Where do aerospace and defence occupiers lease office space in Washington DC?

Most cluster in Central Business District. Rent runs ~58 USD/sqft ($58 USD) for trophy and prime stock.

What fit-out spec do aerospace and defence occupiers run in Washington DC?

Typically high-end at $180–260/sqft.

How much office space per seat should a aerospace and defence occupier plan in Washington DC?

Plan ~210 sqft per seat blended. A 100-person team typically takes 21,000 sqft.

What NAICS codes describe the aerospace and defence vertical?

Representative NAICS 2022 codes: 3364, 5415.

What is the talent index in Washington DC?

92/100. Use the city profile for full detail.

Aerospace and defence occupiers in Washington DC typically cluster in Central Business District, plan ~210 sqft per seat at high-end fit-out ($180–260/sqft), and pay around 58 USD/sqft ($58 USD) on Class A.

Preferred submarket: Central Business District.
Typical fit-out spec: High-end ($180–260/sqft).
Plan ~210 sqft per seat for headcount sizing.
Class A rent context: 58 USD/sqft ($58 USD).
Typical lease: 10 years with 14 months rent-free.
Talent depth in Washington DC: 92/100.

Aerospace and defence office space in Washington DC

Aerospace and defence occupiers in Washington DC typically cluster in Central Business District, plan ~210 sqft per seat at high-end fit-out">fit-out ($180–260/sqft), and pay around 58 USD/sqft ($58 USD) on Class A.

TL;DR

Preferred submarket: Central Business District.
Typical fit-out spec: High-end ($180–260/sqft).
Plan ~210 sqft per seat for headcount sizing.
Class A rent context: 58 USD/sqft ($58 USD).
Typical lease: 10 years with 14 months rent-free.
Talent depth in Washington DC: 92/100.

Where they cluster

Aerospace and defence occupiers in Washington DC typically anchor in Central Business District. Law firms, trade associations, lobbying, government affairs.

What they pay

Class A rent in Washington DC runs 58 USD/sqft ($58 USD) on a 10-year lease with 14 months free. Prime submarkets sit at or modestly above the city index.

Spec and fit-out

Typical aerospace and defence fit-out targets high-end specification at $180–260/sqft. Branded reception, full client-facing programming, premium furniture, and specialist AV are standard.

Headcount sizing

Plan around 210 sqft per seat blended (workstation + circulation + amenity). A 100-headcount aero/defence office in Washington DC typically targets 21,000 sqft of leasable area.

Talent angle

Programme leadership and contracting teams concentrate near government anchors; cleared-personnel logistics drive submarket selection. Deepest federal-services and policy talent pool in the world. Strong legal, lobbying, defense, and consulting concentrations. Tech talent has grown rapidly post-2020 driven by AWS, Amazon HQ2, and federal cloud contracts.

Tax and lease context

Headline corporate tax: 27.1%. Modified-gross structures with operating-expense pass-throughs over a base year. Federal GSA leases are typically full-service with cap on operating-expense growth. Free rent of 14-18 months and TI allowances of $130-$150/sqft are typical on 10-year private-sector deals.

Key facts

city	Washington DC
industry	Aerospace and defence
naics	3364, 5415
preferredSubmarket	Central Business District
preferredFitoutSpec	High-end
fitoutBand	$180–260/sqft
sqftPerSeat	210
classARentLocal	58 USD/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$58/sqft/yr
vacancyPct	19.4%
typicalLeaseYears	10
typicalRentFreeMonths	14
talentIndex	92
corporateTaxPct	27.1%

Frequently asked questions

Where do aerospace and defence occupiers lease office space in Washington DC?: Most cluster in Central Business District. Rent runs ~58 USD/sqft ($58 USD) for trophy and prime stock.
What fit-out spec do aerospace and defence occupiers run in Washington DC?: Typically high-end at $180–260/sqft.
How much office space per seat should a aerospace and defence occupier plan in Washington DC?: Plan ~210 sqft per seat blended. A 100-person team typically takes 21,000 sqft.
What NAICS codes describe the aerospace and defence vertical?: Representative NAICS 2022 codes: 3364, 5415.
What is the talent index in Washington DC?: 92/100. Use the city profile for full detail.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Miriam Hollander — Lead market analyst. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
JLL Office Insight — JLL
Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
Savills World Research — Savills
Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

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