Black Health Profile
Black health in District of Columbia
297,123
Black residents (ACS)
44.10%
Of state population
The District of Columbia has roughly 297,000 Black residents (44% of the District population). DC Medicaid, one of the most generous programs in the country, covers doula services and 12-month postpartum. Howard University Hospital anchors Black medical care in the District; MedStar Washington Hospital Center and George Washington University Hospital are the District's other level-I trauma centers.
The largest Black health disparity tracked on these pages varies by metric. Use the ten topic pages below to see each one cited against the state's primary-source dataset.
On the positive side, every US state now has CDC-funded maternal mortality review committees, and most have at least one HRSA-designated federally qualified health center serving low-income Black residents. The ten facet pages below point to state-specific programs and providers.
Key takeaways
- Black residents: 297,123 (44.1% of the state).
- Medicaid expansion adopted.
- Medicaid covers doula services.
- Certified nurse-midwife scope-of-practice recognized by Medicaid.
- 12-month postpartum Medicaid extension active.
Health outcomes & coverage
Ten race-stratified indicators drawn from CDC, Census, KFF, and SAMHSA primary sources. Each page links the underlying dataset, compares to the national average, and frames the state-specific drivers and policy levers.
maternal mortality
Black women in District of Columbia die from pregnancy-related causes at 62.4 per 100,000 live births — 3.3× the US national rate of …
Read the maternal mortality breakdown
infant mortality
Black infants in District of Columbia die before age one at 13.8 per 1,000 live births — compared to the US all-race rate of 5.4.
Read the infant mortality breakdown
cardiovascular mortality
Age-adjusted cardiovascular mortality among Black residents of District of Columbia: 350.6 deaths per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 I00-I99).
Read the cardiovascular mortality breakdown
diabetes prevalence
15.3% of Black adults in District of Columbia have been diagnosed with diabetes — compared to the US all-race rate of 11.6%.
Read the diabetes prevalence breakdown
breast cancer mortality
Age-adjusted breast cancer mortality among Black women in District of Columbia: 31.2 per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 C50).
Read the breast cancer mortality breakdown
prostate cancer mortality
Age-adjusted prostate cancer mortality among Black men in District of Columbia: 43.6 per 100,000 (CDC WONDER, ICD-10 C61).
Read the prostate cancer mortality breakdown
life expectancy
Life expectancy at birth for Black residents of District of Columbia: 70.6 years (US all-race: 77.5).
Read the life expectancy breakdown
uninsured rate
3.1% of Black residents of District of Columbia have no health insurance coverage — vs. a US all-race uninsured rate of 8%.
Read the uninsured rate breakdown
Medicaid coverage
About 34% of Black residents of District of Columbia receive Medicaid coverage. District of Columbia is a Medicaid expansion state.
Read the Medicaid coverage breakdown
mental health access
56.4% of Black adults in District of Columbia who experienced a past-year mental health need reported not receiving the treatment they need…
Read the mental health access breakdown
Policy context in District of Columbia
District of Columbia has adopted Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. Medicaid covers doula services in this state. Postpartum Medicaid coverage extends for 12 months after delivery, the federal recommended standard.
The District of Columbia has full Medicaid expansion, covers doula services (B24-0100), and provides 12-month postpartum coverage. DC Health's Perinatal Health Equity Initiative addresses the nation's largest Black–white life-expectancy gap by Ward (MPD-Ward 8 vs. Ward 3 spans over 15 years).
Find Black health providers & resources in District of Columbia
Black clinicians in District of Columbia
Vetted directory — filter by specialty & city
Community health centers
Sliding-scale FQHCs serving District of Columbia
Black health events in District of Columbia
Screenings, town halls, health fairs
Policy tracker
Black-health legislation moving in District of Columbia
Counties in District of Columbia
County-level Black Health profiles for the 1 District of Columbia county with the fullest race-stratified data and editorial coverage.
Data sources & refresh cadence
- US Census ACS 5-year 2019–2023, Table B02001 (race) & S1903 (income).
- CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death (D69) & Underlying Cause of Death (D76), 2018–2022 release.
- KFF Medicaid expansion and state coverage trackers, Q1 2026.
- SAMHSA National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2022 state annual.
- HRSA NHSC workforce data, 2024.
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