Living/working in Washington D.C. area?

I'm considering moving to the D.C. area, or the Virginia or Maryland suburbs as well. I'm looking for a job that pays decently, and was impressed with all the job listings for that area in the Washington Post. (Jobs suck where I live outside Pittsburgh.) Anybody who lives there, works there, been there, offer any advice to me? Currently I live about 4 hours away, but the closest to D.C. that I've been is Annapolis. Any impressions of that area appreciated.

Living/working in Washington D.C. area?
this is home and i love it. you can get a good mix of country, cities, and suburbs, and beaches all within two hours of anything else. traffic sucks, but you learn to deal with it.





the world here is wierd, however theres some much to do, and see! you could def. make a lot of money here! I promise!
Reply:Washington DC is a great city to visit but living there is a different story. After New York and San Francisco, it is probably the most expensive city in the country (although Boston is comparable too). But it's an astronomically expensive city to live in. Crime rate is high as well in the city and some suburbs, although there are safer parts of the city as well. The federal government is obviously the major employer in the region. (Of course, lobbying firms and law firms that are based on the Federal gov't. are also plentiful). D.C. does have a lot to offer - the one thing I miss the most about living in DC is the Smithsonian (besides my family). Also a few universities. However, the people in DC are self-absorbed and not as friendly, the city doesn't have as many neighborhoods with local character as most cities, and contrary to popular belief, the restaurants are pretty dismal.
Reply:Depending on what you want to do, depends on where you should live. Commuting here can be a nightmare, so plan effectively! If you have been to Annapolis, you probably know it's a great town. Near the water, always busy, even in winter, and only about 40 mins from downtown DC.





If you are planning on working directly in DC, I would recommend either living in the city, or a close by city in VA, Arlington, or Alexandria. Your commute could still be 30 mins even on metro, but close enough to drive if you choose to as well.





Montgomery County, Silver Spring MD(downtown), is also only a short drive from DC, metro accessible. Fairfax County in VA, Springfield, Fairfax, Tysons Corner, all busy cities, and also metro accessible to DC.
Reply:I have many family members out there, and I spend about two weeks with them every summer. We also go there Thanksgiving week, so I love going around there.


Washington DC is awesome. There is a lot of crime in some areas, but if you go downtown, it is very safe. I never felt unsafe while there.


My family lives in Damascus, Maryland, which is a beautiful town about an hour north of DC. You can take the metro from shady grove, which is about a ten minute drive, and cut the trip down a bit. Damascus is the ideal place to raise a family.


Washington DC is very expensive, so look closely for some bargains.
Reply:Jump right in with both feet!


DC is a great city. But, you gotta' live here!


It will be a great experience - and fun, too!





If your expertise lies in any areas like administrative, clerical,


writing, editing, people managing, etc. -


Send your best resume to your Federal Congressman and Senator. Follow up with a phone call, and ask for other leads if necessary. Pay is good and what a cool place to work!





Instead of working some dull place, hoping to sightsee at the Capitol over the weekend -- why not work at the Capitol?


Or the Smithsonian, or the National Zoo?





And, rent a place, maybe right there on Capitol Hill, for 6 months or so, while you get to know the City. Rent is high! And, parking is even more expensive. We have tons of great neighborhoods all over the City.





Best to you.
Reply:You couldn't pay me enough to live in DC. I live close enough to get their news. The crime rate is staggering. I had a sister-n-law that used to live there and has now moved out of state, the one and only thing she said about living in DC was that it's nice to live somewhere else that you don't feel your going to be jumped every time you walk out the door. I don't know what the jobs are paying you or what area you want to work in, but I know she asked for a extra10,000 from her job, just for parking costs.


Although Virginia isn't that far away there are parts of Virginia that are expensive to live in as well ,,, but there is less crime and it's beautiful around the Alexandria area. Before choosing make sure to check out the real estate around where you would like to live.
Reply:Well I've lived and worked in the DC area all my life and I maintain that it's not as bad as people say. To start, the crime rate in DC has been falling for quite some time. I won't say it's one of the safest cities in the world, but I will say the crimes are not evenly distributed. Meaning, some specific areas have a serious crime problem. But much of DC is actually OK, and getting better. I would recommend Maryland or Virginia anyway because it's more affordable and easier to get around.





Recently there has been a strong gentrification movement in the DC area. It seems that $200k + condos are popping up everywhere. I myself was shocked when I wanted to move out of my roommate situation and into my own place. I don't make lots of money due to my return to school, and my only options were stay with my roomie or get ghetto "Section 8" housing. If you start looking for jobs, then make sure you keep an eye on housing prices as well. $37k a year before taxes can seem decent but if your rent is $1200 a month it's not so great. But, the job market IS pretty good in DC, partially due to the fact the Feds are based here.





I would come and visit. It's too hard to give you a feel for this city over the net. Spend a few weekends here in different areas and see how it suits you. That's the best recommendation I can make.





http://www.dcgentrification.com/


http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/apa/
Reply:i hope i don't offend anybody, but if i were you, i wouldn't dream of living in northern va. i lived in alexandria for 3 years and worked in springfield. the people were rude, stuck up, and walked all over everyone to get their way. northern va is an "every man for himself" kind of place where people just don't care about their fellow man. however, i loved going into dc, drove in myself pretty often and found a higher tolerance for culture, friendlier people (granted, the high crime rate, and you don't want to just talk to anyone) and a more cosmopolitan crowd. if you're young and happy, northern va will bring you down. dc might, too, though.





dc is ok in terms of culture, but the surrounding areas suck. esp if you like to drive. it will take you 2 hours to drive 6 miles in nova, most times of the day. i've even driven in the city and i much prefer that to the burbs. good luck!