Can Hagerstown/Frederick be the area where we can settle for good? (Gaithersburg: rent)

[Tyryztoll]

Hi, 43 year old radiology tech w/ wife and 3 kids here. We live in northern Mich., but are considering a move to a bigger metro where our careers can thrive, where there are many more cultural/social ammenities, and where there will be more opportunities for our kids when they get older.

We make around 70K (me 50K full time, her 20K part time) a year combined in a very remote area of Michigan right now. What we have in mind is living as far out from DC as maybe Hagerstown, with the possibility of my working as close to DC as, say, Frederick.....assuming the salaries near DC are higher than they are here. We definitely want to be within 90 minutes or so of DC.

We love the potential of living in an appalachian setting while being so close to one of the worlds great metros in DC. I am looking to hear from others who have made similar transitions to the aforementioned areas on similar incomes. We fully understand that Maryland is a pretty expensive place to live compared to where we are now, and are just doing some preliminary research.

[htownterp]

Having lived in DC, Frederick, and now Hagerstown I can tell you Hagerstown is the cheapest of the three by far. Your money will go further there. If you can find a job in Frederick/Hagerstown/Chambersburg/Martinsburg, your commute will be 25 minutes or less.

It's about a 45 minute drive to the DC suburbs from Hagerstown, 75 minutes to the zoo, Northern Virginia towns, downtown DC. The Metro is about 45 minutes or so from the I-70-US 40 interchange at Hagerstown. There is tons of shopping and places to eat in hagerstown. Very little reason to leave town, but for hard to find items or different restaurants, Frederick is very close, as are the DC suburbs of Rockville and Gaithersburg.

Life is good here. Quiet, peaceful, with lots of outdoors stuff to do. Good school system. Friendly people.

You may want to explore some of the smaller towns in the surrounding area as well.

[Tyryztoll]

Originally Posted by htownterp

Having lived in DC, Frederick, and now Hagerstown I can tell you Hagerstown is the cheapest of the three by far. Your money will go further there. If you can find a job in Frederick/Hagerstown/Chambersburg/Martinsburg, your commute will be 25 minutes or less.

It's about a 45 minute drive to the DC suburbs from Hagerstown, 75 minutes to the zoo, Northern Virginia towns, downtown DC. The Metro is about 45 minutes or so from the I-70-US 40 interchange at Hagerstown. There is tons of shopping and places to eat in hagerstown. Very little reason to leave town, but for hard to find items or different restaurants, Frederick is very close, as are the DC suburbs of Rockville and Gaithersburg.

Life is good here. Quiet, peaceful, with lots of outdoors stuff to do. Good school system. Friendly people.

You may want to explore some of the smaller towns in the surrounding area as well.

That sounds pretty much like what we're looking for. How hilly is the region between Hagerstown and DC? We love the hills/mountains of appalachia, and would love to have a home in an area like that while still having direct freeway access to the big city.

Also, I'd like to hear about which medical centers between Hagerstown and Frederick are reputable, and if there are any to stay away from in correlation with a potential job for me.

[westsideboy]

Hagerstown and Frederick city limits are pretty flat. In between you see the Blue Ridge Mountains in Maryland. They are pretty, low mountains. The valley is very wide down by the Potomac before South Mtn. and Braddock Mtn. join to form the Catoctin Highlands north of Frederick. I-270 between Frederick and DC is hilly, but not mountainous.

hagerstown, md - Google Maps

[htownterp]

Hagerstown has Meritus Medical Center, a new state of the art hospital in the East End of town. Frederick has Frederick Memorial Hospital, a modern hospital about the same size as Hagerstown. I don't really know much difference between them....I think Hagerstown has a trauma center, stroke center, etc. while Frederick has better heart care. Both have NICU's. You could also look at City Hospital in Martinsburg, Chambersburg Hospital in PA, or Waynesboro Hospital, also in PA. I would bet the MD hospitals pay more......especially Frederick.

It's not super flat where I live. Gentle hills and undulations.

[Tyryztoll]

Originally Posted by htownterp

It's not super flat where I live. Gentle hills and undulations.

Boy, you got that right. Been looking at some of the freeway videos from that area on YouTube, and wow, does it look gorgeous. Never would have thought that kind of landscape was on DC's doorstep.

I am on fire for Hagerstown/Frederick right now. I'm still concerned, though, about the salaries being high enough in my field to warrant such a move, which would still be a few months down the road. Even though the housing is way cheaper further out, I still don't see too many listings that look affordable to us.....not for decent looking homes, anyway (must have 4 BR 2BA minimum, and we would rent first, just to be sure we want to be there long term) . I did a salary comparison online that came back saying my 50K/yr. up here would be in the area of 61K in Frederick. That doesn't seem like it would get it done for a family of 5 anywhere near DC, or am I being paranoid? Won't allow myself to get pie eyed, no matter how much I like an area.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by The Northerner

That sounds pretty much like what we're looking for. How hilly is the region between Hagerstown and DC? We love the hills/mountains of appalachia, and would love to have a home in an area like that while still having direct freeway access to the big city.

Have you thought about Pittsburgh?

It would satisfy the big city needs, as well as filled with that hills/mountains look that you love about Appalachia.

Hagerstown/Frederick kind of resemble a somewhat flatter Pittsburgh...some hills, a little bit, but really absolutely nothing to the degree that the city of Pittsburgh has.

Plus the cost of living in Pittsburgh is probably even lower than Frederick. Might even be equivalent to Hagerstown. You'd essentially get more city, more hills, more mountains for it, and some great bang for your buck with Pittsburgh.

(Personally, I quite like BOTH regions a lot - DC/Pittsburgh as well as Frederick and Hagerstown. So, a Pittsburgh consideration seems very well in the same vein, to me).

[Tyryztoll]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Have you thought about Pittsburgh?

Yes, Pittsburgh is also on our list. Housing there isn't as cheap as some would have you believe, though. Still.....it's a great town that we are giving serious consideration.