Rate these DC neighborhoods Forum

[mps102]

(N/A) Union Station

(N/A) Chinatown

Are these areas affordable? I probably just counted these as Mount Vernon because I'm clueless about DC stuff.

I found two places so far. One is right next to Logan Circle by the Shaw dog park, which would be good for my dogs. A few blocks to the Mt. Vernon stop. The other is in Capitol Hill??? In between Stanton Park and Lincoln Park. Closest metro stop is Union Station, so I would probably just walk or ride my bike.

Somebody said east of Logan Circle can get sketchy, so when I'm in town next week, I'll be sure to visit at night to get a feel of the neighborhood. I'm still also not sure of the Capitol Hill boundaries. Somebody said stay west of 13th, which the Capitol Hill apartment is, but I'm not sure what the northern boundary is. Any ideas?

Please let us know how it goes! I am actually headed to DC in early June myself to check places out in Capitol Hill as well. I've been looking at Padmapper/Craigslist a bit, but honestly it's hard to compare places without having a feel for the neighborhood. Safety/feeling of an area can have a huge impact, and I simply don't know if a place is a good deal online or it's just in a sketchy area.

Question: has anyone had (or have heard of) success with using a finder/broker? I've heard they have access to places not advertised well (or at all), and are free for the renter.

[dolia]

I lived in Foggy Bottom during 1L year and Dupont 2L and 3L. Great neighborhoods. But as a 1L you want to be as close to campus as possible, IMO, unless you're going to do the majority of your studying at home. For GULC it's tricky but Capitol Hill is probably your best bet.

[jess]

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[mps102]

Question: has anyone had (or have heard of) success with using a finder/broker? I've heard they have access to places not advertised well (or at all), and are free for the renter.

You can try looking on MLS. I do that sometimes.

I am going to visit all of the neighborhoods at night time when I'm in town next week. I'm also going to try to build a map with boundaries since it seems some areas are nice until you go east/west/north/south of a particular street. I will report back if anyone is house hunting in DC!

Look forward to hearing back! Good luck!

[jess]

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[bdubs]

Question regarding crime:

Which areas in DC do you consider to be the high-crime areas?

I'm looking up crime statistics for addresses of different apartments I'm finding here: --LinkRemoved-- for the past year, and it seems all of the areas people say are traditionally safer have more violent crime than others.

For instance, I looked up a Capitol Hill address that was west of Lincoln Park, and in the past year, there were 277 total crimes within 1500 feet of the address. I then looked up a SE address by the Stadium Armory stop, and there were only 86 total crimes within 1500 feet of the address. I thought the Stadium Armory area was supposed to be a bit sketchier? A Dupont Circle address had 313 crimes, Adam's Morgan had 578 crimes, and even Kalorama had 158 crimes. Apparently, zipcode 20003 (which covers Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, etc. - the SE quadrant) is the 10th most dangerous zipcode in the U.S., so these crime statistics are confusing me.

So you should probably distinguish between types of crimes and areas. For instance, Kalorama is an almost purely residential neighborhood, while Adam's Morgan has the highest concentration of nightlife (bars & restaurants) of any neighborhood. Admo is going to have much more crime, but it's not really like you're in danger of getting in a bar fight just by living there.

I wouldn't classify Capital Hill as a "safe" neighborhood. I've heard of many more people being mugged in Capital Hill than in any of the popular areas of NW. That being said, I doubt that most of the parts of SE that report lower crime rates are really a lot safer. It's probably a mix of type of neighborhood (mainly residential with little commercial) and overall lower reporting rates when crimes actually do occur.

[LSATNightmares]

It all depends on how late at night you are out and whether you are on a busy street. For example, Georgetown on M and Wisconsin Streets are safe late at night. As soon as you walk off of it, you definitely can get mugged. You won't believe how many mugging reports I received as a GU undergrad that all happened in the neighborhood after 11 PM at night.

In my humble opinion, Chinatown is not a safe neighborhood. I literally worked a few blocks from the Metro stop, and there are many shady characters around there (not to mention prostitutes, which I've heard from friends who lived there). But they do have a new Safeway so at least you have a supermarket nearby.

Columbia can be sketchy if you're a woman. I've had woman friends who have felt uncomfortable at times there. It has happened to me too the few times I have gone there to visit friends. Adams Morgan is also unsafe late at night. I still maintain that Cleveland Park is the safest! But it will be hard to find an apartment there allowing dogs. I think you'd be okay with Dupont, as there tend to be a lot of people on the street.

[jess]

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[Wily]

I remember in 04 when I was moving into Columbia Heights, the taxi driver taking me there pointed out three different places where people were killed in the last year. This included the corner 7-11 outside the metro where I went for snacks every day. I wore a suit every day to work (Senate intern) and got a lot of cat-calls from the Latina women waiting at the subway station. The area has probably gentrified since then, but I still wouldn't recommend it if you want a quiet, danger-free lifestyle.

[Yossarian79]

Honestly, DC has gentrified so rapidly over the past few years that a lot of neighborhoods with previously bad reputations are now essentially harmless (assuming you're not wandering around by yourself at 2 in the morning). Where once if you walked past 16th St. you'd start getting into some sketch neighborhoods, I would now say every part of the Hill up to the Anacostia River is fine. As for Georgetown, I lived there once and hated it (no metro, so it's extremely easy to feel isolated, and the douche factor is off the charts), but your mileage may vary. I'd really do Eastern Market if at all possible. Logan Circle's also cool, and Columbia Heights is fine -- yes, crime can be a problem if you're not smart, but that describes urban living more generally. I actually live north of Columbia Heights, in Petworth (a more stereotypically "dangerous" neighborhood), and my wife and I haven't had a single problem.

[Yossarian79]

Oh yeah, I'm also a huge fan of the Atlas District (which is essentially the real estate name for the H St. NE corridor), but there are three things to be aware of: a few blocks too far east up H, or north toward Trinidad, and you're wandering into some not-so-great areas, you have to be tolerant of the weekend hipster invasions, and despite the new streetcar transportation out of the neighborhood can be a pain unless you have a car.

[Redamon1]

I lived in DC for 6 years and commuted to work RIGHT NEXT to GULC:

First, consider whether you want to be metro dependent. Red line only (changing lines is a pain). Metro has its quirks and it's expensive. I got really tired of it and loved living closer to work after a while so that I could bike. Once I started biking, I never stopped. Good bike lanes (and better every year), lots of fellow bikers.

I highly recommend living in DC rather than far away in the burbs (i.e. Tenleytown, Bethesda, Sliver Spring etc.). Downtown DC is lively and fun and there are plenty of safe areas. You can find cheap housing, especially if you are open to sharing.

Top neighborhoods close enough to GULC in my book are:

1. Logan Circle - lived there several years, loved it. Lots of great options around 14th Street and near U Street. I love this area because you can bike to GULC in 15 mins max and can walk / bike to anywhere in the city, including areas like Dupont Circle, Chinatown, the Mall, U Street, Adams Morgan.

2. Eastern Market / Capitol Hill / Atlas area are fun. Definitely up and coming and you can find some fun streets. Quiet and pretty. An easy walk / bike to school. It's a bit isolated from the rest of the city. It would be a hike to get to Georgetown, Dupont Circle, Chinatown, but if you don't mind that you should definitely look into it.

3. If you are open to metro, then I recommend Dupont Circle. It can be a bit pricey and with time I found the area to be too trendy and not authentic / chill enough, but for 2-3 years it's definitely a great choice.

4. Chinatown is fun, but personally I think it's a better place to go out (walk from Logan Circle!) than to live.

I do not recommend:

- Foggy Bottom, unless it's close enough to the Dupont Circle metro, in which case it'll be convenient and nice. Further away is just a pain to get to.

- Georgetown. Fun area but a pain to get to GULC.

- Adam's Morgan. Fun area to go out but no easy access to metro to GULC and too far to bike or walk to school.

- Columbia Heights can be a bit sketchy in some areas. A lot of young folks live in Mount Pleasant. Although it's right next door, it's actually safer. You can get around with the Green Line at the Columbia Heights stop, but I would only consider it if you were open to biking from Mount Pleasant to GULC (20 mins, with a hill on the way back).

Have fun in DC! It's a great city!

[Redamon1]

(N/A) Union Station

(N/A) Chinatown

Are these areas affordable? I probably just counted these as Mount Vernon because I'm clueless about DC stuff.

I found two places so far. One is right next to Logan Circle by the Shaw dog park, which would be good for my dogs. A few blocks to the Mt. Vernon stop. The other is in Capitol Hill??? In between Stanton Park and Lincoln Park. Closest metro stop is Union Station, so I would probably just walk or ride my bike.

Somebody said east of Logan Circle can get sketchy, so when I'm in town next week, I'll be sure to visit at night to get a feel of the neighborhood. I'm still also not sure of the Capitol Hill boundaries. Somebody said stay west of 13th, which the Capitol Hill apartment is, but I'm not sure what the northern boundary is. Any ideas?

Please let us know how it goes! I am actually headed to DC in early June myself to check places out in Capitol Hill as well. I've been looking at Padmapper/Craigslist a bit, but honestly it's hard to compare places without having a feel for the neighborhood. Safety/feeling of an area can have a huge impact, and I simply don't know if a place is a good deal online or it's just in a sketchy area.

Question: has anyone had (or have heard of) success with using a finder/broker? I've heard they have access to places not advertised well (or at all), and are free for the renter.

Craigslist, always. Apartment complexes also advertise on the site. I also found a place once by walking around in my neighborhoods of choice and walking into rental offices.

[Mike12188]

I remember in 04 when I was moving into Columbia Heights, the taxi driver taking me there pointed out three different places where people were killed in the last year. This included the corner 7-11 outside the metro where I went for snacks every day. I wore a suit every day to work (Senate intern) and got a lot of cat-calls from the Latina women waiting at the subway station. The area has probably gentrified since then, but I still wouldn't recommend it if you want a quiet, danger-free lifestyle.

Still shady as hell. Someone was shot in the Ihop underneath the target a couple months ago, this was like at 7am. In general though its a shady place - always a lot of sketchy groups hanging near the subway entrances at all hours of the day.

The poster that suggested Logan circle was spot on in regards to LC. West of 14th between L and U is a great area - really can't go wrong - I wouldn't worry about being too close to a metro stop as long as there is a bus stop close by that goes right to union station or anywhere else close to GULC. Door to door during rush hour from 16th and U takes me 25 mins on the way there and less on the way home. When I do take the metro green to red transfer is hardly ever a problem or a wait. Can't speak for other lines.

[scoTTTie Pippen]

All the neighborhoods you listed are safe enough if you are smart about it. It really comes down to what you want to pay and what type of living situation you want (house/apartment).

I have spent 6 years in DC and have lived all the way up in Bethesda and now live in Columbia Heights. When I was an undergrad, Columbia Heights, NE DC, other up and coming areas scared me because I came from suburbia and lived in neighborhoods with Congresspeople and NBC anchors in DC. People are hyping these places up.

Someone was shot in Georgetown on Halloween night but that's no sketchy neighborhood. My petite female roommate walked back from a party several blocks away tonight and I walk my dog at 2am most nights without ever worrying. People don't walk around hear waving guns and looking for random targets. There are fights, there are robberies if you walk around waving your iPhone in the air. It's a city.

No matter what neighborhood you are in, there are cops everywhere and DC police drive with their lights on at all times so they are a constant visible presence. Here in Columbia Heights, I park my car on the street, walk to the supermarket late at night, and stay responsible.

Several years ago, they found a body on the street where I now live. A friend of mine in Eckington lives across the street from where someone was shot. I dated a girl who saw a gang shooting outside her apartment in Shaw. All of these crimes were due to prolonged conflict, not spontaneous and random targeting. In every area, I mind my business. People are nice to me and I am nice to them.

Honestly, just figure out what your preferences are and which neighborhood meets them. Happy to help if you provide specifics (eg demographics, bar scene, etc.). None of these places are crime-free, none are even close to terrifying.

[Mike12188]

All the neighborhoods you listed are safe enough if you are smart about it. It really comes down to what you want to pay and what type of living situation you want (house/apartment).

I have spent 6 years in DC and have lived all the way up in Bethesda and now live in Columbia Heights. When I was an undergrad, Columbia Heights, NE DC, other up and coming areas scared me because I came from suburbia and lived in neighborhoods with Congresspeople and NBC anchors in DC. People are hyping these places up.

Someone was shot in Georgetown on Halloween night but that's no sketchy neighborhood. My petite female roommate walked back from a party several blocks away tonight and I walk my dog at 2am most nights without ever worrying. People don't walk around hear waving guns and looking for random targets. There are fights, there are robberies if you walk around waving your iPhone in the air. It's a city.

No matter what neighborhood you are in, there are cops everywhere and DC police drive with their lights on at all times so they are a constant visible presence. Here in Columbia Heights, I park my car on the street, walk to the supermarket late at night, and stay responsible.

Several years ago, they found a body on the street where I now live. A friend of mine in Eckington lives across the street from where someone was shot. I dated a girl who saw a gang shooting outside her apartment in Shaw. All of these crimes were due to prolonged conflict, not spontaneous and random targeting. In every area, I mind my business. People are nice to me and I am nice to them.

Honestly, just figure out what your preferences are and which neighborhood meets them. Happy to help if you provide specifics (eg demographics, bar scene, etc.). None of these places are crime-free, none are even close to terrifying.

3 of the shadiest places in NW. Yea someone was shot in GTown, and it was all over the news for days because that shit doesn't happen there. Yea every neighborhood has some sorts of crime, but the three you mentioned will most definitely expose people to more risk of being a victim compared to the farther west you go in DC. As for the "prolonged conflict" theory...I'd rather not get shot whether it was intentional or unintentional. I'm sure thugs don't have the best aim.

[HookemHooker]

Lived in DC for several years. I recommend either living in Capitol Hill (no further than 13th st NE) or in the Convention Center/Rhode Island side of Dupont. I lived in Eastern Market for two years and the people living in the upper portion of the house were GULC students. Another area to look at for a good value is Naval Yard. My roommates and I live there last before going to LS and we received $500 off a month to live in a brand new apartment. Those apartments also have killer roof top decks and you are block away from the 3rd Street tunnel (which is a 2 minute drive to GULC) or the Naval Yard metro station. Just check to make sure the discounts haven't dried up.

[scoTTTie Pippen]

All the neighborhoods you listed are safe enough if you are smart about it. It really comes down to what you want to pay and what type of living situation you want (house/apartment).

I have spent 6 years in DC and have lived all the way up in Bethesda and now live in Columbia Heights. When I was an undergrad, Columbia Heights, NE DC, other up and coming areas scared me because I came from suburbia and lived in neighborhoods with Congresspeople and NBC anchors in DC. People are hyping these places up.

Someone was shot in Georgetown on Halloween night but that's no sketchy neighborhood. My petite female roommate walked back from a party several blocks away tonight and I walk my dog at 2am most nights without ever worrying. People don't walk around hear waving guns and looking for random targets. There are fights, there are robberies if you walk around waving your iPhone in the air. It's a city.

No matter what neighborhood you are in, there are cops everywhere and DC police drive with their lights on at all times so they are a constant visible presence. Here in Columbia Heights, I park my car on the street, walk to the supermarket late at night, and stay responsible.

Several years ago, they found a body on the street where I now live. A friend of mine in Eckington lives across the street from where someone was shot. I dated a girl who saw a gang shooting outside her apartment in Shaw. All of these crimes were due to prolonged conflict, not spontaneous and random targeting. In every area, I mind my business. People are nice to me and I am nice to them.

Honestly, just figure out what your preferences are and which neighborhood meets them. Happy to help if you provide specifics (eg demographics, bar scene, etc.). None of these places are crime-free, none are even close to terrifying.

3 of the shadiest places in NW. Yea someone was shot in GTown, and it was all over the news for days because that shit doesn't happen there. Yea every neighborhood has some sorts of crime, but the three you mentioned will most definitely expose people to more risk of being a victim compared to the farther west you go in DC. As for the "prolonged conflict" theory...I'd rather not get shot whether it was intentional or unintentional. I'm sure thugs don't have the best aim.

That's the point: I am well-acquainted with all those areas, I know people who have witnessed incidents in them, and no one is running scared.

The Petworth shootings that same night were on the news, as was the IHOP shooting, as was the one in Eckington. This isn't SE DC.

I can think of one incident during my time here when someone was killed unintentionally during a fight. That was in one of the nicest, most expensive parts of downtown DC.

The odds of one's safety being jeopardized in any area OP listed are slim-to-none unless OP joins MS13 or starts yelling at groups of people at 4am.

[jess]

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[Yossarian79]

Let me just put it this way. I've lived in DC continuously for five years now, plus another two years in the early 2000's when gentrification was just starting to take hold. For most of that time I've lived in either far Capitol Hill (as in 14th St. NE), the heart of Columbia Heights (13th and Fairmont) or Petworth (just off Georgia Ave.). And my wife works in Eckington, which is supposedly more dangerous than all of them. Never--not once--have we experienced any sort of crime, although we've witnessed a few beefs between other people. DC's not a perfect city, but the days of war zone neighborhoods scattered all over and scurrying inside as soon as nightfall came are long, long past.

[jess]

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[mmcrowle]

This is relevant to my interests. I will be staying in a complex in the Southwest Waterfront area...any experience with that neighborhood?

[bdubs]

Sounds like you got a great feel for DC (somewhat surprising if you were there for a short time).

Foggy Bottom was so/so. I don't get the appeal. Maybe I didn't go to the right part of Foggy Bottom, but it seemed kind of boring to me.

Anyone who told you that Foggy Bottom is desirable for anything other than pure convenience to a workplace or school is crazy. The area is horribly boring, generally overpriced, and the housing options are all out of date or out of this world expensive. The only reason i can ever see to live there is if you go to GW and just want convenience.

[jess]

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[mps102]

This is relevant to my interests. I will be staying in a complex in the Southwest Waterfront area...any experience with that neighborhood?

If you don't mind me asking, how did you find your place at the Waterfront? I've seen a small number on craigslist and the area seems pretty nice. The postings go fast.