As the home of over 70 embassies, Dupont Circle sees new faces from all around the world, which helps make Dupont Circle a great place to live.
Tree-lined streets, elegant row houses, and quirky local businesses abound in this neighborhood. It’s a traditional home of activism, nightlife, and the arts. And for those who find those old-world row houses out of reach, Dupont Circle condos offer an ideal balance between affordability, space, and neighborhood quality.
Read on for more information about the neighborhood and the condos for sale. You’ll learn why Dupont Circle is a great place to put down roots in Washington, DC.
Living in Dupont Circle
Dupont Circle is defined by the large traffic circle and park that gives it its name. It is located north of downtown, between Rock Creek Park and Logan Circle.
Dupont Circle was originally home to Washington’s moneyed elite. After the stock market crash of 1929, many of the mansions along Massachusetts Avenue were converted to foreign embassies. Today, over 70 foreign nations own space on Embassy Row.
Later, Dupont Circle became a home for activism and the arts. The area also became a center of gay life and the DC Pride Parade is held there each June. The Strivers Section area of Dupont Circle was home to upper-middle-class Black residents after the Civil War, including Fredrick Douglass.
The area has a mix of apartments and row houses on its many side streets. Its main commercial streets are Connecticut Avenue, New Hampshire Avenue, and Massachusetts Avenue.
Things to See
Dupont Circle is extremely walkable and picturesque. Wandering the neighborhood is a favorite activity of both locals and tourists.
Kramers is a favorite of bookworms throughout the city. It even offers 1-hour local book and food delivery for those who want to stay at home.
Art galleries dot the thoroughfares and side streets of Dupont Circle and stay open late on First Fridays. Another great place to see art is the Philips Collection, America’s first modern art museum. It is home to works by Claude Monet, Mark Rothko, Georgia O’Keefe, and over 3,000 other paintings.
DC is packed with historic houses and museums and Dupont Circle is no exception. Anderson House dates from 1783 and is home to America’s oldest historical society, the Society of the Cincinnati. Visitors can tour the preserved mansion and see artifacts from the Revolutionary War and before.
A few blocks away, Woodrow Wilson House houses an archive of the 28th president’s personal effects.
Food and Nightlife
Thanks to the area’s international character, Dupont Circle has many options for cuisine of all cultures. Sit down for fresh seafood at Hank’s Oyster Bar, spicy Thai dishes at Little Serow, or Peruvian cuisine at Nazca Mochica.
For home cooks, the Dupont FreshFarm Market runs every Sunday at 20th Street NW between Massachusetts and Connecticut Avenues. Pansaari on 17th Street has a wide variety of Indian spices.
After stocking up, you can stroll nearby Connecticut Avenue for home goods, designer wear, and quirky thrift stores. At night, the area comes alive with everything from dive bars to high-end cocktail lounges.
The Fox and Hound is a cozy neighborhood bar with a well-stocked jukebox. McClellan’s Retreat is a cocktail lounge modeled after a Civil War officer’s club. A strip of 17th Street is home to DC’s gay nightlife.
Transportation and Walkability
Many Dupont Circle residents forego cars. Parking can be tough thanks to the maze of winding 18th-century streets.
Dupont Circle is served by its namesake Metro Red Line station. The station itself is one of the most attractive in DC, adorned with a Walt Whitman quote carved to commemorate the AIDS crisis.
The DC Metrobus 42, G2, L2, and N2-N6 lines run through Dupont Circle. The DC Circulator Bus transports riders between Dupont Circle, Georgetown, and Rosslyn.
There are also Capital Bikeshare stations throughout the neighborhood. Capital Bikeshare allows riders to ride shared bikes between docking stations located throughout the city for either a monthly fee or per-use fee.
The neighborhood is bike-friendly in general, with bike lanes on most major thoroughfares. The pace of car traffic is generally relaxed due to the winding nature of the streets.
Overall, Dupont Circle is one of the most walkable neighborhoods in DC. Its mix of residential and commercial buildings and active street culture makes it one of DC’s most desirable places to live for pedestrians.
Condos Vs. Apartments in Dupont Circle
Dupont Circle is a great place to invest in a condominium. The neighborhood is diverse and constantly changing. However, its proximity to government buildings, think tanks, and industry means that it will stay in demand for a long time to come.
Unlike other cities, where you may have to worry about major industries relocating, Washington, DC will always be the home to the American government. That means property values will continue to rise.
Finding the Right Dupont Circle Condos for You
If you’re sold on Dupont Circle condos, you may want to start the search process right away. But looking for condominiums in DC can be an overwhelming process. How do you know if you’re getting a good deal or if a condo is located in a desirable area?
We created Clear Condos to demystify the condo hunting process. A ClearCondos membership allows you to instantly look up details on condos. You can specify your search criteria to find the exact right condo for you.
Don’t let your dream condo slip away – start looking today!