Making Greater DC a place of opportunity for all. 

Data you can trust about Greater DC communities.

Learn more about the Greater DC region.

A mother and son holding hands as they walk down a street.
Highlights

Five Practices for Expanding Housing Production for Households with Very Low Incomes

Based on Urban research, we suggest five practices to help local governments increase the production of affordable housing for households with very low incomes.
Brief

Filling the Federal Affordable Housing Doughnut Hole in the Greater DC Region

Housing affordability is a significant policy challenge facing the greater DC region, where nearly half of renter households struggle with unaffordable rents.
Research Report

Evaluation of the Urban Alliance High School Internship Program

To build evidence on programs and support services that connect young people to college resources and opportunities, the Urban Institute was commissioned to conduct an impact evaluation of Urban Alliance’s High School Internship Program.
Brief

The Advancing Early Education Collaborative in Washington, DC

Early educators in Washington, DC, earn the lowest salaries among early educators in the greater Washington region, at just $16,442 annually.
Testimony

Testimony of Madeline Brown before the Committee on Business and Economic Development of the Council of the District of Columbia

Madeline Brown testified before the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee on Business and Economic Development during a hearing on DC’s Child Trust Fund.
Fact Sheet

Homeownership and Race in DC Communities East of the Anacostia River

Even as Washington, DC, experiences increasing home and rent prices, many communities east of the Anacostia River have seen their housing costs remain lower than those of the rest of the city.
Brief

The State of Baby Bonds

Baby bonds are universal, publicly funded child trust accounts. When recipients reach adulthood, they can use the funds for wealth-building activities such as purchasing a home, investing in education, or starting a small business.
Brief

A Collaborative Framework for Eviction Prevention in DC

Fact Sheet

Partnering with Communities to Improve Program Implementation and Research

Promoting Adolescent Sexual Health and Safety (PASS) is an aspirational adolescent pregnancy prevention program that empowers youth and their caretakers to challenge gendered and societal norms, build healthy relationships, and connect with local
Fact Sheet

Searching for Child Care in the Wake of the Pandemic

In this fact sheet, we report findings from a 2022 survey and focus groups with parents and guardians in the District of Columbia to learn about their recent child care search experiences.

Parent Survey on Searching for Child Care in the District of Columbia during the Pandemic

This report documents the steps we took to design and administer a telephone survey of parents and guardians residing in the District of Columbia regarding their recent experiences looking for and selecting a child care provider.
Research Report

What Were Parents’ Experiences Searching for Child Care in the Wake of the Pandemic?

The Urban Institute partners with the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) to examine the perspectives of child care and early education providers and parents to improve access and quality.
Row of townhouses
Highlights

DC’s Population Growth Has Affected the Racial and Ethnic Composition of Wards 6, 7, and 8

Though Black residents in neighborhoods east of the river largely still represent Ward 7 and 8 and their ANCs, ensuring long-standing community residents shape decisions for their neighborhoods and wards is vital to meeting local priorities and needs.
Testimony

Understanding Historic Exclusion, Current Evidence, and Recent Zoning and Land-Use Reforms and Processes for Racial Equity

Zoning and land-use policies have played a central role in exacerbating racial economic and housing disparities.
Fact Sheet

The Financial Health of Community-Based Development Organizations

Nonprofit community-based development organizations (CBDOs) work in low-income communities and communities of color to implement development projects, such as affordable housing and community facilities, and provide programs and activities that me