A brick Tudor house and winter trees at the corner of 34th and Camden Streets SE in Hillcrest, Washington, D.C.

Neighborhood guide, Washington DC

Living in Hillcrest and Fort Dupont

Brick colonials on hilltop lots next to 376-acre Fort Dupont Park, what they sell for, and how to finance one.

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What it costs here
$633K
Median house price · 59 sales
$377
Median per square foot

Recorded arm’s-length sales from DC’s assessment records, through August 12, 2026. Not an appraisal or a valuation of any particular home. Compare every DC neighborhood

Highlights

What's in Hillcrest and Fort Dupont

Detached houses on the hills east of the Anacostia River, next to Fort Dupont Park and Skyland Town Center.

A sunlit path through dense deciduous forest

Fort Dupont Park

376 acres of forest, Civil War earthworks, mountain-bike trails and community garden plots.

A young figure skater on an indoor rink with arena seating

The ice arena

Fort Dupont Ice Arena, DC's only public indoor rink, reopened in December 2025 after a rebuild with an NHL-size rink.

The mirrored glass facade and diamond-patterned canopy of the Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library, Washington, D.C.

Francis A. Gregory Library

The neighborhood library on Alabama Avenue, designed by Adjaye Associates, the firm that designed the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Skyland Town Center

A shopping center on Alabama Avenue with a Lidl grocery store, a CVS, and restaurants.
The mirrored glass facade and diamond-patterned canopy of the Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library on Alabama Avenue SE, Washington, D.C.
The Francis A. Gregory Library on Alabama Avenue SE, designed by Adjaye Associates.

Transportation

Getting around Hillcrest

Nearest Metro
No station in the neighborhood. Naylor Road (Green Line) is near Skyland, and Potomac Ave (Blue, Orange, Silver) is across the Sousa Bridge.
US city bus crossing a downtown intersection at twilight, American flag visible
Bus
Metrobus routes on Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Alabama Avenue and Naylor Road run toward Capitol Hill and downtown.
Pennsylvania Ave protected bike lanes leading straight to the US Capitol
Bike & trails
The Fort Circle Parks trail connects the Civil War forts through the neighborhood and links to Fort Dupont's mountain-bike trails.
DC brick rowhouses with cars parallel-parked at the curb, sunny day, DC plates
Parking
Few blocks have permit zones. Some houses have garages or parking pads off the alley.

Worth watching: DDOT is rebuilding the Pennsylvania Avenue and Minnesota Avenue SE intersection. Construction was scheduled to start in August 2026 and take about two years, adding pedestrian crossings and public space.

Neighborhood

Living in Hillcrest

Schools, restaurants, parks, and shopping in the neighborhood.

The 1872 Charles Sumner School, a red-brick Victorian schoolhouse at 17th and M Streets NW, Washington, D.C.
Schools
Anne Beers Elementary serves Hillcrest and feeds Sousa Middle School, at the edge of Fort Dupont Park, and Anacostia High School.
Warm dimly lit restaurant interior, diners at candlelit tables under a fringed lamp
Dining & nights out
Restaurants at Skyland Town Center and on Pennsylvania Avenue SE, and Barracks Row across the Sousa Bridge.
Wide green park lawn with picnickers, mature trees, city buildings behind
Parks & recreation
Fort Dupont Park's 376 acres, trails and ice arena; the Hillcrest and Fort Davis recreation centers; and the Fort Circle trail.
Wooden library bookshelves in the foreground with a warm reading room beyond
The library
The Francis A. Gregory Library on Alabama Avenue.
Shopper reaching for produce in a warmly lit grocery produce aisle, face in profile
Groceries
Lidl at Skyland Town Center, and Safeway at Alabama Avenue and Naylor Road.
Aerial view of pedestrians crossing a striped urban crosswalk at an intersection
On foot
Residential blocks with sidewalks, within walking distance of Fort Dupont Park and Skyland Town Center.

Next steps

Next steps by buying stage

Pick the step that matches where you are in buying a home.

  1. 01 · Still running numbers

    Work out what you can afford

    Estimate the full monthly payment, including DC property tax, insurance and any condo fee. The condo fee counts in full in your debt-to-income ratio.

    See what you can afford →

  2. 02 · Saving up

    Plan the down payment

    At Hillcrest prices, the down payment depends on the loan program and the property type. FHA needs 3.5% down, and the whole down payment can be a gift from family.

    See what you'd need →

  3. 03 · Writing offers

    Get a pre-qualification letter

    Attach a pre-qualification letter to your offer. Pre-qualification takes about two minutes and does not pull your credit.

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FAQ

Questions about buying in Hillcrest and Fort Dupont

How do Hillcrest prices compare with upper Northwest?
Hillcrest has the same types of detached houses as upper Northwest, brick colonials and Tudors, and they sell for less. The price figures near the top of this page show recent Hillcrest sales.
What is it like living next to Fort Dupont Park?
Fort Dupont Park is 376 acres of National Park Service forest along the neighborhood's eastern edge. It has hiking and mountain-bike trails, Civil War earthworks and community garden plots. Fort Dupont Ice Arena, DC's only public indoor rink, reopened on Ely Place in December 2025 after a rebuild, and houses on the park-facing streets of Fort Dupont and Fort Davis back onto the park. Being next to the park does not change the mortgage.
Is a detached house here easier to finance than a condo downtown?
Yes. There is no condo association to review, no monthly dues counted in your debt-to-income ratio, and no building approval. The loan depends on you and the house. Conventional and FHA loans both fit Hillcrest and Fort Dupont prices, and loan amounts here are below DC's $1,249,125 conforming limit.
The house I like hasn't been updated since the seventies. What are my options?
A renovation loan. FHA 203(k) and Fannie Mae HomeStyle loans add the renovation budget to the purchase mortgage and are underwritten against the value after the work. Licensed contractors do the work and funds are released in draws. You buy the house and pay for the update with one loan and one closing.
What is happening at Pennsylvania and Minnesota Avenues?
DDOT is rebuilding the Pennsylvania Avenue SE and Minnesota Avenue SE intersection, the connection between these neighborhoods and the bridges. The final design was presented in February 2026, and construction was scheduled to start in August 2026 and take about two years. The project rebuilds the intersection for pedestrian safety and adds public space. Expect construction traffic while the work is under way.
We've owned in Hillcrest for decades. How can we use our equity?
A cash-out refinance or a home equity loan can turn part of your equity into cash for a renovation, a family member's down payment, or another purpose, without selling the house. A cash-out refinance replaces your current mortgage; a home equity loan adds a second loan and leaves the first one in place. We price both against your current loan and show the cost of each.
How do we get downtown without a Metro station in the neighborhood?
By car, Capitol Hill is across the Sousa Bridge. For transit, Metrobus routes run on Pennsylvania Avenue SE and Alabama Avenue, Naylor Road station on the Green Line is near Skyland, and Potomac Avenue station is the first stop across the bridge. The Fort Circle Parks trail connects the Civil War forts through the neighborhood for cyclists.

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Local expertise

Financing a Hillcrest home

Detached houses without condo review, renovation loans for original interiors, and home equity options for owners.

Detached houses

Brick colonials, Tudors and ramblers on their own lots. No condo association, no dues in your debt-to-income ratio, and no building review. Conventional and FHA loans both fit these prices.

Renovation loans

For a house with an original kitchen or baths, a renovation loan adds the work to the purchase mortgage and is underwritten against the value after the work.

Home equity for owners

A cash-out refinance or home equity loan lets an owner borrow against the house without selling it.

New townhomes for sale at Skyland Town Center are listed in our Skyland Town Center guide. The houses north of the park, by Benning Road Metro, are in our Marshall Heights and Benning Ridge guide.

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