At a glance
For the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (CBSA 47900), BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity is 108.9 (U.S. = 100). Census ACS 2020–2024 estimates median gross rent at $2,027 per month and a 45+ minute commute share of 26.7% among workers who commute. These are metro estimates, not current asking rents, neighborhood figures or an individual commute forecast.
Sources: BLS wages (May 2025) · BEA price parity (2024) · Census ACS (2020–2024) · metro areas, not city limits · How we calculate
How Washington compares with the other 74 metros
Each measure below is ranked across the 75 curated metros, where 1st means the highest value. A high or low rank describes the number, not whether the metro is a better or worse place to live.
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| Measure | Washington | Middle value of 75 metros | Rank (1st = highest) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEA 2024 all-items price parity (U.S. = 100) | 108.9 | 98.4 | 9th of 75 |
| ACS median gross rent per month | $2,027 | $1,430 | 6th of 75 |
| ACS median household income | $126,684 | $83,460 | 3rd of 75 |
| ACS share of commuters with 45+ minute trips | 26.7% | 13.2% | 2nd of 75 |
The metros with the closest BEA price parity are Boston (108.3), San Jose (110.4), Bridgeport (106.9). Similar price levels do not imply similar wages, rents or job markets; compare them with the city comparison pages or the interactive tool.
Where pay ranks highest and lowest in Washington
For each occupation reported in at least 50 metros, we ranked Washington’s price-adjusted median against the other metros reporting the same occupation. These ranks compare published medians for one occupation at a time; they are not measures of openings or of how an employer will pay.
Highest relative to other metros
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| Occupation | Adjusted median | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Specialists | $92,603 | 2nd of 75 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $93,384 | 2nd of 75 |
| Writers and Authors | $99,611 | 2nd of 68 |
| General and Operations Managers | $143,694 | 3rd of 75 |
| Network and Computer Systems Administrators | $115,196 | 3rd of 75 |
Lowest relative to other metros
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| Occupation | Adjusted median | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapists | $94,578 | 71st of 75 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $123,838 | 71st of 75 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $46,407 | 69th of 75 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $76,724 | 66th of 75 |
| Civil Engineers | $93,476 | 65th of 75 |
Occupation wages in the Washington metro area
Multi-jurisdictional labor market with federal, technology and professional roles. The BLS geographic unit is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (CBSA 47900), rather than the limits of Washington city. Salary medians cannot be directly compared to a specific employer or neighborhood.
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| Occupation | Annual median wage | Adjusted median* | Employment estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $156,460 | $143,694 | 112,530 |
| Software Developers | $154,930 | $142,289 | 69,060 |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,610 | $33,623 | 66,920 |
| Management Analysts | $126,830 | $116,482 | 62,360 |
| Lawyers | $195,190 | $179,264 | 46,840 |
| Registered Nurses | $102,710 | $94,330 | 46,830 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,140 | $93,806 | 41,470 |
| Office Clerks, General | $51,880 | $47,647 | 39,410 |
| Project Management Specialists | $127,030 | $116,665 | 38,230 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $53,660 | $49,282 | 37,010 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $46,220 | $42,449 | 36,750 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,470 | $72,986 | 30,940 |
Show all 80 occupations, alphabetically
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The table lists the 12 occupations with the highest BLS estimated employment in this metro, not an attractiveness ranking; the full list is expandable and its columns can be sorted. The price-adjusted wage equals the BLS May 2025 annual occupational median × 100 ÷ the BEA 2024 all-items regional price parity. Census rent, household income and commuting figures are ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. They describe different populations and do not determine take-home pay, employment prospects or individual rent. ACS gross rent includes contract rent plus estimated utility and fuel costs.
Occupational wage distribution examples
These occupations are selected by the highest BLS estimated employment within our curated career set for this metro—not by pay or predicted demand. Annual wage percentiles are descriptive estimates and can be suppressed independently.
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| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $67,600 | $99,840 | $156,460 | $201,010 | $291,420 |
| Software Developers | $96,450 | $123,720 | $154,930 | $176,230 | $213,660 |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,640 | $34,350 | $36,610 | $39,730 | $47,800 |
| Management Analysts | $78,970 | $101,400 | $126,830 | $156,750 | $181,280 |
| Lawyers | $106,520 | $161,470 | $195,190 | $309,140 | $382,890 |
| Registered Nurses | $80,750 | $84,610 | $102,710 | $119,620 | $132,900 |
The employment estimate indicates modeled occupational employment, not current job openings. Missing percentiles remain Unavailable. Each job classification has a different population and wage distribution.
Understanding the local context
BEA reports a 2024 all-items regional price parity of 108.884. It reflects the general price level of goods and services in this metro compared with 100 nationwide. The Census ACS reports median gross rent of $2,027 (MOE ±$11) and median household income of $126,684 (MOE ±$733) over 2020–2024.
ACS gross rent includes estimated utilities and is not an asking-rent median. Household income covers all household earnings, so it is not comparable to one worker’s wage. The 45+ minute commute share is 26.7% of workers who travel to work, excluding people who work from home.
Neither the rent nor household-income median exceeds our 30% relative-MOE quality-warning threshold; estimates still have uncertainty.
From the Washington metro average to a neighborhood choice
This profile covers the full Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV region. Its wage, rent and commute measures cannot show how a specific neighborhood or route compares with another.
- Compare current listings for similar unit sizes and move-in dates in the areas you are considering.
- Check a likely home-to-work route at the hours and by the travel mode you expect to use.
- Enter your own housing quote and offer in the private relocation worksheet; keep it separate from the public metro benchmarks.
This dataset has no neighborhood-level rent or commute estimates.
Using Washington figures in a real moving budget
The BEA index places the broad metropolitan price level approximately 8.9% above the U.S. reference. At the published ACS median gross rent of $2,027 per month, twelve months of that survey benchmark would total $24,324. This is simple annualization of a survey median, not a current listing price or a budget recommendation.
The 26.7% long-commute share does not tell you how long a trip from a specific neighborhood to a specific employer will take. Gather a real offer and recent rental quotes first, then enter the unadjusted gross offer in the worksheet.
Compare with another metro
Explore two-area price, housing and wage comparisons. These source-backed pages are not rankings of which city is best for you.