Life in Washington doesn’t come cheap. In a city of $18 burgers, $80 martinis, and $2,300 studios, our residents spend a lot of money to live and play. And according to a new study, they also shell out big bucks getting dressed.
Personal finance Web site Mint.com reports that DC, Alexandria, and Arlington are three of the top ten cities nationwide in which their users spend the largest percentage of their discretionary income on apparel.
DC and Alexandria come in at eighth and ninth on the list, both with an average of $244 per month spent on clothing. According to the study, that’s roughly 21 percent of users’ monthly discretionary income.
Arlington ranks three spots higher at number five, with Arlingtonians spending an average of $251 per month on apparel.
Amazingly, all three cities spend more than Los Angeles. Does that mean celebrities really do get all those designer goodies for free?
To give you a feel for the range, Manhattan, unsurprisingly ranked at number one, spends $362 a month. Tucson, Arizona, comes in 50th (and last) place with just $131 a month dedicated to apparel. Each city ranked indicates that these numbers are roughly one-fifth of monthly discretionary income. To see the complete study, click here. To let us know what you think about the findings, sound off in the poll below.
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Sarah is the Editor-in-Chief of Washingtonian Bride & Groom, and writes about weddings, fashion, and shopping. Her work has also appeared in Refinery29, Bethesda Magazine, and Washington City Paper, among others. She is a Georgetown University graduate, lives in Columbia Heights, and you can find her on Instagram at @washbridegroom and @sarahzlot.
