District of Columbia Population History
December 2023 update.
The District’s population rose to 678,972, still below 2020’s 689,548.
Source: Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 (NST-EST2023-POP)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
Release Date: December 2023
Population change, the net increase of 8,023, came from births and international migration.
Source: Annual and Cumulative Estimates of the Components of Resident Population Change for the United States, Regions, States, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 (NST-EST2023-COMP)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
Release Date: December 2023
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January 2023 update.
The District’s population saw a small uptick to an estimated 671,803 for 2022 from 2021’s 668,791. This is slightly below the 2015 figure.
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/DC
Extensive profile of the District of Columbia from a variety of 2020 and 2021 Census data sources can be found here: https://data.census.gov/profile?g=0500000US11001
By 2020 the District of Columbia’s population growth over the past decade had reversed itself, dropping by 16,204 people, a 2.3% decline–dropping the District’s population below its 2017 point. In 2019, D.C.’s population increase had slowed dramatically, climbing by just 3,294 (under .5%) to 705,749 as of July 2019, a slowing trend begin in 2018. D.C.’s population had been growing since 2000, when it reversed a 50-year decline.
Source: https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/dec/2020-apportionment-data.html
CLICK IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD
2019 United States Census update: D.C. population increase slows dramatically, climbing by just 3,294 (under .5%) to 705,749 as of July 2019.
DC Population history 1800-2019
Click to access dcpopulation-history2019cropped.pdf
2018 United States Census update:
D.C. population surpasses 700,000. D.C.’s population is now 702,455 as of July 2018. This 1% increase represents a substantial slowing, which has averaged almost 2% (2011-2017–see below).
Census news release: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2018/estimates-national-state.html?CID=CBSM+POP18
DC Population 1800-2010
Click here for PDF: DC Population 1800-2010
Chart with 2010-2015 population estimates from
DC population 1800-2015
DC population 1800-2015
DC population 1800-2017
Projection to 2020
Racial composition of the population of the District of Columbia 1800-2010
| Year | Total | white | black | free* | slave* | other**** | AI/E/A | A/PI | Asian | NH&OPI | Two or more races |
| 1800 | 14,093 | 10,066d | 4,027 | 783 | 3,244 | ||||||
| 1810 | 24,023* | 16,079d | 7,914 | 2,549 | 5,395d | ||||||
| 1820 | 33,039* | 23,164* | 10.425 | 4,048 | 6,377d | ||||||
| 1830 | 39,834* | 27,563* | 12,271 | 6,152 | 6,119 | ||||||
| 1840 | 43,711*** | 30,657d | 13,054 | 8,360d | 4,694 | ||||||
| 1850 | 51,687 | 37,941 | 13,746 | 10,059 | 3,687 | ||||||
| 1860 | 75,080 | 60,763 | 14,316 | 11,131 | 3,185 | 1 | |||||
| 1870 | 131,700 | 88,278 | 43,404 | 18 | |||||||
| 1880 | 177,624 | 118,006 | 59,596 | 22 | |||||||
| 1890 | 230,392 | 154,695 | 75,572 | 125 | |||||||
| 1900 | 278,718 | 191,532 | 86,702 | 484 | |||||||
| 1910 | 331,069* | 236,128* | 94,446* | 495 | |||||||
| 1920 | 437,571 | 326,860* | 109,996 | 745 | |||||||
| 1930 | 486,869 | 353,981** | 132,068 | 820 | |||||||
| 1940 | 663,091 | 474,326* | 187,266 | 1,499 | |||||||
| 1950 | 802,178* | 517,865 | 280,803 | 3,510 | |||||||
| 1960 | 763,956 | 345,263 | 411,737 | 6,956 | |||||||
| 1970 | 756,510 | 209,272 | 537,712 | 9,526 | |||||||
| 1980 | 638,333 | 171,796 | 448,229 | 1,031 | 6,636 | ||||||
| 1990 | 606,900 | 179,667 | 399,604 | 1,559 | 11,233 | ||||||
| 2000 | 572,059 | 176,101 | 343,312 | 21,950 | 1,713 | 15,189 | 348 | 13.446 | |||
| 2010 | 601,723 | 231,471 | 305,125 | 24,374 | 2,079 | 21,056 | 302 | 17,316 | |||
Key:
AI/E/A = American Indian/Eskimo/Aleut
A/PI = Asian/Pacific Islander
NH&OPI = Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
Notes/Sources:
Dodd, Donald B. [comp.] Historical statistics of the United States: Two centuries of the census.
1993
d DeBow, J.D.B Statistical view of the United States…. 1854
*Green, Constance. Washington.
**1960 census
***corrected addition by M B Gilmore
2010 data source:
Race, Hispanic or Latino, Age, and Housing Occupancy: 2010
2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File
© Matthew Gilmore, August 2014
click here for PDF DC population by race 1800-2010 [PDF]
NOTE: Population figures are for the District of Columbia and do include Alexandria City/County up until the 1846 retrocession back to Virginia.
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