Who’s the 1% in the DMV? A Higher Bar to Entry, Especially in D.C.
Think you might be in the 1% in DC? Think again. (Borderstan)
By Michelle Lancaster. You can follow her and let her know your news on Twitter @MichLancaster. Email her at michellel[AT]borderstan.com.
D.C. and the surrounding areas are often deemed part of the ‘elite’ by politicians running against incumbents. Most of us who live here take some small bit of pride in that, too.
But if you thought that automatically qualified you as both elite and a 1-percenter in terms of income, you had better check that W-2 from last year. Even if you make a lot of money, chances are you are in the 99%.
The Washington Post reports the 1-percenters in our region must earn more than $500,000 in household income (the national average for 1-percenters is $387,000). Specifically, in D.C. you have to earn even more — $617,000. Plus, more than 13 percent have household incomes of over $200,000.
Surprised? Some of the top earners feel they have been unfairly targeted by ‘political rhetoric’, which is perhaps less surprising.
And, yes, let me remind you again: We live in a bubble within a bubble. Unemployment rates for the Dupont-Logan-U Street area are not only much lower than national averages, they are far below D.C. levels for other areas of the city.
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