1.4 out of 10

Arboretum

38.9149011816837 -76.9708393093835
Great for
  • Parks & Recreation
  • Cost of Living
  •  
  •  
  •  
Not great for
  • Childcare
  • Eating Out
  • Lack of Traffic
  • Shopping Options
  • Schools
Who lives here?
  • Singles
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Families with kids
  • Tourists

Reviews

1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 1/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Internet Access 1/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 1/5
  • Cost of Living 1/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 1/5
  • Public Transport 1/5
  • Medical Facilities 1/5
  • Schools 1/5
  • Childcare 1/5
2yrs+

"Not just a forest, but not much of a neighborhood"

The Arboretum is a massive contradiction in a lot of ways. It contains elements of the most beautiful and ugly of human life. People take painstaking efforts to make the actual Arboretum thrive, but a similar effort is put into the amount of crime in the neighborhood. And somehow, a neighborhood overrun with criminal activity is also run with tourism. There may even be more tourists flowing into the neighborhood than actual people living in it.

Geographically, you could do worse. The neighborhood is at least closer to the rest of the city than, say, Anacostia. And a constant stream of tourism has allowed for several local vendors to set up shop selling food and clothes. The standard housing prices are very affordable too, but most likely not for a very good reason. All in all, this is a lovely place to visit, but you don't want to live here.
Pros
  • located in a beautiful natural environment
  • low cost of living
Cons
  • high crime rate
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • Country Lovers
2/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
  • Medical Facilities 1/5
  • Schools 1/5
  • Childcare 1/5
2yrs+

"Small neighborhood with few amenities"

Arboretum is a very small neighborhood in the northeast section of the city adjacent to the National Arboretum, which is beautiful and is a fun place to visit and is a really nice feature of the neighborhood. The boundaries of the neighborhood are formed by R Street N.E., Bladensburg Road N.E., Hickey Lane N.E. and New York Avenue. The neighborhood includes several hotels as well as several commercial businesses in addition to the residential area, which is made up of numerous single family homes as well as a few multifamily apartments.

Since the neighborhood is small, it lacks many of the amenities that many residents expect in a neighborhood. Shopping and restaurants are not found within the neighborhood. There are no schools or places of worship here. On a positive note the Arboretum Recreational Center is located in here, offering residents of all ages activities. There are numerous Metro Bus stops along Bladensburg Road allowing residents to gain access to the rest of the expansive Metro system. The location to those that may be commuting by car to jobs in Prince George's County as I95 access is great via Rt 50 and will be a reverse commute for many.

The neighborhood has a bad reputation as far as crime is concerned, however the most recent crime statistics do not support the reputation. The number of crimes reported here in the last 30 days was actually low and focused on a few property related crimes. I am sure that the Police station located in the neighborhood is a bid factor! As always check the most recent crime data to make an informed decision as to the crime risk in any neighborhood. I think that the lack of amenities is that would deter me from living here.
Pros
  • Police Station in the community
  • located in a beautiful natural environment
  • low cost of living
  • public transportation
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Retirees
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 1/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Cost of Living 5/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 1/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 2/5
  • Schools 1/5
  • Childcare 1/5
2yrs+

"tourist mecca meets crime and grime."

It is sad to think that right next to one of the most beautiful places in the city lies a small neighborhood which is so ridden with crime few people want to live there. the National Arboretum attracts lots of tourists every year, but sadly the more affluent citizens don't want to enjoy the view. Instead, Arboretum is home to plenty of gangs, drugs and violence. Couple that with tourist season, and you will see a place where there are plenty of pickpockets and other undesirables.

Because nobody has any money in Arboretum, there aren't many restaurants or shopping options. There is a rec center like in most DC areas, but one wonders how much it is used. Of course, the arboretum being close does offer opportunities to go somewhere beautiful and a little more safe, but with all the tourists this might not be as valuable. In winter, the Arboretum is covered in snow.

My advice? Unless you have no money to spend on rent, stay as far from here as you can. If you must live here, get a big dog and don't leave the house after dark. If visiting, guard your valuables with your life, and don't leave the hotel alone after dark either. Better yet, spend a few extra dollars and save yourself the hassle.
Pros
  • public transportation
  • low cost of living
  • located in a beautiful natural environment
Cons
  • high crime rate
  • tourists overrun the place in summer
Recommended for
  • Singles
  • Students
1/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 1/5
  • Safe & Sound 1/5
  • Clean & Green 1/5
  • Pest Free 1/5
  • Peace & Quiet 1/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 1/5
  • Gym & Fitness 1/5
  • Internet Access 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 1/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 1/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 2/5
  • Schools 1/5
  • Childcare 1/5
2yrs+

"Not Exactly the Garden of Eden"

Arboretum is a tiny neighborhood in what could be the garden spot of Washington. After all, it is located right outside the beautiful National Arboretum. This garden spot has long attracted tourists who enjoy walking through its lush vegetation, and reading about how they can improve their own gardens back home. Unfortunately, the residents living around the Arboretum often do not have the same opportunities as those visiting it. For, just outside the other borders of this tragic neighborhood lie some of the most crime riddled areas in the country. Over the past several decades, the area has been in a steady decline that shows no signs of stopping. Though the Arboretum itself is gorgeous, especially in the spring, this is one of the cliched cases of "a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there." In fact, most of those who do visit the National Arboretum take care to get out of the area before dark. Too bad not everyone has that opportunity.
Pros
  • located in a beautiful natural environment
Cons
  • high crime rate

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