NoMa,
DC.
DC's transit-oriented renaissance corridor. Red Line access, Union Market's culinary scene, and a decade of investment that's transformed the northeast quadrant into one of the city's most walkable and connected addresses.
DC's most connected corridor
NoMa — North of Massachusetts Avenue — represents the most significant transit-oriented development story in Washington DC over the past two decades. What was once an underutilized industrial zone between Capitol Hill and Gallaudet University has become one of the city's most densely developed and walkable residential corridors, anchored by the NoMa-Gallaudet/New York Ave Metro station on the Red Line and the Union Market district immediately to the east.
The real estate market in NoMa is defined by new construction. Unlike Capitol Hill's Victorian rowhouse inventory or Dupont Circle's Beaux-Arts conversions, NoMa's housing stock is predominantly purpose-built luxury condominiums constructed between 2008 and the present — modern units with in-building amenities, floor-to-ceiling windows, and direct walkability to Metro. This makes NoMa the strongest value proposition in DC for buyers who prioritize new construction, transit access, and neighborhood walkability above historic architectural character.
In 2026, NoMa continues to attract first-time buyers priced out of Capitol Hill, young professionals working at Capitol Hill institutions, and investors drawn by the neighborhood's rental demand. The market has demonstrated consistent appreciation since 2015, with new development pipelines keeping supply active but demand absorbing inventory at a healthy pace.
NoMa, DC — by the numbers
| Metric | Figure | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price (condos) | $500,000 – $650,000 | ▲ +8.4% YoY |
| Rowhouses & townhomes | $700K – $1.1M | ▲ Stable–rising |
| New construction (luxury) | $550K – $950K | ─ Active pipeline |
| Price per sq ft | $520 – $620 | ▲ Rising |
| Avg. days on market | 28 – 45 days | ─ Stable |
| Walk Score | 96 — Walker's Paradise | ─ |
| Transit Score | 100 — Rider's Paradise | ─ |
Who lives in NoMa
NoMa's buyer profile is defined by transit proximity, new construction preference, and professional connection to Capitol Hill, Union Station, and the federal government corridor. The neighborhood skews younger than Capitol Hill but shares its political and policy orientation.
Capitol Hill professionals
Congressional staff, federal agency employees, and lobbyists who work on or near Capitol Hill represent NoMa's most consistent buyer segment. The Red Line connection to Union Station and the walkability to the Hill make NoMa one of the strongest practical alternatives to Capitol Hill's premium rowhouse pricing. First-time buyers in this category often enter through a NoMa condo and move to Capitol Hill or Dupont on the next transaction.
Young professionals & remote workers
NoMa's modern building stock, in-unit amenity packages, and Red Line connectivity to Bethesda and Amazon's HQ2 in Arlington have made it a preferred address for tech-adjacent professionals and remote workers who prioritize building quality and neighborhood walkability over historic character. The Union Market food and retail scene provides the social infrastructure this buyer segment expects.
Investors & rental buyers
NoMa generates some of the strongest rental yields in Washington DC. The combination of Metro access, Union Market walkability, newer construction, and proximity to Gallaudet University and major employment centers creates consistent and diversified rental demand. Investors acquiring NoMa condominiums for income have benefited from both appreciation and low vacancy rates since 2015.
The blocks that define NoMa
NoMa's development radiates outward from the Metro station along Florida Avenue, New York Avenue, and the numbered streets of the northeast quadrant. Each sub-corridor offers a distinct product type and price point.
The Union Market district — centered on the former DC Farmers Market building at 1309 5th Street NE — has become the neighborhood's social and culinary anchor. Luxury apartment-to-condo conversions and purpose-built developments surround the market building. This is the most active and amenity-rich sub-corridor in NoMa, attracting buyers who want walkable food access as a non-negotiable.
The First Street NE corridor immediately adjacent to the NoMa-Gallaudet Metro station contains the neighborhood's densest concentration of purpose-built luxury residential towers — buildings completed between 2010 and 2024 with full amenity packages, concierge services, and direct walkability to Metro. The highest prices per square foot in NoMa are found in this corridor's newest construction.
Florida Avenue NE provides NoMa's most accessible entry-level price points in both condominiums and smaller rowhouse typologies. Buildings along this corridor are typically slightly older (2008–2015 vintage) and offer lower price-per-square-foot than the First Street and Union Market corridors. Ideal for buyers prioritizing value over newness while still capturing NoMa's transit and walkability premiums.
The NoMa-adjacent neighborhoods of Eckington and Bloomingdale — just north of the core NoMa corridor — offer the rowhouse typology and tree-lined residential character that pure NoMa lacks. Buyers who want NoMa's transit access combined with a more traditional DC neighborhood feel often purchase in the southern portions of Eckington, with Metro still walkable and the Union Market district accessible by bike or foot.
Getting around NoMa
NoMa holds one of the highest Transit Scores in Washington DC — a perfect 100 — reflecting its position as one of the most transit-accessible residential neighborhoods in the city. The NoMa-Gallaudet/New York Ave Metro station provides Red Line service across the metropolitan area. Union Station, a 12-minute walk south, provides Amtrak, MARC, and VRE connectivity in addition to Red Line Metro access. Capital Bikeshare stations are distributed throughout the neighborhood.
Life in NoMa
NoMa's daily life is built around Union Market — a converted industrial space housing over 40 vendors, restaurants, and food purveyors that has become one of DC's most visited culinary destinations. La Cosecha, the Latin American marketplace adjacent to Union Market, adds a second anchor. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods both operate within walking distance of the core neighborhood, a retail combination that few DC neighborhoods can match.
The neighborhood's relative newness means its social infrastructure is still deepening — the independent coffee shops, neighborhood bars, and community gathering spaces that define established DC neighborhoods like Capitol Hill or Dupont Circle are present but less layered in NoMa. What the neighborhood offers instead is efficiency: best-in-class transit access, modern residential quality, and a food scene that has matured significantly since 2018.
The NoMa Business Improvement District has invested heavily in public realm improvements — green space, lighting, public art — that have transformed the experience of living in a formerly industrial corridor. Alethia Tanner Park and the metropolitan branch trail provide outdoor space and a protected cycling connection between NoMa and the broader city.
Our read on NoMa
"NoMa is the strongest value play in Washington DC for buyers who want Metro-direct living, new construction quality, and genuine walkability at a price point meaningfully below Capitol Hill or Dupont Circle."
The NoMa story is one of consistent execution on a transit-oriented development thesis. The neighborhood's appreciation over the past decade is not speculative — it reflects fundamental demand for Red Line-adjacent residential inventory in a city where Metro proximity commands a persistent and measurable premium. The Union Market district has added a culinary and lifestyle anchor that extends the neighborhood's appeal well beyond transit commuters.
In 2026, NoMa's condo market remains active and relatively well-balanced — sellers of well-priced new construction inventory are finding buyers without extended days on market, while buyers are finding more negotiating room on older vintage buildings and higher floors with extended exposure. The rowhouse and townhome segment in and immediately adjacent to NoMa is supply-constrained, often performing comparably to Capitol Hill on a per-square-foot basis.
FORWARD's advisory perspective on NoMa is straightforward: for first-time buyers, NoMa offers the best combination of location quality, new construction, and relative affordability in the District. For investors, the rental yield profile and appreciation history make it among the most compelling acquisition targets in the DC market. For buyers comparing NoMa to Capitol Hill, the decision is fundamentally one of character — historic versus modern — not location or access, which are comparable.
NoMa, DC — frequently asked
Ready to explore NoMa?
Transit access, new construction, and Union Market walkability — NoMa offers one of the city's most compelling entry points. FORWARD knows this corridor inside out.