If you want access to more culture than you know what to do with, proximity to some of the nation’s most important monuments, entertainment, theater, great dining opportunities, shopping, and nightlife, then yes, Washington, D.C. is a great place to live! However, living in the nation’s capital does have its drawbacks – it’s expensive for one thing, and being a busy city there is quite a lot of crime here. But how does DC stack up against the rest of the country?
Safety in Washington, D.C.
In the 1990s D.C. had a really bad reputation for crime. It was actually known as the murder capital of the United States in the early 1990s because murder rates were so high. Since that peak, murders, violent crime, and crime as a whole has really gone down in D.C. and it’s becoming a safer place to live. There are still neighborhoods with a higher level of crime than others, particularly those where poverty gangs, and drug abuse are issues but the more affluent areas are generally quite safe. Having said this, D.C.’s crime index is still 81 percent higher than the national average.
Employment and the Economy in Washington, D.C.
Being the capital of the country Washington, D.C. is always going to have plenty of places to work. D.C. attracts many businesses and there are numerous jobs in the professional and business services sectors. The federal government employs a large majority of residents, accounting for 29 percent of the jobs in D.C. in 2012 and, with this being the case, D.C. is less likely to suffer higher levels of unemployment when the country is in recession. Tourism is also a huge employer – it’s the second largest industry in the area. Unemployment levels in 2012 were 2.8 percent lower than the national average at 5.5 percent, however, poverty levels in Washington, D.C. are extremely high at 20.2 percent (nearly 8 percent higher than the national average), so there’s a real gap between the wealthy and the poor here.
Cost of Living in Washington, D.C.
Capital cities are usually among the most expensive to live in, and here in Washington, D.C. it’s no exception. D.C. is 48 percent more expensive to live in than the national average and the expense that really raises the cost of living index is housing. You’ll need 151 percent more money to buy a home here in D.C. than you would on average in the rest of the country, so being close to plenty of jobs and excellent cultural facilities does have a price to pay. There are a couple of expenses that are more affordable though – health care is on par with the rest of the country, as are goods and services, but groceries, transportation, and utilities do run a little higher.
Schools and Education in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. has a good number of both private and public schools, with the 123 public schools being overseen by the District of Columbia Public Schools. There’s also 52 public charter schools in D.C. and attendance in these schools has been on the rise in recent years as these are seen as having better success with students. Overall, the DCPS was considered to have one of the highest running costs, yet lowest –performance ratings in the country, even so, graduation levels are still higher than the national average with 77.8 percent of students graduating high school. Further education institutions include Georgetown University, and George Washington University.
Air Quality in Washington, D.C.
Even though Washington, D.C. is a very walkable city cars and public transport are still heavily used so the air quality isn’t as good as it could be. The air quality index is 43 while the national average is 37. Overall pollution levels are actually 16 percent lower than the national average though, and in fact 37 percent of Washington-area commuters take public transportation to work, which is the second highest in the country.
If you can put aside the high housing costs by getting a well paid job in the capital, Washington, D.C. is overall a very good place to live.
