Dena Levitz, The Examiner
2008-01-29 08:00:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

WASHINGTON -

When it comes to food and drinking establishments, child care centers, parking garages and haircuts, Washingtonians per capita outspend residents of all 50 states, while Virginians throw their money at blood and organ banks and Internet service providers more than all other states’ residents, according to data released Monday.

The information is part of a report census researchers put out every five years to explain which states are leaders in which industries. The numbers just out are derived from 2002 census reports, with a 2007 update forthcoming.

D.C., in the report, is ranked first in nearly 100 categories, from bookstore sales to money spent at language schools and for legal services. The bulk of the industries represented are in government, consulting and business fields.

For instance, total sales of receipts to political organizations was nearly $367 million for the year studied, while residents spent about $147 million on armored car services and $1.9 billion on social advocacy organizations. Many of these distinctions make sense given the region’s high-tech work force and well-educated population, according to Angie Lawry, a spokeswoman for the Greater Washington Board of Trade.

“And these higher-income people are the very types who will drink a lot of wine, go out to salons, out to dinner and treat themselves,” she said.

They also will go on elaborate vacations, which is the reason sales to travel agencies from D.C. residents were more than $76 million, according to Goran Gligorovic, executive vice president of Omega World Travel.

He said regional travel agencies increasingly are becoming travel management companies, negotiating contracts with airlines for entire corporations and serving as full-scale consultants.

“It’s not just your traditional run the ticket and that’s it,” he said. “We do everything for clients sometimes — taking care of visas and passports, insurance — so sales to agencies are humongous.”

Across the river in Virginia, commonwealth residents outspent the rest of the nation for computer-related services, such as Web search portals, a sector that raked in close to $7.7 billion. Most strikingly, though, Virginia ranked first for sales to blood and organ banks, which Lawry said could be attributed to the sheer number of area research facilities.

Marylanders spent $143 million on musical instrument and supply stores and $224 million on photo finishing, leading the nation in both.

dlevitz@dcexaminer.com