Safety index · Ward 8, Washington, D.C. · data through July 2026
Is Washington Highlands safe?
Washington Highlands records more reported crime than most Washington, D.C. neighborhoods. Its SafeRoute safety index is 47 out of 100 — 6 points below the citywide median of 53, ranking 80th of 132 D.C. neighborhoods — based on 218 incidents reported to the DC Metropolitan Police within 1 km of the neighborhood center (data through July 2026).
The largest reported category here is violent crime (21% of reports) — worth taking seriously when walking at night; the full mix is broken down below.
Incidents spread across the day here — roughly 31% of severity-weighted reports come in the evening (6 p.m.–midnight) and 19% overnight.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 46 · 21% | |
| Other theft | 72 · 33% | |
| Vehicle crime | 68 · 31% | |
| Robbery | 18 · 8% | |
| Burglary | 13 · 6% | |
| Sexual offences | 1 · 0% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.
Walking in Washington Highlands at night?
SafeRoute scores every walking route against the same live crime data on this page — and shows how much of each route runs on lit streets. Pick the safer way, share your walk, and check in when you arrive. Free, no account.
Get SafeRoute on the App StoreNearby areas
- Congress Heights49/100 · Elevated
- Bellevue49/100 · Elevated
- Douglass45/100 · Elevated
- Shipley47/100 · Elevated
- Fort Stanton45/100 · Elevated
Common questions
Is Washington Highlands safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 47/100). About 50% of severity-weighted incidents in Washington Highlands are reported between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. At night, prefer lit, busier streets — a block or two of detour often avoids the clusters on the map above.
What is the most common crime in Washington Highlands?
Violent crime — 46 of 218 incidents (21%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center through July 2026.
How is the Washington Highlands safety index calculated?
SafeRoute weights each incident reported to the DC Metropolitan Police by severity (violence weighs more than shoplifting), sums the last available period within 1 km of the neighborhood center, and normalizes against citywide crime rates onto a 0–100 scale — higher is safer. It describes reported crime only; it is not a guarantee of safety.