How DC's Population Changed During And After The Pandemic

• 11:13 AM EST

by UrbanTurf Staff

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A new report from DC’s Office of Revenue Analysis highlights how millennials and women shaped the city’s demographic swings before, during, and after the pandemic.

The report -- Population And Demographic Changes In DC During And After The Pandemic -- finds that DC saw a significant population drop between 2019 and 2021, losing nearly 39,000 residents — the steepest decline in decades. That outflow was largely younger millennials, who accounted for almost half of the net loss during the early pandemic years.

Since 2022, however, the District has regained nearly 33,000 residents, recapturing a substantial portion of the earlier decline and pushing the city's population back above 700,000. That rebound has been fueled largely by older millennials and women, as younger millennials continue to shrink as a share of the population. The number of residents in their 20s has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, while the 30-to-44 age bracket has grown steadily.

Millennials remain the District’s largest generational cohort by a wide margin, giving the city one of the youngest populations in the country. Women also make up an unusually large share of residents.

These trends suggest an evolving demographic landscape for DC. A recovery led by older millennials could influence everything from the types of housing in demand to the amenities and services that neighborhoods prioritize. And with women driving both the pandemic-era decline and the subsequent rebound, the city’s gender balance remains a defining feature of its population story.

"The District’s population is the second youngest among U.S. states, with a median age of 34.9," the report states. "Additionally, while women outnumber men in both the region and the nation, DC stands out with 11 percent more women than men—more than twice the regional and national averages."

Thumbnail photo by Ted Eytan. 

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/how-dcs-population-changed-during-and-after-the-pandmic/24153.