Washington metropolitan area

The Washington metropolitan area is the metropolitan area comprising Washington, D.C., the federal capital of the United States, and its surroundings. The metropolitan area includes all of Washington, D.C., and parts of Maryland, Virginia and even West Virginia.
The United States federal government defines the area as the Washington–DC, VA–MD–WV metropolitan statistical area. It anchors the southern end of the densely populated Northeast megalopolis and is part of the Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area, the country's third-largest. The area's estimated total population of 6,304,975 makes it the country's seventh-most populous metropolitan area. It is one of the country's most educated and affluent metropolitan areas.

Nomenclature

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines the area as the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV metropolitan statistical area, a metropolitan statistical area used for statistical purposes by the United States Census Bureau and other agencies. The region's three largest cities are the federal city of Washington, D.C., the county of Arlington, and the independent city of Alexandria. The Office of Management and Budget also includes the metropolitan statistical area as part of the larger Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area, which has a population of 9,546,579 as of the 2014 Census Estimate.
The Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia portions of the metropolitan area are sometimes referred to as the National Capital Region, particularly by federal agencies such as the military, Department of Homeland Security, and some local government agencies. The National Capital Region portion of the Washington metropolitan area is also colloquially known by the abbreviation "DMV", which stands for the "District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia." Interstate 495, the Capital Beltway, is at the center of the region. This is the source of the term Inside the Beltway, referring to Federal government insiders and related interests. Washington, D.C. is colloquially referred to as simply "the District" due to its status as a federal district. The Virginian portion of the region is known as Northern Virginia. The Maryland portion of the region is sometimes called the Maryland-National Capital Region by local authorities but rarely by the general public.
Composition
The U.S. Census Bureau divides the Washington metropolitan statistical area into three metropolitan divisions:

Washington, DC–MD Metropolitan Division, consisting of Washington D.C., Prince George's County and Charles County, Maryland
Arlington–Alexandria–Reston, VA–WV Metropolitan Division, consisting of Northern Virginia and Jefferson County, WV
Frederick–Gaithersburg–Rockville, MD Metropolitan Division, consisting of Montgomery and Frederick counties
Counties or county equivalents and populations

County	2020 Census	2010 Census	Change	Area	Density
Fairfax County, Virginia				-	-
Montgomery County, Maryland				-	-
Prince George's County, Maryland				-	-
Washington, District of Columbia				-	-
Prince William County, Virginia				-	-
Loudoun County, Virginia				-	-
Frederick County, Maryland				-	-
Arlington County, Virginia				-	-
Charles County, Maryland				-	-
City of Alexandria, Virginia				-	-
Stafford County, Virginia				-	-
Spotsylvania County, Virginia				-	-
Fauquier County, Virginia				-	-
Jefferson County, West Virginia				-	-
Culpeper County, Virginia				-	-
City of Manassas, Virginia				-	-
Warren County, Virginia				-	-
City of Fredericksburg, Virginia				-	-
City of Fairfax, Virginia				-	-
City of Manassas Park, Virginia				-	-
Clarke County, Virginia				-	-
City of Falls Church, Virginia				-	-
Madison County, Virginia				-	-
Rappahannock County, Virginia				-	-
Total				-	-

Summary by state

State/district	Population	% of total	Area in sq mi	% of total	Density
Washington, D.C.	689,545	11%	61	1%	11,295
Maryland	2,560,379	40%	2,305	35%	1,111
Virginia	3,077,537	48%	3,987	61%	772
West Virginia	57,701	1%	210	3%	275

Regional organizations

Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

Founded in 1957, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments is a regional organization of 21 Washington-area local governments, as well as area members of the Maryland and Virginia state legislatures, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives. MWCOG provides a forum for discussion and the development of regional responses to issues regarding the environment, transportation, public safety, homeland security, affordable housing, community planning, and economic development.
The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board, a component of MWCOG, is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the metropolitan Washington area.

Consortium of Universities in the Washington Metropolitan Area

Chartered in 1964, the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area is a regional organization of 20 colleges and universities in the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the United States Institute of Peace, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts representing nearly 300,000+ students. The consortium facilitates course cross registration between all member universities, and universalizes library access across some of its member universities through the Washington Research Library Consortium. It additionally offers joint procurement programs, joint academic initiatives, and campus public safety training.

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Formed in 1967 as an interstate compact between Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, the WMATA is a tri-jurisdictional government agency with a board composed of representatives from Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and the United States Federal government that operates transit services in the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is a multi-jurisdictional independent airport authority, created with the consent of the United States Congress and the legislature of Virginia to oversee management, operations, and capital development of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Dulles International Airport.

Greater Washington Board of Trade

Founded in 1889, the Greater Washington Board of Trade is a network of regional businesses that work to advance the culture, economy, and resiliency of the Washington metropolitan area.

Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington

The Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington works to increase appreciation, support, and resources for arts and culture in the Washington metropolitan area.

Principal cities

The metropolitan area is defined as including the following principal cities.

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

The Washington metropolitan area is considered a Democratic stronghold. The last Republican to win it was Richard Nixon in his 1972 landslide reelection. Since Bill Clinton was elected in 1992, Democratic candidates have easily won the area by double-digits.

Year	DEM	GOP	Others
2024	68.4% 2,176,825	28.4% 901,886	3.2% 101,645
2020	72.3% 2,320,658	25.5% 818,418	2.2% 70,283
2016	69.0% 1,860,678	25.7% 692,743	5.4% 145,269
2012	67.5% 1,813,963	30.9% 829,567	1.7% 44,708
2008	68.0% 1,603,902	31.0% 728,916	1.0% 25,288
2004	61.0% 1,258,743	38.0% 785,144	1.4% 19,735
2000	58.5% 1,023,089	37.9% 663,590	3.6% 62,437
1996	57.0% 861,881	37.0% 558,830	6.0% 89,259
1992	53.0% 859,889	34.1% 553.369	12.9% 209,651
1988	50.4% 684,453	48.6% 659,344	1.0% 14,219
1984	51.0% 653,568	48.5% 621,377	0.4% 5,656
1980	44.7% 484,590	44.6% 482,506	11.1% 115,797
1976	54.2% 590,481	44.9% 488,995	1.0% 10,654
1972	44.2% 431,257	54.8% 534,235	1.1% 10,825
1968	49.4% 414,345	39.1% 327,662	11.5% 96,701
1964	69.8% 495,490	30.2% 214,293	0.1% 462
1960	52.5% 204,614	47.3% 184,499	0.1% 593

File:Alexandria, Virginia.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|The southern portion of the Capital Beltway along the Potomac River, featuring portions of Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Old Town Alexandria, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, and National Harbor, Maryland are visible.