District of Columbia

In District of Columbia, the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,288. In order to afford this level of rent and utilities, without paying more than 30% of income on housing, a household must earn $4,293 monthly or $51,520 annually. Assuming a 40-hour work week, 52 weeks per year, this level of income translates into a Housing Wage of $24.77.

In District of Columbia, a minimum wage worker earns an hourly wage of $7.55. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment, a minimum wage earner must work 131 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or, a household must include 3.3 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 $25.41 an hour. In order to afford the FMR for a two-bedroom apartment at this wage, a renter must work 39 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. Or, working 40 hours per week year-round, a household must include 1.0 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 $674 in District of Columbia. If SSI represents an individual's sole source of income, $202 in monthly rent is affordable, while the FMR for a one-bedroom is $1,131.

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 ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia
Number of Households (2000)
Total248,338248,338
Renter147,122147,122
% Renter59%59%
2009 Area Median Income1
Annual$102,700$102,700
Monthly$8,558$8,558
30% of AMI2$30,810$30,810
Maximum Affordable3 Monthly Housing Cost by % of Family AMI
30%$770$770
50%$1,284$1,284
80%$2,054$2,054
100%$2,568$2,568
2009 Fair Market Rent (FMR)4
Zero-Bedroom$1,002$1,002
One-Bedroom$1,131$1,131
Two-Bedroom$1,288$1,288
Three-Bedroom$1,647$1,647
Four-Bedroom$2,157$2,157
% Change from 2000 Base Rent to 2009 FMR
Zero-Bedroom51%51%
One-Bedroom51%51%
Two-Bedroom51%51%
Three-Bedroom51%51%
Four-Bedroom51%51%
Annual Income Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom$40,080$40,080
One-Bedroom$45,240$45,240
Two-Bedroom$51,520$51,520
Three-Bedroom$65,880$65,880
Four-Bedroom$86,280$86,280
Percent of Family AMI Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom39%39%
One-Bedroom44%44%
Two-Bedroom50%50%
Three-Bedroom64%64%
Four-Bedroom84%84%
2009 Renter Household Income
Estimated Median Renter Household Income5$40,317$40,317
Percent Needed to Afford 2 BR FMR128%128%
Rent Affordable at Median$1,008$1,008
% Renters Unable to Afford 2 BR FMR660%60%
2009 Renter Wage
Estimated Mean Renter Wage7$25.41$25.41
Rent Affordable at Mean Wage$1,321$1,321
2009 Minimum Wage
Minimum Wage$7.55$7.55
Rent Affordable at Minimum Wage$393$393
2009 Supplemental Security Income
Monthly SSI Payment$674$674
Rent Affordable at SSI$202$202
Housing Wage
Zero-Bedroom$19.27$19.27
One-Bedroom$21.75$21.75
Two-Bedroom$24.77$24.77
Three-Bedroom$31.67$31.67
Four-Bedroom$41.48$41.48
Housing Wage as % of Minimum Wage
Zero-Bedroom255%255%
One-Bedroom288%288%
Two-Bedroom328%328%
Three-Bedroom420%420%
Four-Bedroom549%549%
Housing Wage as % of Mean Renter Wage
Zero-Bedroom76%76%
One-Bedroom86%86%
Two-Bedroom97%97%
Three-Bedroom125%125%
Four-Bedroom163%163%
Work Hours/Week at Minimum Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom102102
One-Bedroom115115
Two-Bedroom131131
Three-Bedroom168168
Four-Bedroom220220
Work Hours/Week at Mean Renter Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom3030
One-Bedroom3434
Two-Bedroom3939
Three-Bedroom5050
Four-Bedroom6565
Full-time Jobs at Minimum Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom2.62.6
One-Bedroom2.92.9
Two-Bedroom3.33.3
Three-Bedroom4.24.2
Four-Bedroom5.55.5
Full-time Jobs at Mean Renter Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom0.80.8
One-Bedroom0.90.9
Two-Bedroom1.01.0
Three-Bedroom1.21.2
Four-Bedroom1.61.6
 District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia
 District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia
Number of Households (2000)
Total248,338248,338
Renter147,122147,122
% Renter59%59%
2009 Area Median Income1
Annual$102,700$102,700
Monthly$8,558$8,558
30% of AMI2$30,810$30,810
Maximum Affordable3 Monthly Housing Cost by % of Family AMI
30%$770$770
50%$1,284$1,284
80%$2,054$2,054
100%$2,568$2,568
2009 Fair Market Rent (FMR)4
Zero-Bedroom$1,002$1,002
One-Bedroom$1,131$1,131
Two-Bedroom$1,288$1,288
Three-Bedroom$1,647$1,647
Four-Bedroom$2,157$2,157
% Change from 2000 Base Rent to 2009 FMR
Zero-Bedroom51%51%
One-Bedroom51%51%
Two-Bedroom51%51%
Three-Bedroom51%51%
Four-Bedroom51%51%
Annual Income Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom$40,080$40,080
One-Bedroom$45,240$45,240
Two-Bedroom$51,520$51,520
Three-Bedroom$65,880$65,880
Four-Bedroom$86,280$86,280
Percent of Family AMI Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom39%39%
One-Bedroom44%44%
Two-Bedroom50%50%
Three-Bedroom64%64%
Four-Bedroom84%84%
2009 Renter Household Income
Estimated Median Renter Household Income5$40,317$40,317
Percent Needed to Afford 2 BR FMR128%128%
Rent Affordable at Median$1,008$1,008
% Renters Unable to Afford 2 BR FMR660%60%
2009 Renter Wage
Estimated Mean Renter Wage7$25.41$25.41
Rent Affordable at Mean Wage$1,321$1,321
2009 Minimum Wage
Minimum Wage$7.55$7.55
Rent Affordable at Minimum Wage$393$393
2009 Supplemental Security Income
Monthly SSI Payment$674$674
Rent Affordable at SSI$202$202
Housing Wage
Zero-Bedroom$19.27$19.27
One-Bedroom$21.75$21.75
Two-Bedroom$24.77$24.77
Three-Bedroom$31.67$31.67
Four-Bedroom$41.48$41.48
Housing Wage as % of Minimum Wage
Zero-Bedroom255%255%
One-Bedroom288%288%
Two-Bedroom328%328%
Three-Bedroom420%420%
Four-Bedroom549%549%
Housing Wage as % of Mean Renter Wage
Zero-Bedroom76%76%
One-Bedroom86%86%
Two-Bedroom97%97%
Three-Bedroom125%125%
Four-Bedroom163%163%
Work Hours/Week at Minimum Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom102102
One-Bedroom115115
Two-Bedroom131131
Three-Bedroom168168
Four-Bedroom220220
Work Hours/Week at Mean Renter Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom3030
One-Bedroom3434
Two-Bedroom3939
Three-Bedroom5050
Four-Bedroom6565
Full-time Jobs at Minimum Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom2.62.6
One-Bedroom2.92.9
Two-Bedroom3.33.3
Three-Bedroom4.24.2
Four-Bedroom5.55.5
Full-time Jobs at Mean Renter Wage Needed to Afford FMR
Zero-Bedroom0.80.8
One-Bedroom0.90.9
Two-Bedroom1.01.0
Three-Bedroom1.21.2
Four-Bedroom1.61.6
 District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia

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C H A R T   F O O T N O T E S
1.Fiscal Year 2009 Area Median Income (HUD, 2009).
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 2009 Fair Market Rent (HUD, 2008; final as of October 1).
5.Census 2000 median renter household income, projected to 2009 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 2007 American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample housing file.
7.Based on 2007 BLS data, adjusted using the ratio of renter to overall household income reported in Census 2000, and projected to April 1, 2009.
* 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, click here.

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