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Greater DC

Fast Facts:

  • The Greater DC region was home to 5,674,126 people and had 2,281,938 housing units in 2022. Since 2010, Greater DC has added an average of 51,200 people and 22,200 housing units per year.
  • Thirty-eight percent of households were renters and 47% percent of renters had unaffordable housing costs.
  • Greater DC did not meet the annual production target of 25,013 units, with 21,325 new units built in 2023. Cumulatively, Greater DC has produced at least 108,765 units since 2019, short of its 5-year target of 125,065.
  • Greater DC includes the District of Columbia; Charles, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George’s counties and the cities of Gaithersburg and Rockville in Maryland; Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties and the cities of Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park in Virginia. All jurisdictions except Manassas Park share data for the HIT.
Sources: Census Population and Housing Unit Estimates, Decennial Census, American Community Survey (2018-22), and the HIT survey of local jurisdictions.
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Policy Status

Solving the region's affordable housing crisis requires a portfolio of policies to preserve existing affordable housing, produce more housing, and protect people from discrimination and displacement.

Toggle policy descriptions

Right of First Refusal

  • City of Alexandria
  • Arlington County
  • District of Columbia
  • Fairfax County
  • City of Fairfax
  • City of Falls Church
  • Loudoun County
  • Montgomery County
  • Prince George's County
  • City of Rockville

Preservation Inventory - Subsidized

  • City of Alexandria
  • Arlington County
  • District of Columbia
  • Fairfax County
  • Loudoun County
  • Montgomery County
  • Prince George's County

Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized

  • City of Alexandria
  • Arlington County
  • Fairfax County

Rental Assistance Demonstration

  • City of Alexandria
  • Arlington County
  • District of Columbia
  • Fairfax County
  • City of Falls Church
  • City of Gaithersburg
  • Montgomery County

Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners

  • Arlington County
  • Charles County
  • District of Columbia
  • Frederick County
  • City of Gaithersburg
  • Loudoun County
  • City of Manassas
  • Montgomery County
  • Prince George's County
  • Prince William County

Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing

  • Arlington County
  • Charles County
  • District of Columbia
  • Fairfax County
  • City of Falls Church
  • City of Gaithersburg
  • Loudoun County
  • Montgomery County

Housing Outcomes

Local jurisdictions submitted data to enable the region to track housing production, preservation, and rental affordability.

Structural Racism

Discriminatory actions and racist public policies have produced inequitable outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and people of color in the Washington region, including lower incomes and wealth, lower homeownership rates, and higher rates of housing cost burden.

Housing Context

Understanding how household incomes relate to the supply of affordable rental and homeownership units will inform jurisdictions' efforts to meet the current and future housing needs of residents.

Participating Jurisdictions

Local jurisdictions submitted data to enable the region to track housing production, preservation, and rental affordability.

City of Alexandria
  • Population: 155,525
  • Housing units: 80,361
  • Percent of Households that rent: 57%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 44%
  • Average growth per year: 1,300 people | 700 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 409

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
Arlington County
  • Population: 234,000
  • Housing units: 122,446
  • Percent of Households that rent: 58%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 39%
  • Average growth per year: 2,200 people | 1,400 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 2,227

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
Charles County
  • Population: 170,102
  • Housing units: 63,772
  • Percent of Households that rent: 20%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 45%
  • Average growth per year: 1,900 people | 700 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 278

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
District of Columbia
  • Population: 671,803
  • Housing units: 360,890
  • Percent of Households that rent: 59%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 47%
  • Average growth per year: 5,700 people | 5,200 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 6,387

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
Fairfax County
  • Population: 1,138,331
  • Housing units: 429,828
  • Percent of Households that rent: 31%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 46%
  • Average growth per year: 4,600 people | 1,800 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 3,443

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
City of Fairfax
  • Population: 24,835
  • Housing units: 9,308
  • Percent of Households that rent: 32%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 53%
  • Average growth per year: 200 people | 100 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 83

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
City of Falls Church
  • Population: 14,586
  • Housing units: 6,254
  • Percent of Households that rent: 44%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 33%
  • Average growth per year: 200 people | 100 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 326

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
Frederick County
  • Population: 287,079
  • Housing units: 109,012
  • Percent of Households that rent: 24%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 47%
  • Average growth per year: 4,400 people | 1,500 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 1,982

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
City of Gaithersburg
  • Population: 68,952
  • Housing units: 25,264
  • Percent of Households that rent: 49%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 50%
  • Average growth per year: 700 people | 200 housing units
    • 0

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
Loudoun County
  • Population: 432,085
  • Housing units: 147,085
  • Percent of Households that rent: 23%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 44%
  • Average growth per year: 9,800 people | 3,100 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 1,789

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
City of Manassas
  • Population: 42,642
  • Housing units: 14,516
  • Percent of Households that rent: 26%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 51%
  • Average growth per year: 400 people | 100 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 16

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
Montgomery County
  • Population: 1,052,521
  • Housing units: 406,801
  • Percent of Households that rent: 34%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 50%
  • Average growth per year: 6,600 people | 2,500 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 2,343

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
Prince George's County
  • Population: 946,971
  • Housing units: 364,027
  • Percent of Households that rent: 38%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 52%
  • Average growth per year: 6,800 people | 2,900 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 1,172

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
Prince William County
  • Population: 486,943
  • Housing units: 162,116
  • Percent of Households that rent: 26%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 50%
  • Average growth per year: 6,900 people | 2,000 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 843

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
City of Rockville
  • Population: 66,924
  • Housing units: 27,917
  • Percent of Households that rent: 49%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 56%
  • Average growth per year: 500 people | 200 housing units
  • New units built in 2023: 27

2023 Housing Outcomes

  • Right of First Refusal
  • Preservation Inventory - Subsidized
  • Preservation Inventory - Unsubsidized
  • Rental Assistance Demonstration
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades for Homeowners
  • Energy Efficiency Upgrades of Affordable Housing
City of Manassas Park
  • Population: 16,703
  • Housing units: 5,522
  • Percent of Households that rent: 37%
  • Percent of renters with unaffordable housing costs: 64%
  • Average growth per year: 200 people | 100 housing units