Quality of life comparison
If you lived in District of Columbia instead of California, you would:
Health
be 10.9% less likely to be obese
In California, 28.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 25.3% of people as of 2022.
be 18.5% less likely to have diabetes
In California, 10.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 8.8% as of 2022.
live 1.0 years less
In California, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In District of Columbia, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2019.
Economy
make 2.5 times more money
California has a GDP per capita of $84,028 as of 2024, while in District of Columbia, the GDP per capita is $209,167 as of 2024.
be 25.5% more likely to be unemployed
In California, 5.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.4% as of 2025.
be 16.2% more likely to live below the poverty line
In California, 11.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In District of Columbia, however, that number is 13.6% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.2 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
California has a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 1,126 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 83.1% more likely to be a victim of property crime
California has a property crime rate of 2,303 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 4,216 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 10.3% more money
The median household income in California is $96,334 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $106,287 as of 2023.
be 26.3% less likely to own your home
In California, 55.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 41.1% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 51.5% less likely to be uninsured
In California, 6.8% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 3.3% as of 2023.
be 30.8% less likely to be physically inactive
In California, 22.4% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 15.5% as of 2022.
be 77.6% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In California, 25.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 44.4% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 2.7 years older on average
The median age in California is 37.6 years as of 2023. In District of Columbia, the median age is 34.9 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 44.6 times more densely populated
California has a population density of 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 4,322.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 46.7% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In California, 12.2% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
