DC’s Population Growth Has Affected the Racial and Ethnic Composition of Wards 6, 7, and 8

My analysis of demographic data and ward boundary shifts shows that in the past decade, Ward 6 experienced an influx of white residents because of increased housing production. That population growth shifted Wards 7 and 8’s boundaries, and they now include a greater share of white residents. East of the river, Ward 7 and 8 residents still make up a majority of the wards’ populations. But the population changes could affect the long-term political representation of Ward 7 and 8 and their Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs), ultimately shifting voting power to white, wealthier residents across the river. Ensuring long-standing Black residents aren’t displaced and can shape decisions for their own communities is vital to meeting their needs.