Marshall Heights
Neighborhood in Washington, District of Columbia
District of Columbia 20019
Neighborhood Reviews
Townhouses and duplexes built in the '40s
Marshall Heights was largely a shantytown from the early 1900s until about 1945. Townhouses, duplexes and single-family ramblers were built after World War II. These brick homes can still be found in the neighborhood today and typically cost between $250,000 and $400,000, depending on their condition. One-bedroom condo units built in the '60s cost between $75,000 and $100,000. Newer developments, including the neighborhood's latest along 49th Street, are primarily three-story townhouses with three to five bedrooms, priced between $400,000 and $600,000. Glenncrest Public Housing, a subsidized townhouse development that opened in 2008, is also in Marshall Heights. Staircases lead up to many homes' entryways in Marshall Heights, accommodating the neighborhood's steep terrain, and many homes have chain fences surrounding small front yards and backyards with decks. Short driveways accommodate one or two cars.Recreation at Fletcher-Johnson and Woody Ward
Although no "official" parks are within Marshall Heights' boundaries, locals gather at the Fletcher-Johnson campus to get outside and exercise. "You'll see people working out there on the stairs. There are clean and active tennis courts and basketball courts," Hasan-Towery says. The Marshall Heights Bisons, the community's youth flag football team, uses the school's field for practice. Woody Ward Community Center, just off Southern Avenue, has more recreational facilities, including a pool and dragon-themed playground, boxing and fitness centers, and indoor and outdoor basketball courts. The facility was completely renovated in 2021. Neighbors can also enjoy the building's colorful murals while strolling down the walking paths. For more outdoor space, Fort Dupont Park is a mile west. The park has 361 acres of wooded space, including 10 miles of hiking trails and community gardens.D.C. public schools and a highly rated charter school
Public school students in Marshall Heights typically attend either C.W. Harris Elementary School, which has a C-minus from Niche, or Nalle Elementary School, which has a C. Older students progress to C-rated Kelly Miller Middle School and C-minus rated H.D. Woodson High School. The high school has a solid reputation for athletics, with the girls' basketball team winning the D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association (DCIAA) title eight years in a row between 2006 and 2013 and the boys' basketball team recording a perfect season in 2016. Students may also attend KIPP DC Promise Academy, a public charter school off Benning Road that serves kindergarten through fourth grades. The school earned an A from Niche.Block parties, Marshall Heights Day and Capitol View Library
"Marshall Heights is famous for their block parties," Hasan-Towery says. One of these parties, which was held annually before the pandemic, is held on C street in honor of lifelong resident Debbie Thomas's son, who was a victim of gun violence in the neighborhood in 2000. "Every year, they would honor him and other victims who died in the community," Hasan-Towery says. Marshall Heights Day is another neighborhood event that connects residents with local resources and offers free food and entertainment at J.C. Nalle Community School. For more events, locals can visit the Capitol View Neighborhood Library. Kids and adults gather here for weekly book clubs, craft sessions, movie nights and informational sessions. The library was originally completed in 1965 after 10-year-old Francel Trotter stood in front of U.S. Senators to demand funding for the project in 1961. In 2018, she helped lead a charge to sue D.C. officials who slashed funding to rebuild the library. Renovations to the library were completed in 2019.On the Maryland border and 8 miles from downtown D.C.
Downtown D.C. is about 8 miles west of Marshall Heights, and Maryland borders the neighborhood on the east. Residents can commute across the Anacostia River by car or from the Benning Road Metro Station. The station services the Silver Line and Blue Line, which goes straight to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Metrobuses service stops along Benning Road and East Capitol Street. There has also been discussion of extending the streetcar line along H Street and Benning Road NE to reach the Benning Road Metro Station, though no decision has been reached as of July 2024. "The community is mixed on [the extension]," Hasan-Towery says. He explains that some residents living along Benning Road worry about the impact of construction and encroachment on their property, but many locals with limited transportation stand to benefit from the line. "Instead of taking the Blue, Silver or Orange Lines downtown, you could take one streetcar to Union Station," he says. Marshall Heights has an overall 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 10 for homicide and a 9 for robbery and assault with a weapon.Longstanding churches and Benco Shopping Center
Shopping and dining within Marshall Heights' borders are limited, though some options are nearby. The Benco Shopping Center, in the neighborhood's northwest corner, has storefronts including Velima Health and Pharmacy, KensBeauty supply store and Z Mart Grocery, a convenience store with some grocery items. For more extensive grocery trips, locals may visit the Safeway or CVS in the East River Park shopping center off 40th Street, about a mile and a half northwest. Marshall Heights has no sit-down restaurants, but locals can visit Bird's Kitchen on Marshall Heights' southern tip in the Civic Betterment neighborhood. This highly rated spot serves casual dishes like burgers, wings and a crabcake sandwich. There are nine churches in Marshall Heights, including the First Baptist Church of Marshall Heights, First National Baptist Church and St. John Baptist Church. These institutions still serve the community today, but "they were really the centerpieces of the community before the '60s," Hasan-Towery says.Efforts to redevelop Fletcher-Johnson Middle School
Marshall Heights was formerly served by Fletcher-Johnson Middle School, but the District shut down the school in 2008, citing low attendance. The former middle school sat on the site of Payne’s Cemetery, an African American cemetery used through the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the 1960s, nearly 40,000 graves on the sight were exhumed and moved to National Harmony Memorial Park in Prince George’s County, Maryland. "There was violence that took place on the Fletcher-Johnson campus, and it's an expensive place to operate and maintain," Hasan-Towery says. However, the community continues to use the site as a public space for events and recreation, says Hasan-Towery. Community members noticed that the campus, as the fourth largest developable plot of land owned by the District, could be redeveloped into a mixed-use space with neighborhood facilities that the area currently lacks. "We wanted to see something happen there that would encourage economic development. We wanted to have a grocery store, urgent care for health access, a restaurant for fast casual dining, affordable housing and an educational component for adults," says Hasan-Towery, who was part of the Fletcher-Johnson task force to advocate for the redevelopment. He explains that, although this original plan hasn't materialized, there are still plans to build an urgent care and, eventually, apartments and townhouses.
Written By
Faith Wakefield
Photography Contributed By
Jack Adams
Video By
Jackson Nacey
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Agents Specializing in this Area
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Lymar Curry
Lymar Curry
Responds QuicklyKeller Williams Preferred Properties
(571) 749-2295
50 Total Sales
2 in Marshall Heights
$258K - $665K Price Range
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Traci Johnson
Traci Johnson
Compass
(202) 856-9881
98 Total Sales
1 in Marshall Heights
$424,900 Price
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Russ Boyce
Russ Boyce
RE/MAX One
(301) 433-7450
44 Total Sales
1 in Marshall Heights
$519,990 Price
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Tawnya Brown
Tawnya Brown
Chapman Hall Realtors Atlanta North
(202) 875-5082
19 Total Sales
6 in Marshall Heights
$522,000 Price Range
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Marc Dosik
Marc Dosik
Century 21 Redwood Realty
(240) 221-5035
151 Total Sales
1 in Marshall Heights
$450,000 Price
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India Hall
India Hall
HomeSmart
(202) 902-6417
99 Total Sales
1 in Marshall Heights
$640,000 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
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Marvin Gaye Recreation Center
- Baseball/Softball
- Basketball
- Trails
Woody Ward Recreation Center
- Baseball/Softball
- Basketball
- Pool
Fort Chaplin Park
- Bike Trails
- Trails
Kelly Miller Recreation Center
- Basketball
- Picnic Area
- Pool
Benning Terrace Recreation Center
- Basketball
- Football
- Trails
Harris Recreation Center
- Soccer
- Playground
- Parking Lot
Transit
Reviews
Niche Reviews
5/31/2015
Niche Review
you would need to drive to a natural site to hike or camp
7/6/2016
Niche Review
This area is ok ,
5/31/2015
Niche Review
It is pretty normal weather, no great extremes. Its better than Atlanta weather and similar to New York City weather.
5/31/2015
Niche Review
The apartments here are very nice and are sold at a very good price.
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Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Marshall Heights | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 9 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 5 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 6 | 4 |
| Robbery | 8 | 4 |
| Burglary | 4 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 4 | 4 |
| Larceny | 3 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 5 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Marshall Heights Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Marshall Heights, Washington sell after 55 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Marshall Heights, Washington over the last 12 months is $419,900, down 3% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$407,500
Median Sale Price
$419,900
Median Single Family Sale Price
$394,495
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$522,000
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$141,950
Median Change From 1st List Price
0%
Last 12 months Home Sales
57
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
-3%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$251
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
1,297
Number of Homes for Sale
30
Median Year Built
1947
Months of Supply
6.30
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,205
Significantly below the national average
1,933
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,840
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
762
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
600
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
2,613
Open Houses
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Sunday, Jun 152 - 4pm
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Saturday, Jun 1411am - 1pm
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Saturday, Jun 141 - 3pm
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
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Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
6,872
Median Age
36
Population Density
28 ppl/acre
Population under 18
29.6%
Above the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
14.2%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$45,030
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$70,815
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
90.1%
College Graduates
22.9%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
9.4%
% Population in Labor Force
60.8%
On par with the national average
65.1%
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®
41
/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
38
/ 100
Good Transit
Transit Score®
60
/ 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
Coral Hills
Prince George's County homes on rolling hills by the D.C. border
Hillbrook
Affordable detached homes and community gardens in northeast D.C.
Benning Ridge
A suburban city neighborhood east of Anacostia River, beside two Civil War parks
Civic Betterment
Small but growing SE DC community a street away from the Maryland border
Capitol View
Deeply rooted community east of the Anacostia River
Benning Heights
A quiet residential neighborhood absolutely brimming with real-estate potential
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