Living in Washington DC Is Expensive

Brian V. Lee

In 2019, for the first time ever, the number of personal income tax filers in Washington DC who reported earning $100,001 or more topped any other income group. As reported by the Washington Business Journal, the District of Columbia had 354,901 total filers in 2019. And 87,759 of them reported earning at least six figures. The next largest group of filers earned between $25,001 and $50,000. That’s a wide gulf between the haves and the have-nots. Living in Washington DC is expensive.

DC housing is expensive

Zillow tracks the median home value in Washington DC. As of today, a home at the median is valued at $628,914, while the median home price for all U.S. homes is $244,054. There’s a 62 percent premium for a home in the District. In 2019 in DC, we also saw a record for the median sales price at $459,950.

The median rent price in Washington is $2,730, compared to the national median rent of $1,650. There’s a 40 percent premium for renting in DC.

Washington DC’s cost of living is high

The District of Columbia is a generally expensive city. But DC’s average utility cost ($120) is lower than either Virginia ($170) or Maryland ($131).

Food in DC is more expensive, too, at an average of $15.20 a day versus the national average of $10.66. Gas is more expensive in the District, too, and the average annual cost of full vehicle insurance in the city is the 11th highest in the nation.

District residents pay a progressive tax that runs from 4 percent on the first $10,000 of taxable income to 8.95 percent on income of $350,001 and above. DC residents must also pay federal income taxes despite its lack of representation in Congress. DC’s sales tax rate is 6 percent.

Living in Washington DC is expensive

If you live in DC, you know how expensive it is to live here. If you’re having trouble keeping up with bills, consider hitting the reset button with a bankruptcy. Lee Legal has represented clients filing personal bankruptcy since 2004. We may be able to help you, too.

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Brian Lee from Lee Legal was an amazing attorney to work with. He took his time, reviewed my documents and we discussed my situation thoroughly. He explained the process and my options as well as gave his recommendation. Not only did he assist, but he ensured that I knew this...

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Brian handled a legal matter for me and he was fantastic. He kept me informed of all updates and resolved all issues that were presented. I highly recommend Brian to all seeking legal advice and services.

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I was very nervous and scared about going through this process. But Brian was very knowledgeable and helped me through it. I was notified about any and all updates to my case and he was very responsive when I had questions regarding any concerns I had. Although a bit nerve...

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I've had the pleasure of working alongside Brian V. Lee for several years, and I can say without hesitation that he is one of the most knowledgeable bankruptcy attorneys in the DMV area. Brian's command of Chapter 7, 11, and 13 practice is exceptional, and his clients in the DC...

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I wanted to share my sincere appreciation for Brian and the support he provided during a very difficult time for my grandmother. We were not wealthy, but Brian treated us with genuine kindness and respect, making sure we felt comfortable throughout the entire process. He took the...

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Still several years from Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness and saddled with significant student loan payments in proportion to my income, I came to Lee Legal to explore the bankruptcy path. Through his counsel, Brian took the fear out of the process and helped me to...

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Brian provided me with a very detailed analysis about my potential case after our first consultation. He promptly responded to all my complex questions, especially navigating student loans and some tax discussions. He is very professional and experienced at what he does, I would...

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I had the opportunity to work with Brian at a time when I was challenged by a professional setback and forced with the challenge of making some very difficult legal decisions. Additionally, I worked with him again as I was dealing with some financial issues pertaining to my...

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Brian has the amazing talent of taking complicated legal matters and distilling them down to seamless, frictionless resolutions. He is a phenomenal problem solver and a trusted advisor.

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I came to Mr. Lee in a panic when I was experiencing health problems and the walls seemed to be closing in on me. Initially, I interviewed four attorneys seeking assistance with my situation. He was one of the most thorough and thoughtful people I’ve ever met. His kindness and...

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Brian is both warm and professional. He helped me navigate a financial issue that I had not been looking forward to working on and he made the entire experience non-stressful, receiving a lot of anxiety I had around the matter. He is straight forward and a fantastic problem...

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Brian is an amazing lawyer. He was referred to me by a friend who was also pleased with his work. I found him to be affordable, efficient, understanding, and easy to talk to. He really cares for his clients and is very committed to doing his best. He is very knowledgeable and...

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This is your last stop in your searches for an attorney. After numerous research and interview with many lawyers, I decided to hire attorney Brian Lee. He is extremely knowledgeable, personable, attentive and diligent. He went above and beyond to file my ch 7 bankruptcy and get a...

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