Washington metropolitan area

Last updated

Washington metropolitan area
National Capital Region
Metropolitan area
Tidal Basin panorama.jpg
Washington, D.C.
Rosslyn Skyline from Theodore Roosevelt Bridge.png
Arlington, Virginia
Old Town, Alexandria (50688287918).jpg
Alexandria, Virginia
BethesdaMaryland.jpg
Bethesda, Maryland
Clark Construction - The BORO in Tysons VA Looking Northeast.jpg
Tysons, Virginia
Nickname(s): 
Greater Washington; National Capital Region; DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia) [1] [2]
CountryUnited States
U.S. state/federal districtPrincipal Subdivisions
(National Capital Region): [3] [ failed verification ]
District of Columbia [D]
Maryland [M]
Virginia [V] Outlying Subdivision:
West Virginia
Principal municipalities Washington, Arlington, Alexandria
Area
(2010)
 • Urban
1,407.0 sq mi (3,644.2 km2)
 • Metro
5,564.6 sq mi (14,412 km2)
Elevation
0–2,350 ft (0–716 m)
Population
 (2020) [4] [5] [6]
 •  Metropolitan area 6,385,162 (6th)
 • Density972.2/sq mi (375.4/km2)
 •  Urban
4,586,770 (8th)
 •  CSA (2016)
9,546,579 (4th)
 Urban pop as of 2016
GDP
[7]
 • MSA$660.6 billion (2022)
Time zone UTC-5 (ET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EST)

The Washington metropolitan area, also referred to as the DC area, Greater Washington, the National Capital Region, or locally as the DMV (short for District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia), is the metropolitan area centered around Washington, D.C., the federal capital of the United States. The metropolitan area includes all of Washington, D.C. and parts of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. It is part of the larger Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area, which is the third-largest combined statistical area in the country.

Contents

The Washington metropolitan area is one of the most educated and affluent metropolitan areas in the U.S. [8] The metro area anchors the southern end of the densely populated Northeast megalopolis with an estimated total population of 6,304,975 as of the 2023 U.S. Census, [9] making it the seventh-most populous metropolitan area in the nation, [10] as well as the second-largest metropolitan area in the Census Bureau's South Atlantic division. [11]

Nomenclature

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines the area as the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV metropolitan statistical area, a metropolitan statistical area used for statistical purposes by the United States Census Bureau and other agencies. The region's three largest cities are the federal city of Washington, D.C., the county (and census-designated place) of Arlington, and the independent city of Alexandria. The Office of Management and Budget also includes the metropolitan statistical area as part of the larger Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area, which has a population of 9,546,579 as of the 2014 Census Estimate.[ citation needed ]

The Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia [3] portions of the metropolitan area are sometimes referred to as the National Capital Region, particularly by federal agencies such as the military, [12] Department of Homeland Security, [13] and some local government agencies. The National Capital Region portion of the Washington metropolitan area is also colloquially known by the abbreviation "DMV", which stands for the "District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia." [14] The region is surrounded by Interstate 495 with the locations inside of it referred to as Inside the Beltway. Washington, D.C., which is at the center of the area, is sometimes referred to as the District because of its status as a federal district, which makes it not part of any state. The Virginian portion of the region is known as Northern Virginia. The Maryland portion of the region is sometimes called the Maryland-National Capital Region by local authorities but rarely by the general public. [15] [16]

Composition

Satellite photo of the Washington metropolitan area Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area by Sentinel-2, 2020-07-29.jpg
Satellite photo of the Washington metropolitan area
Washington area viewed at night from the International Space Station ISS026-E-8529 - View of Washington, D.C..jpg
Washington area viewed at night from the International Space Station
Map highlighting labor patterns of regional counties Dc22counties.jpg
Map highlighting labor patterns of regional counties

The U.S. Census Bureau divides the Washington metropolitan statistical area into two metropolitan divisions: [17]

Counties or county equivalents and populations

Historical populations – Washington metropolitan area
CensusPop.Note%±
1950 1,464,089—
1960 2,001,89736.7%
1970 2,861,12342.9%
1980 3,060,9227.0%
1990 3,923,57428.2%
2000 4,923,15325.5%
2010 5,636,23214.5%
2020 6,385,16213.3%
2022 (est.)6,373,756−0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
Counties and County equivalents within the Washington metropolitan area [18]
County2020 Census2010 CensusChangeAreaDensity
Fairfax County, Virginia 1,150,3091,081,726+6.34%391 sq mi (1,010 km2)
Montgomery County, Maryland 1,062,061971,777+9.29%491 sq mi (1,270 km2)
Prince George's County, Maryland 967,201863,420+12.02%483 sq mi (1,250 km2)
Washington, District of Columbia 689,545601,723+14.60%61.05 sq mi (158.1 km2)
Prince William County, Virginia 482,204402,002+19.95%336 sq mi (870 km2)
Loudoun County, Virginia 420,959312,311+34.79%516 sq mi (1,340 km2)
Frederick County, Maryland 271,717233,385+16.42%660 sq mi (1,700 km2)
Arlington County, Virginia 238,643207,627+14.94%26 sq mi (67 km2)
Charles County, Maryland 166,617146,551+13.69%458 sq mi (1,190 km2)
City of Alexandria, Virginia 159,467139,966+13.93%14.93 sq mi (38.7 km2)
Stafford County, Virginia 156,927128,961+21.69%269 sq mi (700 km2)
Spotsylvania County, Virginia 140,032122,397+14.41%401 sq mi (1,040 km2)
Calvert County, Maryland 92,78388,737+4.56%213 sq mi (550 km2)
Fauquier County, Virginia 72,97265,203+11.92%647 sq mi (1,680 km2)
Jefferson County, West Virginia 57,70153,498+7.86%210 sq mi (540 km2)
Culpeper County, Virginia 52,55246,689+12.56%379 sq mi (980 km2)
City of Manassas, Virginia 42,77237,821+13.09%9.84 sq mi (25.5 km2)
Warren County, Virginia 40,72737,575+8.39%213 sq mi (550 km2)
City of Fredericksburg, Virginia 27,98224,286+15.22%10.45 sq mi (27.1 km2)
City of Fairfax, Virginia 24,14622,565+7.01%6.24 sq mi (16.2 km2)
City of Manassas Park, Virginia 17,21914,273+20.64%3.03 sq mi (7.8 km2)
Clarke County, Virginia 14,78314,034+5.34%176 sq mi (460 km2)
City of Falls Church, Virginia 14,65812,332+18.86%2.05 sq mi (5.3 km2)
Madison County, Virginia 13,83713,308+3.98%321 sq mi (830 km2)
Rappahannock County, Virginia 7,3487,373−0.34%266 sq mi (690 km2)
Total6,385,1625,649,540+13.02%6,563.59 sq mi (16,999.6 km2)

Summary by state

Summary by state/district - Washington metropolitan area [18]
State/districtPopulation (2020)% of totalArea in sq mi% of totalDensity
District of Columbia 689,54511%611%11,295
Maryland 2,560,37940%2,30535%1,111
Virginia 3,077,53748%3,98761%772
West Virginia 57,7011%2103%275

Regional organizations

Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

Founded in 1957, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) is a regional organization of 21 Washington-area local governments, as well as area members of the Maryland and Virginia state legislatures, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives. MWCOG provides a forum for discussion and the development of regional responses to issues regarding the environment, transportation, public safety, homeland security, affordable housing, community planning, and economic development. [19]

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board, a component of MWCOG, is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the metropolitan Washington area. [20]

Consortium of Universities in the Washington Metropolitan Area

Chartered in 1964, the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area is a regional organization of 20 colleges and universities in the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the United States Institute of Peace, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts representing nearly 300,000+ students. [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] The consortium facilitates course cross registration between all member universities, and universalizes library access across some of its member universities through the Washington Research Library Consortium. It additionally offers joint procurement programs, joint academic initiatives, and campus public safety training. [26]

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Formed in 1967 as an interstate compact between Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, the WMATA is a tri-jurisdictional government agency with a board composed of representatives from Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and the United States Federal government that operates transit services in the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) is a multi-jurisdictional independent airport authority, created with the consent of the United States Congress and the legislature of Virginia to oversee management, operations, and capital development of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. [27]

Greater Washington Board of Trade

Founded in 1889, the Greater Washington Board of Trade is a network of regional businesses that work to advance the culture, economy, and resiliency of the Washington metropolitan area. [28]

Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington

The Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington (CAGW) works to increase appreciation, support, and resources for arts and culture in the Washington metropolitan area.

Principal cities

Downtown Washington, D.C. with the skylines of Arlington County and Tysons in the distance Washington, D.C. - 2007 aerial view.jpg
Downtown Washington, D.C. with the skylines of Arlington County and Tysons in the distance
View of Arlington with the skylines of Bailey's Crossroads, Ballston, and Courthouse in the background US Navy 030926-F-2828D-062 This aerial view of the river entrance of the Pentagon shows some of the ongoing renovation that will continue for several more years.jpg
View of Arlington with the skylines of Bailey's Crossroads, Ballston, and Courthouse in the background

The metropolitan area includes the following principal cities (not all of which are incorporated as cities; one, Arlington, actually is a county, while Bethesda, Silver Spring, and Reston are unincorporated census-designated places). [17]

Demographics

Politics

The Washington metropolitan area is considered a Democratic stronghold. The last Republican to win it was Richard Nixon in his 1972 landslide reelection. Since Bill Clinton was elected in 1992, Democratic candidates have easily won the area by double-digits.

Presidential election results
Year DEM GOP Others
2020 72.3%2,320,65825.5% 818,4182.2% 70,283
2016 69.0%1,860,67825.7% 692,7435.4% 145,269
2012 67.5%1,813,96330.9% 829,5671.7% 44,708
2008 68.0%1,603,90231.0% 728,9161.0% 25,288
2004 61.0%1,258,74338.0% 785,1441.4% 19,735
2000 58.5%1,023,08937.9% 663,5903.6% 62,437
1996 57.0%861,88137.0% 558,8306.0% 89,259
1992 53.0%859,88934.1% 553.36912.9% 209,651
1988 50.4%684,45348.6% 659,3441.0% 14,219
1984 51.0%653,56848.5% 621,3770.4% 5,656
1980 44.7%484,59044.6% 482,50611.1% 115,797
1976 54.2%590,48144.9% 488,9951.0% 10,654
1972 44.2% 431,25754.8%534,2351.1% 10,825
1968 49.4%414,34539.1% 327,66211.5% 96,701
1964 69.8%495,49030.2% 214,2930.1% 462
1960 52.5%204,61447.3% 184,4990.1% 593
The southern portion of the Capital Beltway along the Potomac River, featuring portions of Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Old Town Alexandria, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, and National Harbor, Maryland are visible. Alexandria, Virginia (6045513083).jpg
The southern portion of the Capital Beltway along the Potomac River, featuring portions of Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Old Town Alexandria, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, and National Harbor, Maryland are visible.

Racial composition

The area has been a magnet for international immigration since the late 1960s. It is also a magnet for internal migration (persons moving from one region of the U.S. to another). [29] [ dubious – discuss ]

Racial composition of the Washington metropolitan area.

2021 American Community Survey

  • Non-Hispanic White: 43%
  • Black or African American: 24% (including African 5.4%, West Indian 1.2%, and Ethiopian 0.8% [30] )
  • Hispanic or Latino: 17%
  • Asian: 11%
  • Mixed and other: 6%
Hispanic originAsian origin
5.2% Salvadoran2.9% Indian
2.3% Mexican1.9% Chinese
1.6% Guatemalan1.2% Korean
1.2% Puerto Rican1.2% Vietnamese
0.9% Honduran1.0% Filipino
0.9% Peruvian0.5% Pakistani
0.8% Bolivian0.2% Japanese
0.5% Colombian0.2% Thai
0.5% Dominican0.2% Bangladeshi
5.6% Other1.0% Other

Source: Census Reporter [31]

2010 U.S. Census

[ citation needed ]

2006

[32]

1980

  • White: 67.8%
  • Black: 26.0%
  • Asian: 2.5%
  • Hispanic: 2.8%
  • Mixed and other: 0.9%

Social indicators

The average household income within a 5 mi (8.0 km) radius of Tysons Corner Center is $174,809. Tysons Corner Center Mall (6923507902).jpg
The average household income within a 5 mi (8.0 km) radius of Tysons Corner Center is $174,809.

The Washington metropolitan area has ranked as the highest-educated metropolitan area in the nation for four decades. [34] As of the 2006–2008 American Community Survey, the three most educated places with 200,000 people or more in Washington–Arlington–Alexandria by bachelor's degree attainment (population 25 and over) are Arlington, Virginia (68.0%), Fairfax County, Virginia (58.8%), and Montgomery County, Maryland (56.4%). [35] Forbes magazine stated in its 2008 "America's Best- And Worst-Educated Cities" report: "The D.C. area is less than half the size of L.A., but both cities have around 100,000 Ph.D.'s." [36]

The Washington metropolitan area has held the top spot in the American College of Sports Medicine's annual American Fitness Index ranking of the United States' 50 most populous metropolitan areas for two years running. The report cites, among other things, the high average fitness level and healthy eating habits of residents, the widespread availability of health care and facilities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, and parks, low rates of obesity and tobacco use relative to the national average, and the high median household income as contributors to the city's community health. [37]

In the 21st century, the Washington metropolitan area has overtaken the San Francisco Bay Area as the highest-income metropolitan area in the nation. [8] The median household income of the region is US$72,800. The two highest median household income counties in the nation – Loudoun and Fairfax County, Virginia – are components of the MSA (and No. 3 is Howard County, officially in Baltimore's sphere but strongly connected with Washington's); measured in this way, Alexandria ranks 10th among municipalities in the region – 11th if Howard is included – and 23rd in the entire United States. 12.2% of Northern Virginia's 881,136 households, 8.5% of suburban Maryland's 799,300 households, and 8.2% of Washington's 249,805 households have an annual income in excess of $200,000, compared to 3.7% nationally. [38]

According to a report by the American Human Development Project, women in the Washington metropolitan area are ranked as having the highest income and educational attainment among the 25 most populous metropolitan areas in the nation, while Asian American women in the region had the highest life expectancy, at 92.3 years. [39]

Economy

Rosslyn is home to the tallest high-rises in the region, partly due to the District's height restrictions. As a result, many of the region's tallest buildings are located outside of Washington, D.C. Stand up scene (8712578924).jpg
Rosslyn is home to the tallest high-rises in the region, partly due to the District's height restrictions. As a result, many of the region's tallest buildings are located outside of Washington, D.C.

The Washington metropolitan area has the largest science and engineering work force of any metropolitan area in the nation in 2006 according to the Greater Washington Initiative at 324,530, ahead of the combined San Francisco Bay Area work force of 214,500, and Chicago metropolitan area at 203,090, citing data from U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Claritas Inc., and other sources. [8]

The Washington metropolitan area was ranked as the second best High-Tech Center in a statistical analysis of the top 100 Metropolitan areas in the United States by American City Business Journals in May 2009, behind the Silicon Valley and ahead of the Boston metropolitan area. [42] Fueling the metropolitan area's ranking was the reported 241,264 tech jobs in the region, a total eclipsed only by New York, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as the highest master's or doctoral degree attainment among the 100 ranked metropolitan areas. [42] A Dice.com report showed that the Washington–Baltimore area had the second-highest number of tech jobs listed: 8,289, after the New York metro area with 9,195 jobs. [43] In 2020, the total gross domestic product for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (MSA) was $561,027,941,000. [44]

Real estate and housing market

Changes in house prices for the Washington metropolitan area are publicly tracked on a regular basis using the Case–Shiller index; the statistic is published by Standard & Poor's and is also a component of S&P's 10-city composite index of the value of the U.S. residential real estate market.

McLean ZIP code 22102 had the highest median home prices among ZIP codes within the Washington metropolitan area as of 2013. [45]

Net worth, wealth disparities, and business ownership

Vietnamese restaurants and shops at the Eden Center in Falls Church, Virginia Interior of Eden Center annex.jpg
Vietnamese restaurants and shops at the Eden Center in Falls Church, Virginia

The economy of the Washington metropolitan region is characterized by significant wealth disparities, which were heightened by the Great Recession and the 2007–09 housing crisis, which adversely affected black and Hispanic households more than other households. [46] [47]

A 2016 Urban Institute report found that the median net worth (i.e., assets minus debt) for white households in the D.C. region was $284,000, while the median net worth for Hispanic–Latino households was $13,000, and for African American households as $3,500. [46] [47] Asian Americans had the highest median net worth in the Washington area ($220,000 for Chinese American households, $430,000 for Vietnamese American households, $496,000 for Korean American households, and $573,000 for Indian American households). [46] [47]

Although the median net worth for white D.C.-area households was 81 times that of black D.C.-area households, the two groups had comparable rates of business ownership (about 9%). The Urban Institute report suggests that this "may be driven by the presence of a large federal government and a local district government whose membership and constituents have been largely Black, coupled with government policies designed to increase contracting opportunities for minority-owned businesses." [46] [47]

Primary industries

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda NIH Clinical Center south entrance.jpg
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda

Biotechnology

The Washington metropolitan area has a significant biotechnology industry; companies with a major presence in the region as of 2011 include Merck, Pfizer, Human Genome Sciences, Martek Biosciences, and Qiagen. [48] Additionally, many biotechnology companies such as United Therapeutics, Novavax, Emergent BioSolutions, Parabon NanoLabs and MedImmune have headquarters in the region. The area is also home to branch offices of many contract research organizations. Firms with a presence in the area include Covance, IQVIA, Charles River Laboratories, and ICON plc. The area's medical research is driven by government and non-profit health institutions, such as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, J. Craig Venter Institute, and the National Institutes of Health.

Consumer goods

Local consumer goods companies include Nestle USA and Mars, Incorporated.

Defense contracting

Many defense contractors are headquartered in the Washington area near the Pentagon in Arlington. US Navy 051128-N-2383B-013 An aerial view of the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense located between the Potomac River and Arlington National Cemetery.jpg
Many defense contractors are headquartered in the Washington area near the Pentagon in Arlington.

Many defense contractors are based in the region to be close to the Pentagon in Arlington. Local defense contractors include Lockheed Martin, the largest, as well as General Dynamics, BAE Systems Inc., Northrop Grumman, [49] Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), CACI, ManTech International, DynCorp, and Leidos.

Hospitality

The Washington metropolitan area contains the headquarters of numerous companies in the hospitality and hotel industries. Major companies with headquarters in the region include Marriott International, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Hilton Worldwide, Park Hotels and Resorts, Choice Hotels, Host Hotels and Resorts, and HMSHost.

Mass media

One Franklin Square is where The Washington Post is headquartered. One Franklin Square - November 2023.jpg
One Franklin Square is where The Washington Post is headquartered.

The media industry is a significant portion of metropolitan Washington's economy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Washington DC region has the second largest concentration of journalists and media personnel in the United States after the New York metropolitan area. [50] Washington's industry presence includes major publications with national audiences such as The Washington Post , U.S. News & World Report , and USA Today , as well as new media publishers such as Vox Media, RealClearPolitics, Axios, and Politico. A secondary portion of this market is made up of periodicals such as National Affairs , those by The Slate Group, Foreign Policy , National Geographic , The American Prospect , and those by Atlantic Media, including The Atlantic . There are also many smaller regional publications present, such as The Washington Diplomat , The Hill, Hill Rag , Roll Call , Washington City Paper and the Washington Examiner .

Telecommunications

Anchored by the Dulles Technology Corridor, the telecommunications and tech industry in DC spans a diverse range of players across internet infrastructure, broadcasting, satellite communications, and datacenters. Firms headquartered in the area include Cogent Communications, GTT Communications, Hughes Network Systems, iCore Networks, Iridium Communications, Intelsat, Ligado Networks, NII Holdings, Oceus Networks, OneWeb, Tegna Inc., Transaction Network Services, Verisign, WorldCell, and XO Communications.

Tourism

Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County is a major tourist attraction. Arlington House.jpg
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County is a major tourist attraction.

Tourism is a significant industry in the Washington metropolitan region. In 2015, more than 74,000 tourism-sector jobs existed in the District of Columbia, a record-setting 19.3 million domestic tourists visited the city, and domestic and international tourists combined spent $7.1 billion. [51] [52] The convention industry is also significant; in 2016, D.C. hosted fifteen "city-wide conventions" with an estimated total economic impact of $277.9 million. [51]

Tourism is also significant outside the District of Columbia; in 2015, a record-setting $3.06 billion in tourism spending was reported in Arlington, Virginia, and $2.9 billion in Fairfax County, Virginia. [53] A 2016 National Park Service report estimated that there were 56 million visitors to national parks in the National Capital Region, sustaining 16,917 and generating close to $1.6 billion in economy impact. [54]

Largest companies

Capital One Tower in Tysons, the tallest building in the region and centerpiece of the 5,000,000 sq ft (464,500 m) headquarters campus for Capital One Capital One World Headquarters.jpg
Capital One Tower in Tysons, the tallest building in the region and centerpiece of the 5,000,000 sq ft (464,500 m) headquarters campus for Capital One
The global headquarters of Marriott International in Bethesda, Maryland Marriott Intl HQ - August 2022a.jpg
The global headquarters of Marriott International in Bethesda, Maryland
Largest public companies (Fortune 500 2020) [56]
CompanyIndustryHeadquartersNational rank
AES Corporation Energy Arlington, Virginia 310
Beacon Building Products Roofing Herndon, Virginia 434
Booz Allen Hamilton Consulting McLean, Virginia 450
Capital One Finance McLean, Virginia 97
Danaher Corporation Medical products Washington, D.C. 161
Discovery Communications Mass media Silver Spring, Maryland 287
DXC Technology Information technology Tysons, Virginia 155
Fannie Mae Finance Washington, D.C. 24
Freddie Mac Finance McLean, Virginia 41
General Dynamics Defense Reston, Virginia 83
Hilton Hotels Corporation Hospitality McLean, Virginia 338
Leidos Defense Reston, Virginia 289
Lockheed Martin Defense Bethesda, Maryland 57
Marriott International Hospitality Bethesda, Maryland 157
Northrop Grumman Defense Falls Church, Virginia 96
NVR, Inc. Construction Reston, Virginia 417
SAIC Information technology Reston, Virginia 466
Largest private companies ( Forbes ' America's Largest Private Companies 2016) [57]
CompanyIndustryHeadquartersNational rank
BrightView Landscaping Rockville, Maryland 220
Carahsoft Defense Reston, Virginia 161
Clark Construction Construction Bethesda, Maryland 102
Mars, Incorporated Food processing McLean, Virginia 7

History

NGA headquarters in Fort Belvoir NGA New HQ.jpg
NGA headquarters in Fort Belvoir

The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure resulted in a significant shuffling of military, civilian, and defense contractor employees in the Washington metropolitan area. The largest individual site impacts of the time are as follows: [58]

BRAC 2005 was the largest infrastructure expansion by the Army Corps of Engineers since World War II, resulting in the Mark Center, tallest building they have ever constructed, as well as National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Campus East, which at 2.4 million square feet is the largest building the Corps have constructed since the Pentagon. [59]

Transportation

Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia Washington Dulles International Airport at Dusk.jpg
Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia
Metro Center station on the Washington Metro WMATA metro center crossvault.jpg
Metro Center station on the Washington Metro
A Fairfax Connector bus at the West Falls Church Metro Station Fairfax Connector 9742 at West Falls Church.jpg
A Fairfax Connector bus at the West Falls Church Metro Station

"WMATA"-indicated systems are run by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and always accept Washington Metro fare cards; others may or may not.

Commercial service airports

Rail transit systems

Bus transit systems

Major roads

Interstates

The Capital Beltway circles Washington, D.C. Capital Beltway Map Color.svg
The Capital Beltway circles Washington, D.C.

U.S. Highways

Bicycle sharing

Culture

Sports teams

Listing of the professional sports teams in the Washington metropolitan area:

ClubSportLeagueFoundedVenue
Washington Capitals Hockey NHL 1974 Capital One Arena
Washington Nationals Baseball MLB 2005 [lower-alpha 1] Nationals Park
Washington Wizards Basketball NBA 1973 [lower-alpha 1] Capital One Arena
Washington Commanders Football NFL 1932 [lower-alpha 1] Commanders Field
D.C. United Soccer MLS 1996 Audi Field
Washington Mystics Basketball WNBA 1998 St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena
DC Defenders Football XFL 2018 Audi Field
Washington Spirit Soccer NWSL 2011 [lower-alpha 2] Maryland SoccerPlex (primary)
Audi Field (secondary)
Segra Field (secondary)
Capital City Go-Go Basketball NBA G League 2018 St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena
Old Glory DC Rugby MLR 2018 Segra Field
Loudoun United FC Soccer USL Championship 2018 Segra Field
DC Hawks Cricket MiLC 2020 Veterans Memorial Park, Woodbridge, VA
Fredericksburg Nationals Baseball MiLB 2020 Virginia Credit Union Stadium
Washington Justice esports Overwatch League 2019 Entertainment and Sports Arena
  1. 1 2 3 Year team moved to Washington area
  2. ↑ Founded as D.C. United Women; rebranded as Washington Spirit in 2012 and started NWSL play in 2013.

Media

The former headquarters of PBS in Crystal City, Virginia 2100 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA April 2019.jpg
The former headquarters of PBS in Crystal City, Virginia

The Washington metropolitan area is home to DCTV, USA Today , C-SPAN, PBS, NPR, Politico , BET, TV One and Discovery Communications. The two main newspapers are The Washington Post and The Washington Times . Local television channels include WRC-TV 4 (NBC), WTTG 5 (FOX), WJLA 7 (ABC), WUSA 9 (CBS), WDCA 20 (MyNetworkTV), WETA-TV 26 (PBS), WDCW 50 (CW), and WPXW 66 (Ion). WJLA 24/7 News is a local news provider available only to cable subscribers. Radio stations serving the area include: WETA-FM, WIHT, WSBN, and WTOP.

Area codes

See also

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Prince William County is located on the Potomac River in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population sits at 482,204, making it Virginia's second-most populous county. Its county seat is the independent city of Manassas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairfax County, Virginia</span> County in Virginia, United States

Fairfax County, officially the County of Fairfax, is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of Northern Virginia and borders both the city of Alexandria and Arlington County and forms part of the suburban ring of Washington, D.C., the nation's capital. The county is predominantly suburban in character with some urban and rural pockets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlington County, Virginia</span> County in Virginia, United States

Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a county in the U.S. state of Virginia. The county is located in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from Washington, D.C., the national capital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington, D.C.</span> Capital city of the United States

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly called Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with Maryland to its north and east. Washington, D.C., was named for George Washington, a Founding Father and the first president of the United States. The district is named for Columbia, the female personification of the nation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McLean, Virginia</span> Census-designated place and unincorporated community in Virginia, United States

McLean is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population of the community was 50,773 at the 2020 census. It is located between the Potomac River and Vienna within the Washington metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paw Paw, West Virginia</span> Town in West Virginia, United States

Paw Paw is a town in Morgan County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 410 at the 2020 census. The town is known for the nearby Paw Paw Tunnel. Paw Paw was incorporated by the Circuit Court of Morgan County on April 8, 1891, and named after pawpaw, a wild fruit that grows in abundance throughout this region. Paw Paw is the westernmost incorporated community in Morgan County, and the Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area</span> Combined statistical area in the United States

The Washington–Baltimore combined metropolitan statistical area is a statistical area including the overlapping metropolitan areas of Washington, D.C. and of Baltimore. The region includes Central Maryland, Northern Virginia, three counties in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, and one county in south-central Pennsylvania. It is the most educated, highest-income, and third-largest combined statistical area in the United States behind New York City–Newark, NJ and Los Angeles–Long Beach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Line (Washington Metro)</span> Washington Metro rapid transit line

The Blue Line is a rapid transit line of the Washington Metro system, consisting of 28 stations in Fairfax County, Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; and Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The Blue Line runs from Franconia–Springfield to Downtown Largo. The line shares track with the Orange Line for 13 stations, the Silver Line for 18, and the Yellow Line for 7. Only 3 stations are exclusive to the Blue Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow Line (Washington Metro)</span> Washington Metro rapid transit line

The Yellow Line is a rapid transit line of the Washington Metro system that runs between Huntington in Virginia and Mount Vernon Square in Washington, D.C. It consists of 13 stations in Fairfax County, the city of Alexandria, and Arlington County in Virginia, as well as Washington, D.C. It is the shortest line in the system, and since its truncation to Mount Vernon Square, it is the only line that does not enter Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Virginia</span> Region in Virginia, United States

Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The region radiates westward and southward from Washington, D.C. With 3,257,133 people as of 2023 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the region includes 37.37 percent of Virginia's total population. It is the most populous region of both Virginia and the Washington metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capital Beltway</span> Highway in the Washington metropolitan area

The Capital Beltway is a 64-mile (103 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway in the Washington metropolitan area that surrounds Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and its inner suburbs in adjacent Maryland and Virginia. It is the basis of the phrase "inside the Beltway", used when referring to issues dealing with US federal government and politics. The highway is signed as Interstate 495 (I-495) for its entire length, and its southern and eastern half runs concurrently with I-95.

The Potomac Heritage Trail, also known as the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail or the PHT, is a designated National Scenic Trail corridor spanning parts of the mid-Atlantic region of the United States that will connect various trails and historic sites in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. The trail network includes 710 miles (1,140 km) of existing and planned sections, tracing the natural, historical, and cultural features of the Potomac River corridor, the upper Ohio River watershed in Pennsylvania and western Maryland, and a portion of the Rappahannock River watershed in Virginia. The trail is managed by the National Park Service and is one of three National Trails that are official NPS units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in Washington, D.C.</span> Overview of the transportation in Washington, DC

Washington, D.C. has a number of different modes of transportation available for use. Commuters have a major influence on travel patterns, with only 28% of people employed in Washington, D.C. commuting from within the city, whereas 33.5% commute from the nearby Maryland suburbs, 22.7% from Northern Virginia, and the rest from Washington, D.C.'s outlying suburbs.

Asian Americans started to become a significant part of the Washington metropolitan area in the late twentieth century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">District of Columbia statistical areas</span> District of Columbia statistical areas

The United States District of Columbia(Washington, D.C.) is the primary city of two statistical areas that have been delineated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). On March 6, 2020, the OMB delineated the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV Metropolitan Statistical Area and the more extensive Washington–Baltimore–Arlington, DC–MD–VA–WV–PA Combined Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexandria, Virginia</span> Independent city in Virginia, US

Alexandria is an independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately 7 miles (11 km) south of downtown Washington, D.C. Alexandria is the third largest "principal city" of the Washington metropolitan area which is part of the larger Washington-Baltimore combined statistical area.

The Hagerstown–Martinsburg metropolitan area, officially designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as Hagerstown–Martinsburg, Maryland–West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), constitutes the primary cities of Hagerstown, Maryland; Martinsburg, West Virginia; and surrounding areas in three counties: Washington County, Maryland; Berkeley County, West Virginia; and Morgan County, West Virginia. The metro area lies mainly within the rich, fertile Cumberland and Shenandoah valleys, and is approximately a 60–90 minute drive from Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, Maryland; and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Hagerstown is approximately 75 miles (121 km) driving distance from all three cities. The population of the metropolitan area as of 2008 is 263,753.

References

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  2. ↑ Yager, Jane (July 30, 2010). "Nation's Capitol Now Known as 'the DMV'". Newser . Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "National Capital Region Map". Washington, D.C.: National Capital Planning Commission. Archived from the original on April 10, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
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