Capital Hill (fit in, hair salon, houses)

[dpguarnero]

What kind of area is Capital Hill? Is it a relatively safe area? Would a single female feel safe? I am currently looking into a house on the 600 block of E street NE. Its not far from Union station. Seems like reviews of the area are very mixed ranging from "stay away" to "as safe as any where in metro DC" Any help would be great!

[JimGriffith]

It gets shady the farther you head north, but that part of Capitol Hill is basically fine.

As with pretty much anywhere in DC, you've gotta keep your "Spidey Sense" on, because random muggings and stuff do happen around there.

[DC's Finest]

6th & E Street is a safe area. Just keep your wits about you.

[saganista]

A bit northeast of Stanton Park. You should be fine there. Just keep in mind that it's still a city. Let's be careful out there. It is true that things tend to fall off just a bit as you get down off The Hill and head toward H Street, then worse yet if you were to continue on up toward Gallaudet. But you'll be a long way from all that, and quite close to such fine eateries as Two Quails and Cafe Berlin, both of which are on Mass Ave just west of the park. The biggest risk may be an increasing desire to get a dog to walk so you can fit in with the rest of the neighborhood...

[dpguarnero]

The biggest risk may be an increasing desire to get a dog to walk so you can fit in with the rest of the neighborhood...

that is quite a risk.

Thanks for the replies so far...Would a walk to the Metro station be fairly safe? You mention some places to eat. What else is there in the area?

[saganista]

The walk to Metro depends on whether you like walking (dog or no) and tolerance for weather conditions. The Metro stop is on the west side of Union Station, so it's maybe 12-15 minutes depending on your pace. That would get you to the Red Line. Stops on the Orange and Blue Lines are in SE rather than NE, so they'd be twice that or more. Walking around is generally safe until well into the evening hours. Once the rest of the neighborhood has locked the door for the night, it's probably best to do the same.

The neighborhood is mostly houses with other things mixed in. A Mom & Pop carry-out here, a small drug store or dry cleaner there, the odd church or two. I believe a Chipotle Grill is still tucked back in there somewhere as well. There is more commercial stuff along H Street, particularly a little to the west of you, more toward Union Station. That area isn't perfect yet, but they're working on it. Along Mass Ave are more restaurants, a hair salon, a liquor store, some small office buildings and the like. That side of the neighborhood is perfectly fine...

[hurd300403]

I live on 12 and f st ne and though the walk is long I get great exercise and a fresh start in the mornings. I've also had many nights walking home a lone between 11 and 3am and never once had an issue. I am male, but I do notice women walking alone around 11pm a lot, which I take as a good sign. The area is great because living is fairly cheap still, but it certianly won't be for long. Also, don't go north of h st and youll be fine!

[slim04]

Originally Posted by saganista

I believe a Chipotle Grill is still tucked back in there somewhere as well. ...

Sadly there is a no Chipotle in Capitol Hill. The phone book erroneously listed a location at 601 F. NE, but it really meant 601 F St. NW (i.e. the Verizon Center in Chinatown). You can image my disappointment when I found out that 601 F St NE was a house with a "Stop the War Now" poster and had to eat lunch at a deli instead.