Research | Washington DC

Washington, DC Research Facts and Visitor Research

Destination DC (DDC) releases key tourism facts and figures annually. The following documents provide additional and historical information about the Washington, DC hospitality industry. Please note that our research is released annually.

To learn more about DDC research and reports, or to discuss what information may be relevant to your organization and its needs, please contact Torri Christian, Director of Marketing, at [email protected].

For additional statistics about DC, visit census.gov

Hotel Facts

There are approximately 229 hotels with 36,191 hotel rooms located in Washington, DC. The Greater Washington Metropolitan Area is home to 1,021 hotels with 115,847 rooms (including those located within DC proper).
There are 7,792 committable rooms within half a mile of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
There are 18 properties with 2,756 rooms currently in the construction pipeline in Washington, DC that are expected to be delivered in 2025 and beyond, including two (2) that are currently under construction.
DC’s hotel occupancy and average daily rates reach their peaks in March through June and September through October.

Sources: CoStar, STR

JW Marriott Washington, DC

A vibrant cocktail served in a short glass, garnished with grilled pineapple and a green leaf, resting on a bed of smoking ingredients on a black plate, creating a dramatic visual effect.

L'Annexe

Restaurant Facts

There are 2,661 restaurants located in Washington, DC.
25 restaurants in Washington, DC have earned Michelin stars.
26 restaurants in the city have received the honor of the Bib Gourmand designation.
One of Conde Nast's ten best places to eat in the world, DC’s culinary distinctions include James Beard award-winning chefs, AAA Five Diamond ratings, RAMMY Awards (honors handed out by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington for local dining excellence), restaurants included on Bon Appetit’s list of the “Best New Restaurants in America” and Bon Appetit's "Restaurant City of the Year" in 2016.
More than 70 DC restaurants offer private dining space, including a dozen within a few blocks of the convention center.

Sources: Michelin Guide, National Restaurant Association

Visitor Statistics

DC welcomed a record 27.2 million total visitors in 2024. 25 million of them were domestic visitors.
Approximately 2.2 million international visitors traveled to DC in 2024. Top countries of origin include: Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, India, China, France, South Korea, Mexico, Italy, and Spain.
In 2024, visitors spent $11.4 billion and supported a record 111,500 jobs.
Taxes generated by visitor spending were a record $2.3 billion in 2024.

Sources: MMGY Travel Intelligence, S&P Global Market Intelligence, Tourism Economics.

For more visitor statistics, please visit our Visitor Research page.

Georgetown Waterfront Park

Attractions

Top attractions include (with visitation numbers from 2024)

FDR Memorial (3.2 million visitors)
Korean War Veterans Memorial (4.3 million visitors)
Lincoln Memorial (8.5 million visitors)
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial (1.2 million visitors)
National Air & Space Museum (1.8 million visitors)
National Museum of African American History & Culture (1.6 million visitors)
National Museum of American History (2.1 million visitors)
National Museum of Natural History (3.9 million visitors)
National Zoological Park (1.6 million visitors)
Rock Creek Park (1.9 million visitors)
Thomas Jefferson Memorial (2.9 million visitors)
Vietnam Veterans Memorial (5.3 million visitors)
World War II Memorial (5.2 million visitors)
DC is also home to four major sporting event venues with 185,000 total seats and nine major professional teams including the Wizards, Mystics, Nationals, D.C. United, Capitals, Commanders, DC Defenders, Washington Spirit and DC Breeze.
There are 52 performing arts/theatre venues with more than 27,000 total seats.

*Sources: National Park Service; Smithsonian Institution; Theatre Washington

Washington, DC Demographic Information

Population: 678,972
47% male and 53% female
Greater Washington has one of the most highly educated workforces in the U.S. 64% of Washington, DC residents hold a Bachelor’s Degree or higher (compared to 34% of U.S. population).
DC’s population is 44% Black (compared to 14% of U.S. population) and 12% Hispanic/Latino (compared to 19% of U.S. population).
19% of the Washington, DC population is under the age of 18.
Median household income: $106,287

Sources: US Census Bureau, 2024

Major Meeting & Convention Facilities in Washington, DC

Walter E. Washington Convention Center

703,000 square feet of prime exhibit space (five exhibit halls on two levels)
198,000 square feet of meeting room space
77 meeting rooms
52,000 square foot ballroom
38,000 square feet of flexible registration space

DC Armory National Guard Building

70,000 square feet of exhibit space
10,000 seat capacity for sports and theater events

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

65,000 square feet of exhibit space
22 meeting rooms

Washington Hilton

1,070 guest rooms and 20 suites
116,000 square feet of event space

Marriott Marquis Washington, DC

1,126 guest rooms and 49 suites
105,000 square feet of event space

Omni Shoreham Hotel

783 guest rooms and 51 suites
101,000 square feet of event space

Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel

807 guest rooms and 13 suites
66,000 square feet of event space

The Mayflower Hotel, Autograph Collection

581 guest rooms and 69 suites
43,000 square feet of event space

Grand Hyatt Washington

871 guest rooms and 26 suites
42,000 square feet of event space

Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill

838 guest rooms and 31 suites
38,000 square feet of event space

Waldorf Astoria Washington DC

263 guest rooms and 35 suites
38,000 square feet of event space

Transportation

Airport

There are three DC-area airports - Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
These airports serve 75 million passengers each year.
Reagan National Airport offers over 400 daily departures to 106 domestic & international nonstop destinations.
Dulles International Airport offers over 320 daily departures to 135 domestic & international nonstop destinations.
BWI handles over 280 daily departures with nonstop flights to 85 domestic & international destinations.

Train

Union Station in DC is home to Amtrak and multiple commuter rail services; 5.6 million Amtrak passengers traveled through DC in 2024.

Public Transportation

Metrorail & Metrobus

The Metro system is the nation’s third-largest heavy rail system with 6 rail lines, 129 miles of track and 98 stations. In 2024, it provided more than 250 million trips.
For hours, fares and station information, visit wmata.com.

Taxis

The DC taxi cab network operates on a meter system.
Fares begin at $4.00, plus $2.56 per each additional mile. A 15-20% tip is customary.
Uber and Lyft provide service throughout the metro DC area, and include options ranging from ride-shares to luxury SUVs. Shared ride rate is $1.20 per mile.

Green Initiatives

The District is on track to reach net zero emissions by 2045 and will have reduced emissions by 60% in 2030 (compared to 2006).
90% of parkland in Washington, DC is controlled by the National Park Service. There are 250,000 acres of parkland in the Greater Washington Metropolitan area.
In 2023, DC was named first in the country for ParkScore by the Trust for Public Land, which evaluates the size of park land, access and city investment.
DC’s Walter E. Washington Convention Center is certified LEED Platinum (2024).
For more information, click here to learn about the green experience in DC.

Sources: National Park Service, Trust for Public Land

International DC

19% of DC residents speak a language other than English at home.
13% of DC residents are foreign-born.
Washington DC is home to more than 175 embassies and international cultural centers and hundreds of international organizations and association.

*US Census Bureau, 2024

Sales Tax

DC sales tax: 6%
DC hotel tax: 15.95%
DC restaurant tax: 10%
Maryland: Sales tax is 6%. Hotel tax varies by county with most counties averaging between 5% and 8%.
Virginia: Sales tax is 5.3%. Hotel tax varies by county with most counties averaging between 9% and 11%.

Climate

DC has a generally temperate climate, with pleasant springs and autumns, and mild winters with approximately 14.3 inches of seasonal snowfall.

Month: Average Low (Fahrenheit) | Average High (Fahrenheit)

January: 25 | 44
February: 27 | 47
March: 35 | 56
April: 44 | 67
May: 54 | 76
June: 63 | 85
uly: 68 | 89
August: 66 | 87
September: 59 | 81
October: 46 | 69
November: 37 | 59
December: 30 | 48

Washington, DC College/Universities Information

Largest Hospitals in Washington, DC

(with number of total beds)

MedStar Washington Hospital Center (749)
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (453)
The George Washington University Hospital (375)
Children’s National Medical Center (303)
Saint Elizabeths Hospital (292)
Sibley Memorial Hospital (282)
Howard University Hospital (228)
BridgePoint Hospital National Harbor (207)

Source: American Hospital Directory, 2024