Population 13,641 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Congress Heights
Household size in Congress Heights
| Period | Congress Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.73 | 2.19 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.82 | 2.29 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.86 | 2.38 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 2.77 | 2.09 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.38 | +0.04 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Congress Heights is a place of small households, averaging 2.24 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.61 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the south and smallest in the north.
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 Congress Heights
| Period | Congress Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.2 | 37.0 | 36.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.9 | 37.6 | 35.6 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.4 | 38.5 | 35.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.3 | 39.2 | 36.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.1 | +2.2 | +0.2 | +2.3 |
Congress Heights is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.3, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 32.2 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the southwest.
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 Congress Heights
| Period | Congress Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.1% | 11.3% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.3% | 11.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 31.5% | 10.4% | 12.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 20.7% | 10.4% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −13.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in five households in Congress Heights (20.7%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 13.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only three of Washington's 38 neighborhoods have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Congress Heights
Renters in Congress Heights
| Period | Congress Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.4% | 34.0% | 56.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 75.6% | 36.6% | 58.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 75.3% | 36.8% | 58.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 69.9% | 36.3% | 58.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Congress Heights: 69.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. About one in seven owners (14.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southwest; owners are most common in the north. The renter share is down 1.5 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 Congress Heights
| Period | Congress Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.8% | 8.7% | 13.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.7% | 7.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.1% | 6.6% | 10.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.9% | 5.9% | 10.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −8.9 pts | −2.8 pts | −3.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Congress Heights as nationally: 9.9%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Washington area overall (5.9%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 8.9 points, 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 Congress Heights
| Period | Congress Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1977 | 1952 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1978 | 1954 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1979 | 1957 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1982 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +10 | +6 |
Congress Heights is a place of older homes: half were built before 1967, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1960 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, 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 Congress Heights
| Period | Congress Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $719 | $1,470 | $1,166 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $895 | $1,583 | $1,368 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,063 | $1,907 | $1,677 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,555 | $2,236 | $2,078 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$836 | +$766 | +$912 | +$606 |
The median renter in Congress Heights pays $1,555 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the Washington area overall ($2,236). Rents are up $836 a month from 2006–10, a 116% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 38.7% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Congress Heights
Bachelor's degrees in Congress Heights
| Period | Congress Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 46.6% | 47.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.6% | 48.2% | 52.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 51.0% | 58.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.3% | 53.9% | 63.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.4 pts | +7.3 pts | +16.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Congress Heights have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 25.3%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 13.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only one other Washington neighborhood has a lower share of college graduates.
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 Congress Heights
| Period | Congress Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.9% | 89.4% | 86.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.2% | 90.2% | 88.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.2% | 90.8% | 91.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.1% | 91.2% | 92.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +1.7 pts | +6.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Congress Heights never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 6.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other Washington neighborhood has a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Congress Heights
| Period | Congress Heights | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.1% | 5.9% | 10.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 27.2% | 6.9% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.7% | 4.7% | 7.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.3% | 4.8% | 7.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.8 pts | −1.1 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Congress Heights runs well above the national rate: 17.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Congress Heights has the highest unemployment rate of any Washington neighborhood. Unemployment is down 8.8 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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).
Congress 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Congress Heights | 2.24 | 36.3 | 20.7% | 69.9% | 9.9% | 1967 | $1,555 | 25.3% | 83.1% | 17.3% |
| Anacostia | 2.42 | 34.5 | 29.1% | 69.4% | 11.8% | 1966 | $1,391 | 24.9% | 87.0% | 13.9% |
| Fairlawn | 2.17 | 39.1 | 26.0% | 61.6% | 19.3% | 1954 | $1,355 | 40.7% | 82.1% | 6.7% |
| South West | 1.56 | 36.6 | 9.1% | 68.8% | 16.4% | 1991 | $2,228 | 74.3% | 96.7% | 6.1% |
| Potomac Yard-Potomac Greens | 2.10 | 37.1 | 1.8% | 56.9% | 7.9% | 2003 | $2,983 | 88.3% | 97.9% | 1.4% |
| Oxon Hill-Glassmanor | 2.37 | 41.3 | 12.7% | 54.3% | 8.8% | 1974 | $1,695 | 28.6% | 84.4% | 8.3% |
| Crystal City | 1.66 | 37.8 | 1.5% | 86.3% | 14.3% | 1986 | $2,680 | 85.2% | 98.5% | 0.7% |
| Hill East | 2.14 | 36.4 | 14.1% | 44.9% | 8.3% | 1963 | $2,608 | 62.8% | 90.9% | 12.8% |
| Lincoln Park | 1.99 | 39.0 | 5.8% | 39.9% | 8.1% | 1943 | $2,401 | 90.5% | 98.5% | 2.8% |
| Aurora Highlands | 1.70 | 37.6 | 2.7% | 86.4% | 12.1% | 1989 | $2,610 | 82.8% | 97.5% | 2.8% |
| Capitol Hill | 1.79 | 33.4 | 6.4% | 69.6% | 12.1% | 1982 | $2,593 | 78.5% | 96.1% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Love Field Area, Dallas, TX · Hollywood Riviera, Redondo Beach, CA · Ballard, Seattle, WA · Atwater Village, Los Angeles, CA · Hybla Valley, Alexandria, VA · Gold Coast, Alameda, CA · Greater Wythe, Hampton, VA · State Fair-Nolan, Highland Park, MI · St. Lucie West, Port St. Lucie, FL · Hyannis, Barnstable Town, MA
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 Congress 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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