Columbia Heights

Columbia Heights is another neighborhood that I think has a great future. Located in the northwest section of the city this neighborhood of approximately 31,344 residents, is a mix of commercial and residential uses. Homes are a mixture of attached "row house" style homes as well as detached single family homes. In addition, you will also find a number of apartments and condominiums as well. In 2010 the average price for a home sold in this neighborhood was $479,297, with 18% being owner occupied.

Residents have a number of schools here including Cardoza High School, Benjamin Bannecker High School as well as the Capital City PCS - Lower School. Target and Giant are two of the major stores here in Columbia Heights, but residents enjoy a number of smaller stores as well. Public transportation is excellent with the Columbia Heights Metro station along 14th Street N.W. and numerous Metro Bus stops in the neighborhood. Residents will find at least 15 places of worship here. Restaurants can be found along 14th Street N.W, primarily north of Columbia Road N.W.. One of the nice things about Columbia Heights is the Powell Recreation Center as well as the Girard Street Park and Garfield Park.

Despite what recent crime statistics say, I am still bullish on this neighborhood. Crimes against people and property occur daily here. As always check the most recent crime statistics and make an informed decision as to the crime risk in any neighborhood. This neighborhood has lots to offer.

Columbia Heights is very diverse, with a broad mixture of income and race. You can find anything from rather expensive houses to housing projects, and they all seem to get along just fine. In addition, there is a very nice commercial center with everything you might need readily available. This keeps property values higher. After all, who doesn't want convenience and safety? The drawback of course is increased noise, but for most residents, it is a worthwhile price to pay.
Columbia Heights has its own Metro station, and is very walkable. Evenings will find the younger set sitting in coffee shops and restaurants after work, or buying groceries on their way home. In a city where racial tensions still dominate the scene, here there is very little of that. On the other hand, the schools aren't very good, and many residents of Columbia Heights cannot afford private school. No matter what you choose for school though, your children will have the opportunity to enjoy a nice place to hang out with friends. Because of the recent revitalization efforts, many of the shops, restaurants and other establishments are rather trendy. It is therefore easy to see why younger adults love this neighborhood so much.

A lot of affordable housing options, and a lot of great shopping choices. I lived within walking distance of the area, and the Target near the metro was so close, I didn't know how well I had it. Only when I moved farther south that I realized it was the only Target in the city, along with Bed Bath and Beyond and Best Buy.

As others have stated, the area is rebuilding, if slowly. If you are young, work in the city, and don't live in Northern Virginia or Maryland, chances are you live in Columbia Heights. And with good reason- while the apartments here aren't necessarily cheap, many are by far more reasonable than options in the rest of the city.

You're also walking distance (or a short metro or car ride) from almost any other neighborhood. Plus the area is not without its own perks. The arts are alive and well with the Gala Hispanic Theatre and Area 121 is perfect for a post-show cocktail. For a delicious and slightly off-kilter brunch (pizza!) with bottomless mimosas, Redrocks Pizza is ideal. While lacking a little of the pizzazz of its nearby neighborhoods, Columbia Heights is still a safe, affordable place to live in the DC landscape.

Serious science fiction fans may have a sense of déjà vu when travelling down on of Columbia Heights’ busy streets. That’s because the brave Bensons, heros of the 1951 version of The Day the Earth Stood Still, called this neighborhood home. Or at least the movie’s photographer did.
Back then, Columbia Heights was a model of all that a neighborhood in the nation’s captitol should be. Formerly segregated, it has made tremendous strides in leading the nation toward Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream of a peaceful integration of the races. Sadly, this was not to last.
In 1968, riots broke out across the country with the death of Dr. King. These riots destroyed some of the finest African American neighborhoods in the country, incluing Columbia Heights. For decades, damaged homes and businesses stood empty.
All that is changing now, though. Residents used the opening of the Columbia Heights Metro station in 1999 to inspire investors and builders to give the neighborhood a much deserved face lift. Now, a decade later, new and thriving businesses and single family homes are changing the face of this area from burned out destruction to suburban charm. So, if you’d like ot be part of something fresh and growing, Columbia Heights may be the place for you.

Located in the Northwest section of Washington, DC, Columbia Heights has much that will accomodate young professionals, families and those who just want to come and experience the nightlife!


It's main thoroughfare, 14th Street, is where you will find two enterances to the Columbia Heights metro station and several buses that pick you up and drop you off. You'll also find many establishments that will satisfy your need for retail therapy and dining experience!

Among the housing options, you'll find both home sales and rentals available...