Welcome to District of Columbia Movers
AKA Washington, D.C.
Originally known as the District of Columbia, the nation’s capital is now mostly referred to as Washington, District of Columbia. For short? Washington, D.C. For moving here, there are some important things to note besides being at the ready to shake hands with the President of the United States. (Hey, you never know who you’ll run into!)
Relocating to Washington D.C. - Being a New Resident
This district is unique in that it is a city that’s not a part of any state. Instead, Maryland and Virginia donated land to Congress to form this place. To relocate here, you’ll want to take note of the following steps:
- You’ll need to obtain a District of Columbia Driver’s license within 30 days of becoming a resident and operating your vehicle here publicly. (There are exceptions if you are a student, military member of Congress, diplomat or only a part-time resident.
- To register your vehicle, you will need to have your District license or non-driver ID. You can also register your vehicle in the same visit as gaining your license. Just visit your local District of Columbia DMV office with the proper paperwork.
Note: The DMV must obtain your vehicle title in order to have your vehicle registered.
- Before this vehicle registration is completed, you’ll need to have a vehicle inspection in order to get the valid, required DC inspection sticker.
- There is one more thing you must have before your vehicle gets officially registered - have insurance. If you’re moving from out-of-state, make sure the insurance you had still covers your vehicle here.
- Final note - If you received tickets (in another state or otherwise) that have not been paid yet, you’ll need to pay them off in order to obtain the District of Columbia Driver’s License, non-driver ID or vehicle registration.
Things Good to Know About Relocating to Washington D.C.
Weather: You’ll be relocating to a humid subtropical climate. This means you can expect a warm spring and autumn season and hot summers. The summer season has an average day of about 66% relative humidity, which often brings about thunderstorms and the occasional tornado.
Winter wise, the days are cold, with temperatures averaging at 48 degrees Fahrenheit. This area is hit with snow, but hardy blizzards only hit every 4 to 6 years.
Population & Cost of Living: Washington D.C. is home to almost 650,000 people. Many more commute from states like Maryland and Virginia to work here every day. Why do so many people commute? Cost of living.
Living here is just about as expensive as residing in New York City. The minimum amount for a single studio (to rent monthly) will be about $1,100 and, if you see apartments much cheaper, watch out. Low prices usually mean they are income restricted – read the fine print before applying for these places!
If political beliefs are important to your values, I recommend you do research before moving as certain neighborhoods are far more liberal or conservative than others. Whichever neighborhood you choose, if you plan to buy rather than rent, median home prices here are $443,000.
Demographically, the population here is split almost evenly between Caucasians (43.4%) and African-Americans (49.5%).
Employment Rate & Economy: Being the nation’s capital, relocating here means your most likely employer will be the federal government. The District of Columbia is the heart of every branch of the federal government – the Congress (Legislative), President (Executive) & Supreme Court (Judicial). You may not be a Supreme Court judge, but there are thousands upon thousands of other jobs related to these positions and the government’s core.
Besides the federal government, some of the top employers include Medstar Health, Inova Health System, Northrup Grumman, Science Applications International Corp., McDonald’s, Booz Allen Hamilton, Marriott International, Inc., Verizon and Lockheed Martin Corp.
- Sleep under a 45-foot-long whale - At the National Museum of Natural History, attend a sleepover you’ll never forget. The night starts with an “Exploration of Extremes”, in which kids can collect rocks using robots and eat like a dinosaur (without using their hands!). From there you’ll watch an iMax movie before climbing into sleeping bags nestled beneath the whale in the Sant Ocean Hall. Pack your pajamas and get ready for a night of fun!
- Dave Brown’s Canoeing Adventures - Grab your paddle and hit this hidden gem, this 3.5 tranquil trek of the Potomac River.
- Foodies Gone Wild - The Outstanding in the Field Tour is perfect for all those that like food that is fresh, organic and local. This is a series of “gourmet farm-to-fork dinners” combines local farmers with highly celebrated chef’s. Each gathering begins with some wine and a tour of the land which will have produced the produce in your dinner. Dinners have at least four courses...so come hungry!
FUN FACTS ABOUT DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
- When the White House was last repainted it took 570 gallons to cover the surface, that’s some white out!
- Even with the technology in this day and age, all ammendments must still be submitted by hand.
- The MLK Memorial made in Martin Luther King Junior’s image was actually made in China. Thank you to Lei Yixin for this fantastic piece!
- If you visit the White House, beware of which elevators you’re allowed to use...many are reserved for Senators only.