Brick rowhouses under a full canopy of street trees on 34th Street NE in River Terrace

Neighborhood guide, Washington DC

Living in River Terrace and Benning

Brick rowhouses on the Anacostia, with Minnesota Ave Metro and the Riverwalk close by.

Get pre-qualifiedWhat can I afford?
What it costs here
$425K
Median house price · 124 sales
$391
Median per square foot
+45%
Renovated over average condition

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

Parks, trails, golf and skating near River Terrace

River Terrace sits on the Anacostia, with the Riverwalk at the end of the street.

The Anacostia Riverwalk Trail's red footbridge over the railroad in Anacostia Park, with the river in front

Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

The paved trail runs along River Terrace's riverbank. North of Benning Road it follows the river past Kenilworth's lotus ponds to Maryland.

The brick LANGSTON GC letters set in the grass beside a green and bunkers at Langston Golf Course

Langston Golf Course

A public 18-hole course across the Benning Road bridge, with a lit Toptracer range, Melva's Kitchen and free lessons on select Fridays.

A wooden trail signpost in the woods pointing to Fort Dupont Park and historic Langston Golf Course

Fort Mahan Park

A wooded Civil War fort site at the north end of the Fort Circle trail, which runs south through the forts to Fort Dupont Park.

A pond filled with lotus leaves and pink blooms at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

The national park just north of Mayfair, with lotus and water-lily ponds that bloom each July.

Architect's rendering of the rebuilt Fort Dupont Ice Arena, a tall dark metal-and-glass building with landscaped walkways

Fort Dupont Ice Arena

DC's only indoor ice rink reopened in December 2025 with an NHL-size rink. Youth hockey returns in October 2026.

The Nationals Youth Baseball Academy clubhouse, with its red sign, behind a turf baseball field

Nationals Youth Baseball Academy

Three lighted turf fields and a clubhouse with classrooms. Its baseball, softball and after-school programs are free for kids.

Porched townhouses under tall street trees on Barnes Street NE in Mayfair
Townhouses on Barnes Street NE in Mayfair, 2018.

Across the river

The new RFK campus

DC is planning a new neighborhood on the 180-acre RFK campus.

The plan calls for thousands of homes, including affordable homes, about 76 acres of parks and a new Commanders stadium targeted to open in 2030. The DC Council holds its hearing on September 30, 2026, and plans to vote by the end of the year.

Details are in our RFK Campus guide and Buying near the Commanders stadium at RFK.

Aerial view over the Anacostia at the Benning Road bridge, with Kingman Lake, the RFK campus and Capitol Hill beyond
The Benning Road bridge, Kingman Lake and the RFK campus from the air, 2019, before the old stadium came down.

Transportation

Getting around River Terrace and Benning

The Minnesota Ave station platform under its concrete canopy, with the station name on a pylon
Metro
Minnesota Ave station, on the Orange and Silver lines, is in the middle of the neighborhood. Deanwood is one stop north.
The Benning Road bridge over the Anacostia, with an Orange Line train on the Metro bridge beside it
Bus
Buses run on Benning Road and H Street to downtown, and on Minnesota Avenue to Navy Yard.
The Parkside Pedestrian Bridge, a steel arch and truss walkway, spanning DC-295 near Minnesota Ave Metro
Bike & trails
The Riverwalk runs along River Terrace, and the Parkside Pedestrian Bridge crosses DC-295 to the Metro. Capital Bikeshare has several stations here.

The DMV's Benning Ridge service center at 4525 Benning Road SE is about a mile from Minnesota Ave Metro. Road tests are at the Deanwood office on Kenilworth Avenue.

Worth watching: DDOT is rebuilding the Benning Road bridge over DC-295, with construction starting in 2026, adding sidewalks and bike lanes to the crossing.

Neighborhood

Living in River Terrace and Benning

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

The brick entrance of the John Philip Sousa Junior High School building on Ely Place SE
Schools
Thomas Elementary, Kelly Miller Middle and H.D. Woodson High serve River Terrace, Mayfair and Parkside; Kimball, Sousa and Anacostia serve the Ely Place side. Check an address with DCPS's School Finder.
The wooden footbridge between Heritage Island and Kingman Island, reflected in still water at sunset
Parks & recreation
River Terrace Recreation Center has courts and ball fields by the river, and Kenilworth Recreation Center has a pool and gym. Kingman and Heritage Islands have trails, reached by footbridge from the RFK side.
The glass facade of the Dorothy I. Height/Benning Library with a large blue-and-green Library graphic
The library
The Dorothy I. Height/Benning Library at 3935 Benning Road NE, open seven days a week.
A row of new brick and painted townhouses in Parkside, near Minnesota Ave Metro
On foot
From Minnesota Ave Metro, the library, the Safeway, the post office and Sala Thai are all a short walk.
Dining & nights out
Sala Thai by the Metro, Yellow House and Sharks Fish & Chicken on Minnesota Avenue, and a 24-hour Denny's on Benning Road. Chateau Lounge on Benning Road has hand-dance nights, go-go and karaoke.
Groceries
Safeway at 322 40th Street NE, FRESHFARM's Thursday stand there, and the RFK Farmers & Flea Market on Saturdays.

History

History of River Terrace and Benning

A river crossing, a racetrack and a planned rowhouse neighborhood.

  1. 1825

    Benning's Bridge

    William Benning bought the bridge over the Anacostia here, and the crossing, the road and the neighborhood took his name.

    Etching of a carriage crossing the old wooden Benning's Bridge, with a rowboat in the marsh grass beside the road
    Benning's Bridge in an etching by C. D. Gedney, about 1880.

  2. 1861

    Fort Mahan

    Union troops built Fort Mahan on the hill to guard the Benning bridge. It is now a park at the north end of the Fort Circle trail.

    Army engineers' plan of Fort Mahan, showing its seven-sided earthen walls, gun positions and cross-sections
    The Army's plan of Fort Mahan, drawn during the Civil War.

  3. 1890–1908

    The Benning race track

    Crowds came out Benning Road for horse racing until Congress banned it in DC in 1908. A 12-year-old Bill "Bojangles" Robinson did odd jobs at the track in 1890.

    Jockeys racing horses past the judges' stand at the Benning track
    Racing at the Benning track, 1913.

  4. 1937

    River Terrace is built

    Two-story brick rowhouses with full basements went up on the riverbank, and by 1958 River Terrace had about 1,000 homes.

    Aerial view of River Terrace's rowhouse streets beside the Anacostia and the Benning Road bridge, with RFK Stadium across the river
    River Terrace's rowhouse streets from the air, 1992, with RFK Stadium across the river.

  5. 1939

    Langston Golf Course

    After the Wake-Robin Golf Club, the first Black women's golf club in the US, and the Royal Golf Club pressed for it, Langston opened across the river. It is on the National Register.

    The Langston Golf Course clubhouse on a grassy rise, with golf carts parked by the fence
    The Langston clubhouse, 2011.

  6. 1945

    Engine Company 27

    The firehouse at 4201 Minnesota Avenue NE, built in 1908, became DC's second all-Black fire company. It is now a DC landmark.

    The red-brick Engine Company 27 firehouse on Minnesota Avenue NE, with its fire engine in the open bay
    Engine Company 27 on Minnesota Avenue NE, 2011.

  7. 1954

    Bolling v. Sharpe

    Black students turned away from the new Sousa Junior High on Ely Place sued, and the Supreme Court's ruling ended segregated schools in DC.

  8. 1978

    Minnesota Ave Metro

    The Orange Line reached Minnesota Avenue. In 2021 the Parkside Pedestrian Bridge gave Mayfair and Parkside a direct walk to the station.

    An Orange Line train crossing the Metro bridge over Kingman Lake among autumn trees
    An Orange Line train crossing Kingman Lake toward Minnesota Ave, 2017.

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 River Terrace 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.

    Get pre-qualified →

FAQ

River Terrace and Benning questions

What kinds of homes are in River Terrace and Benning?
River Terrace is mostly two-story brick rowhouses and semi-detached houses built from 1937 through the 1950s, many with full basements. Mayfair has townhouses on tree-lined streets, and Parkside, next to Minnesota Ave Metro, has newer townhomes and apartment buildings. Conventional and FHA loans both fit these homes.
What is planned at the RFK campus?
DC's plan for the 180-acre RFK campus includes thousands of homes, about 76 acres of parks and a new Commanders stadium targeted to open in 2030. The DC Council holds its hearing on the plan on September 30, 2026, and plans to vote by the end of the year.
Can anyone play Langston Golf Course?
Yes. Langston is a public 18-hole course on Benning Road NE, about a 20-minute walk from River Terrace across the Benning Road bridge. It has a lit Toptracer driving range and Melva's Kitchen, and National Links Trust runs Free Lesson Friday, free clinics for all ages with equipment provided. The next one at Langston is October 9, 2026.
Where is the nearest DMV?
The DC DMV's Benning Ridge Service Center at 4525 Benning Road SE is about a mile from Minnesota Ave Metro. It handles licenses, ID cards, titles and registration, and as of September 2026 it is open Tuesday through Saturday. Road tests are given at the DMV's Deanwood office at 1421 Kenilworth Avenue NE.
Can I finance a rowhouse in average condition?
Yes. FHA 203(k) and Fannie Mae HomeStyle renovation 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.
We've owned here 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.

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Loan options

Financing a River Terrace home

Most homes here are brick rowhouses and semi-detached houses.

Rowhouses and semi-detached houses

Brick houses with no condo association and no dues in your debt-to-income ratio. Conventional and FHA loans both fit.

Renovation loans

For a house in average condition, a renovation loan adds the work to the purchase mortgage and is underwritten against the value after the work.

Home equity for longtime owners

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

Nearby: the Deanwood guide to the north and the Marshall Heights and Benning Ridge guide to the east.

Get pre-qualified for a River Terrace home

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