The song was written by Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello, and recorded in early 2002. The "District" in the song's title is a reference to Washington, D.C., which is formally named "The District of Columbia" and called "The District" as a colloquial shorthand. Gibbard's girlfriend at the time had recently relocated to the area, and the song was inspired by an evening spent reconnecting when he visited on tour. The cover artwork for the single was designed by Kozyndan.
In 2004, this song was featured in the soundtrack of 2004 film D.E.B.S.