Yeah, had to ride through that area two years ago. I thought I had gone to consumer heaven. No signs of any recession, no sign of anything except a bunch of over paid bureaucrats and lobbyists shuttling around in BMWs. Unfortunately it is so spread out now that even one medium sized nuke cannot get it all.
Unfortunately our capital has become what Moscow was in the 70s and 80s to their citizens...you had to have a pass to go there. Here the pass is a wallet full of cash and if you are not one of the political elite, stay home.
I submit it would be a good idea to relocate our constitutional government to somewhere more in line with either the geographic or population center of the country. Somewhere they consider “flyover” country to give them a sense of what this country is about. Sorry for the threat to those in Nebraska or Kansas such a move would do to their regions BUT they will have to take one for the team I fear. BTW, only the elected representatives would be able to move and work in this enclave...no lobbyists for example.
Not a surprise. But there is perhps a bit of “bias” in the analysis.
One of the things that has happened in DC and surrounding territory in Northern VA is displacement. In DC proper, it’s lower middle class for outsiders, few of whom are LMC. Not that all of the outsiders are high income, but they are filling places where the income was a lot less. Since it’s happening relatively quickly, it gives high growth numbers. In much of DC that’s close to saturation, and the eastern part of town is seeing the growth now, but it won’t last forever. If the growth slows down, it may not be pretty around here. DC proper isn’t that big a place (~600K).
The growth is a lot singles and older couples (DINK’s) and gay in some downtown parts. All can move out quickly, not having kids in schools and long term ties to the community.
NOVA is new construction and some teardown (think McLean) in some close in towns. Replacing a farm with a house will show a high growth gradient. That will level off before too long.
There is an air of unreality now, but reality always catches up.