State profile · 56 business types
District of Columbia market data
How the District of Columbia compares with the 50 states and DC for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 693,645
- +3.4% since 2020
- Households
- 324,491
- Median household income
- $109,870
- +27.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $737,100
- Jobs located here
- 673,312
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the District of Columbia by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The District of Columbia has an estimated 693,645 people and 324,491 households. Population estimates show the District of Columbia grew 3.4% from 2020 to 2025, in step with the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the District of Columbia is $109,870, 36% above the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 27.1%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the District of Columbia runs highest on lawn care, cleaning and other household services (an index of 130, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (47).
By the Groundwork market score, the District of Columbia’s highest ranks among the 50 states and DC are for pet businesses (#1), veterinarians (#1) and pet stores (#1).
Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for urgent care and walk-in clinics (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for landscaping and lawn care companies (83% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the District of Columbia
Listings per 10,000 households, and the same as an index where 100 is the U.S. rate. Spending per listing is a year of household spending on the type’s whole line over its listings (for the real estate types, an index of housing costs per listing, where 100 is the U.S.). The rank puts the state’s Groundwork market score against the other 50 states and DC.
| Business type | Listings | Per 10k households | Vs. U.S. (100) | Spending per listing | Official establishments | Score | Rank among states |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food and drink | |||||||
| Restaurants and cafes | 5,505 | 169.7 | 155 | $284K | 2,110 | 34 | #42 of 51 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 3,332 | 102.7 | 168 | $469K | 974 | 33 | #46 of 51 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 475 | 14.6 | 110 | $3.3M | 851 | 55 | #24 of 51 |
| Pizza | 239 | 7.4 | 93 | $6.5M | 851 | 67 | #5 of 51 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 591 | 18.2 | 165 | $2.6M | 266 | 44 | #32 of 51 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 326 | 10.0 | 102 | $4.8M | 277 | 66 | #10 of 51 |
| Groceries and convenience | |||||||
| Grocery and convenience stores | 423 | 13.0 | 70 | $5.3M | 310 | 68 | #7 of 51 |
| Grocery stores | 198 | 6.1 | 90 | $11.2M | 169 | 68 | #9 of 51 |
| Convenience stores | 134 | 4.1 | 51 | $16.6M | 141 | 68 | #6 of 51 |
| Auto | |||||||
| Auto repair and car care | 222 | 6.8 | 19 | $659K | 62 | 73 | #3 of 51 |
| Auto repair shops | 138 | 4.3 | 20 | $1.1M | 44 | 73 | #4 of 51 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 18 | 0.6 | 19 | $8.1M | 11 | 73 | #8 of 51 |
| Car washes and detailing | 29 | 0.9 | 24 | $5M | 9 | 73 | #4 of 51 |
| Tire shops | 36 | 1.1 | 29 | $4.1M | 6 | 70 | #7 of 51 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | Not scored | n/a |
| Gas stations | 158 | 4.9 | 45 | $2.8M | 81 | 64 | #15 of 51 |
| Insurance agencies | 208 | 6.4 | 41 | $1.8M | 88 | 69 | #9 of 51 |
| Beauty and personal care | |||||||
| Salons, barbers and spas | 965 | 29.7 | 63 | $375K | 280 | 84 | #1 of 51 |
| Hair salons | 436 | 13.4 | 57 | $829K | 154 | 85 | #1 of 51 |
| Barbershops | 122 | 3.8 | 72 | $3M | 15 | 75 | #3 of 51 |
| Nail salons | 153 | 4.7 | 78 | $2.4M | 63 | 70 | #4 of 51 |
| Spas and skin care | 220 | 6.8 | 59 | $1.6M | 47 | 88 | #1 of 51 |
| Fitness and classes | |||||||
| Gyms, studios and classes | 473 | 14.6 | 98 | $796K | 188 | 75 | #3 of 51 |
| Gyms | 258 | 8.0 | 105 | $1.5M | 121 | 61 | #10 of 51 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 112 | 3.5 | 146 | $3.4M | 121 | 42 | #36 of 51 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 103 | 3.2 | 65 | $3.7M | 67 | 83 | #1 of 51 |
| Health care | |||||||
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 2,408 | 74.2 | 88 | $186K | 847 | 79 | #3 of 51 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 383 | 11.8 | 90 | $1.2M | 310 | 61 | #14 of 51 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 239 | 7.4 | 103 | $1.9M | 382 | 59 | #16 of 51 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 37 | 1.1 | 220 | $12.1M | 4 | 51 | #25 of 50 |
| Chiropractors | 58 | 1.8 | 33 | $7.7M | 19 | 85 | #1 of 51 |
| Physical therapy | 147 | 4.5 | 83 | $3M | 108 | 78 | #4 of 51 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 77 | 2.4 | 59 | $5.8M | 24 | 85 | #1 of 51 |
| Pets | |||||||
| Pet businesses | 131 | 4.0 | 38 | $2.9M | 78 | 93 | #1 of 51 |
| Veterinarians | 37 | 1.1 | 33 | $10.3M | 24 | 93 | #1 of 51 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 55 | 1.7 | 47 | $6.9M | 42 | 92 | #1 of 51 |
| Pet stores | 20 | 0.6 | 30 | $19M | 12 | 93 | #1 of 51 |
| Child care | |||||||
| Child care and preschools | 204 | 6.3 | 109 | $1.2M | 303 | 61 | #16 of 51 |
| Clothing and laundry | |||||||
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 630 | 19.4 | 83 | $1.2M | 311 | 75 | #3 of 51 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 431 | 13.3 | 82 | $1.8M | 217 | 81 | #3 of 51 |
| Laundromats | 19 | 0.6 | 37 | $41.2M | 14 | 87 | #1 of 51 |
| Dry cleaners | 74 | 2.3 | 177 | $10.6M | 80 | 32 | #45 of 51 |
| Home services | |||||||
| Home repair trades | 87 | 2.7 | 22 | $13.5M | 65 | 92 | #1 of 51 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 41 | 1.3 | 21 | $28.6M | 37 | 92 | #1 of 51 |
| Electricians | 21 | 0.6 | 24 | $55.8M | 22 | 92 | #1 of 51 |
| Roofing and gutters | 25 | 0.8 | 22 | $46.8M | 6 | 92 | #1 of 51 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 106 | 3.3 | 39 | $5.6M | 141 | 93 | #1 of 51 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 26 | 0.8 | 17 | $22.9M | 22 | 93 | #1 of 51 |
| House cleaning | 70 | 2.2 | 100 | $8.5M | 115 | 89 | #1 of 51 |
| Pest control | 10 | 0.3 | 21 | $59.6M | 4 | 93 | #1 of 51 |
| Real estate | |||||||
| Real estate | 1,442 | 44.4 | 115 | 94 (index) | 966 | 42 | #34 of 51 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 1,223 | 37.7 | 123 | 88 (index) | 352 | 43 | #34 of 51 |
| Property management | 158 | 4.9 | 163 | 67 (index) | 449 | 30 | #48 of 51 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 57 | 1.8 | 42 | 265 (index) | 37 | 81 | #1 of 51 |
| Home inspectors | 4 | 0.1 | 17 | 560 (index) | 9 | Not scored | n/a |
| Funeral services | |||||||
| Funeral homes | 46 | 1.4 | 67 | $637K | 18 | 52 | #26 of 51 |
Markets in the District of Columbia
Each market’s page covers every business type, with its figures against the state and the U.S.
Metro areas 1
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area6,318,377 people
Counties 1
- District of Columbia681,294 people
Questions
How fast is the District of Columbia growing?
Population estimates put the District of Columbia at 693,645 people in 2025, up 3.4% since 2020, in step with the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 324,491 households. Median household income rose 27.1% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the District of Columbia spend?
Households in the District of Columbia spend about $5.9B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $2.2B on groceries and $1.6B on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the District of Columbia spend the most on lawn care, cleaning and other household services (an index of 130, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on vehicle maintenance and repairs (47).
Which business types rank highest in the District of Columbia?
Among the 50 states and DC, the District of Columbia ranks highest for pet businesses (#1), veterinarians (#1) and pet stores (#1) by the Groundwork market score.
How does the District of Columbia compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the District of Columbia is $109,870 a year, 36% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 3.4% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $737,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the District of Columbia has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for urgent care and walk-in clinics (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for landscaping and lawn care companies (83% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Each business type is scored on its own, so a state can rank high for one type and low for another.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the District of Columbia. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
Every state and business type · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the District of Columbia?
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This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.