Who lives here? (Silver Spring, Gaithersburg: place to live, shop, commuting)

[citizenwill]

I'm wondering who lives in the Gaithersburg/Silver Spring, MD area and what do you like about it??? Commute? Shopping? Parks? Recreation?

[yankee.peddler]

I live very close to downtown Silver Spring. The area is very diverse both demographically and socioeconomically. The commute to D.C. is a breeze via the Metro Red Line. Shopping is plentiful in downtown Silver Spring. Rents are relatively affordable. Parks of varying sizes can be found throughout the area. It's a convenient place to live.

[Carlaclaws]

Commuting any distance from Gaithersburg by any means other than Metro or carpool will be hellish. Downtown Silver Spring is very convenient, and actually pretty accessible to any other place inside the Beltway if you know the sneak routes, but Silver Spring is an enormous area, and the sections out near Howard County will be a much worse commute.