Washington metropolitan area

The Washington metropolitan area is a large group of cities and towns around Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. People often call this area the National Capital Region, Greater Washington, or the DMV, which stands for District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. This area includes all of Washington, D.C., and parts of Maryland, Virginia, and a small piece of West Virginia.

This region is very important because it is the center of the U.S. government and home to many leaders and important buildings. It is also part of a line of busy cities along the East Coast, known as the Northeast megalopolis. Many people live there, and it is one of the biggest cities in the country. The Washington metropolitan area is known for having many well-educated people and for being a wealthy place.

Nomenclature

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget calls this area the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV metropolitan statistical area. This name is used for counting people and other statistics. The three biggest cities here are Washington, D.C., Arlington, and Alexandria. This area is also part of a bigger group called the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area.

People sometimes call the parts in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia the National Capital Region. This name is used by some government groups. Locals often shorten this to "DMV," which stands for District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. A big road called Interstate 495, or the Capital Beltway, runs through the middle of this area. People sometimes say "Inside the Beltway" to mean those closely connected to the federal government. Washington, D.C. is often just called "the District." The part in Virginia is known as Northern Virginia.

The U.S. Census Bureau splits the Washington metropolitan area into three main parts:

• Washington, DC–MD Metropolitan Division, with Washington D.C. and parts of Maryland
• Arlington–Alexandria–Reston, VA–WV Metropolitan Division, with Northern Virginia and a bit of West Virginia
• Frederick–Gaithersburg–Rockville, MD Metropolitan Division, with parts of Maryland

Counties or county equivalents and populations

Summary by state

Regional organizations

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) started in 1957. It brings together local leaders from Maryland and Virginia, plus members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. MWCOG helps solve problems about the environment, transportation, safety, and housing.

The Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, formed in 1964, includes colleges and universities. It helps students take classes at different schools and share library resources.

The WMATA began in 1967 to manage public transportation. It is run by leaders from Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and the federal government.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) oversees two major airports: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Dulles International Airport.

The Greater Washington Board of Trade, started in 1889, connects businesses to support the area's culture and economy.

The Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington (CAGW) works to support arts and culture in the region.

Principal cities

The Washington metropolitan area has many important cities and places. Some are official cities, and others are special areas called census-designated places.

The main cities and places in the area are:

• Washington, D.C.
• Arlington, Virginia
• Alexandria, Virginia
• Frederick, Maryland
• Gaithersburg, Maryland
• Bethesda, Maryland
• Rockville, Maryland
• Reston, Virginia
• McLean, Virginia
• North Bethesda, Maryland

Politics

Main article: Politics of the United States

The Washington metropolitan area often supports the Democratic Party. The last time a Republican candidate won there was in 1972, when Richard Nixon was elected. Since 1992, when Bill Clinton was elected, Democratic candidates have won by large margins.

As of 2026^[update], Democrats hold the mayoralty of D.C., the Maryland governorship, and the Virginia governorship.

Demographics

The Washington metropolitan area is a popular place for people from all over the world and the United States to live. Many people have moved there since the late 1960s.

The area is known for having many educated people. For many years, it has been one of the most educated places in the country. It is also a place where people care about their health. The area has many places to play sports and find healthy food. People there often earn more money than in many other parts of the United States. Women in this area, especially Asian American women, often live longer than women in other big cities.

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Washington metropolitan area

The Washington metropolitan area has many scientists and engineers, more than any other area in the United States. It is also a top place for technology jobs, coming in second after Silicon Valley. The area has many jobs in technology and people with advanced degrees.

The economy of the Washington area has differences in wealth among groups. Some groups have more money and assets than others.

Primary industries

See also: List of federal installations in Maryland and List of federal agencies in Northern Virginia

Biotechnology

The Washington area has many companies that work with biology and medicine. Some well-known companies include Merck, Pfizer, and Human Genome Sciences.

Consumer goods

Local companies that make everyday products include Nestle USA and Mars, Incorporated.

Defense contracting

Many companies that work with the military are based in the area near the Pentagon. Big companies include Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics.

Hospitality

The area is home to many big hotel companies, such as Marriott International and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.

Mass media

The media industry is important in Washington. The area has many journalists and big publications like The Washington Post and USA Today, as well as online news sites.

Telecommunications

The area has many companies that work with communications technology, including Cogent Communications and Hughes Network Systems.

Tourism

Tourism is very important to the Washington area. Many people visit the city each year, and tourism creates many jobs.

Largest companies

See also: List of companies headquartered in Northern Virginia

Most of these companies are located along Interstate 66 and Dulles Toll Road from Washington, D.C. to Dulles International Airport. Amazon has a headquarters in Arlington as well as Seattle.

History

Changes in 2005 brought many new workers to military and defense jobs in the Washington area. Some big bases gained thousands of employees, while others lost some. This was the biggest building project for the Army since World War II.

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Washington, D.C.

The Washington metropolitan area has many ways to get around, including airports, trains, buses, and roads. There are several airports, such as Dulles International Airport in Virginia and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which is closest to the city. Baltimore–Washington International Airport also serves the area.

The area has many train systems, including the Washington Metro, which operates in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. There are also commuter rail services like MARC Train and Virginia Railway Express, as well as Amtrak for longer trips.

Bus services cover many parts of the region, with the Metrobus being a major one. There are also many local bus systems in different counties.

The area has many major roads, including several Interstate highways like I-66, I-95, and I-495, known as the Capital Beltway. There are also U.S. Highways that connect different parts of the region.

Bicycle sharing is available through Capital Bikeshare, which operates in several cities and counties in the area.

"WMATA"-indicated systems are run by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and always accept Washington Metro fare cards; others may or may not.

Commercial service airports

• Dulles International Airport (IAD), located in Loudoun County, Virginia 
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), located in Arlington County, Virginia – the closest to Washington
• Baltimore–Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), located in Linthicum, Maryland (outside of but serving the Washington metropolitan area)
• Hagerstown Regional Airport (HGR), located in Washington County, Maryland – serves western Maryland, the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, and portions of south-central Pennsylvania and north-western Virginia along the Interstate 81 corridor

Rail transit systems

• Washington Metro – DC, MD, VA (rapid transit) (WMATA)
• MARC Train – DC, MD, WV (commuter rail)
• Virginia Railway Express – DC, VA (commuter rail)
• Amtrak – US (commuter rail, inter-city rail)

Bus transit systems

• Metrobus – Washington metropolitan area (WMATA)
• Metroway – Arlington County, Virginia and Alexandria, Virginia (bus rapid transit) (WMATA)
• Ride On – Montgomery County, Maryland
• TheBus – Prince George's County, Maryland
• ART – Arlington County, Virginia
• DASH – Alexandria, Virginia
• Fairfax Connector – Fairfax County, Virginia
• CUE Bus – Fairfax, Virginia
• Loudoun County Transit – Loudoun County, Virginia
• PRTC – Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park
• TransIT – Frederick County, Maryland
• VanGO – Charles County, Maryland
• Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland – Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George's County, Laurel, Maryland
• Maryland Transit Administration – Washington, D.C., Montgomery County, Maryland, Prince George's County, Frederick County, Maryland, Charles County, Maryland, Calvert County, Maryland, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Saint Mary's County, Maryland
• Eastern Panhandle Transit Authority – Jefferson County, West Virginia, Berkeley County, West Virginia
• Virginia Regional Transit – Loudoun County, Virginia, Culpeper County, Virginia, Fauquier County, Virginia, Warren County, Virginia
• Fredericksburg Regional Transit – Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania County and Stafford County

Major roads

Interstates

• I-66
• I-70
• I-95
• I-270
• I-295
• I-370
• I-395
• I-495 – the Capital Beltway
• I-595 – signed as US 50
• I-695

U.S. Highways

• US 1
• US 15
• US 17
• US 29
• US 50
• US 301

Bicycle sharing

• Capital Bikeshare – Washington, D.C., Arlington, Virginia, Alexandria, Virginia, Fairfax County, Virginia, Prince George's County, Maryland, and Montgomery County, Maryland

Sports

Further information: Sports in Washington, D.C.

The Washington metropolitan area has many professional sports teams. Here is a list of the teams in the area:

Media

Main article: Media in Washington, D.C.

The Washington metropolitan area has many media outlets. It is home to DCTV, USA Today, C-SPAN, PBS, NPR, Politico, BET, TV One and Discovery Communications. The two main newspapers are The Washington Post and The Washington Times.

Local television channels include WRC-TV 4 (NBC), WTTG 5 (FOX), WJLA 7 (ABC), WUSA 9 (CBS), WDCA 20 (MyNetworkTV), WETA-TV 26 (PBS), WDCW 50 (CW), and WPXW 66 (Ion).

WJLA 24/7 News is a local news provider for cable subscribers. Radio stations serving the area include: WETA-FM, WIHT, WSBN, and WTOP.

Area codes

Main article: Area code

The Washington metropolitan area uses several area codes for different parts of the region.

• 202 and 771 cover Washington, D.C.
• 703 and 571 are used in Northern Virginia suburbs such as Arlington and Fairfax Counties, and cities like Alexandria and Fairfax.
• 301, 240, and 227 serve parts of Maryland in the Washington area, as well as southern and western Maryland.
• 540 and 826 cover Northern Virginia suburbs including Fredericksburg and parts of Loudoun County.
• 304 and 681 are used in Jefferson and Berkeley County, West Virginia.