The Richest ZIP Codes In D.C.

When you’re the capital of the United States, the country with the largest economy still in the world, then it is somewhat expected that you will be home to some of the wealthiest areas in the country. And this is indeed true of the District of Columbia.

Harnessing the Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey, we’ve decided to take a closer look at the wealth of the ZIP codes that make up Washington, D.C. According to the Census, there are 58 ZIP codes in Washington, D.C. Interestingly, only 22 of these ZIP codes have complete data for the factors we’re assessing: 1) median household income, 2) mean (average) household income, 3) median home value, and 4) median property taxes paid. The reason: Many ZIP codes in D.C. cover tracts that are comprised solely of government buildings — hence, no information on households.

Read on to find out what the richest ZIP Code in Washington, D.C.

What Are the Richest ZIP Codes in D.C.?

In order to compile this list of the richest ZIP codes in Washington, D.C., we sourced key financial data from the Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey. Wielding these datasets, we put together a four-factor scoring system to help identify the wealthiest ZIP codes in D.C.:

• Median household income
• Mean (average) household income
• Median home value
• Median property taxes paid

There are a few peculiarities that the Census Bureau does with its data. For a number of factors, the Census figures have upper limits, so there’s no exact value for certain factors. For example, for median household income, the Census Bureau has an upper limit of “$250,000+”. For median home value, the upper limit is “$2,000,000+”. For median property taxes paid, the upper limit is “$10,000+”. So, if a ZIP code has a median income higher than $250,000, the Census Bureau will say “$250,000+” for that area. For these reasons, the mean household income (which is the same as average household income) dataset is crucial because the Census Bureau has exact figures for it. All four of these metrics were scored, summed up, and then ranked by the ZIP codes’ combined scores.

You’ll find a table detailing the top 5 richest ZIP codes in Washington, D.C., and their respective dollar figures for each metric, below:

The No. 1 richest ZIP code in D.C. in this ranking is ZIP code 20015. This ZIP code covers a sizable chunk of northwestern Washington, D.C., right along the border with some of the richest cities in Maryland. Neighborhoods and Census-designated places (CDPs) like Chevy Chase and Barnaby Woods are covered by this ZIP code. There are over 6,000 total households in 20015, with the median household income being $235,511, which is the highest out of the ZIP codes in D.C. Its average household income is also the highest in Washington, D.C., at $299,348 a year. Homes are expensive, with Zillow reporting a median home value of over $1.33 million. Unsurprisingly, the property taxes homeowners pay is high, at a median of $8,157 per year.

The No. 2 richest ZIP code in D.C. is 20007, which is in the capital’s western reaches. Places like Berkley, Foxhill Village, and Georgetown (but not the university) are located in 20007. It lies along the Potomac River, with the Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge being the one way a across. This part of D.C. has a reported median household income of $145,048. While this is noticeably less than the $235,511 for ZIP code 20015, the average household income in 20007 is $240,888, which is comparable to $299,348. In terms of home value, the median home value is almost $1.2 million. Consequently, the median property taxes paid per household is $9,070 per year.

Coming in at No. 3 on the list of the wealthiest ZIP codes in the District of Columbia is 20016. This is located in the far west of Washington, D.C., and covers places such as the Palisades, Spring Valley, Tenleytown, and Cathedral Heights. The Palisades sits astride the Potomac, across from Chain Bridge Forest and Bellevue Forest in Virginia. ZIP code 20016 is fairly large, home to 14,235 households. Here, the median household income is $169,489, while the average household income is almost $100,000 more, at $268,683 a year. The median home value in 20016 is only $100 more than the median home value in 20007. And the median property taxes paid by household is $7,755 per year.

The fourth richest ZIP code in D.C. is 20003. This ZIP code covers the middle-south of D.C., specifically the southeastern part of the city that abuts the Anacostia River right before it meets the Potomac. ZIP code 20003 covers areas like Capitol Hill, Lincoln Park, and Hill East. It is a large ZIP code, with 17,291 total households. The median household income in 20003 is $155,054. The average household income is almost $40,000 higher, at $191,871. According to the Census, the reported median home value is $925,800. Property taxes are hefty, costing a median of $5,961 per year.

The fifth richest ZIP code in Washington, D.C., is 20008, just south of the No. 1 wealthiest ZIP code, 20015. ZIP code 20008 covers places like Forest Hills, Woodley Park, and part of Cleveland Park; it is also the home of the Washington International School. With approximately 16,913 total households, 20008 is a fairly big ZIP code. The median home value is $905,900, with households paying a median of $5,060 a year in property taxes. The median household income is $123,134, but the $193,521 mean household income more than makes up for that.