Takoma Park, MD.. Thumbs up or down? (Silver Spring, College Park: crime, house)

[seethelight]

I grew up in Silver Spring then moved into D.C. then moved to Boulder. Have been gone for 10+ years. I am thinking about moving back to the D.C. area and was considering Takoma Park. I was wondering about the crime and if people like living there. I am very liberal, thus the attraction to Takoma Park.

[lscalder]

I used to live in Takoma Park Dc side. I moved in October 2006. We got our house broken into and car broken into twice in 2006. I got so tired of it so I moved to Upper Marlboro MD where I feel safe. When you do drive to the area no matter the time of day, you will never see children playing outside because of the drug and crime activity. We had a new neighbor who's house got broken into the first week he moved into the neighborhood. One of my next door neighbor who is in Law Enforcement with DC police also moved out of the area because of drugs and crimes.
My major issue was the police department. I remember looking out my window and seeing postitution outside of my window, I called the police and they never came. Alot of the streets are one way so you tend to see more crimes,drug activities on those street. I got so tired of calling the police and theywere a no show, so i stop calling. I felt as if I was bothering them.

[zipty22]

The Takoma Park Maryland side which is sort of a different world compaired to the D.C. side is safe and Liberal. The D.C. side is redeveloping a little these days. I haven't seen crime to the scale that the last person talked about in the D.C. side, but like I said, the two Takoma's are very different with different people etc.

[pythagras]

If you are liberal leaning definitely a thumbs up. People are friendly, metro very close, lots of community activities.

When you do drive to the area no matter the time of day, you will never see children playing outside because of the drug and crime activity.

I swore I saw kids playing there often. I went running in the DC and MD sides, no problem. I had the complete opposite experience it would seem. Many families lived in the area. My wife walked from the metro station, often in the dark. The Safeway in that area is the friendliest grocery store I've been to since moving to DC/MD.

However, if you get toward the PG/Langley Park side of things, it starts to feel a little less safe in my opinion.

[MDRunner]

Takoma Park is a very kid-friendly place. I'm a parent myself and I see and hear kids playing outside all summer long. Living near a park, during the nice evenings you can hear the laughter of kids playing well into the evening. It's a very friendly, liberal, welcoming city.

[RamseyEdward]

HOw close is the Takoma Park (Maryland side) to College Park and UMD?

[Spin26]

I've never lived there, but I do very much enjoy the MoCo, MD side. It's clean and pretty liberal

[MDRunner]

It's about 5 miles from Takoma Park to College Park. It's pretty much a straight shot right up University Blvd.

[anglophile]

thumbs up, particularly the MD side near old town. (In montgomery). The PG part is not so nice. Avoid the part abuting Langley Park.