Washington, DC has a population of approximately 700,000 people. The city is home to various hospitals and medical facilities which are dedicated to providing quality health care services. Washington Hospital Center is the largest hospital in the city with around 1000 beds, offering comprehensive medical care for a variety of illnesses and injuries. Several smaller hospitals such as Georgetown University Hospital and Children's National Medical Center provide specialized services such as pediatrics, mental health services, and obstetrics/gynecology. In addition to these larger medical facilities, Washington also has an extensive network of local clinics providing primary care ranging from routine physicals to immunizations. These clinics often serve underserved populations and are able to make sure everyone in the city has access to basic healthcare services. Overall, Washington DC is well served by a wide range of medical facilities that provide quality healthcare for its residents.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 410 physicians per 100,000 population in Washington (zip 20020). The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Washington (zip 20020) area is 82.6 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
82.6 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Washington (zip 20020) area is 40 (100=best). The US average is 55.
40 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Washington (zip 20020) area is 93 (100=best). The US average is 87.
93 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Washington (zip 20020) commutes 34.3 minutes one-way, which is longer than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Washington (zip 20020) area is 34 (100=best). The US average is 58.
34 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.