Population 34,064 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Columbia Heights
Household size in Columbia Heights
| Period | Columbia Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.37 | 2.73 | 2.19 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.82 | 2.29 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.38 | 2.86 | 2.38 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.09 | 2.77 | 2.09 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.27 | +0.04 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Columbia Heights are small: just 2.09 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.37 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Columbia Heights
| Period | Columbia Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.7 | 37.0 | 36.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.2 | 37.6 | 35.6 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.3 | 38.5 | 35.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 31.9 | 39.2 | 36.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +2.2 | +0.2 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 31.9, Columbia Heights is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 30.7 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other Washington neighborhood is younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Columbia Heights
| Period | Columbia Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.2% | 11.3% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.2% | 11.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 10.4% | 12.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.3% | 10.4% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −0.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are more common in Columbia Heights than nationally: 14.3%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 1.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Columbia Heights has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Washington neighborhoods.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Columbia Heights
Renters in Columbia Heights
| Period | Columbia Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.0% | 34.0% | 56.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 69.5% | 36.6% | 58.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 69.5% | 36.8% | 58.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 66.0% | 36.3% | 58.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Columbia Heights rent: 66.0% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 21.2% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 5.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Columbia Heights
| Period | Columbia Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 8.7% | 13.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 7.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 6.6% | 10.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 5.9% | 10.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −3.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Columbia Heights as nationally: 8.7%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Washington area as a whole (5.9%). Vacancy has fallen 6.1 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Columbia Heights
| Period | Columbia Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1948 | 1977 | 1952 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1948 | 1978 | 1954 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1952 | 1979 | 1957 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1958 | 1982 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +6 | +10 | +6 |
The housing in Columbia Heights is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1958, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1948 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the north has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Columbia Heights
| Period | Columbia Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $952 | $1,470 | $1,166 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,312 | $1,583 | $1,368 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,541 | $1,907 | $1,677 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,082 | $2,236 | $2,078 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,130 | +$766 | +$912 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Columbia Heights costs $2,082 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the Washington area overall ($2,236). Rents are up $1,130 a month from 2006–10, a 119% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 26.1% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Columbia Heights
Bachelor's degrees in Columbia Heights
| Period | Columbia Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.0% | 46.6% | 47.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 50.7% | 48.2% | 52.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 63.5% | 51.0% | 58.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 66.7% | 53.9% | 63.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +27.7 pts | +7.3 pts | +16.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Columbia Heights: 66.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 27.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Columbia Heights
| Period | Columbia Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.3% | 89.4% | 86.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.0% | 90.2% | 88.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.7% | 90.8% | 91.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.4% | 91.2% | 92.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +17.1 pts | +1.7 pts | +6.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Columbia Heights have finished high school as nationally: 89.4%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Washington area as a whole (91.2%). The share with a diploma has risen 17.1 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Columbia Heights
| Period | Columbia Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 5.9% | 10.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 6.9% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 4.7% | 7.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 4.8% | 7.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −1.1 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Columbia Heights is close to the national rate: 5.6% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in the wider Washington area (4.8%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.4 points, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Columbia Heights compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Heights | 2.09 | 31.9 | 14.3% | 66.0% | 8.7% | 1958 | $2,082 | 66.7% | 89.4% | 5.6% |
| Mount Pleasant | 2.38 | 34.4 | 8.8% | 67.1% | 9.4% | 1940 | $2,027 | 71.5% | 90.6% | 7.7% |
| Adams Morgan | 1.65 | 37.5 | 4.1% | 64.7% | 10.3% | 1945 | $2,494 | 89.7% | 98.2% | 1.7% |
| U Street Corridor | 1.75 | 33.0 | 6.7% | 66.2% | 9.4% | 1981 | $2,716 | 82.7% | 95.8% | 2.1% |
| Petworth | 2.45 | 38.7 | 10.1% | 34.3% | 8.0% | 1947 | $2,157 | 65.8% | 90.3% | 10.1% |
| Ledroit Park | 2.11 | 30.9 | 5.5% | 41.7% | 10.4% | 1939 | $2,702 | 79.4% | 96.3% | 3.5% |
| Dupont Circle | 1.45 | 34.6 | 2.9% | 64.3% | 10.3% | 1954 | $2,379 | 91.5% | 99.2% | 2.1% |
| Logan Circle | 1.59 | 37.4 | 4.2% | 60.5% | 6.2% | 1966 | $2,566 | 83.2% | 92.1% | 3.0% |
| Woodley Park | 1.85 | 38.2 | 4.3% | 70.7% | 9.3% | 1950 | $2,480 | 91.9% | 98.0% | 4.8% |
| Shaw | 1.90 | 33.4 | 13.1% | 71.4% | 10.3% | 1964 | $2,297 | 68.2% | 91.2% | 1.9% |
| Catholic University-Brookland | 2.33 | 35.5 | 13.4% | 52.0% | 10.9% | 1963 | $1,812 | 54.1% | 90.0% | 6.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, NY · Sycamore, Fort Worth, TX · Desert View, Phoenix, AZ · Seaport, Stockton, CA · Scripps Ranch, San Diego, CA · Roseland, Chicago, IL · Highlands-Perkins, Baton Rouge, LA · Throgs Neck-Edgewater Park, Bronx, NY · Unionport, Bronx, NY · Clinton, Manhattan, NY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Columbia Heights. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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