Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States, thus its one major industry is government, the passing and administrating of laws and regulations, and the lobbying of government to affect that process.
Washington, being an international city, is a center of culture and art, both fine and culinary.
The city is a prime tourist attraction where millions every year visit the seats of government such as the White House and the Capitol Building, as well as monuments dedicated to George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and other luminaries from history.
The Smithsonian maintains several museums dedicated to Natural History, American History, and Air and Space, among other subjects.
In 2023. Washington experienced 375.6 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
Contents
10 Safest Neighborhoods in Washington D.C.
1. Hawthorne
This is a very affluent neighborhood in the northwest part of Washington close to Montgomery County, Maryland.
It is an entirely residential neighborhood with no commercial businesses and a few hundred single-family homes mainly built in the 1940s.
The area has an excellent public school system.
The violent crime rate is 19 average annual incidents per 100,000 people.
The property crime rate is 162 average annual incidents per 100,000 people.
The area is noted to have had zero murders in 2022.
2. Woodland Normanstone
It is another affluent neighborhood, but closer to the center of the city.
The neighborhood is noted for having large, expensive homes that could be described as mansions, with no townhouses, apartment buildings, or row houses.
Some of the houses in this area of Washington contain foreign embassies.
It has a meandering, casual appeal that is a popular venue for walking tours.
The neighborhood is close to several green spaces.
The violent crime rate is just 23 average annual incidents per 100,000 people.
Virtually no property crime rate has been recorded.
3. Palisades
It runs from the edge of the Georgetown University campus to the Washington D.C./Maryland border.
The neighborhood has a mixture of expensive single-family homes, apartments, and townhomes.
The houses located along Potomac Avenue have a spectacular view of the Potomac River and are noted for the location’s splendid sunsets.
The neighborhood has a good public school system and several private schools.
Bars, restaurants, and coffee shops within easy walking distance abound.
The average annual violent crime rate is 162 incidents per 100,000 people and little or no property crimes are recorded.
4. Adams Morgan
This is a culturally diverse neighborhood located in the northwest part of Washington just a mile and a half from the White House.
Several foreign embassies are located in this neighborhood as well as bars, restaurants, historical buildings, and independently owned shops.
The neighborhood is well known for its active nightlife.
It has hotels for every budget and circumstance.
Its average annual violent crime rate is 30 incidents per 100,00 people, and its property crime rate is 4186 average annual incidents per 100,000 people.
5. Foxhall Village
It is located in the northwest of Washington to the west of Georgetown University.
The neighborhood is arranged like a European village (hence the name) with Tudor revival row houses.
The residents are very affluent since the cost of housing is very much higher than the national average.
Amenities include bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks.
The public schools are considered above average.
The overall crime rate (both violent and property) is 1756 average annual incidents per 100,000 people, making it below average for the Washington area.
6. Foggy Bottom
This is another affluent neighborhood that stretches from the Potomac to the western edge of Georgetown.
It gets its name from the persistent fog that lingers in the early morning hours.
The State Department is located here as well as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The neighborhood is noted for its numerous quaint bars and restaurants.
The Watergate Hotel, the scene of the famous break-in that led to a scandal and the fall of President Richard Nixon, is also here.
Combined violent and property crime is under 1000 average annual incidents per 100,000 people.
7. Chevy Chase
This is an affluent neighborhood located in the northwest of Washington.
It consists of primarily large, expensive single-family homes and condos and has a suburban feel for an area that is close to the center of the city.
The neighborhood contains a large park that includes several playgrounds, ball fields, tennis courts, and a small amphitheater.
Chevy Chase has two commercial streets, Connecticut Avenue and Friendship Heights, which boast many bars, restaurants, and high-end shops.
The annual average crime rate (both violent and property) is 2050 incidents per 100,000 people.
8. Mount Pleasant
It is located in the northwest part of Washington.
It is a wooded neighborhood next to the Washington Zoo.
The area has a Hispanic feel, with a lot of ethnic restaurants offering cuisine from some countries in South America.
Many residents rent rather than own their own homes.
The neighborhood is replete with small, mom-and-pop stores which are easily accessible by walking and/or public transportation.
The average annual crime rate in Mount Pleasant is 2267 average incidents (both violent and property) per 100,000 people.
9. Logan Circle
This is a culturally diverse neighborhood in the northwest part of Washington centered on a park with a statue of a Civil War general named John Logan.
Most of the residents live in a turn of the 20th-century townhomes, The main business street is 14th Street NW, which contains several trendy shops, eclectic restaurants and bars, and performance venues.
The area also contains boutique hotels for visitors to the nation’s capital.
The overall average annual crime rate is 4391 incidents per 100,000 people.
10. Brookland
This is located in the northeast part of Washington and is known as the location of several Catholic institutions such as Catholic University, with its Romanesque architecture.
The neighborhood is characterized by tree-lined streets and quaint, old homes.
It is also known for its arts scene with galleries and live performance venues.
The neighborhood is also known for its great bars and restaurants, with a vibrant nightlife serving the local college community.
The average annual violent crime rate is 1130 average incidents per 100,000 people, and the property crime rate is 6021 average annual incidents per 100,000 people.
5 Safety Tips for Traveling to Washington D.C.
- Avoid taking out cash or your cell phone in public, if at all possible, to avoid tempting muggers.
- Put your money, credit cards, and ID documents in a money belt rather than a wallet in your back pocket.
- When you are out on the street, maintain a level of situational awareness. If you don’t feel safe, by all means, go into the nearest business and call a cab or rideshare to travel the rest of the way to where you’re going.
- Avoid being out on the street after dark.
- If at a bar or restaurant you find yourself inebriated, call a cab or rideshare to get back to where you’re staying. Drunk driving or even drunk walking is never a good idea.
Washington DC Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Washington DC Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
- SCAMS RISK: LOW
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Frequently Asked Questions
How does one get around Washington D. C.?
Washington has an extensive underground metro system with stations near outlying car parks as well as all of the principal sights.
Rideshare is also an option if you want to get to where you’re going more quickly and are willing to pay a little more.
What is the most dangerous neighborhood in Washington?
Brentwood, located in the northeast part of Washington, is considered the most dangerous part of the city.
In 2022, in a community of 28,660, 1715 violent crimes and 7556 property crimes occurred in the neighborhood.
What is the best tourist attraction in Washington?
The United States capital is filled with tourist attractions.
If one had to pick the best, must-visit place it would be the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, which contains artifacts of the conquest of the air and space as the Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, and the Apollo 11 command module are on exhibit there.
