According to an infographic in the New York Times, the odds that a child born in the D.C. area will rise to a higher income bracket over his or her lifetime is higher than that in many areas.
In other words, geography shapes poverty.
Income mobility seems to be positively affected by cities where mixed-income neighborhoods are the norm, where civic engagement is higher, and where schools are better.
In the Midwest, it appears to be easier to escape poverty, but in the largest 30 cities, D.C. didn't fare too poorly.
Read more (and play with the infographic) here.