OFFICE BLUES

BURNOUT INDEX — DC — #20th OF 50

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

33
/100
Moderate pressure
-1 vs. last update

Median household income sits +54% vs. the national median against a BEA Regional Price Parity of 102.3. Unemployment at 4.4% and a 33-minute average commute put Washington-Arlington-Alexandria in the middle of the pack — the numbers don't make it a disaster, but they don't make it a bargain either.

Scored 2026-05-04. Data: Census ACS 5-year 2023, BEA RPP 2024. Unemployment: BLS LAUS (most recent month).

The receipts

Three components, three public sources. Each term is clamped to [0, 1] before weighting. The formula is published on the methodology page; any change to the weights requires a public ADR (ADR-0013+).

Component Raw value vs. national Weight Contribution Source
Pay-to-cost gap
Median HH income vs. cost of living.
Purchasing power index: 1.50 (wages above cost-adjusted national) 		$123,896
RPP 102.3 		+54% national
median income 		40% 0 Census ACS 2023 BEA RPP 2024
Mean commute
Minutes/day, ACS 5-year. Capped at 60 min. 		33 min 6.5 min longer than
26.5 min national 		30% 16.5 Census ACS 2023
Unemployment rate
BLS LAUS (monthly, MSA-level). Capped at 8%. Preliminary. 		4.4% 0.5pp above
3.9% national (ACS period) 		30% 16.5 BLS LAUS LAUMT114790000000003
Total score 33

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria in context

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria ranks 20th out of 50 major US metro areas on the Office Blues Burnout Index. The index measures three labor-market signals that directly affect worker quality of life: the gap between wages and cost of living, commute time, and unemployment pressure. It does not measure culture, management quality, or RTO mandates — those signals are not yet available at MSA level from primary sources without scraping.

The metro area population is approximately 6,385,162, making it one of the top-50 US metros by size. The data covers the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 47900), which typically extends well beyond the core city limits.

On wages vs. cost of living: median household income here is $123,896 per year (+54% the national median of $80,610). Against a BEA Regional Price Parity of 102.3 (national average = 100, higher = more expensive), that works out to a purchasing-power index of 1.50 relative to a national baseline of 1.0. Wages here stretch further than the national average on a cost-adjusted basis — that's why the pay-to-cost gap contributes 0 points, not more.

On commute: the average one-way trip takes 33 minutes — 6.5 min longer than the national mean of 26.5 minutes. The commute component contributes 16.5 points out of a possible 30 (capped when commute ≥ 60 minutes). Commute time is the most consistent predictor of reported job dissatisfaction in the academic literature; it compounds every other signal.

On unemployment: the rate is 4.4%, which is 0.5pp above the national reference figure of 3.9% for the ACS measurement period. The unemployment component contributes 16.5 points out of a possible 30 (capped at 8%). High unemployment signals a weak labor market where workers have fewer outside options — the classic condition for wage suppression and lower bargaining power. This figure is from BLS LAUS (2026-02-28), the most current available.

The score formula is editorial — 40/30/30 weights are a deliberate choice, not derived from regression. If you think the weights are wrong, the methodology page explains the rationale. Weight changes require a public ADR (ADR-0013+). The sources are federal, license-free for reuse with attribution.

HOW THIS IS CALCULATED

Formula (ADR-0012, binding):

burnout_score = round(
  40 × clamp₀₁(1 − normalized_wage / cost_norm)   // pay-to-cost gap
+ 30 × clamp₀₁(commute_min / 60)                  // commute
+ 30 × clamp₀₁(unemployment_pct / 8)              // unemployment
)

Where:

  • normalized_wage = $123,896 ÷ $80,610 (national median) = 1.5370
  • cost_norm = 102.279 ÷ 100 = 1.0228
  • pay_term = clamp₀₁(1 − 1.5370 ÷ 1.0228) = 0.0000
  • commute_term = clamp₀₁(33 ÷ 60) = 0.5500
  • unemp_term = clamp₀₁(4.4 ÷ 8) = 0.5500

Score = round(40 × 0.0000 + 30 × 0.5500 + 30 × 0.5500) = round(33.00) = 33

Full methodology, weight rationale, and source citations: /methodology#burnout-index. Weight changes are a brand contract — any modification requires ADR-0013+.

What changed since last update

Score moved from 34 to 33 (-1 points). Data sources refresh weekly via CI cron. Score changes reflect BLS LAUS monthly releases (unemployment) and are recomputed every Monday at 14:30 UTC.

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Raw JSON: /burnout-index/washington-dc.json · License: CC BY 4.0 · Cite as: Office Blues Burnout Index, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, officeblues.net/burnout-index/washington-dc, 2026-05-04