The District of Columbia is a federal territory that functions as a state, county, and city. It is both the nation’s capital and a thriving and diverse local community full of artists, entrepreneurs, innovators, and nonprofits dedicated to creating a world-class city. The District takes pride in its unique history as a center of democracy, excellence, creativity, sustainability, and innovation, and it is currently pushing to become the 51st state to ensure all residents have a voice in Congress. The city also loves music: go-go music originated in Washington, DC, and in 2020 it became the official music of the District.
County Seat
N/a
Most Populous City
N/a
Population
702,455
View the Mobility Metrics Data Sheet
Government Type
Independent City
Legislative Body
City Council
Size of Legislative Body
13
Washington, DC is a prosperous and thriving place with promising opportunities for all Washingtonians to benefit from the District’s growth and achieve upward mobility from poverty. The District views its participation in the Upward Mobility Cohort as an opportunity to deepen its ongoing work to boost upward mobility for underresourced residents, especially Black people and other people of color who call the nation’s capital home. With many significant initiatives taking place across the District’s government, the Urban Institute’s Boosting Upward Mobility project can also provide Washington, DC, with the tools, focus, and support to align its efforts and maximize outcomes for residents struggling most to make ends meet.
Through its Mobility Action Plan, the District intends to build more integrated programs and systems so that residents can more easily access the resources they need. Doing so can ultimately help alleviate structural barriers to opportunity, enhance residents’ participation in programs, and center their lived experiences in these programs.
Local efforts to increase upward mobility and racial equity include investments in affordable housing, universal child care and paid family leave, a $15 minimum wage, and one of the country’s most generous earned income tax credit programs. The District has also invested in providing small business microgrants and mortgage assistance, among other programs, to help shape an equitable economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. And its recently updated DC Comprehensive Plan focuses on advancing racial equity through nearly 100 actions and policies that seek to eliminate disproportionate outcomes by race and ethnicity.
As the District builds out its Mobility Action Plan, it has already applied many of Urban’s mobility metrics to learn more about racial inequities in homeownership, housing cost burden, and income in specific communities. The District is also using the metrics to spur conversations about how and with whom to focus its community engagement efforts.
Partner Highlight
Washington, DC, is collaborating with several organizations to develop its Mobility Action Plan. Among them are the following:
- Fourteen or more local agencies
- Community-based organizations
- Philanthropic and private-sector organizations
- Residents affected by structural racism and barriers to achieving upward mobility
