Forest Hills

Diverse Neighborhood that is Fantastic for Outdoor Activities
The name Forest Hill itself describes the exact nature of the neighborhood. Its uniqueness is that it promotes recreational activities in a natural setting. The number of embassies in the area bring in a lot of diversity into the neighborhood giving the residents a remarkable global experience. Rock Creek Park is one of the main attractions known for its amusement opportunities such as hiking, biking and running.

The neighborhood sits only a few minutes away from Cleveland Park which has plenty of dining options. Renters truly get the best of both worlds by choosing to live in Forest Hills.
What Forest Hills Residents
Think About Their Apartments
overall
7.0
value
7.6
amenities
6.5
social
6.0
management
7.5
safety
9.6
Median rents in Forest Hills
Studio
$
1,550
1 Bedroom
$
1,950
2 Bedroom
$
2,900

Living in
Forest Hills

Outdoor Activities available
Close to popular locations
Convenient Commute
Quiet Neighborhood
Safe
Family Friendly
Not Lively
Grocery Store nearby
Forest Hills — 7.8/10 Rating (based on 42 neighborhood reviews)
Van Ness is a nice, quiet neighborhood with decent transportation and options for food and shopping. You’re right between a few other neighborhoods with lots of food and shopping like Tenleytown and Cleveland Park, and just a short ride away from Woodley Park, Adams Morgan, and DuPont, and also not too far from downtown. It’s a very driveable area with ample parking but you could easily walk, metro, or bus anywhere you need to be. It feels very safe and family oriented, and I’ve always felt comfortable here. My only complaint is that sometimes it can be a bit *too* quiet if you’re looking for nightlife or something to do of that nature.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Brandywine Apartments
This neighborhood seems safe, so far. Many students from UDC live here. There are always people walking around at all times of day. The Giant food is open until midnight and there is a CVS located next door, that is open 24 hours. The red line runs until 11 pm. I never feel unsafe walking around at night. There are little restaurants and nail salons nearby-- some are good, some are just average. There's a good farmer's market every Saturday during the summer. It seems like a relaxed, safe neighborhood with everything I need in it.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
AVA Van Ness
This is a great area, located between UDC and Howard Law & Divinity school, we have great neighbors! The area is generally young seeming without being a rowdy college area. Very easy access to public transport, various parks, hiking trails (Melvin C. Hazen, Soapstone Valley, Rock creek park) in a generally spacious area makes it great to have dogs as well, and you see a lot of them!

A few small restaurants, beer & wine shops, bakeries and amenities like dry cleaners, car wash and gym make it a really convenient but still quiet area to reside in. If you want more action you can always walk to Cleveland Park which is less than 10 minutes to get to.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
AVA Van Ness
The neighborhood is right next to Rock Creek Park, so there's lots of outdoor hiking/running available. But, it's just a few minutes walking from Cleveland Park, with tons of bars and restaurants, and very close to Tenleytown/Friendships Heights, with lots of shopping and entertainment (including movie theaters). It's right on the Red Line, so super easy to get to downtown, and a lot of the ambassador residences are nearby (aka, lots of fun to look at).
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
AVA Van Ness
I like the area on Connecticut avenue, just wish there were better food options. Great community, overall safe, love the HBCU next door (UDC). UDC is a great HBCU and community to be near.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
AVA Van Ness
Quieter neighborhood. Convenient grocery shopping, pharmacy, restaurants and movie theatre not too far away in Cleveland Park. Easy access to the metro. Pet and family friendly.
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Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
3003 Van Ness
Nice, quiet, and safe with some restaurants in the area. Seems very family friendly and slower paced than downtown. Easy access to grocery stores.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Saratoga
Close to the Zoo and great restaurants. Close enough to Downtown, but far enough away where you're not in the chaos but still in DC.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Van Ness East A Condominium
This neighborhood is quiet and safe. Very residential and lots of families living on the side streets. It's very easy to get to AU's campus, either driving or on the bus. The only downside is that it is not super convenient to the restaurants and bars where many students will hang out. I spend a lot of money on Ubers and Lyfts to get home because I am not comfortable walking late at night by myself. The Van Ness metro is about 12 minute walk away.
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Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
4801 Connecticut Avenue Apartments
I've enjoyed living in Forest Hills because we're only a 3 minute walk away from a large grocery store, a pharmacy, and the metro. There are also a decent number of good restaurants nearby, though not as many as I'd like. You have to head down to Cleveland Park for most of the good restaurants and bars, which is not too far.
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Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Park Connecticut
Having a grocery store nearby and a metro stop is incredibly convenient. It is easy to get into DC or out to Bethesda. That being said there aren't a lot of good restaurants or shops in this area, but it is easy to access other areas by metro.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
AVA Van Ness
The neighborhood is lovely and generally very safe. However, it is very quiet and very residential. There are some great restaurants and bakeries in the area and I love going on walks to explore the diverse architecture.
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Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Chesapeake
There are not a variety of restaurants around and the area is not very diverse or cultured. It’s very white with the exception of the Howard law and UDC students and a few people from the embassies
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Van Ness East A Condominium
Cleveland Park is one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city. It is safe, quiet, has a great neighborhood feel, has great restaurants, but is also extremely accessible by metro and bus.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
3801 Connecticut Avenue
It is quiet and I feel safe there. However, it is full of families and not many businesses. The only drawback is that it is far from downtown and young adult social scene.
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Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
4801 Connecticut Avenue Apartments
Very family friendly neighborhood and complex. Not uncommon to see little kids running around while they're out walking with their family.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Avalon The Albemarle
Nice quiet neighborhood. Not too much happening but very close to places where there’s more businesses/bars/restaurants.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
3003 Van Ness
Fantastic neighborhood - great for young people. It's also very green, and close to Rock Creek Park trails.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
3801 Connecticut Avenue
Great, family friendly neighborhood. Close to a metro stop and several stores/restaurants.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Avalon The Albemarle
Van Ness is a great neighborhood.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Ellicott House Apartments
Safe. Well supplied. Well groomed.
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Van Ness East A Condominium
The Forest Hills/Van Ness neighborhood is great. It is a very short walk to Tenleytown (15 mins) and a 10 min walk to the Van Ness Metro, Giant Food, CVS, and a plethora of good coffee shops and restaurants. The M4 bus stops 3 blocks up the road and takes you straight to AU and the L2 runs very consistently on Connecticut Ave. The Chesapeake backs up to Forrest Hills Park and Rock Creek is right down the street with lots of trails. Overall, the whole neighborhood is very safe and student-friendly.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Chesapeake
The neighborhood is very nice. Many things are in walking distance like a few restaurants, a movie theater, and the Cleveland Park Metro stop. It is a bit of a food desert in that the grocery stores and restaurants that are accessible are a tad on the expensive side. The neighborhood is pretty quiet and people are usually pretty friendly. Overall, a decent neighborhood for people at different stages in their lives.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
3801 Connecticut Avenue
Van Ness is on several bus routes and very near to the (Van Ness) metro stop. Moving off of Connecticut Ave. quickly becomes entirely residential, but there are restaurants and other amenities (such as grocery stores, dry cleaners, etc) along Connecticut. It's not a crazy or busy neighborhood like several others, which personally, I appreciate, but it does mean you'll have to go a bit farther than home if you're looking to go out for the night.
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Avalon The Albemarle
Van Ness/Forest Hills is quiet and a little boring. Not a lot of places to go out to eat or grab a drink in the immediate area. However, Cleveland Park and Tenleytown are fairly close. I love walking our dog up around International Drive and the embassies there. We frequently see deer coming up from Rock Creek Park, and the UDC/Howard Law students are mostly very courteous (many of them live in the neighborhood too, so they care about it also). The neighborhood feels very safe--lots of police presence, Secret Service sub-station in the neighborhood, and the local vagabonds are not aggressive to pedestrians--they mostly mind their own business.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
3003 Van Ness
This neighborhood is very peaceful. Besides the occasional helicopters, it is also very quiet. If you’re originally from the suburbs like I am, you’ll love Forest Hills/ Van Ness. It is the perfect blend of city (restaurants, shops, busy road) and suburbs.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Park Connecticut
Quiet but not too quiet. Close grocery, pharmacy, transit, and park.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
3003 Van Ness
Great up and coming neighborhood. Right next to Cleveland Park and Admo. Not “cute” by any means but there is a Farmers Market every Saturday.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
3003 Van Ness
Forest Hills/Van Ness is a great neighborhood. It's very safe, close to campus, and very chill. It's family-oriented so if you're looking for something closer to nightlife, I'd suggest another neighborhood. I like that it's quiet but close enough to Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle. There are some good restaurants, but not many bars nearby. If you plan on cooking at home most of the time then this neighborhood is a great option. If you'd like to be within walking distance of a lot of bars/restaurants then I'd suggest Adams Morgan.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Avalon The Albemarle
Pros: safe area (I can let my dog out after midnight and feel safe), <10 min walk to metro, bus stop right outside, grocery store/CVS <10 min walk away (although the giant isn't the greatest), lots of on-street parking available (great for guests),
Cons: not a lot of activities within walking distance
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Saratoga
Quiet neigborhood, nice people, no crime or violence, several schools and universities.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
AVA Van Ness
The neighborhood is very nice and very quiet. It has a metro and a nice size grocery store, right next to it.
It is a very safe area, very family friendly.
The only con is the fact that it is not a very vibrant neighborhood.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
3003 Van Ness
Cleveland park can be pricey, but thats because it is one of the safest, upscale neighborhoods in the district without being too crazy busy. It is located in Zone 3 which means decent street parking available!
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
3801 Connecticut Avenue
Metro and grocery stores very close by. Some good restaurants also very accessible, with Cleveland Park easily walkable for more options and some bars. A bit far from downtown but plenty to do.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
AVA Van Ness
Pros: Safe, quiet, near rock creek park and zoo. H busses are convenient, as is the Metro. Cons: a little too far away from things, expensive, not much going on in the neighborhood.
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
3801 Connecticut Avenue
Easy to access downtown and more bustling neighborhoods, but quiet when I come home. Right off Connecticut Ave and lots of public transportation options.
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
3003 Van Ness
I feel very safe. Not great for food or social situations but it’s close to campus and I can get back via transit from anywhere
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Tilden Hall
The neighborhood feels very suburban and is fairly safe. There are many families and people with pets walking around.
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Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Brandywine Apartments
The neighborhood is nice during the day, but I also moved to an apartment complex across the street and had a street level apartment. A man came to my window at night six times and watched me sleep or do whatever inside. The lock on my living room window was also broken. The police finally caught him but I was told he was released and I moved out of the neighborhood for my safety. I can't tell if this is just city life or an exceptional experience but it was particularly terrifying as a young woman alone.
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Reviewed by
5
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Avalon The Albemarle
Not a ton to do but only a walk away from Van Ness and Tenleytown
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Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
4801 Connecticut Avenue Apartments
Nice area
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
AVA Van Ness
Very quiet, secure, peaceufl.
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Brandywine Apartments


Getting to Know
Forest Hills

Neighborhood Boundaries
East to West Boundaries: Broad Branch Road NW to Connecticut Ave NW
North to South Boundaries: Nebraska Ave NW to Quebec St NW
dining
Galanga Indonesian Cuisine
Italian Pizza Kitchen
Jake’s American Grille
Pho 14
grocery
Giant
convenience
Walgreens
fitness
OnPoint Fitness
Yoga Hikes
parks
Melvin C Hazen Park
Soapstone Valley Park
coffee
Bread Furst
Little Red Fox
bus
D32/H2/L2 (bus)
L1/L2 (bus)
rail
Red (metro)
About your Neighbors
Data from the 2013 American Community Survey
Zip Codes
Forest Hills includes zip codes 20008 and 20015
Rent vs Own
51
% of Forest Hills residents are renters
Driving to Work
36
% of Forest Hills residents drive to work
New Construction
4
% of housing units in Forest Hills have been built in the last 15 years
Building Types
34
%
<20 units
12
%
20-49 units
53
%
50+ units
Demographics
Children (under 18)
12
%
18 - 34
34
%
35 - 54
25
%
55+
30
%
Unit Mix
11
%
Studio
38
%
1 Bed
20
%
2 Bed
31
%
3+ Bed
Occupation or Education
Working Professional
71
%
Undergrad Student
3
%
Grad Student
9
%
Unemployed
2
%
Retired
13
%

Best Apartments
in Forest Hills

Quebec House
Studio $1,755
1 Bed $2,418
2 Beds $2,887
The Essex
1 Bed $1,700
2 Beds $2,400

Check availability
The Arcadia
Studio $1,375
1 Bed $1,649
2 Beds $2,399

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The Connecticut
1 Bed $1,950
2 Beds $2,700

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Yuma
1 Bed $1,399

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Park Van Ness
Studio $1,720
1 Bed $1,870
2 Beds $3,110

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