(WASHINGTON, DC) – Mayor Bowser today celebrated that Washington, DC is now home to at least 700,000 residents. In December, the Bowser Administration announced that, according to new US Census Bureau estimates, Washington, DC was quickly approaching 700,000 residents. Based on calculations by the DC Office of Planning’s State Data Center, it was predicted that the District would hit 700,000 residents in February 2018.
“Fifteen years ago, with the District’s population still on the decline, Mayor Williams set a goal of attracting 100,000 new residents within a decade. Since then, our population has grown by more than 130,000 residents,” said Mayor Bowser. “We are growing because we are a safer, stronger city, full of opportunity. As we continue to grow, my Administration remains focused on preserving our history and culture, ensuring we remain diverse and inclusive, and giving more Washingtonians the opportunity to participate in our city’s prosperity.”
As of July 1, 2017, Census data estimated Washington, DC’s population to be 693,972. With a growth rate of 1.4 percent between July 1, 2016 and July 1, 2017, the District ranks eighth in percent growth among the states.
Mayor Bowser celebrated the milestone at MedStar Washington Hospital Center with two families of newborn Washingtonians. Each family was presented with a gift basket of books and District-themed baby clothes and accessories, and each newborn received a full, four-year University of the District of Columbia Partnership (DC-UP) scholarship. The gifts were provided by the many DC Government agencies that have worked together over the last decade to make Washington, DC a safer, stronger, and more livable city for residents of all ages.