Washington-Arlington-Alexandria cost of living
Prices in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area run at 108.9 against a national average of 100, ranking it #15 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 151.1.
What drives the number
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria is one of the most expensive places the Bureau of Economic Analysis measures, at 108.9 against a national 100, ranking #15 of 387 metro areas. Being 8.9 per cent above national is the sort of gap that changes which job offers are worth taking. Against District of Columbia as a whole it is 1 point less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
Housing is doing nearly all of the work. Rents sit at 151.1 while goods sit at 104.8, a gap of 42.2 points between what it costs to live somewhere and what it costs to buy things. That pattern is the single most useful thing the parity series shows: the cost of a place is the cost of its housing. Goods at 104.8 are themselves 4.8 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
The practical use of this number is converting pay between places. Take any salary quoted here, divide by 108.9, multiply by 100, and you have what it would need to be nationally to leave you equally well off.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 108,510 | $151,420 | $139,045 | $102,950 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 77,770 | $104,000 | $95,500 | $81,270 |
| Management Analysts | 68,900 | $125,820 | $115,537 | $101,190 |
| Software Developers | 68,210 | $150,880 | $138,549 | $133,080 |
| Retail Salespersons | 65,060 | $35,730 | $32,810 | $34,580 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 63,090 | $34,280 | $31,478 | $30,480 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 57,480 | $37,100 | $34,068 | $35,930 |
| Cashiers | 54,070 | $34,800 | $31,956 | $31,190 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 108.9.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | 104.5 | 118.2 | #33 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | 102.6 | 113.1 | #50 |
| Lexington Park | 100.8 | 103.8 | #74 |
| Charlottesville | 99.1 | 107.0 | #97 |
| Richmond | 97.9 | 99.1 | #115 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | 97.9 | 99.8 | #116 |
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria: common questions
Is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria expensive?
Prices are 8.9% above the national average, a parity of 108.9 where the country is 100. It ranks #15 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against District of Columbia as a whole it is 1 point less expensive.
What salary do you need in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The median worker there earns $68,430, which buys what $62,837 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 151.1 against goods at 104.8. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.