Commuting Tyson's Corner - Columbia (Silver Spring, Bethesda: apartments, condos, crime)

[stewartthrower]

I am considering a job transfer from South Florida to the Tyson's corner area. If I choose to take this position, my wife will seek to transfer with her company to Columbia Maryland. By reading these boards, I think we would prefer Maryland to NOVA. Which would be easier? Commuting from Columbia to Tyson's Corner? Or is there a nice place in between that would make sense? Schools are not an issue, but property taxes, culture, etc. are. Thanks

[dullnboring]

I'm not sure what your tolerance is for commuting, but commuting from Columbia to Tysons Corner can be a nightmare. Even in non-rush hour traffic, such a trip would take 45-50 minutes. During rush hour, the commute will run at best an hour, 15 minutes, and at worst, six weeks . As far as places to recommend, I guess it depends a bit on your budget and the "culture" that you're looking for. Bethesda is roughly equidistant to Tysons in Columbia (well, actually a bit closer to Tysons) and is sort of a well-to-do urban area with shopping and restaurants, large single family homes and many luxury condos and apartments. Since you're from South Florida, a good comparison to Bethesda would be Coral Gables. Takoma Park is the DC area's "Berkeley", in that it's sort of a hippie-ish liberal enclave right over the DC border. Kensington is a nice little quiet suburban community, although expensive. Wheaton and Silver Spring are also smack dab in the middle and are suburban areas with many urban features, rough around the edges in parts, with large immigrant populations and rising crime but with good access to public transportation and roadways. All of these communities are in Montgomery County where I believe property taxes are higher than they would be in Columbia which lies in Howard County.