State comparison
California vs District of Columbia: which state is better to live in?
District of Columbia costs a median household about $1,300 a year less in state and local taxes than California, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $3,584 a year against $5,609 in California, though everyday prices run higher there (cost of living index 152 against 142).
California
Moderate tax burden · COL index 142
Wins 7 categories
District of Columbia
Moderate tax burden · COL index 152
Wins 8 categories
Taxes: California vs District of Columbia
California has a graduated income tax topping out at 13.3%, which works out to 4.5% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,375 a year. District of Columbia has a graduated income tax topping out at 10.75%, which works out to 6.4% on a median income of $74,580, or $4,739 a year. California wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.71% of home value a year in California and 0.56% in District of Columbia (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $5,609 against $3,584, so District of Columbia has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.82% in California and 6.00% in District of Columbia; District of Columbia is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $10,957 a year in California, $9,666 in District of Columbia. District of Columbia is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
California's cost of living index is 142 and District of Columbia's is 152, where 100 is the national average; California is about 7% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $790K in California and $640K in District of Columbia (Zillow, 2024), a $150K gap in District of Columbia's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $2,300 a month in California and $2,900 in District of Columbia.
Home insurance averages $2,100 a year in California and $1,100 in District of Columbia, so District of Columbia is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 499 incidents per 100,000 residents in California and 750 in District of Columbia (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); California is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 50% lower. Property crime is 2,027 per 100,000 in California against 3,600 in District of Columbia, again favoring California.
Health
Life expectancy is 79.2 years in California and 77.1 in District of Columbia (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 2.1-year edge for California. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks California's health system 13th of 50 and District of Columbia's 5th, so District of Columbia scores better on care.
6.8% of California residents have no health insurance against 3.9% in District of Columbia, which favors District of Columbia. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks California's K-12 schools 20th in the country and District of Columbia's 40th, 20 places apart in California's favor. District of Columbia runs a school-choice voucher program; California does not.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election California went to Harris by 20 points and District of Columbia went to Harris by 87 points.
California has may-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; District of Columbia has may-issue carry permits and a grade of A.
Abortion is protected by state law in both states, and marijuana is legal for adults in both as of 2026. The minimum wage is $16.00 an hour in California and $17.00 in District of Columbia.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is very high in California (wildfire, earthquake, drought) and low in District of Columbia (flood, nor-easter), so District of Columbia is the lower-risk state. Annual average air quality index is 62 in California and 43 in District of Columbia (under 50 is good), favoring District of Columbia.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
7
California
8
District of Columbia
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is California or District of Columbia better to live in?
California wins more of the measures that decide a move. District of Columbia on taxes ($9,666 a year for a median household against $10,957); California on everyday costs (index 142 against 152); California on safety (499 violent crimes per 100,000 against 750); California on schools (ranked 20th against 40th).
Which is cheaper, California or District of Columbia?
California is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 142 against 152. The median home is $790K in California and $640K in District of Columbia (2024). On state and local taxes District of Columbia saves a median household about $1,300 a year.
Does California or District of Columbia have lower taxes?
District of Columbia. A household earning $74,580 pays about $10,957 a year in California ($3,375 income tax, $5,609 property tax on the median home and $1,973 in sales tax) and $9,666 in District of Columbia ($4,739 income tax, $3,584 property tax on the median home and $1,342 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, California or District of Columbia?
California, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 499 per 100,000 residents in California and 750 in District of Columbia; property crime is 2,027 against 3,600.
Which has better schools, California or District of Columbia?
California. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks California 20th of 50 for K-12 and District of Columbia 40th. District of Columbia also offers school-choice vouchers.
Is California or District of Columbia better for retirees?
Both treat retirement income about the same. California does not tax Social Security, taxes pensions as income and has no estate or inheritance tax; District of Columbia does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has an estate tax. Property tax on a median home is $5,609 a year in California and $3,584 in District of Columbia.