Downtown Neighborhood Survey

In November 2008, the Downtown DC Business Improvement District (BID), the Downtown Neighborhood Association, the Penn Quarter Association  and The Downtowner sponsored the second annual Downtown Neighborhood Survey. Those who live and work Downtown are asked to respond to a set of questions designed to gain a better understanding of the Downtown community. The responses provide data to enhance retail attraction efforts and help focus on quality of life initiatives.

The 2008 Survey Results 
Of the 1057 respondents, 526 were residents.*  The results of the 2008 survey validate most of the findings of the 2007 survey, but the opening of the Safeway in the City Vista project has resulted in some major differences. For instance:

The 2008 and 2007 surveys both suggest that Downtown BID area residents are young, well educated and earn high household incomes. Also, according to both surveys the buying preferences of residents indicates an unmet demand for shoppers’ goods retail.

• 52% female and 48% male.

• 58% live in households comprised of two or more adults, while 42% of respondents are the only adult in the household. This represents an average of 1.6 adults per household. 

• 4% of respondents have children under 18 residing in their homes, while 96% do not.

• 25 to 34 year-olds are the largest Downtown demographic with 47% of the respondent population

• Downtown residents are remarkably well educated with 95% of respondents reporting undergraduate or graduate degrees. 

• 69% of respondents have household incomes of more than $100,000 and 39% have incomes in excess of $150,000

Neighborhood Perceptions
71% of respondents indicated that transportation access was a highly important factor in their decision to live Downtown. A majority of respondents indicated that cultural and entertainment amenities, and restaurants were highly important factors. Slightly under one-half considered proximity to work to be highly important.

Respondents cited homelessness as the most pressing neighborhood concern, with 57% rating it most in need of improvement. 30% of respondents rated safety as their second highest concern.

Shopping Preferences
• 56% of Downtown residents shop for groceries Downtown, 25% shop for groceries elsewhere in DC, and 16% travel to Virginia.

• Nearly two-thirds of Downtown households spend more than $100 a week on groceries.

• 51% of Downtown residents spend the majority of their grocery dollars at Safeway. Whole Foods and Harris Teeter are the second and third most popular grocery stores, respectively.

• 20% of Downtown residents visit the Penn Quarter Farmers’ Market only once a year and 32% have never visited the market. This represents a growth opportunity for the market. 

• When shopping for non-grocery, non-auto items, two-thirds of residents usually leave the Downtown neighborhood. 35% of residents travel to Virginia to purchase these items, indicating a need for more fashion retail and shoppers’ goods in both Downtown and the District of Columbia.

• Residents overwhelmingly chose grocery/food retail as the most desired category of Downtown retail.