Cathedral Heights

This is a quiet neighborhood located near American University in the northwest section of the city. Generally it is defined as the area within the boundaries of Van Ness Street N.W., Wisconsin Avenue N.W., 39th Street N.W., Idaho Avenue N.W, New Mexico Avenue N.W, and Nebraska Avenue N.W. A very large portion of the neighborhood includes parts of Glover Archbold Park. Homes in Cathedral Heights and adjacent areas were sold at a average price of $578,648 in 2010 with 50% being owner occupied.

Families considering this neighborhood will find a variety of public and private schools including Annunciation Catholic School, Mann Elementary School, Sidwell Friends School and National Presbyterian School. Green space lovers will enjoy Glover Archbold Park and the numerous hiking trails. Although you will find some restaurants and shopping, this is not the draw to Cathedral Heights. Residents will want to venture out o other neighborhoods including Tenleytown or Chevy Chase for better shopping and dining opportunities. One thing is for certain if you are considering moving here, you will need a car as public transportation is limited to a few bus stops and the nearest Metro stop is in Tenleytown. Cathedral Heights offers many places of worship as well.

Crime appears to be centered around theft from vehicle. As always you should review the current crime data to make an informed decision on the crime risk before moving into any neighborhood.

The area shares the forest-in-the-city greenness of Adams Morgan, and is the perfect spot for families or singles who don't mind shelling out an extra penny to live in quiet small town bliss. As evidenced by its name, the cathedral is the central point of the neighborhood, and much of the local weekend events (farmers markets, street fairs, etc) are held under its precipices. The area's peacefulness may also be attributed to its lack of a metro station, which while convenient to its residents, does not make this neighborhood easy to visit on foot. Having a car is a must, not a maybe, unlike the rest of the city. But for those looking for an oasis away from the district's bustle, this area is ideal.

Cathedral Heights is a great place to live and work. well educated and diverse, the residents work in a variety of jobs and include students in nearby universities. Because of the cost of housing, those who might cause trouble cannot afford to live here, and nothing worse than the occasional theft happens in this neighborhood. Besides the huge cathedral, the area boasts an abundance of shops and restaurants. Many residents also live close to work and may even walk there. Once in the neighborhood, you can buy nearly everything you need, and walk to the store or a bar after work.

Since the area is nice and safe, it is a great place to raise your children. There is plenty of green space in which they can play. Area students also provide plenty of baby sitting help, and can be hired to mow the grass or shovel the snow. During the summer, their reduced numbers makes up for the increase of tourism. Also courtesy of the students, there are many reasonably priced places to eat; a huge advantage in a city as expensive as Washington. Singles would also enjoy the neighborhood, as there are plenty of others to hang out with.

Cathedral Heights is one Washington's most delightful little communities. Located around the towering National Cathedral, it consists primarily of moderately sized single family homes accented by a charming collection of century old row houses. For those who can't afford single family homes, or just prefer to live in something smaller, there are also numerous condos and apartments complexes, as well as cooperative units.
Neighborhood spirit is re-enforced by the number of local shops and small restaurants. These encourage neighbors to walk to local shopping or to meet friends for meals, rather than jumping in a car to go outside the area to the suburbs.
The only drawback to this location is that large scale events at the cathedral can snarl traffic and make it difficult to get in or out of the area. So, if you move here, be aware that any major triumph or tragedy that needs to be commemorated may result in you being very, very late to work. In my humble opinion, however, this problem is more than compensated for by the regular free concerts and lectures that the Cathedral regularly offers, not to mention the regular carillon bells ringing.