac Roberdeau,Étienne Sulpice Halletand Scottish surveyorAlexander Ralstonto help lay out the city plan.TheL'Enfant Planfeatured broad streets and avenues radiating out from rectangles, providing room for open space and landscaping.
L'Enfant was also provided a roll of maps byThomas Jeffersondepicting Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Strasbourg, Paris, Orleans, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Turin, and Milan.L'Enfant's design also envisioned a garden-lined grand avenue about 1 mile (1.6 km) long and 400 feet (120 m) wide in an area that is now theNational Mallinspired by the grounds atVersaillesandTuileriesGardens.In March 1792, President Washington dismissed L'Enfant due to conflicts with the three commissioners appointed to supervise the capital's construction.Andrew Ellicott, who worked with L'Enfant in surveying the city, was then tasked with completing its design. Though Ellicott revised the original L'Enfant plans, including changing some street patterns, L'Enfant is still credited with the city's overall design.
By the early 20th century, however, L'Enfant's vision of a grand national capital was marred by slums and randomly placed buildings in the city, including a railroad station on the National Mall. Congress formed a special committee charged with beautifying Washington's ceremonial core.What became known as theMcMillan Planwas finalized in 1901 and included relandscaping the Capitol grounds and the National Mall, clearing slums, and establishing a new citywide park system. The plan is thought to have largely preserved L'Enfant's intended design for the city.
By law, the city's skyline is low and sprawling. The federalHeight of Buildings Act of 1910prohibits buildings with height exceeding the width of the adjacent street plus 20 feet (6.1 m).Despite popular belief, no law has ever limited buildings to the height of the United States Capitol or the 555-foot (169 m)Washington Monument,which remains the district's tallest structure. City leaders have cited the height restriction as a primary reason that the district has limited affordable housing and its metro area has suburban sprawl and traffic problems.Washington, D.C., still has a relatively high homelessness rate, despite its high living standard compared to many American cities.
Washington, D.C., is divided intofour quadrantsof unequal area:Northwest (NW),Northeast (NE),Southeast (SE), andSouthwest (SW). The axes bounding the quadrants radiate from the U.S. Capitol.All road names include the quadrant abbreviation to indicate their location. House numbers generally correspond with the number of blocks away from the Capitol. Most streets are set out in a grid pattern with east–west streets named with letters (e.g., C Street SW), north–south streets with numbers (e.g., 4th Street NW), and diagonal avenues, many of which arenamed after states.
The City of Washington was bordered on the north by Boundary Street (renamedFlorida Avenuein 1890),Rock Creekto the west, and theAnacostia Riverto the east.Washington, D.C.'s street grid was extended, where possible, throughout the district starting in 1888.Georgetown's streetswere renamed in 1895.Some streets are particularly noteworthy, includingPennsylvania Avenue, which connects theWhite Houseto the Capitol; and K Street, which houses the offices of many lobbying groups.Constitution AvenueandIndependence Avenue, located on the north and south sides of the National Mall, respectively, are home to many of Washington's iconic museums, including manySmithsonian Institutionbuildings and theNational Archives Building. Washington hosts 177foreign embassies; these maintain nearly 300 buildings and more than 1,600 residential properties, many of which are on a section ofMassachusetts Avenueinformally known asEmbassy Row.
The architecture of Washington, D.C., varies greatly and is generally popular among tourists and locals. In 2007, six of the top ten buildings in theAmerican Institute of Architects' ranking ofAmerica's Favorite Architecturewere in the city:theWhite House,Washington National Cathedral, theJefferson Memorial, theUnited States Capitol, theLincoln Memorial, and theVietnam Veterans Memorial. Theneoclassical,Georgian,Gothic, andModernstyles are reflected among these six structures and many other prominent edifices in the city.
Many government buildings, monuments, and museums along theNational Malland surrounding areas are heavily inspired byclassicalRomanandGreekarchitecture. The designs of the White House, the U.S. Capitol,Supreme Court Building,Washington Monument,National Gallery of Art, Lincoln Memorial, and Jefferson Memorial are all heavily drawn from these classical architectural movements and feature large pediments, domes, columns in classical order, and heavy stone walls. Notable exceptions to the city's classical-style architecture include buildings constructed in theFrench Second Empirestyle, including theEisenhower Executive Office Building, and the modernistWatergate complex.TheThomas Jefferson Building, the mainLibrary of Congressbuilding, and the historicWillard Hotelare built inBeaux-Arts style, popular throughout the world in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.Meridian Hill Parkcontains acascading waterfallwithItalian Renaissance-style architecture.
Modern,Postmodern,contemporary, and other non-classical architectural styles are also seen in the city. TheNational Museum of African American History and Culturedeeply contrasts the stone-based neoclassical buildings on theNational Mallwith a design that combines modern engineering with heavy inspiration fromAfrican art.The interior of theWashington Metrostations and theHirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Gardenare designed with strong influence from the 20th-centuryBrutalismmovement.TheSmithsonian Institution Buildingis built ofSeneca redsandstonein theNorman Revivalstyle.TheOld Post Officebuilding, located onPennsylvania Avenueand completed in 1899, was the first building in the city to have asteel framestructure and the first to use electrical wiring in its design.
Notablecontemporaryresidential buildings, restaurants, shops, and office buildings in the city includethe Wharfon theSouthwest Waterfront,Navy Yardalong theAnacostia River, andCityCenterDCinDowntown. The Wharf has seen the construction of several high-rise office and residential buildings overlooking thePotomac River. Additionally, restaurants, bars, and shops have been opened at street level. Many of these buildings have a modern glass exterior and heavy curvature.CityCenterDC is home to Palmer Alley, a pedestrian-only walkway, and houses several apartment buildings, restaurants, and luxury-brand storefronts with streamlined glass and metal facades.
Outside Downtown D.C., architectural styles are more varied. Historic buildings are designed primarily in theQueen Anne,Châteauesque,Richardsonian Romanesque,Georgian Revival,Beaux-Arts, and a variety ofVictorianstyles.Rowhouses are prominent in areas developed after theCivil Warand typically followFederaland lateVictoriandesigns.Georgetown'sOld Stone House, built in 1765, is the oldest-standing building in the city.Founded in 1789,Georgetown Universityfeatures a mix of Romanesque andGothic Revival architecture.TheRonald Reagan Buildingis the largest building in the district with a total area of about 3.1 million square feet (288,000 m).Washington Union Stationis designed in a combination of architectural styles. Its Great Hall has elaborate gold leaf designs along the ceilings and the hall includes several decorative classical-style statues.
TheU.S. Census Bureauestimates that the district's population was 705,749 as of July 2019, up more than 100,000 people since the2010 United States Census. When measured decade-over-decade, this shows growth since 2000, following a half-century of population decline.Washington was the24th-most populous placein the United States as of 2010.According to data from 2010, commuters from the suburbs boost the district's daytime population past one million.If the district were a state, it would rank49th in population, ahead ofVermontandWyoming.
TheWashington metropolitan area, which includes the district and surrounding suburbs, is thesixth-largestmetropolitan area in the U.S., with an estimated six million residents as of 2016.When the Washington area is included withBaltimoreand its suburbs, it forms the vastWashington–Baltimore combined statistical area. With a population exceeding 9.8 million residents in 2020, it is thethird-largestcombined statistical area in the country.
According toDepartment of Housing and Development'sAnnual Homeless Assessment Reportin 2022, there were an estimated 4,410homelesspeople in Washington, D.C.
According to 2020 Census Bureau data, the population of Washington, D.C., was 41.4% Black or African American, 39.6% White (37.9% non-Hispanic White), 4.9%Asian, 0.5% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and 5.4% Some Other Race. Individuals from two or more races made up 8.1% of the population. Hispanics of any race made up 11.3% of the district's population.
Washington, D.C. has had a relatively largeAfrican American populationsince the city's foundation.African American residents composed about 30% of the district's total population between 1800 and 1940.The black population reached a peak of 70% by 1970 and has since declined as African Americans moved to the surrounding suburbs. Partly as a result ofgentrification, there was a 31.4% increase in the non-Hispanic white population and an 11.5% decrease in the black population between 2000 and 2010.According to a study by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, D.C. has experienced more "intense" gentrification than any other American city, with 40% of neighborhoods gentrified.
As of 2010, about 17% of Washington, D.C. residents were age 18 or younger, which is lower than the U.S. average of 24%. However, at 34 years old, the district had the lowest median age compared to the 50 states as of 2010.As of 2010, there were an estimated 81,734immigrantsliving in Washington, D.C.Major sources of immigration includeEl Salvador,Ethiopia,Mexico,Guatemala, andChina, with a concentration of Salvadorans in theMount Pleasantneighborhood.
As of 2010, there were 4,822 same-sex couples in the city, about 2% of total households, according toWilliams Institute.Legislationauthorizing same-sex marriagepassed in 2009, and the district began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in March 2010.
As of 2007, about one-third of Washington, D.C., residents werefunctionally illiterate, more than the national rate of about one in five. The city's relatively high illiteracy rate is attributed in part to immigrants who are not proficient in English.As of 2011, 85% of D.C. residents age5 and older spoke English at home as a primary language.Half of residents had at least a four-year college degree in 2006.In 2017, the median household income in D.C. was $77,649;also in 2017, D.C. residents had apersonal income per capitaof $50,832 (higher than any of the 50 states).However, 19% of residents were below the poverty level in 2005, higher than any state exceptMississippi. In 2019, the poverty rate stood at 14.7%.
As of 2010, more than 90% of Washington, D.C., residents had health insurance coverage, the second-highest rate in the nation. This is due in part to city programs that help provide insurance to low-income individuals who do not qualify for other types of coverage.A 2009 report found that at least three percent of Washington, D.C., residents haveHIVorAIDS, which theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) characterizes as a "generalized and severe" epidemic.
As of 2020, according to theAssociation of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, 56% of the city's residents were adherentsof a religious body. The largest tradition represented wasEvangelical Protestantism(15% of total population), followed byCatholicism(12%),Black Protestantism(10%),Mainline Protestantism(10%),Judaism(3%),Orthodox Christianity(2%),Buddhism(1%), andIslam(1%), with several other groups numbering less than 1%. Mainline Protestants were the largest group in 2010, Catholics in 2000, and Black Protestants in 1990.The city is populated with many religious buildings, including theWashington National Cathedral, theBasilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which comprises thelargest Catholic church building in the United States, and theIslamic Center of Washington, which was the largestmosquein the Western Hemisphere when opened in 1957.St. John's Episcopal Church, located offLafayette Square, has held services for everyU.S. presidentsinceJames Madison. TheSixth & I Historic Synagogue, built in 1908, is asynagoguelocated in theChinatownsection of the city. TheWashington D.C. Templeis a largeMormontemplelocated just outside the city inKensington, Maryland. Viewable from theCapital Beltway, the temple is the tallest Mormon temple in existence and the third-largest by square footage.
As of 2023,theWashington metropolitan area, including the District of Columbia as well as parts ofVirginia,Maryland, andWest Virginia, was one of the nation's largest metropolitan economies. Its growing and diversified economy has an increasing percentage of professional and business service jobs in addition to more traditional jobs rooted in tourism, entertainment, and government.
Between 2009 and 2016,gross domestic productper capita in Washington, D.C., consistently ranked at the very top among U.S. states.In 2016, at $160,472, its GDP per capita was almost three times greater than that ofMassachusetts, which was ranked second in the nation (seeList of U.S. states and territories by GDP).As of 2022, the metropolitan statistical area's unemployment rate was 3.1%, ranking 171 out of the 389 metropolitan areas as defined by the U.S.Bureau of Economic Analysis.The District of Columbia itself had an unemployment rate of 4.6% during the same time period.In 2019, Washington, D.C., had the highest median household income in the U.S. at $92,266.
According to the District'scomprehensive annual financial reports, the top employers by number of employees in 2022 includedGeorgetown University,Children's National Medical Center,Washington Hospital Center,George Washington University,American University,Georgetown University Hospital,Booz Allen & Hamilton,InsperityPEO Services,Universal Protection Service,Howard University,Medstar Medical Group,George Washington University Hospital,Catholic University of America, andSibley Memorial Hospital.
As of July 2022, 25% of people employed in Washington, D.C., were employed by the federal government.Many of the region's residents are employed by companies and organizations that do work for the federal government, seek toinfluence federal policy, or are otherwise related to its work, includinglaw firms,defense contractors,civilian contractors,nonprofit organizations,lobbying firms,trade unions,industry trade groups, andprofessional associations, many of which have their headquarters in or near the city for proximity to the federal government.
As the national capital, Washington, D.C. hosts about 185 foreign missions, including embassies, ambassador's residences, and international cultural centers.Many are concentrated along a stretch ofMassachusetts Avenueknown informally asEmbassy Row.Washington, D.C. is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world; it hosts a number of internationally themed festivals and events, often in collaboration with foreign missions or delegations.The city government maintains an Office of International Affairs to liaise with the diplomatic community and foreign delegations.
Washington, D.C., is a leading center for national and international research organizations, especiallythink tanksengaged in public policy.As of 2020, 8% of the country's think tanks are based in the city, including many of the largest and most widely cited,including theCarnegie Endowment for International Peace,Center for Strategic and International Studies,Peterson Institute for International Economics,The Heritage Foundation, andUrban Institute.
Washington, D.C. is home to many non-profit organizations that engage with issues of domestic and global importance by conducting advanced research, running programs, or public advocacy. Among these organizations are theUN Foundation,Human Rights Campaign,Amnesty International, and theNational Endowment for Democracy.Major medical research institutions include theMedStar Washington Hospital Centerand theChildren's National Medical Center.
The city is the country's primary location for international development firms, many of which contract with the D.C.-basedUnited States Agency for International Development(USAID), the U.S. federal government's aid agency. TheAmerican Red Cross, a humanitarian agency focused on emergency relief, is also based in the city.
According to statistics compiled in 2011, four of thelargest 500 companiesin the country were based in Washington, D.C.In the 2023Global Financial Centres Index, Washington was ranked as having the 8th most competitive financial center in the world, and fourth most competitive in the United States (afterNew York City,San Francisco, andLos Angeles).Among the largest companies based in Washington, D.C., areFannie Mae,Amtrak,Danaher Corporation,FTI Consulting, andHogan Lovells.
Tourism is the city's second-largest industry, after the federal government. In 2012, some 18.9 million visitors contributed an estimated $4.8 billion to the local economy.In 2019, the city saw 24.6 million tourists, including 1.8 million from foreign countries, who collectively spent $8.15 billion during their stay.Tourism helps many of the region's other industries, such as lodging, food and beverage, entertainment, shopping, and transportation.
The city and the largerWashington metropolitan areahave an array of attractions for tourists, including monuments, memorials, museums, sports events, and trails. Within the city, theNational Mallserves as the center of the tourism industry. It is there that many of the city's museums and monuments are located. Adjacent to the mall sits theTidal Basin, where several major national memorials and monuments are located, including the popularJefferson Memorial.Washington Union Stationis a popular tourist spot with its multitude of restaurants and shops.
Washington, D.C., is a national center for the arts, home to several concert halls and theaters. TheJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Artsis home to theNational Symphony Orchestra, theWashington National Opera, and theWashington Ballet. TheKennedy Center Honorsare awarded each year to those in the performing arts who have contributed greatly to the cultural life of the United States. This ceremony is often attended by the sittingU.S. presidentand other dignitaries and celebrities.The Kennedy Center also awards the annualMark Twain Prize for American Humor.
The historicFord's Theatre, the site of theassassination of President Abraham Lincolnon April 14, 1865, continues to function as a theatre and as a museum.
TheMarine BarracksnearCapitol Hillhouses theUnited States Marine Band; founded in 1798, it is the country's oldest professional musical organization.American march composerand Washington-nativeJohn Philip Sousaled the Marine Band from 1880 until 1892.Founded in 1925, theUnited States Navy Bandhas its headquarters at theWashington Navy Yardand performs at official events and public concerts around the city.
Founded in 1950,Arena Stageachieved national attention and spurred growth in the city's independent theater movement that now includes organizations such as theShakespeare Theatre Company,Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, and theStudio Theatre.Arena Stage reopened after a renovation and expansion in the city's emergingSouthwest waterfront areain 2010.TheGALA Hispanic Theatre, now housed in the historicTivoli TheatreinColumbia Heights, was founded in 1976 and is a National Center for the Latino Performing Arts.
Other performing arts spaces in the city include theAndrew W. Mellon AuditoriuminFederal Triangle, theAtlas Performing Arts CenteronH Street, theCarter Barron AmphitheaterinRock Creek Park,Constitution HallinDowntown, theKeegan TheatreinDupont Circle, theLisner AuditoriuminFoggy Bottom, theSylvan Theateron theNational Mall, and theWarner TheatreinPenn Quarter.TheNational Theatrein Downtown D.C. is the second-oldest continuously operating theater in the United States, having first opened in 1835.
TheU Street Corridorin Northwest D.C., once known as "Washington's Black Broadway", is home to institutions likeHoward TheatreandLincoln Theatre, which hosted music legends such as Washington-nativeDuke Ellington,John Coltrane, andMiles Davis.Just east of U Street isShaw, which also served as a major cultural center during thejazz age. Intersecting with U Street isFourteenth Street, which was an extension of the U Street cultural corridor during the 1920s through the 1960s. The collection of Fourteenth Street, U Street, and Shaw was the location of theBlack Renaissance in D.C., which was part of the largerHarlem Renaissance. Today, the area starting at Fourteenth Street downtown going north through U Street and east to Shaw boasts a high concentration of bars, restaurants, and theaters, and is among the city's most notable cultural and artistic areas.
TheWashington D.C. Area Film Critics Association(WAFCA), a group of more than 65 film critics, holds an annual awards ceremony.
Columbia Records, a major music record label in the US, was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1889.
The city grew into being one of America's most important music cities in the earlyjazz age.Duke Ellington, among the most prominent jazz composers and musicians of his time, was born and raised in Washington, and began his music career in the city. The center of the city's jazz scene during those years wasU streetandShaw. Among the city's major jazz locations were theLincoln Theatreand theHoward Theatre.
Washington has its own native music genre calledgo-go; a post-funk, percussion-driven flavor of rhythm and blues that was popularized in the late 1970s by D.C. band leaderChuck Brown.
The district is an important center forindie culture and musicin the United States. The DC-based labelDischord Records, formed byIan MacKaye, frontman ofFugazi, was one of the most crucial independent labels in the genesis of 1980s punk and eventually indie rock in the 1990s.Modernalternativeand indie music venues likeThe Black Catand the9:30 Clubbring popular acts to the U Street area.The hardcore punk scene in the city, known asD.C. hardcore, is an important genre of D.C.'s contemporary music scene. Starting in the 1970s and flourishing in theAdams Morganneighborhood, it is considered to be one of the most influential punk music movements in the country.
Washington, D.C., is rich in fine and casual dining; some consider it among the country's best cities for dining.The city has a diverse range ofrestaurants, including a wide variety of international cuisines. The city'sChinatown, for example, has more than a dozen Chinese-style restaurants. The city also has many Middle Eastern, European, African, Asian, and Latin American cuisine options.D.C. is known as one of the best cities in the world forEthiopian cuisine, due largely toEthiopian immigrantswho arrived in the 20th century.A part of theShawneighborhood in central D.C. is known as "Little Ethiopia" and has a high concentration of Ethiopian restaurants and shops.The diversity of cuisine is also reflected in the city's manyfood trucks, which are particularly heavily concentrated along theNational Mall, which has few other dining options.
Among the most notable Washington, D.C.-born foods is thehalf-smoke, a half-beef, half-pork sausage placed in ahotdog-style bun and topped with onion, chili, and cheese.The city is also the birthplace ofmumbo sauce, acondimentsimilar tobarbecue saucebut sweeter in flavor, often used on meat andfrench fries.Washington, D.C. is known for popularizing thejumbo slicepizza, a largeNew York-style pizzawith roots in theAdams Morganneighborhood.
Among the city's signature restaurants isBen's Chili Bowl, located onU Streetsince its founding in 1958. The restaurant rose to prominence as a peaceful escape during the violent1968 race riotsin the city. Famous for itschili dogsand half-smokes, it has been visited by numerous presidents and celebrities over the years.TheGeorgetown Cupcakebakery became famous through its appearance on the reality T.V. showDC Cupcakes. Another culinary hotspot isUnion MarketinNortheast D.C., a former farmer's market and wholesale that now houses a large, gourmetfood hall.
As of 2024, 25 restaurants (including one in Virginia,The Inn at Little Washington) have received stars in the D.C.Michelin Guide.This represents the most starred restaurantsper capitafor any U.S. city, and the third-most in the world.Several celebrity chefs have opened restaurants in the city, includingJosé Andrés,Kwame Onwuachi,Gordon Ramsay,and previouslyMichel Richard.
Washington, D.C. is home to several of thecountry'sandworld's most visited museums. In 2022, theNational Museum of Natural Historyand theNational Gallery of Artwere the two most visited museums in the country. Overall, Washington had eight of the 28 most visited museums in the U.S. in 2022. That year, the National Museum of Natural History was the fifth-most-visited museum in the world; the National Gallery of Art was the eleventh.
TheSmithsonian Institution, an educational foundation chartered byCongressin 1846 and the world's largest research and museum complex, is responsible for maintaining most of the city's official museums and galleries.The U.S. government partially funds the Smithsonian, and its collections are open to the public free of charge.The Smithsonian's locations had a combined total of 30 million visits in 2013. The most visited museum is theNational Museum of Natural Historyon the National Mall.Other Smithsonian Institution museums and galleries on the Mall include theNational Air and Space Museum; theNational Museum of African Art; theNational Museum of American History; theNational Museum of the American Indian; theSacklerandFreergalleries, which focus on Asian art and culture; theHirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden; theArts and Industries Building; theS. Dillon Ripley Center; and theSmithsonian Institution Building, which serves as the institution's headquarters.
TheSmithsonian American Art Museumand theNational Portrait Galleryare housed in theOld Patent Office Buildingnear Washington'sChinatown.Renwick Galleryis part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and is located in a separate building near theWhite House. Other Smithsonian museums and galleries includeAnacostia Community Museumin Southeast Washington, theNational Postal MuseumnearWashington Union Station, and theNational ZooinWoodley Park.
TheNational Gallery of Artis on the National Mall near the Capitol and features American and European artworks. The U.S. government owns the gallery and its collections. However, they are not a part of the Smithsonian Institution.TheNational Building Museum, which occupies the former Pension Building nearJudiciary Square, was chartered by Congress and hosts exhibits on architecture, urban planning, and design.TheBotanic Gardenis abotanical gardenand museum operated by the U.S. Congress that is open to the public.
There are several private art museums in Washington, D.C., that house major collections and exhibits open to the public, such as theNational Museum of Women in the ArtsandThe Phillips CollectioninDupont Circle, the first museum of modern art in the United States.Other private museums in Washington include theO Street Museum, theInternational Spy Museum, theNational Geographic SocietyMuseum, and theMuseum of the Bible. TheUnited States Holocaust Memorial Museumnear the National Mall maintains exhibits, documentation, and artifacts related to theHolocaust.
TheNational Mallis a park nearDowntown Washingtonthat stretches nearly two miles from theLincoln Memorialto theUnited States Capitol. The mall often hostspolitical protests, concerts, festivals, andpresidential inaugurations. The Capitol grounds host theNational Memorial Day Concert, held eachMemorial Day, andA Capitol Fourth, a concert held eachIndependence Day. Both concerts are broadcast across the country onPBS. In the evening on the Fourth of July, the park hosts a largefireworksshow.
TheWashington Monumentand theJefferson Pierare near the center of the mall, south of theWhite House. Directly northwest of the Washington Monument isConstitution Gardens, which includes a garden, park, pond, and amemorial to the signersof theUnited States Declaration of Independence.Just north of Constitution Gardens is theLockkeeper's House, which is the second-oldest building on the mall after the White House. The house is operated by theNational Park Service(NPS) and is open to the public. Also on the mall is theNational World War II Memorialat the east end of theLincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool; theKorean War Veterans Memorial; and theVietnam Veterans Memorial.
South of the mall is theTidal Basin, a human-made reservoir surrounded by pedestrian paths lined by Japanese cherry trees. Every spring, millions of cherry blossoms bloom, attracting visitors from across the world as part of the annualNational Cherry Blossom Festival.TheFranklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial,George Mason Memorial,Jefferson Memorial,Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and theDistrict of Columbia War Memorialare around the Tidal Basin.
Numerous historic landmarks are located outside theNational Mall. Among these are theOld Post Office,theTreasury Building,Old Patent Office Building,theNational Cathedral,theBasilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception,theNational World War I Memorial,theFrederick Douglass National Historic Site,Lincoln's Cottage,theDwight D. Eisenhower Memorial, and theUnited States Navy Memorial.The Octagon House, which was the building that PresidentJames Madisonand his administration moved into following the burning of the White House during theWar of 1812, is now a historic museum and popular tourist destination.
TheNational Archivesis headquartered in abuildingjust north of the National Mall and houses thousands of documents important to American history, including theDeclaration of Independence, theConstitution, and theBill of Rights.Located in three buildings on Capitol Hill, theLibrary of Congressis the largest library complex in the world with a collection of more than 147 million books, manuscripts, and other materials.TheUnited States Supreme Courtis located immediately north of the Library of Congress. TheUnited States Supreme Court Buildingwas completed in 1935; before then, the court held sessions in theOld Senate Chamberof the Capitol.
Chinatown, located just north of the National Mall, housesCapital One Arena, which serves as the home arena to theWashington Capitalsof theNational Hockey Leagueand theWashington Wizardsof theNational Basketball Association, and serves as the city's primary indoor entertainment arena. Chinatown includes several Chinese restaurants and shops. TheFriendship Archwayis one of the largest Chinese ceremonial archways outside ofChinaand bears the Chinese characters for "Chinatown" below its roof.
TheSouthwest Waterfrontalong the Potomac River has been redeveloped in recent years and now serves as a popular cultural center.The Wharf, as it is called, contains the city's historicMaine Avenue Fish Market. This is the oldest fish market currently in operation in the entire United States.The Wharf also has many hotels, residential buildings, restaurants, shops, parks, piers, docks and marinas, and live music venues.
As a result of its central role in United States history, the District of Columbia has many sites listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.
There are many parks, gardens, squares, and circles throughout Washington. The city has 683 parks and greenspaces, comprising almost a quarter of its land area.Consequently, 99% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park.According to the nonprofitTrust for Public Land, Washington ranked first among the 100 largest U.S. cities for its public parks, based on indicators such as accessibility, the share of land reserved for parks, and the amount invested in green spaces.
Rock Creek Park, located in Northwest D.C., is the largest park in the city and is administered by theNational Park Service.Located on the northern side of the White House,Lafayette Squareis a historic public square. Named afterthe Marquis de Lafayette, a Frenchman who served as a commander during theAmerican Revolutionary War, the square has been the site of many protests, marches, and speeches. The houses bordering Lafayette Square have served as the home to many notable figures, such asFirst LadyDolley MadisonandAbraham Lincoln'sSecretary of StateWilliam H. Seward, who was stabbed by an intruder in his Lafayette Square house on the evening ofPresident Lincoln's assassination.Located next to the square and onPennsylvania Avenueacross from the White House is theBlair House, which serves as the primarystate guest housefor theU.S. president.
There are several river islands in Washington, D.C., includingTheodore Roosevelt Islandin thePotomac River, which hosts theTheodore Roosevelt National Memorialand a number of trails.Columbia Island, also in the Potomac, is home to theLyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove, theNavy – Merchant Marine Memorial, and a marina.Kingman Island, in theAnacostia River, is home toLangston Golf Courseand a public park with trails.
West Potomac Parkincludes the parkland that extends south of theLincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, from theLincoln Memorialto the grounds of theWashington Monument. The park is the site of several national landmarks including theKorean War Veterans Memorial,Jefferson Memorial,Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial,George Mason Memorial, and theMartin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
Other parks, gardens, and squares includeDumbarton Oaks,Meridian Hill Park,the Yards,Anacostia Park,Lincoln Park,Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens,Franklin Square,McPherson Square,Farragut Square, andChesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.There are a large number oftraffic circles and circle parks in Washington, D.C., includingDupont Circle,Logan Circle,Scott Circle,Sheridan Circle,Thomas Circle,Washington Circle, and others.
TheUnited States National Arboretumis a densearboretumin Northeast D.C. filled with gardens and trails. Its most notable landmark is theNational Capitol Columnsmonument.
Washington, D.C. is one of 13 cities in the United States with teams from theprimary four major professional men's sportsand is home to two major professional women's teams.TheWashington NationalsofMajor League Baseballare the most popular sports team in the District, as of 2019.They play atNationals Park, which opened in 2008. TheWashington Commandersof theNational Football Leagueplay atNorthwest Stadiumin nearbyLandover, Maryland. TheWashington Wizardsof theNational Basketball Associationand theWashington Capitalsof theNational Hockey Leagueplay atCapital One Arenain the city'sPenn Quarterneighborhood. TheWashington Mysticsof theWomen's National Basketball Associationplay atCareFirst Arena.D.C. UnitedofMajor League Soccerand theWashington Spiritof theNational Women's Soccer Leagueplay atAudi Field.
The city's teams have won a combined 14 professional league championships over their respective histories. The Washington Commanders (named the Washington Redskins until 2020), have won two NFL Championships and threeSuper Bowls;D.C. United has won four;and the Washington Wizards, then named the Washington Bullets, Washington Capitals, Washington Mystics, Washington Nationals, and Washington Spirit have each won a single championship.
Other professional and semi-professional teams in Washington, D.C. includeDC Defendersof theXFL,Old Glory DCofMajor League Rugby, theWashington Kastlesof World TeamTennis, and theD.C. Divasof the Independent Women's Football League. TheWilliam H.G. FitzGerald Tennis CenterinRock Creek Parkhosts theWashington Open, a joint men'sATP Tour500- and women'sWTA Tour500-level tennis tournament, every summer in late July and early August. Washington, D.C. has two major annual marathon races, theMarine Corps Marathon, held every autumn, and theRock 'n' Roll USA Marathon, held each spring. The Marine Corps Marathon began in 1976 and is sometimes called "The People's Marathon" because it is the largest marathon that does not offer prize money to participants.
The district's fourNCAADivision Iteams are theAmerican EaglesofAmerican University,George Washington RevolutionariesofGeorge Washington University, theGeorgetown HoyasofGeorgetown University, and theHoward Bison and Lady BisonofHoward University. TheGeorgetown men's basketball teamis the most notable and also plays at Capital One Arena. Washington, D.C. area's regional sports television network isMonumental Sports Network, and was known asNBC Sports Washingtonuntil September 2023.
Article One, Section Eight of the United States Constitutiongrants theUnited States Congress"exclusive jurisdiction" over the city. The district did not have an elected local government until the passage of the1973 Home Rule Act. The Act devolved certain Congressional powers to anelected mayorand the thirteen-memberCouncil of the District of Columbia. However, Congress retains the right to review and overturn laws created by the council and intervene in local affairs.Washington, D.C., isoverwhelmingly Democratic,having votedfor the Democratic presidential candidate solidly since it was granted electoral votesin 1964.
Each of the city's eightwardselects a single member of the council and residents elect four at-large members to represent the district as a whole. The council chair is also elected at-large.There are 37Advisory Neighborhood Commissions(ANCs) elected by small neighborhood districts. ANCs can issue recommendations on all issues that affect residents; government agencies take their advice under careful consideration.Theattorney general of the District of Columbiais elected to a four-year term.
Washington, D.C., observes allfederal holidaysand also celebratesEmancipation Dayon April 16, which commemorates the end of slavery in the district.Theflag of Washington, D.C., was adopted in 1938 and is a variation on George Washington's familycoat of arms.
Washington, D.C., has been a member state of theUnrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization(UNPO) since 2015.
The idiom "Inside the Beltway" is a reference used by media to describe discussions of national political issues inside of Washington, by way of geographical demarcation regarding the region within the Capital's Beltway, Interstate 495, the city's highway loop (beltway) constructed in 1964. The phrase is used as a title for a number of political columns and news items by publications likeThe Washington Times.
The mayor and council set local taxes and a budget, which Congress must approve. TheGovernment Accountability Officeand other analysts have estimated that the city's high percentage of tax-exempt property and the Congressional prohibition of commuter taxes create a structural deficit in the district's local budget of anywhere between $470 million and over $1 billion per year. Congress typically provides additional grants for federal programs such asMedicaidand the operation of thelocal justice system; however, analysts claim that the payments do not fully resolve the imbalance.
The city's local government, particularly during the mayoralty ofMarion Barry, has been criticized for mismanagement and waste.During his administration in 1989,Washington Monthlymagazine labeled the district "the worst city government in America".In 1995, at the start of Barry's fourth term, Congress created theDistrict of Columbia Financial Control Boardto oversee all municipal spending.MayorAnthony Williamswon election in 1998 and oversaw a period ofurban renewaland budget surpluses.
The district regained control over its finances in 2001 and the oversight board's operations were suspended.
The district has a federally funded "Emergency Planning and Security Fund" to cover security related to visits by foreign leaders and diplomats, presidential inaugurations, protests, and terrorism concerns. During the Trump administration, the fund has run with a deficit. Trump's January 2017 inauguration cost the city $27 million; of that, $7 million was never repaid to the fund. Trump's 2019 Independence Day event, "A Salute to America", cost six times more than Independence Day events in past years.
The city passed a law that requires shelter to be provided to everyone in need when the temperature drops below freezing.Since D.C. does not have enough shelter units available, every winter it books hotel rooms in the suburbs with an average cost of around $100 for a night. According to the D.C. Department of Human Services, during the winter of 2012 the city spent $2,544,454 on putting homeless families in hotels,and budgeted $3.2 million on hotel beds in 2013.
Congress controlled the Federal District from its establishment, and did not make a provision for federal representation of the people living there. That changed in 1961, when the 23rd amendment was ratified by the states, and Washington, D.C. was granted three electoral college votes in each presidential election. In 1978 another amendment was passed but not ratified by the states to grant D.C. congressional representation. In 2021, a bill to make D.C. a state passed the House of Representatives but not Senate. Congress has the power to add a state, but an amendment must be ratified by the states.
Washington, D.C. is not a state and therefore has no federal voting representation inCongress. The city's residents elect anon-voting delegateto theHouse of Representatives(D.C. at-large), who may sit on committees, participate in debate, and introduce legislation, but cannot vote on theHouse floor. The district has no official representation in theUnited States Senate. Neither chamber seats the district's elected"shadow" representative or senators. Unlike residents ofU.S. territoriessuch asPuerto RicoorGuam, which also have non-voting delegates, D.C. residents are subject to all federal taxes.In the financial year 2012, D.C. residents and businesses paid $20.7 billion in federal taxes, more than the taxes collected from 19 states and the highestfederal taxes per capita.
A 2005 poll found that 78% of Americans did not know residents of Washington, D.C., have less representation in Congress than residents of the 50 states.Efforts to raise awareness about the issue have included campaigns bygrassrootsorganizations and featuring the city's unofficial motto, "End Taxation Without Representation", onD.C. vehicle license plates.There is evidence of nationwide approval for D.C. voting rights; various polls indicate that 61 to 82% of Americans believe D.C. should have voting representation in Congress.
Opponents to federal voting rights for Washington, D.C., propose that theFounding Fathersnever intended for district residents to have a vote in Congress since the Constitution makes clear that representation must come from the states. Those opposed to making the District of Columbia a state say such a move would destroy the notion of a separate national capital and that statehood would unfairly grant Senate representation to a single city.
The District was granted presidential voting rights by the 23rd Amendment in 1961.The23rd Amendmentwas ratified which granted the people of the Washington, D.C., the right to vote for the president. This was done by giving them electoral college votes they would get if they were a state, but it must be no more than the least a state has; this works out to three electoral college votes. The amendment reads, ".. A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State".The 23rd Amendment could complicate statehood, because it would apply even if the federal district was shrunk, and undoing the amendment requires another amendment.Congress must operate from a district it controls, but it can be no larger than ten miles on a side; the 2021 statehood bill got around this by proposing the federal district be shrunk to an area roughly the size of the national mall.
In 2021, SenatorJoe Manchinmade known his non-support of theD.C. Statehood billthat had passed the House of Representatives, and suggested that D.C. could instead be given statehood by constitutional amendment.He was concerned about complications from the 23rd amendment and said the bill would likely end up in court, adding that the correct way was to propose a constitutional amendment and let the nation vote on it.
In 1978, theDistrict of Columbia Voting Rights Amendmentwas passed, which would have granted D.C. Congressional representation, but it expired in 1986 without being ratified into law.
In 2021, a bill was introduced to congress forretroceding the districtto Maryland.The idea was that by returning the area to Maryland, the residents would have normal State representation.
District of Columbia Public Schools(DCPS), the sole public school district in the city,operates the city's 123 public schools.The number of students in DCPS steadily decreased for 39 years until 2009. In the 2010–11 school year, 46,191 students were enrolled in the public school system.DCPS has one of the highest-cost, yet lowest-performing school systems in the country, in terms of both infrastructure and student achievement.Mayor Adrian Fenty's administration made sweeping changes to the system by closing schools, replacing teachers, firing principals, and using private education firms to aid curriculum development.
TheDistrict of Columbia Public Charter School Boardmonitors the 52 public charter schools in the city.Due to the perceived problems with the traditional public school system, enrollment in publiccharter schoolshad by 2007 steadily increased.As of 2010, D.C., charter schools had a total enrollment of about 32,000, a 9% increase from the prior year.The district is also home to 92 private schools, which enrolled approximately 18,000 students in 2008.
TheUniversity of the District of Columbia(UDC) is a publicland-grant universityproviding undergraduate and graduate education.Federally chartered universitiesincludeAmerican University(AU),Gallaudet University,George Washington University(GWU),Georgetown University(GU), andHoward University(HU). Other private universities include theCatholic University of America(CUA), theJohns Hopkins UniversityPaul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies(SAIS), andTrinity Washington University. TheCorcoran College of Art and Design, the oldest art school in the capital, was absorbed into the George Washington University in 2014, now serving as its college of arts.
The city's medical research institutions includeWashington Hospital CenterandChildren's National Medical Center. The city is home to three medical schools and associated teaching hospitals: George Washington, Georgetown, and Howard universities.
Washington, D.C., has dozens of public and private libraries andlibrary systems, including theDistrict of Columbia Public Librarysystem.Folger Shakespeare Library, a research library and museum located in theCapitol Hillneighborhood, houses the world's largest collection of material related toWilliam Shakespeare.
TheLibrary of Congressis theresearchlibrarythat officially serves theUnited States Congressand is thede factonational libraryof the United States. It is a complex of three buildings:Thomas Jefferson Building,John Adams BuildingandJames Madison Memorial Building, all located in theCapitol Hillneighborhood. The Jefferson Building houses the library's reading room, a copy of theGutenberg Bible,Thomas Jefferson's original library, and several museum exhibits.
TheDistrict of Columbia Public Libraryoperates 26 neighborhood locations including the landmarkMartin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.
Washington, D.C., is a prominent center for national and international media.The Washington Post, founded in 1877, is the city's most-read local daily newspaperand one of the preeminent newspapers in the United States.It had the sixth-highest readership of all news dailies in the country in 2011.ThePostpreviously also published theSpanish-language newspaperEl Tiempo Latino, which it sold toEl Planeta Mediain 2016.
The Washington Timesis a general interest daily newspaper and popular amongconservatives.Thealternative weeklyWashington City Paper, with a circulation of 47,000, is also based in the city and has a substantial readership in the Washington area.
The Atlanticmagazine, which has covered politics, international affairs, and cultural issues since 1857, was previously headquartered at theWatergate complexbut is now headquartered in a building atthe Wharfin Washington.
Several community and specialty papers focus on neighborhood and cultural issues, including the weeklyWashington BladeandMetro Weekly, which focus on LGBT issues; theWashington InformerandThe Washington Afro American, which highlight topics of interest to the black community; and neighborhood newspapers published byThe Current Newspapers.Congressional Quarterly,The Hill,Politico, andRoll Callnewspapers focus exclusively on issues related to Congress and the federal government. Other publications based in Washington include theNational Geographicmagazine and political publications such asThe Washington Examiner,The New Republic, andWashington Monthly.USA Today, which is thelargest newspaper in the country as measured by circulation, is headquartered in nearbyTysons, Virginia.
TheWashington metropolitan areais the ninth-largest television media market in the nation, with two million homes, representing approximately 2% of the country's television market.Several media companies and cable television channels have their headquarters in the area, includingC-SPAN,Radio One, theNational Geographic Channel,Smithsonian Networks,National Public Radio(NPR),Travel Channel(inChevy Chase, Maryland),Discovery Communications(inSilver Spring, Maryland), andPBS(inArlington County, Virginia). The headquarters ofVoice of America, the U.S. government's international news service, is near the Capitol in Southwest Washington, D.C.
The city is served by two local NPR affiliates,WAMUandWETA.
There are 1,500 miles (2,400 km) of streets, parkways, and avenues in the district.Due to thefreeway revoltsof the 1960s, much of the proposedinterstate highway systemthrough the middle of Washington was never built.Interstate 95(I-95), the nation's major east coast highway, therefore bends around the district to form the eastern portion of theCapital Beltway. A portion of the proposed highway funding was directed to the region's public transportation infrastructure instead.The interstate highways that continue into Washington, includingI-66andI-395, both terminate shortly after entering the city.
According to a 2010 study, Washington-area commuters spent 70 hours a year in traffic delays, which tied with Chicago for having the nation's worst road congestion.However, 37% of Washington-area commuters take public transportation to work, the second-highest rate in the country.An additional 12% of D.C. commuters walked to work, 6% carpooled, and 3% traveled by bicycle in 2010.
In May 2022, the city celebrated the expansion of itsbike lane networkto 104 miles (167 km), a 60 percent increase from 2015. Of those miles, 24 miles (39 km) wereprotected bike lanes. It also boasted 62 miles (100 km) ofbike trails.As of March 2023, the city has 108 miles (174 km) of bike lanes, with 30 miles (48 km) of them protected bike lanes.
D.C. is part of the regionalCapital Bikeshareprogram. Started in 2010, it is one of the largestbicycle sharing systemsin the country. As of February 2024, the program had 6,372 bicycles and 395 stations.A precedingSmartBike DCpilot program had begun in 2008.
A 2021 study byWalk Scoreranked Washington, D.C. the fifth-most walkable city in the country. According to the study, the most walkable neighborhoods areU Street,Dupont Circle, andMount Vernon Square.In 2013, theWashington Metropolitan Areahad the eighth lowest percentage of workers who commuted by private automobile (75.7 percent), with 8percent of area workers traveling via rail transit.
There are multiple transportation methods to cross the city's two rivers, thePotomac Riverand theAnacostia River. There are numerous bridges that take cars, trains, pedestrians, and bikers across the rivers. Among these areArlington Memorial Bridge, the14th Street Bridges,Francis Scott Key Bridge,Theodore Roosevelt Bridge,Woodrow Wilson Bridge, andFrederick Douglass Bridge.
There are also ferries and water cruises that cross the Potomac River. One of these is the Potomac Water Taxi, operated byHornblower Cruises, which goes between theGeorgetown Waterfront,the Wharf, theOld Town AlexandriaWaterfront, andNational Harbor.
TheWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority(WMATA) operates theWashington Metro, the city'srapid transitrail system. The system serves Washington, D.C. and itsMarylandandNorthern Virginiasuburbs. Metro opened on March 27, 1976, and consists of six lines (each one color coded),98 stations, and 129 miles (208 km) of track.Metro is thesecond-busiest rapid transit systemin the country andfifth-busiest in North America.It operates mostly as a deep-levelsubwayin more densely populated parts of the D.C. metropolitan area (including most of the District itself), while most of the suburban tracks are at surface level orelevated. Metro is known for its iconicbrutalist-stylevaulted ceilings in the interior stations. It is also known for having long escalators in some of its underground stations. The longest single-tier escalator in the Western Hemisphere, spanning 230 feet (70 m), is located at Metro'sWheaton stationin Maryland.
Washington Union Stationis the city's main train station and serves approximately 70,000 people each day. It isAmtrak's second-busiest station with 4.6 million passengers annually and is the southern terminus for theNortheast Corridor, which carries long-distance and regional services toNew York Penn Stationand points in New England. As of 2023, Union Station is theninth-busiest rail stationin the nation and tenth-busiest inNorth America.
Maryland'sMARCand Virginia'sVREcommuter trains and the MetrorailRed Linealso provide service into Union Station.Following renovations in 2011, Union Station became Washington's primaryintercity bustransit center.
Although Washington, D.C. was known throughout the 19th and early- to mid-20th centuries forits streetcars, these lines were dismantled in the 1960s. In 2016, however, the city brought back a streetcar line,DC Streetcar, which is a single line system in Northeast Washington, D.C., alongH StreetandBenning Road, known as theH Street/Benning Road Line.
Two main public bus systems operate in Washington, D.C.Metrobus, operated by theWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority(WMATA), is the primary public bus system in Washington, D.C. Serving more than 400,000 riders each weekday, it is one of the nation'slargest bus systemsby annual ridership.The city also operates its ownDC Circulatorbus system, which connects commercial and touristic areas within central Washington.The DC Circulator costs only $1 to ride and is composed of six distinct routes that cover central D.C. and suburbanRosslyn, Virginia. The DC Circulator is run via a public-private partnership between theDistrict of Columbia Department of Transportation, WMATA, and DC Surface Transit, Inc. (DCST). The bus system services each stop approximately every 10 minutes.
Many other public bus systems operate in the various jurisdictions of the Washington region outside of the city in suburban Maryland and Virginia. Among these are theFairfax ConnectorinFairfax County, Virginia;DASHinAlexandria, Virginia; andTheBusinPrince George's County, Maryland.There are also numerous commuter buses that residents of the wider Washington region take to commute into the city for work or other events. Among these are theLoudoun County TransitCommuter Bus and theMaryland Transit AdministrationCommuter Bus.
The city also has several bus lines used by tourists and others visiting the city, includingBig Bus Tours, Old Town Trolley Tours, and DC Trails. Many tourists also arrive via charter buses.
Three major airports serve the district, though none are within the city's borders. Two of these major airports are located in suburbanNorthern Virginiaand one in suburbanMaryland. The closest isRonald Reagan Washington National Airport, which is located inArlington County, Virginia, just across thePotomac Riverabout 5 miles (8 km) from downtown Washington, D.C. This airport provides primarily domestic flights and has the lowest number of passengers of the three airports in the region. The busiest by number of total passengers isBaltimore/Washington International Airport(BWI), located inAnne Arundel County, Maryland about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of the city.The busiest by international flights and the largest by land size and amount of facilities isWashington Dulles International Airport, located inDulles, Virginia, about 24 miles (39 km) west of the city.Dulles has the most international passenger traffic of any airport in theMid-Atlanticoutside theNew York metropolitan area, including approximately 90% of the international passenger traffic in theWashington-Baltimore region.Each of these three airports also serves as a hub for a major American airline: Reagan National Airport is a hub forAmerican Airlines,Dulles is a major hub forUnited AirlinesandStar Alliancepartners,and BWI is an operating base forSouthwest Airlines.In 2018, the Washington, D.C. area was the18th-busiest airport system in the worldby passenger traffic, accumulating over 74 million passengers between its three main commercial airports; by 2022 it had climbed to 13th-busiest for passenger traffic, even though passenger numbers decreased to less than 69 million.
ThePresident of the United Statesdoes not use any of these airports for travel. Instead, the U.S. president typically travels byMarine Onefrom theSouth Lawnof theWhite HousetoJoint Base Andrewsin suburban Maryland. From there, he takesAir Force Oneto his destination.
TheDistrict of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, also known as WASA or D.C. Water, is an independent authority of the Washington, D.C., government that provides drinking water and wastewater collection in the city. WASA purchases water from the historicWashington Aqueduct, which is operated by theArmy Corps of Engineers. The water, sourced from thePotomac River, is treated and stored in the city'sDalecarlia,Georgetown, andMcMillanreservoirs. The aqueduct provides drinking water for a total of 1.1 million people in the district and Virginia, including Arlington, Falls Church, and a portion of Fairfax County.The authority also providessewage treatmentservices for an additional 1.6 million people in four surrounding Maryland and Virginia counties.
Pepcois the city's electric utility and services 793,000 customers in the district and suburban Maryland.An 1889 law prohibits overhead wires within much of the historic City of Washington. As a result, all power lines and telecommunication cables are located underground in downtown Washington, and traffic signals are placed at the edge of the street.A 2013 plan would bury an additional 60 miles (97 km) of primary power lines throughout the district.
Washington Gasis the city'snatural gasutility and serves more than a million customers in the district and its suburbs. Incorporated byCongressin 1848, the company installed the city's first gas lights in theCapitol,White House, and alongPennsylvania Avenue.
Washington has historically endured high crime, particularly violent offences. The city was once described as the "murder capital" of the United States during the early 1990s.The number of murders peaked in 1991 at 479, but then began to decline,reaching a historic low of 88 in 2012, the lowest total since 1961.In 2016, the district's Metropolitan Police Department tallied 135 homicides, a 53% increase from 2012 but a 17% decrease from 2015.By 2019, citywide reports of both property and violent crimes declined from their most recent highs in the mid-1990s.However, both 2021 and 2022 saw over 200 homicides each, reflecting an upward trends from prior decades.In 2023, D.C. recorded 274 homicides, a 20-year high and the fifth-highest murder rate among the nation's largest cities.
Many D.C. residents began to press the city government for refusing to prosecute nearly 70% of arrested offenders in 2022. After months of criticism, the rate of unprosecuted cases dropped to 56% by October 2023—albeit still higher than nine of the past 10 years and almost twice what it was in 2013.In February 2024, theCouncil of the District of Columbiapassed a major bill meant to reduce crime in the city by introducing harsher penalties for arrested offenders.Rising crime and gang activities contributed to some local businesses leaving the city.
According to a 2018 report, 67,000 residents, or about 10% of the population, are ex-convicts.An estimated 2,000–2,500 offenders return to the city from prison every year.
On June 26, 2008, theSupreme Court of the United Statesheld inDistrict of Columbia v. Hellerthat the city's 1976handgun banviolated theright to keep and bear armsas protected under theSecond Amendment.However, the ruling does not prohibit all forms of gun control; laws requiring firearm registration remain in place, as does the city's assault weapon ban.
In addition to theMetropolitan Police Department, severalfederal law enforcement agencieshave jurisdiction in the city, including theU.S. Park Police, founded in 1791.Because theD.C. National Guardserves a federal district, the president of the United States—and not city officials—has power to deploy it. The president also has the power to take over the police force in emergency situations.
Washington, D.C., has fifteen officialsister cityagreements. Each of the listed cities is a national capital except for Sunderland, which includes the town ofWashington, the ancestral home of George Washington's family.Paris and Rome are each formally recognized as a partner city due to their special one sister city policy.Listed in the order each agreement was first established, they are: