District of Columbia

In District of Columbia, the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,324. In order to afford this level of rent and utilities, without paying more than 30% of income on housing, a household must earn $4,413 monthly or $52,960 annually. Assuming a 40-hour work week, 52 weeks per year, this level of income translates into a Housing Wage of $25.46.

In District of Columbia, a minimum wage worker earns an hourly wage of $7.00. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment, a minimum wage earner must work 145 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or, a household must include 3.6 minimum wage earner(s) working 40 hours per week year-round in order to make the two bedroom FMR affordable.

In District of Columbia, the estimated mean (average) wage for a renter is $23.92 an hour. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment at this wage, a renter must work 43 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or, working 40 hours per week year-round, a household must include 1.1 worker(s) earning the mean renter wage in order to make the two-bedroom FMR affordable.

Monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for an individual are $637 in District of Columbia. If SSI represents an individual's sole source of income, $191 in monthly rent is affordable, while the FMR for a one-bedroom is $1,168

A unit is considered affordable if it costs no more than 30% of the renter's income.


For an explanation of these data, see How to use the Numbers / Where the Numbers Come From.

If necessary, use the scroll bar at the bottom of the table to view additional jurisdictions.

 District of ColumbiaWashington-Arlington-Alexandria HMFA *
Number of Households (2000)
Total248,338248,338
Renter147,122147,122
% Renter59%59%
2008 Area Median Income1
Annual$99,000$99,000
Monthly$8,250$8,250
30% of AMI2$29,700$29,700
Maximum Affordable3 Monthly Housing Cost by % of Family AMI
30%$743$743
50%$1,238$1,238
80%$1,980$1,980
100%$2,475$2,475
2008 Fair Market Rent (FMR)4
Zero-Bedroom$1,025$1,025
One-Bedroom$1,168$1,168
Two-Bedroom$1,324$1,324
Three-Bedroom$1,708$1,708
Four-Bedroom$2,235$2,235
% Change from 2000 Base Rent to 2008 FMR
Zero-Bedroom45%45%
One-Bedroom45%45%
Two-Bedroom45%45%
Three-Bedroom45%45%
Four-Bedroom45%45%
Annual Income Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom$41,000$41,000
One-Bedroom$46,720$46,720
Two-Bedroom$52,960$52,960
Three-Bedroom$68,320$68,320
Four-Bedroom$89,400$89,400
Percent of Family AMI Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom41%41%
One-Bedroom47%47%
Two-Bedroom53%53%
Three-Bedroom69%69%
Four-Bedroom90%90%
2008 Renter Household Income
Estimated Median5$38,865$38,865
Percent Needed to Afford 2 BR FMR136%136%
Rent Affordable at Median$972$972
% Renters Unable to Afford 2 BR FMR663%63%
2008 Renter Wage
Estimated Mean Renter Wage7$23.92$23.92
Rent Affordable at Mean Wage$1,244$1,244
2008 Minimum Wage
Minimum Wage$7.00$7.00
Rent Affordable at Minimum Wage$364$364
2008 Supplemental Security Income
Monthly SSI Payment$637$637
Rent Affordable at SSI$191$191
Housing Wage
Zero-Bedroom$19.71$19.71
One-Bedroom$22.46$22.46
Two-Bedroom$25.46$25.46
Three-Bedroom$32.85$32.85
Four-Bedroom$42.98$42.98
Housing Wage as % of Minimum Wage
Zero-Bedroom282%282%
One-Bedroom321%321%
Two-Bedroom364%364%
Three-Bedroom469%469%
Four-Bedroom614%614%
Housing Wage as % of Mean Renter Wage
Zero-Bedroom82%82%
One-Bedroom94%94%
Two-Bedroom106%106%
Three-Bedroom137%137%
Four-Bedroom180%180%
Work Hours/Week at Minimum Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom113113
One-Bedroom128128
Two-Bedroom145145
Three-Bedroom188188
Four-Bedroom246246
Work Hours/Week at Mean Renter Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom3333
One-Bedroom3838
Two-Bedroom4343
Three-Bedroom5555
Four-Bedroom7272
Full-time Jobs at Minimum Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom2.82.8
One-Bedroom3.23.2
Two-Bedroom3.63.6
Three-Bedroom4.74.7
Four-Bedroom6.16.1
Full-time Jobs at Mean Renter Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom0.80.8
One-Bedroom0.90.9
Two-Bedroom1.11.1
Three-Bedroom1.41.4
Four-Bedroom1.81.8
 District of ColumbiaWashington-Arlington-Alexandria HMFA *
 District of ColumbiaWashington-Arlington-Alexandria HMFA *
Number of Households (2000)
Total248,338248,338
Renter147,122147,122
% Renter59%59%
2008 Area Median Income1
Annual$99,000$99,000
Monthly$8,250$8,250
30% of AMI2$29,700$29,700
Maximum Affordable3 Monthly Housing Cost by % of Family AMI
30%$743$743
50%$1,238$1,238
80%$1,980$1,980
100%$2,475$2,475
2008 Fair Market Rent (FMR)4
Zero-Bedroom$1,025$1,025
One-Bedroom$1,168$1,168
Two-Bedroom$1,324$1,324
Three-Bedroom$1,708$1,708
Four-Bedroom$2,235$2,235
% Change from 2000 Base Rent to 2008 FMR
Zero-Bedroom45%45%
One-Bedroom45%45%
Two-Bedroom45%45%
Three-Bedroom45%45%
Four-Bedroom45%45%
Annual Income Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom$41,000$41,000
One-Bedroom$46,720$46,720
Two-Bedroom$52,960$52,960
Three-Bedroom$68,320$68,320
Four-Bedroom$89,400$89,400
Percent of Family AMI Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom41%41%
One-Bedroom47%47%
Two-Bedroom53%53%
Three-Bedroom69%69%
Four-Bedroom90%90%
2008 Renter Household Income
Estimated Median5$38,865$38,865
Percent Needed to Afford 2 BR FMR136%136%
Rent Affordable at Median$972$972
% Renters Unable to Afford 2 BR FMR663%63%
2008 Renter Wage
Estimated Mean Renter Wage7$23.92$23.92
Rent Affordable at Mean Wage$1,244$1,244
2008 Minimum Wage
Minimum Wage$7.00$7.00
Rent Affordable at Minimum Wage$364$364
2008 Supplemental Security Income
Monthly SSI Payment$637$637
Rent Affordable at SSI$191$191
Housing Wage
Zero-Bedroom$19.71$19.71
One-Bedroom$22.46$22.46
Two-Bedroom$25.46$25.46
Three-Bedroom$32.85$32.85
Four-Bedroom$42.98$42.98
Housing Wage as % of Minimum Wage
Zero-Bedroom282%282%
One-Bedroom321%321%
Two-Bedroom364%364%
Three-Bedroom469%469%
Four-Bedroom614%614%
Housing Wage as % of Mean Renter Wage
Zero-Bedroom82%82%
One-Bedroom94%94%
Two-Bedroom106%106%
Three-Bedroom137%137%
Four-Bedroom180%180%
Work Hours/Week at Minimum Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom113113
One-Bedroom128128
Two-Bedroom145145
Three-Bedroom188188
Four-Bedroom246246
Work Hours/Week at Mean Renter Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom3333
One-Bedroom3838
Two-Bedroom4343
Three-Bedroom5555
Four-Bedroom7272
Full-time Jobs at Minimum Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom2.82.8
One-Bedroom3.23.2
Two-Bedroom3.63.6
Three-Bedroom4.74.7
Four-Bedroom6.16.1
Full-time Jobs at Mean Renter Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom0.80.8
One-Bedroom0.90.9
Two-Bedroom1.11.1
Three-Bedroom1.41.4
Four-Bedroom1.81.8
 District of ColumbiaWashington-Arlington-Alexandria HMFA *

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C H A R T   F O O T N O T E S
1.Fiscal Year 2008 Area Median Income (HUD, 2008).
2.Annual income of 30% of AMI or less is the federal standard for Extremely Low Income households. Does not include HUD-specific adjustments.
3. "Affordable" rents represent the generally accepted standard of spending not more than 30% of gross income on gross housing costs.
4.Fiscal Year 2008 Fair Market Rent (HUD, 2007; final as of October 1).
5.Census 2000 median renter household income, projected to 2008 using HUD's income adjustment factor.
6. Estimated by comparing the percent of renter median household income required to afford the two-bedroom FMR to the percent distribution of renter household income as a percent of the median within the state, as measured using 2006 American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample. States are the most local level for which these data are available.
7.Based on 2006 BLS data, adjusted using the ratio of renter to total household income reported in Census 2000, and projected to April 1, 2008.
* 50th percentile FMR (See Appendix A).
†Wage data not available (See Appendix A).
 For a listing of towns within FMR areas in New England States, see Appendix C.

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