DC

Population and Housing Demographics Using Mean Center of Population (2010) J. Otavio Thompson, Researcher | tavio@ymail.com 1
Abstract This paper analyzes the population and housing demographics of Washington, DC within a 2.5- mile radius of its mean center of population. Population, land area, geographic center, population density, housing occupancy, and change in population are presented. Background There are two types of centers that demographers and city planners use to analyze changes in cities geographic centers and population centers. The geographic center of a city is the point where you could balance the city if it were completely flat. Using this geographic center, a mean center of population can then be calculated. A citys mean center of population is the point on a rigid, weightless map where a city would balance perfectly if all the citys residents are considered as points of equal weight.1 Discussion As of the April 2010 official census count, 46.4% (279,394) of DCs total resident population lives within a 2.5-mile radius of the mean center of population. 2 This 2.5-mile radius represents 31.1% (19 square miles) of DCs total land area.

Figure 1. Mean center of population in Washington, DC. The blue circle represents the area within a 2.5-mile radius of DCs mean center of population in 2010.

1 U.S. Census Bureau. Center of Population. http://www.census.gov/2010census/data/center-of-population.php

2 Missouri State Data Center. Circular Area Profiling System. http://mcdc.missouri.edu/cgi- bin/broker?_PROGRAM=websas.caps10c.sas&_SERVICE=appdev&latitude=38.910270&longitude=- 77.014468&sitename=Washington%2C+DC&radii=2.5&units=+&cntypops=on&_debug=

The population density within 2.5 miles of DCs mean center of population is 14,632 residents per square mile. Additionally, these 19 square miles of land accounted for 77.2% of DCs net population increase from 2000 to 2010. The housing occupancy rate was 89.1% within the study area. The geographic center of the city is located 2442 feet (0.462 miles) to the south of the current mean center of population.3

3 U.S. Geological Survey. Science in Your Backyard. http://www.usgs.gov/state/state.asp?State=DC

DC Population and Housing Demographics Using Mean Center of Population (2010) J. Otavio Thompson, Researcher | tavio@ymail.com 3
The mean center of population in 2010 was near the intersection Bates Street NW and Georgia Court NW.4 DCs mean center of population shifted ever so slightly to the west from 2000 to 2010 as the city gained 29,664 net new residents.5

With the sharp increase in residential population of about 130,000 people that is projected for Washington, DC from 2010 to 2020, the mean center of population is expected to shift a greater distance than in 2010, likely to the west.

4 U.S. Census Bureau. Population and Population Centers by State: 2010.

http://www.census.gov/geo/www/2010census/centerpop2010/CenPop2010_Mean_ST.txt
5 U.S. Census Bureau. Population and Population Centers by State: 2000. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt