Honest assessment from those that live in Maryland, is it better than NoVa? Why? (Baltimore: apartment, rent)

[AlexandriaLightHouse]

As someone that has lived in Old Town for years and continues to wonder why one would choose the burbs of Maryland over Virginia, I'd like to pose this question to Marylanders...

Ease of Access: Maryland has the clear advantage here when you view DC as a whole, but when you're looking at the desirable parts, the only portion Maryland has the advantage here is upper NW and Georgetown, which are both easily accessible via the GW Parkway and Key Bridge in VA

Liberal Politics: As a bleeding heart myself, I often find Maryland intriguing for their politics on a Macro Level. However, what I have found is that Northern Virginia is just as liberal, if not more liberal than most parts of suburban maryland, but that advantage fades at the state level

Cost of living: Right off the bat, Maryland appears to win this category. My question is, at what cost? The taxes are typically higher, and the crime rates soar in many places while the schools can't compare. Is this a win?

Commuting Options: Maryland has been more proactive over the years. The ICC is a great example of this. However, the 495 portion on the NW side of MD is a huge fail. I don't blame them, they had to build around cities/towns that already existed, whereas Virginia was basically farmland that they dug through to build a nice, flat portion of the beltway. Maryland also has two spurs of the Red Line going to very nice areas (it is probably the only line that starts and ends in nice areas on the entire system), and then some not-so-nice portions of the orange and green lines in worse areas. NoVa traffic is horrible unless you're in Arlington or Alexandria, and then it's not so bad to get to the District. Both get bonus points for the MARC and VRE, but the MARC wins out on coverage

Annual income: no contest, Virginia

Public Schools: no contest, Virginia

Universities: no contest, Virginia

Job Opportunities: no contest, Virginia

Crime rates: no contest, Virginia

Commercial Amenities : no contest, Virginia

Urban, walkable communities: Maryland has great places like Bethesda, Upper NW/Chevy Chase and Silver Spring. Unfortunately, none of them can compare to Arlington, Crystal City, Alexandria City, Falls Church City, Reston Town Center, etc.


So here is your chance to shoot me down. I'm going to post this same question on the NoVa forum for more feedback as well.

[dkf747]

I didn't choose where I live based on which state is better ranked. For us, we needed an accessible (disability) 3 bedroom apartment in a good school district, with reasonable rent, and reasonable access to Metro. Maryland had that, Virginia didn't, and still doesn't. That will change only when phase 2 of the Silver Line is completed. Even then, the rent will go up in those areas. Maryland is a good place to live. There's no point in worrying about being number 1 in everything. BTW, I used to live in Alexandria part of Fairfax County. Where we live now beats living there. That's all that matters.

[AlexandriaLightHouse]

Originally Posted by dkf747

I didn't choose where I live based on which state is better ranked. For us, we needed an accessible (disability) 3 bedroom apartment in a good school district, with reasonable rent, and reasonable access to Metro. Maryland had that, Virginia didn't, and still doesn't. That will change only when phase 2 of the Silver Line is completed. Even then, the rent will go up in those areas. Maryland is a good place to live. There's no point in worrying about being number 1 in everything. BTW, I used to live in Alexandria part of Fairfax County. Where we live now beats living there. That's all that matters.

Ok, so one vote for cheaper housing in Maryland. Also, just to clear this up.. The "Alexandria" portion of Fairfax is simultaneously the worst part of Fairfax and insultingly named similarly to one if the best parts of northern Virginia. To consider Alexandria city in the same breath as the dump on route one just doesn't do either area justice.

[adelphi_sky]

Oh boy!!! Another MD/VA thread.

Can't people just do a search? There are tons of these threads just waiting to be read. In addition, if you want a real assessment, you'd need it from people who lived in VA RECENTLY who have also move to MD RECENTLY or vice versa. All this, "I used to live in VA 15 years ago." or, "I lived in MD 20 years ago." nonsense doesn't apply. I'd say those who respond need to have lived in both areas within the past 10 years.

[Zimar]

People have to do what is right for their individual family. This thread is argument-bait.

1. What's the point of contemplating living in Virginia if I can't actually afford to live in Virginia, except maybe in some crappy townhouse in the dumpiest part of Fairfax county, or way far out, giving myself a gigantic commute?

2. What's the point of using statistical metrics if they don't apply to me? There may be more jobs in Virginia, but my husband and I don't have them. Why should I care about things like commercial amenities or universities if they're not an issue for me? I can reach any shopping/dining I need or want within half an hour where I am and meet no traffic, unlike every experience I have had in Virginia EVER, and my child is a toddler (and my kids are going to HARVARD/YALE/STANFORD DUH). LOL I'm just kidding. I can worry about public universities in 15 years or so!

3. The crime in parts of MD may be bad, but you could just as easily go through your life and never deal with it. My husband has worked in one of the "bad" parts of PG county for years now, and he has never experienced anything. My neighbors have been in our neighborhood for 10 years, and they've never experienced any crime. Same with the schools. You could sacrifice and send your kids to great public schools in Virginia and still have a bad experience, look at any local board about schools in VA and you'll see numerous complaints. You could have a decent experience in PG county with its notorious schools. You just have to do what is right for your family.

4. The traffic/crowds. I just cannot get over how bad it is in VA. No matter how many roads/stores/restaurants there are, IT'S NEVER ENOUGH!

But you may be right. Maryland just can't compete. I will contemplate that as I sip my morning tea with my husband, who has a 20 minute commute, while I sit on my gazebo overlooking a lake (there's a baby goose now), which is attached to a house that would cost me at least 900k almost anywhere in VA, while the birds around me happily sing to one another. Do I have 900k to spare? Nooooo, I do not. Do I have any financial stress where I am now? No, I do not.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by AlexandriaLightHouse

Liberal Politics: As a bleeding heart myself, I often find Maryland intriguing for their politics on a Macro Level. However, what I have found is that Northern Virginia is just as liberal, if not more liberal than most parts of suburban maryland, but that advantage fades at the state level

For some people the right-wing dominated state politics in Virginia are absolutely unacceptable. Think about legally married same sex couples. Think about people who care about a woman's reproductive rights.

We lived in Silver Spring, Maryland for over 30 years primarily because it was possible to commute to both the Washington and Baltimore job markets. In a specialized technical field where contracts are dumped over-night, it was important to have flexibility.

We also lived in Virginia for about 3 years total, and I came to detest the know-nothing, do-nothing state legislature.

(For full disclosure, we left Maryland two years ago. We are retired in North Carolina in a house which would be twice the price in Maryland, and 2.5 times the price in Nova.)

[Cruzincat]

You will pay more for housing there, but you will also pay more in taxes in MD. So it's a wash.

Until, that is, you sell that house in VA and you realize all that money you paid earlier, you get back and maybe with some appreciation. If you had lived in Maryland, you won't get those taxes back in any form. And anyone who thinks they get more bang for their (tax) buck in MD than they do in N Va is living in a dream world. If they can afford a N VA home their net value for what they pay in taxes is negative, no matter which state they live in.

So, if you can afford to live in N VA, it makes more sense to do so, all other considerations being equal.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by AlexandriaLightHouse

Ok, so one vote for cheaper housing in Maryland. Also, just to clear this up.. The "Alexandria" portion of Fairfax is simultaneously the worst part of Fairfax and insultingly named similarly to one if the best parts of northern Virginia. To consider Alexandria city in the same breath as the dump on route one just doesn't do either area justice.

I'm quite well aware of the reputation of that area of Fairfax County. You're trying to explain that to the wrong guy. I know NOVA extremely well. My knowledge is not limited to that one area, which, BTW, in my eyes, is not a dump. I genuinely liked it there. Maryland just worked better for us.

[pcity]

Originally Posted by AlexandriaLightHouse

The "Alexandria" portion of Fairfax is simultaneously the worst part of Fairfax and insultingly named similarly to one if the best parts of northern Virginia. To consider Alexandria city in the same breath as the dump on route one just doesn't do either area justice.

Alexandria in Fairfax County includes nice areas (Kingstowne and Belle Haven come to mind) while Alexandria City has rough areas (the projects in North Old Town) and ugly areas (Landmark) of it's own.

I would say that to generalize either "Alexandria" doesn't do either area justice. Plenty of positives and negatives to both.

[e30is]

My personal preference would be MD, but the politics is driving me nuts and is making VA look better by the day. Though I would love to live in a place like Frederick.