DC ties for second nationwide in percent of solo households

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Despite the high cost of living, DC ties for second nationwide in percent of solo households. Do people think it's because of single people moving here for work? People have higher salaries so the don't need to take on roommates?

Any other theories?

Yes

"Housing costs, culture and age are the main factors in the level of solo living in a particular region. Nine of the 10 cities with the smallest share of single-resident homes were in California, which makes sense: It has one of the highest costs of living in the U.S. And seven of those 10 cities had predominantly Hispanic residents, who are more likely than other groups to share homes, including multigenerational households, according to the Pew Research Center. Topping the list were Moreno Valley, Calif., and Fontana, Calif., where roughly 90 percent of all households were shared, and where Hispanic residents make up a majority of residents.

Overall, though, fewer people are living in multigenerational households than in past eras, while an increase in life expectancy and a decrease in marriage rates is causing older people to live alone longer, according to a recent study on American living arrangements."

- https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/realestate...gucQH&smid=url-share

- 170 years of change in living arrangements in the United States using expected years of life: A research note
https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/wbc45_v2

So you're saying DC has an especially high number of older and unmarried people compared to other large cities?

My neighborhood in Alexandria City has many older single people who live in 3-4 bedroom single family homes. They all bought 30+ years ago and their homes are paid off, and they like living here, so they stay.

The federal government grew immensely during the era when these folks who are now retired were in their 20s, 30s and 40s, creating a huge employment boom in this area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a solo household, and I don't care about schools, but I do care about having respectful neighbors who don't engage in illegal or obnoxious behavior, and those tend to be the expensive areas with good schools.

Just to follow up, if anyone is aware of close-in neighborhoods with low crime (including no package theft), lower housing costs, and that are so quiet that you can hear a pin drop, please do share because I'm looking to move.

Look at the crime maps? There is theft everywhere BTW, even $$$$ suburbs. There are cars stolen from people's private driveways in the priciest areas, that are quiet and have no people with obnoxious behavior And package theft isn't uncommon anywhere. I"d say prioritize violent crimes in finding a place to live, you won't find a place with no crime at all

I live in a nice aka expensive inner suburb. No place is crime free but put it this way, it is far rarer. Which is the point.

[Anonymous]

I think ugly and weird has a lot to do with it.

Most people who graduate college, smart, good looking, cool move to NYC, Miami, LA, San Fran, Boston type places.

They get married have kids. The ones left here are kinda meh

[Anonymous]

DC is a magnet for gay men and childless cat women. Explains everything about the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Despite the high cost of living, DC ties for second nationwide in percent of solo households. Do people think it's because of single people moving here for work? People have higher salaries so the don't need to take on roommates?

Any other theories?

Yes

"Housing costs, culture and age are the main factors in the level of solo living in a particular region. Nine of the 10 cities with the smallest share of single-resident homes were in California, which makes sense: It has one of the highest costs of living in the U.S. And seven of those 10 cities had predominantly Hispanic residents, who are more likely than other groups to share homes, including multigenerational households, according to the Pew Research Center. Topping the list were Moreno Valley, Calif., and Fontana, Calif., where roughly 90 percent of all households were shared, and where Hispanic residents make up a majority of residents.

Overall, though, fewer people are living in multigenerational households than in past eras, while an increase in life expectancy and a decrease in marriage rates is causing older people to live alone longer, according to a recent study on American living arrangements."

- https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/realestate...gucQH&smid=url-share

- 170 years of change in living arrangements in the United States using expected years of life: A research note
https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/wbc45_v2

So you're saying DC has an especially high number of older and unmarried people compared to other large cities?

Washington, D.C. has the highest labor force participation rate for those aged 65 and older among major U.S. metro areas.

The OP's question is about single households.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is a magnet for gay men and childless cat women. Explains everything about the city.

Also young, single professionals getting their law and govenment service creds, then moving away before marriage (hill staffers, law associates). This is the fastest growing single household dempgrpahic due to people in this generation getting married later, but earning enoug to not live with parents.
Also low divorce rates, but each resulting in two single households, often with one in the family home and the other in a nearby apartment. Even with a low rate, in a small city that doubling of households has impact in this statistic.
Also 20 colleges in a city with a population of 700,000, means lots of college students in off campus housing also count disproportionately in OP's figure.
And a high tendency for elderly to age in place, even after widowed. Over 11% of the population is 65+, with over half (56.7%) living alone, and 65.5% are homeowners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think ugly and weird has a lot to do with it.

Most people who graduate college, smart, good looking, cool move to NYC, Miami, LA, San Fran, Boston type places.

They get married have kids. The ones left here are kinda meh

DC is a top young person destination and trails only NYC, LA and Chicago. It attracts more 20 something’s than Boston, SF, Miami and all the others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Despite the high cost of living, DC ties for second nationwide in percent of solo households. Do people think it's because of single people moving here for work? People have higher salaries so the don't need to take on roommates?

Any other theories?

Yes

"Housing costs, culture and age are the main factors in the level of solo living in a particular region. Nine of the 10 cities with the smallest share of single-resident homes were in California, which makes sense: It has one of the highest costs of living in the U.S. And seven of those 10 cities had predominantly Hispanic residents, who are more likely than other groups to share homes, including multigenerational households, according to the Pew Research Center. Topping the list were Moreno Valley, Calif., and Fontana, Calif., where roughly 90 percent of all households were shared, and where Hispanic residents make up a majority of residents.

Overall, though, fewer people are living in multigenerational households than in past eras, while an increase in life expectancy and a decrease in marriage rates is causing older people to live alone longer, according to a recent study on American living arrangements."

- https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/realestate...gucQH&smid=url-share

- 170 years of change in living arrangements in the United States using expected years of life: A research note
https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/wbc45_v2

So you're saying DC has an especially high number of older and unmarried people compared to other large cities?

Washington, D.C. has the highest labor force participation rate for those aged 65 and older among major U.S. metro areas.

The OP's question is about single households.

Divorce is more likely the older you get.