District of Columbia Population 2024

Washington, D.C., also known simply as D.C. or the District, is the capital of the United States. Washington, D.C. is a federal district under the jurisdiction of Congress, and thus is not a part of any state in the United States. The District was formed from land donated by Virginia and Maryland and named in honor of George Washington. If Washington, DC were a state, it would be the 49th most populous ahead of Wyoming and Vermont.

Washington, DC Area and Population Density

This district is a particularly small area, encompassing only 68 square miles of land and water. Only 61 square miles of land are available, and yet, this tiny area has the title of the highest density of population in the nation.

It has a population density of 11,535 people per square mile. During the work week, however, the population swells to more than one million as commuters come from Virginia and Maryland. The Washington metropolitan area has a population estimated at over 6 million, which makes it the 7th largest metro area in the United States. If the District is included with Baltimore and the suburbs, the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area has a population of more than 9 million, which makes it the 4th largest CSA in the country.

Washington, DC Gender and Religion Statistics

The median age in Washington, DC is 33.8 years, with a slight gender gap of 52.5% female, and 47.5% male spread across the state.

There are many religions represented in Washington, DC, including Baptist (17%), Catholic (13%), Evangelical Protestant (6%), Methodist (4%), Episcopalian (3%), Jewish (2%), Eastern Orthodox, Pentecostal, Buddhist, Adventist, Lutheran, Muslim, Buddhist, Mormon, Hindu and Presbyterian.

Washington, DC Boundary, Census and Creation History

The District of Columbia was formed in 1791 from territory ceded by Maryland and Virginia, but remained in some respects under their jurisdiction until the National government moved there in 1800. The District included the existing small cities of Georgetown and Alexandria as well as the site chosen for the Nation's new capital, Washington. In 1846 the portion south of the Potomac River, including Alexandria, was retroceded to Virginia.

In 1800 the census reported the District as part of Maryland and Virginia. All populations shown in the table exclude the portion returned to Virginia in 1846.

Washington D.C. has had a large African American population since its founding in 1791. Between 1800 and 1940, African Americans made up 30% of the population, reaching a peak of 70% in the 1970s before declining as more African Americans moved to the suburbs. Between 2000 and 2010, there was a 31% jump in the non-Hispanic white population and an 11.5% decline in the black population.

Approximately 1 in 7 Washingtonians are immigrants, many of whom come from El Salvador, Vietnam and Ethiopia. Due to the large number of immigrants who are not fluent in English, about 35% of District residents are considered functionally illiterate.

The largest Hispanic groups in Washington DC is Salvadoran, which have mostly settled in the Mount Pleasant area. It is estimated that there are over 18,000 Salvadorans living in Washtington D.C., with an estimated Hispanic population that totals over 45,000.