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What Drove DC’s Population Increase? | Urban Turf

January 15, 2025
  • D.C. Policy Center

On January 13, 2025, a D.C. Policy Center piece on D.C.’s population growth was featured by Urban Turf:

 It marked the third year in a row that the city’s population increased, and the DC Policy Center recently looked at how international migration drove that increase

“The gains from migration resulted from increasing international immigration and, to a lesser extent, a slowing of domestic outmigration,” the analysis found. “Between July 2023 and July 2024, the District’s international migration rate increased from 15 to 18 per 1,000 people [which amounted to 12,500 new residents].” 

While the international numbers are positive for the city, 2024 marked the fourth year in a row that the city lost residents due to domestic migration.

“All in all, the recent population data is mixed for the District,” the report found. “While three years of accelerating population growth is a positive sign, the District’s rate of natural change and domestic migration remain areas of concern.”

Read More: What Drove DC’s Population Increase?
Additional reading: Chart of the week: While the District’s population grew for the third consecutive year, two key indicators remain concerning.

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D.C. Policy Center


Established in 2016, the D.C. Policy Center is a non-partisan research and policy organization committed to advancing policies for a strong and vibrant economy in the District of Columbia. Through rigorous research and collaboration, the D.C. Policy Center develops and tests policy ideas, disseminates its findings, and engages in constructive dialogue and debate.

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