It’s the nation’s capital but it’s also a great place to live, especially if you don’t own a car! Washington, D.C. has so much to offer those who live here and those who visit. From its world renowned museums, to its parks and monuments, you’d never be short of something to do in Washington, D.C.
The city overall has a Walk Score of 73 making it the seventh most walkable city in the country. Most of the things you’d need to do and see can be accomplished on foot, so by living in the capital you can save yourself the cost of owning a vehicle. But which neighborhoods in Washington, DC are the best of the lot? Here are the city’s top 5:
Dupont Circle
There are not many neighborhoods in the United States that can lay claim to a Walk Score of 98 – Dupont Circle is just about as good as it gets for community living with everything you need falling within walking distance in this neighborhood. There are countless grocery stores, restaurants, shops and entertainment venues to make use of, and a couple of schools for the kids. It’s a good area in terms of crime too, with a crime index of approximately 60 percent lower than the Washington, D.C. average. The only drawback is the cost of living – homes cost a lot more here than the city average because it’s such a desirable place to live. Historic rowhouses line the streets and the median value of owner occupied homes is over $595,000.
West End
Source: Wikipedia.
Described as a ‘walker’s paradise’ by Walk Score, the neighborhood of West End is great if you enjoy walking, with its Walk Score of 97. Ditch the car and walk to the grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, bars, venues, and shops in this Washington, D.C. neighborhood. This great neighborhood has seen plenty of development over recent years, with luxury high-rises going up at many intersections, but, where there’s demand, prices are rising as West End becomes one of the top places to live in D.C.
Downtown
Downtown Washington, D.C. has a Walk Score of 96 so you can still do everything on foot and you don’t need a car to enjoy all the fabulous facilities and amenities of this neighborhood. This is the central business district for the nation’s capital and it’s home to businesses, museums, theaters, restaurants, and the major sporting venue – the Verizon Center. The White House is also within Downtown and there are a number of popular urban parks. New development is happening in the shape of CityCenterDC where condos, a luxury hotel, offices and more will provide far more residential space in the neighborhood. Being downtown you can expect a higher crime index though.
Penn Quarter
Source: Wikipedia.
Penn Quarter is in the East End of downtown DC and it’s a cozy neighborhood with only around 1,500 people living here. Penn Quarter has really been rejuvenated over recent years and it’s now a trendy little quarter of the city with contemporary art galleries, a farmers market, restaurants, bars, theater, museums, and shops, so as you’d expect it has a high Walk Score of 96. Landmarks include the FBI Headquarters, Madam Tussauds, and the National Portrait Gallery.
Logan Circle
Source: Wikipedia.
Centered around the historic traffic circle, Logan Circle is a historic district of Washington, D.C. and a great place to live. It’s a very residential neighborhood yet has everything you need close by so it ranks highly in terms of walkability, with a Walk Score of 96. Logan Circle has a good livability rating too with crime levels lower than the D.C. average, but, as with the rest of the city, cost of living is high compared to the national average. But you’ve got grocery stores close by, restaurants, good nightlife, theater, restaurants, and shops and the neighborhood is becoming a trendy place for young professionals to live.
