1. States101.com
2. Articles
3. Gender Ratios in Washington D.C.

Gender Ratios in Washington D.C.

The District of Columbia has one of the most interesting distributions of gender ratios in the country. Washington D.C. is largely populated by people who move there for work. The gender ratios by age in the nation's capital paints a very interesting picture of how and when different demographics to into and out of the city. These different gender trends correlate with the availability of jobs that are predominately filled by male, female, young or old.

For young age groups, 0-4 years and 5-9 years, the gender ratios in D.C. follow the national average. This makes sense because the cities demographics are driven by people moving for work. Children obviously do not work and thus their demographic is unaffected.

However, by the time we reach the 15-19 year age group, the ratio had desisively shifted. By 15-19 year age group, there is a ratio of 89 men to 100 women. The national average at this age group is 105 men to 100 women — a quite significant difference. Most people working in Washington D.C. are over the age of 19. So why do we first see such a sharp shift in gender ratios in this age group instead of the 20-24 year group? We believe that the student population in universities in D.C. is the primary cause of this gender ration trend in the 15-19 year group.

Through the 20's and 30's we continue to see a much higher number of women than men. The primary jobs in Washington D.C. for these age groups are intern position working for politician. These jobs ...

By the age of 40, the gender ratios in D.C. have flipped. For people in Washington between the ages of 40 and 49 the gender ratio is around 102 men to 100 women. This is a huge swing in just the matter of a few years. This data suggests that by age 40, most jobs are predominately occupied by men. 40 to 50 year old men in Washington D.C. are called politicians — a position that is overwhelmingly held by men.

Between the ages of 50 and 60, the gender ratios in the nation's capital flip again. In the 50 to 54 group, the ratio is even buy by the 55 to 59 group, the gender ratio is 91 men to 100 women. From 60 age on, the rate of change accelerates with more and more women than men every year.

This also follows are prediction that politics are job are driving gender ratios in Washington D.C. By the age of 60, most people (and these are mostly men), are getting out of politics and moving away from the city. Additionally, politics are stressful. Those who have work in politics there whole career are more likely to have a lower life expectancy. This then also explains why in old age, the D.C. gender Ratio dips below the national average. At 70-74 years, the gender ratio in the District of Columbia is 75 men to 100 women while the national average is 79 men to 100 women. After 75, the difference between the D.C. ratio and a national ratio continues to widen.