The wasteland is filled with hundreds of creatures practically fatal to human society Super Mutants, Feral Ghouls, Deathclaws, Radscorpions and dozens of other types of monsters. The reason for this is rested in the fact that Capital Wasteland, especially the DC area, was among the areas most devastated by the bombs. My own personal estimate would be somewhere around 2500 people with perhaps a hundred and ten or so of that being the Brotherhood of Steel (fallout wikia estimate which I believe is one of the few in game populations which make sense in a real world context). Honestly I find it hard to believe that the population of the Capital Wasteland was that high. So I'm going to bet that some kind of powerful nation is going to develop in the Capital Wasteland within a few decades but what do any of you think? While the BOS have pretty much expanded their mission to protecting the inhabitants and since I they're the closet thing the Wasteland has to an army as well as being the strongest faction (plus all that access to advanced technology) I'd imagine that they will be the ones to unify the Wastes, which makes me wonder what kind of government they will evolve into.

And help organizing the Caravans Merchants would probably give a little boost to the local economy too. And if Harold was given the Liniment to accelerate his growth then that would also give the Wasteland vegetation and lumber along with pure water. I'm going to guess that the current total population is between 10,000-15,000 people including ghouls. Assuming that you sided with the Brotherhood of Steel and didn't add the Enclave's modified FEV in Project Purity then what do you think will happen in the Capital Wastelands?

Cities in fallout 3