What HQ2 could mean for the Washington region’s housing market, in 7 charts

The Washington, DC, metropolitan area economy has expanded steadily over the past two decades, although since the Great Recession, it has lagged behind many other large US metropolitan areas. The region’s prosperity has attracted more residents, expanding the population from 4.8 million in 2000 to an estimated 6.2 million in 2017.

But in recent years, housing production has not kept pace with population growth, and home prices and rents are climbing in most communities.

Many households spend an excessive fraction of their income on housing, putting pressure on family budgets and forcing many to trade short commutes for more affordable housing options. Although the brunt of the housing affordability challenge falls on low-income households, households with moderate and middle incomes are increasingly feeling the squeeze.

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