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I currently live near downtown Silver Spring and am looking to move more into the city later this summer. I'm looking at a few places in Columbia Heights, within half a mile of the metro. (I'll be going to see one this week on Odgen Street.)
A lot of my friends live in the general area, and I haven't heard any horror stories. However, I freaked myself out by looking at the DC Crime Map.
In Silver Spring, I've never felt unsafe leaving the metro or taking one of the S buses at night. Usually, I'm not out past midnight (super cool, I know) and there's still plenty of people around. I've been to Columbia Heights a lot, but usually am with a group or just happen to go someplace closer to the metro, like the Pint or Sticky Fingers.
As a female in my 20s, how safe am I going to feel there? Let's say I go out in the evening and come back at 9-10pm. Or on a weekend night? Is anyone familiar with Ogden Street in particular?
No one can tell you how you will feel. But keep in mind those crime statistics are just raw numbers. They don't take into account population. So the numbers that appear high in Columbia Heights would certainly be shocking in a small town in Iowa, but when they are dispersed over a densely populated urban neighborhood with thousands of people, it's not quite so bad.
I bet you would be surprised by how much crime there is Silver Spring, as safe as it feels, if you found a crime map there.
My experience is the same as yours: I know many people who have lived in Columbia Heights and have never been a victim of a crime.
So to sum up: yes, you do have a higher risk of being a victim in Columbia Heights than the suburbs, but the risk is still low enough that it's very unlikely, as seen by the experiences of the people we know that live there. I don't think the risk is much higher than the risk one takes of getting in a car accident every time you get in a car. But you still get in the car. In fact, since Columbia Heights is very walkable, you might be safer living there than you would if you lived somewhere where you had to drive everywhere.
Thank you for answering!
I think the thing that was most shocking about the Crime Map was the high levels of crime (especially violent crime) in CH compared to other DC neighborhoods. I have a friend who lives in the NE in what I always thought was a less-than-stellar section, and the crime rate around her apartment was a fraction of CH. It was very eye-opening and had me second-guessing my apartment search there.
But that's exactly what I was trying to say. Columbia Heights is much more densely populated than anywhere in NE DC. So it should not be shocking that it has more crimes in terms of raw numbers. But that doesn't mean it is less safe! In fact, Columbia Heights could very well be safer than your friend's neighborhood because the PER CAPITA crime could be lower.
My girlfriend and I have lived in Columbia Heights for about 3 years and have both felt safe living here. The headline-grabbing crimes that occur are quite sporadic, and they seem to happen in the wee hours of the morning - at around 2 or 3.
Ogden is a pretty quiet residential street, and safety is a matter of personal perception. If you did consider moving to Ogden, I'd go by the area (particularly where Ogden intersects 14th) on the late side of when you'd likely be out and about, and see if you feel comfortable.
I did a walk-by of that street one morning, just because I was in the area. I'm going to go see the actual apartment soon, and then go by later in the evening with some friends, at the time I'd usually be heading back from the average happy hour.
I guess it just depends on whether or not I love the apartment and this particular building. It sounds like if I absolutely love it, I can make it work by getting as close as I can at night via bus on 14th or 16th, then briskly walking home. Or taking a cab straight to the door if I'm coming back after midnight.
If I don't love this particular place, then maybe I'll refocus my search to several apartments I've seen in other neighborhoods that are safer, but with less to do. CH isn't super convenient to my work, but I always liked how it's close to seemingly everything, and all the necessities (Target! Giant! Supposedly eventually a Petco!) are so close by. But it would seem a shame to live within walking distance of so many bars if I'm too nervous to walk home from them.
But I'd still love as many pointers and opinions as folks are willing to give!
CH isn't super convenient to my work, but I always liked how it's close to seemingly everything, and all the necessities (Target! Giant! Supposedly eventually a Petco!) are so close by.
No kidding. I live in downtown Silver Spring just like the OP. She could easily walk to Whole Foods, Giant, many restaurants, bars, pharmacies in her old Silver Spring neighborhood. I guess Target was the deal breaker since we don't have that in downtown Silver Spring. All well.
It's not that Target was the deal breaker. I was just hoping to be more centrally located, since it's usually a trek to get from Silver Spring to the downtown area. Also, it's become unusually difficult to find affordable, pet-friendly studios in Silver Spring. In the past year or two, prices have jumped significantly, unless I go further out from the metro--which makes traveling into the city even more difficult. (If I were able to find a decent deal in downtown Silver Spring, I would possibly stay.)
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