Each row shows where Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits on the national distribution for one economic concept across all three mobility measures.

All income a person receives, including wages and transfers.

α Absolute mobility 66th percentile

this county national median

37.42 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 32nd percentile

this county national median

0.29 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 51st percentile

this county national median

The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

Income earned from work (wages and salaries).

α Absolute mobility 69th percentile

this county national median

41.51 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 32nd percentile

this county national median

0.29 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 88th percentile

this county national median

12.35 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The probability of owning a home (the extensive margin of housing wealth).

α Absolute mobility 13th percentile

this county national median

51.14 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 46th percentile

this county national median

0.39 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 90th percentile

this county national median

-2.27 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The value of housing assets a person holds.

α Absolute mobility 83rd percentile

this county national median

42.72 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 57th percentile

this county national median

0.33 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 85th percentile

this county national median

1.85 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

The total value of all assets a person holds.

α Absolute mobility 63rd percentile

this county national median

43.59 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.
β Persistence 64th percentile

this county national median

0.31 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.
δ Extensive margin 67th percentile

this county national median

5.71 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

County	State	α (absolute mobility)	β (persistence)	δ (extensive margin)	n
Alexandria	VA	37.64	0.399	2.02	550
Arlington	VA	44.88	0.339	0.65	800
Charles	MD	45.58	0.270	-0.43	1200
Clarke	VA	43.05	0.257	1.73	150
Culpeper	VA	40.45	0.278	-2.62	250
District of Columbia	DC	31.60	0.368	0.56	2900
Fairfax	VA	50.74	0.280	9.47	8400
Fairfax	VA	54.08	0.202	4.32	150
Falls Church	VA	50.52	0.255	3.10	100
Fauquier	VA	40.15	0.319	13.00	500
Frederick	MD	44.94	0.300	11.44	1900
Fredericksburg	VA	45.20	0.279	-2.09	150
Jefferson	WV	36.63	0.337	2.68	400
Loudoun	VA	47.19	0.309	10.71	1400
Manassas	VA	44.12	0.306	2.35	300
Manassas Park	VA	39.71	0.333	7.34	90
Montgomery	MD	45.49	0.362	3.78	7700
Prince George's	MD	38.37	0.284	5.48	6600
Prince William	VA	41.26	0.313	8.12	2700
Rappahannock	VA	37.46	0.361	4.32	80
Spotsylvania	VA	41.08	0.280	-1.36	850
Stafford	VA	43.65	0.241	3.64	1000
Warren	VA	39.14	0.329	4.91	300

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria

The five lenses at a glance