Capitol View
Neighborhood in Washington, District of Columbia
District of Columbia 20019
Semi-detached homes and public housing
Semi-detached brick homes built in the 1930s with simple awnings and minimal landscaping line the streets of Capitol View. Bungalows, ranches and colonial homes from the same era are also common and cost between $300,000 and $500,000. "There hasn't been a lot of residential turnover," Deskins says. The majority of people there now bought the house from people whose families were the first or second buyers of the house." Sidewalks and sometimes stairs lead up to the front entrance of homes, accommodating the neighborhood's hilly terrain, and cars park along the wide streets. East Capitol Dwellings, once D.C.'s largest public housing development notorious for its concentrated poverty and crime, was demolished in 2003 and replaced with the Capitol Gateway Complex. The Capitol Gateway Complex has mixed-income dwellings, including low-income senior apartments, privately owned single-family houses and townhouses in new traditional styles near the neighborhood's east side. "There are homeowners and some renters [in Capitol Gateway]. A lot of people moved out of East Capitol Dwellings into Capitol Gateway. They were long-term residents," Deskins says. The Southern Homes and Gardens Cooperative, in Capitol View's far eastern corner, has rent-to-own agreements for low-income residents in its townhouses.Marvin Gaye Trail and Recreation Center
Although no parks are within the neighborhood's boundaries, the Marvin Gaye Trail, north of the neighborhood, connects residents around the District. "It's a big, paved trail. It goes through Kenilworth Park, but it can also connect to a trail that goes by the Pepco plant, which drops you off on the Anacostia trail," Deskins says. "It's usable for a commute, and I used to use it to take my kids to school and the Metro station." Also just north of the neighborhood, the Marvin Gaye Recreation Center is a 7,200-square-foot facility completed in 2018. Its campus has playgrounds, softball and soccer fields, and basketball courts, as well as indoor fitness and community rooms. The building is made of steel on a concrete foundation that helps make it resistant to flooding; Watts Branch Stream runs through the campus, which is in a 100-year flood plain.Traditional public schools turned into charter schools
With the demolition of the East Capitol Dwellings in the early 2000s, several public schools shut down due to low attendance. "All the public schools became charter schools," Deskins says. Marion P. Shadd Elementary School closed in 2007 and reopened as the D.C. Scholars Public Charter School, which serves kindergarten through eighth grades. W. Bruce Evans Junior High School closed in 1996 and reopened in 2007 as Maya Angelou Public Charter School. Both schools earn a C-minus grade from Niche. The Maya Angelou School focuses on educating at-risk high school students. According to the school's website, 27% of its students have been incarcerated, and 39% of its students have special needs. Students attending traditional public schools often begin at C-minus-rated C.W. Harris Elementary School before progressing to C-rated Kelly Miller Middle School and C-minus-rated H.D. Woodson High School.East Capitol Urban Farm and community events
Capitol View comes together for informal events throughout the year. "There are dedicated community members who create community for themselves," Deskins says. "Our neighbors on 54th Street put together a block party. There was music, tables set out for food, kids running around, things like that." The University of the District of Colombia maintains the East Capitol Urban Farm, a 3-acre community garden at the corner of East Capitol Street and Southern Avenue. The farm hosts a market each week where residents can get free produce and learn about growing and preparing fresh foods. The Capitol View Library, which also serves the Marshall Heights neighborhood, hosts story times, educational programs, book clubs and movie nights.Getting downtown from Capitol View
"There's always parking, and there's not really any traffic other than the Main Road," Deskins says. He explains that many commuters from Maryland drive west through Capitol View into downtown D.C., and Marylanders also park at the Capitol Heights Metro station — just across the state border from the neighborhood — and ride in for work, making it busy in the morning. Both the Benning Road Metro Station and Capitol Heights Metro Station are on the Blue and Silver Lines toward downtown, about 6 miles west. The Blue Line also takes riders directly to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, about 10 miles west. East of the River Health Center is a clinic off Benning Road, and United Medical Center Hospital is about 6 miles south. Capitol View has a CAP Index crime score of 6, indicating a higher crime risk than the national average of 4. The neighborhood's CAP index score is a 9 for homicide and an 8 for robbery and assault with a weapon.Getting groceries in Capitol View
There are limited shopping and dining restaurants in Capitol View, and the closest grocery store is Safeway on Benning Road, about 2 miles west. "Unfortunately, we live in a food desert like most Black neighborhoods," Deskins says. "There's a big empty lot on 58th that was supposed to be a grocery store that's been held up ever since Walmart got out of building it there." In 2022, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Council of the District of Columbia initiated eminent domain to reclaim ownership of the land from Walmart and move forward with developing the Capitol Gateway Marketplace anchored by a Giant Food store at the site. As of July 2024, construction has not yet begun. Locals can visit Capital Szechuan for Chinese takeout or Toni's Market for a small selection of grocery items and convenience foods. The intersection of Benning Road and East Capitol Street nearby also has more businesses, including a 7-Eleven, Denny's, and a pharmacy and beauty supply store in the Benco Shopping Center.
Written By
Faith Wakefield
Photography Contributed By
Jack Adams
Video By
Luke Mancari
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Agents Specializing in this Area
-
Dale Mattison
Dale Mattison
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
(844) 203-2172
95 Total Sales
1 in Capitol View
$380,000 Price
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Russ Brown
Russ Brown
Realty One Group Performance, LLC
(240) 839-6555
91 Total Sales
2 in Capitol View
$555K - $565K Price Range
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Edward Vasquez
Edward Vasquez
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
(240) 905-4866
95 Total Sales
1 in Capitol View
$257,000 Price
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Bronwyn Scott
Bronwyn Scott
Samson Properties
(202) 849-9767
46 Total Sales
1 in Capitol View
$539,990 Price
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Stephanie Cooper
Stephanie Cooper
RLAH @properties
(202) 883-6205
80 Total Sales
1 in Capitol View
$355,000 Price
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Brandon Scott
Brandon Scott
Keller Williams Capital Properties
(202) 953-2491
60 Total Sales
1 in Capitol View
$430,000 Price
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- 9th to 12th
- Public
- 6th to 8th
- Public
- Pre-K to 5th
- Public
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Parks in this Area
Marvin Gaye Park
Marvin Gaye Recreation Center
- Baseball/Softball
- Basketball
- Trails
Marvin Gaye Park
- Baseball/Softball
- Basketball
- Bike Trails
Woody Ward Recreation Center
- Baseball/Softball
- Basketball
- Pool
Kelly Miller Recreation Center
- Basketball
- Picnic Area
- Pool
Harris Recreation Center
- Soccer
- Playground
- Parking Lot
Transit
Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Capitol View | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 9 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 5 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 6 | 4 |
| Robbery | 7 | 4 |
| Burglary | 4 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 4 | 4 |
| Larceny | 3 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 5 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Capitol View Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Capitol View, Washington sell after 35 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Capitol View, Washington over the last 12 months is $454,950, up 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$450,000
Median Sale Price
$454,950
Median Single Family Sale Price
$454,950
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$406,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
0%
Last 12 months Home Sales
20
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
2%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$231
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
507
Number of Homes for Sale
6
Median Year Built
1951
Months of Supply
3.60
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,443
Significantly below the national average
1,933
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,391
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
3,049
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
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Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
1,734
Median Age
37
Population Density
19 ppl/acre
Population under 18
28.3%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
15.2%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$72,034
On par with the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$117,497
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
93.1%
On par with the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
36.1%
Advanced Degrees
20.4%
Above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
66%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
44''
Average Winter Low Temperature
27°F
Average Summer High Temperature
89°F
Annual Snowfall
14''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
38
/ 100
Somewhat Walkable
Walk Score®
51
/ 100
Good Transit
Transit Score®
67
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Fairmount Heights
An intimate suburb with as much history as its neighbor in Washington D.C
Hillbrook
Affordable detached homes and community gardens in northeast D.C.
Marshall Heights
Residential D.C. neighborhood with 1940s houses and longtime residents
Civic Betterment
Small but growing SE DC community a street away from the Maryland border
Burrville
Residential neighborhood that offers a short commute and tons of parks
East Corner
Established homes with new development on D.C.'s eastern corridor
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