Outside of the 10% elite, does the typical NOVA resident have a high standard of living? (Arlington: 2015, lease)

[robbobobbo]

Originally Posted by spencgr

I don't really follow your logic. Let's say I am one of the three people in Detroit who have a good job. I can buy a heck of a lot and my house is freaking amazing. There is zero traffic getting to my job, because no one else is on the roads. Ah, but I am the only person I know who has a job, so social activities are pretty limited. Is this really a better standard of living than this area?

I realize this is an exaggerated example. But you can't just compare "those who have jobs to those who have jobs", if it's very difficult for others to get jobs. In my sixteen years of living here in NoVA, I've never known anyone to be unemployed for more than three months. And most of those people had severances that lasted past getting their new salary. The fact that there are an abundance of jobs here must factor into the standard of living.

Yes, that's an exaggerated example. And I don't know if anyone is contending that places with high unemployment are rated higher in quality of life than DC metro. Even in your example, if the area in question didn't have the blight that Detroit has, I'd say yes, that individual very well could feel they had a better quality of life there, and the assertion that one's social activities would be curtailed is a stretch, IMO.

You might want to look at Unemployment Rates for Metropolitan Areas which shows that the DC metro isn't exactly the lowest in unemployment (at least for that month); perhaps people have a misconception and pat ourselves on the back too much. That said, I don't think one can look at that list and rank areas' quality of life merely by their UE rate.

By the way, I went over a year without full-time work as an unemployed software developer here, during the dot-com crash, and a relative went over a year without work in his profession, at the time (2008) when the country's economy tanked.

[RamblingMan]

Originally Posted by DCKing

Finally done reading all 5 pages. The only thing ill say is i've lived almost everywhere due to my dads job when I was younger and besides LA, nova is the only place where its normal to see BMWs, Mercedes, Lexus, Audi's and Porsche's everywhere so clearly someone has money.

You think that driving a BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Audi, or Porsche indicates that someone has money? I used to think that. Now I think it is just as likely that they have a lease they can't afford. BTW, I love toys, I just don't think that what one drives is a reliable indicator of wealth.

[SteelCityRising]

OP, may I respectfully ask what is your point? Are you hoping to convince everyone to move out of NoVA?


I was one of those earning roughly half the median household income when I lived in Fairfax County from 2009 to 2010, yet I was struggling to make it LOOK like I was pulling in closer to the median to remain socially viable alongside peers who were pulling in much more money (and flaunting it---believe me). When you have a $50,000 gross salary and deduct taxes, medical/vision/dental insurances, student loans, a car payment, car insurance, >$1,000/month in rent for a ho-hum 1-BR unit; utilities; cell phone; expenses as you're trying to launch a romantic pursuit; etc. you're barely left with anything. I used credit cards very detrimentally when I lived in Reston---sometimes to buy groceries.

I moved to Pittsburgh, where I earn slightly less and live MUCH more comfortably. Instead of paying ~$1,200/month to rent a dumpy 1-BR in a far-flung place like Reston I now pay $700/month to rent another dumpy 1-BR adjacent to Downtown---within easy walking distance of a casino; stadiums; parks; trails; bars; restaurants; markets; boutiques; the subway; the cultural venues; etc. Many of my bills went down, too.

I was lucky. At just 24 I was tired of feeling like NoVA wasn't offering me a very good "bang-for-your buck factor" with the high rent; heavy traffic; rude, competitive people; etc. so I moved on a whim to another city with positive press and a red-hot economy and immediately started working two jobs. I now drive a 2013 car; day-trip without hesitation twice per month; dine out or order in once per week; use credit sparingly (as I repair my credit score); and am living a scaled-down "Friends" or "Sex and the City" lifestyle. I've been with my partner for over 3.5 years, and we're going to build a life together. I feel optimistic enough about living here that I'm working on a business plan and will soon be opening a new business in the city, hiring at least 25 employees in the process, and hopefully netting me six-figures annually after five years, much of which I'll reinvest to open more of my business idea(s) in other regions.



I personally didn't think NoVA was worth overextending myself financially. Many others have a divergent opinion, judging by the fact that Pittsburgh has a stagnant population while NoVA's is exploding insurmountably. I don't (and won't) fault ANYONE for wanting to always feel pressured to work, work, work in order to enjoy living the high life in Northern Virginia. Truth be told NoVA blows Pittsburgh out of the water if you have money. If you're poor? Yes, of course NoVA sucks, and many of the regulars on this sub-forum are out-of-touch with the lower-classes and couldn't care less that there ARE people who struggle there. I couldn't envision a better place than NoVA to live, though, if I was rich. Most of the people on here ARE rich (yes, if your household makes over $100,000 you're doing quite well by American standards), so of course this sub-forum tilt is going to be overwhelmingly positive.

[gomason]

Originally Posted by RamblingMan

You think that driving a BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Audi, or Porsche indicates that someone has money? I used to think that. Now I think it is just as likely that they have a lease they can't afford. BTW, I love toys, I just don't think that what one drives is a reliable indicator of wealth.

This is true. You wouldn't believe how many millionaires in McLean drive Toyota Corollas.

[jillybean720]

Originally Posted by RamblingMan

You think that driving a BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Audi, or Porsche indicates that someone has money? I used to think that. Now I think it is just as likely that they have a lease they can't afford. BTW, I love toys, I just don't think that what one drives is a reliable indicator of wealth.

Concur. My Section 8 rental neighbors drove a Mercedes and a BMW while living in a 2-bedroom townhouse as a family of 5.

[hokiepoke]

Originally Posted by jillybean720

Concur. My Section 8 rental neighbors drove a Mercedes and a BMW while living in a 2-bedroom townhouse as a family of 5.

I think they're called "30k millionaires".

[msorsa]

There is a simple reason people choose to stay in NOVA. For many of us our jobs only exist in NOVA, maybe in 2-3 more places in the US. In Minneaplois I will be unmeployed so my quality of life will mostly suck.
This is a simple blue vs white collar job debate. White collar jobs are paid a premium because they have to be here. Blue collar jobs are everywhere. So of course if your are a teacher, a truck driver, a barber, a retail clerk, a janitor, or an Administrative Assistant you can go anywhere in the US that will improve your quality of life but if you are a high level engineer woking for the a military/government agency you are pretty much stuck here.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by msorsa

There is a simple reason people choose to stay in NOVA. For many of us our jobs only exist in NOVA, maybe in 2-3 more places in the US. In Minneaplois I will be unmeployed so my quality of life will mostly suck.
This is a simple blue vs white collar job debate. White collar jobs are paid a premium because they have to be here. Blue collar jobs are everywhere. So of course if your are a teacher, a truck driver, a barber, a retail clerk, a janitor, or an Administrative Assistant you can go anywhere in the US that will improve your quality of life but if you are a high level engineer woking for the a military/government agency you are pretty much stuck here.

How do you know that? Minneapolis St.Paul seems to have a lower unemployment rate than here. I used to live in Minneapolis and I didn't get the impression it was mostly a blue collar town.

[Octa]

Originally Posted by msorsa

There is a simple reason people choose to stay in NOVA. For many of us our jobs only exist in NOVA, maybe in 2-3 more places in the US. In Minneaplois I will be unmeployed so my quality of life will mostly suck.
This is a simple blue vs white collar job debate. White collar jobs are paid a premium because they have to be here. Blue collar jobs are everywhere. So of course if your are a teacher, a truck driver, a barber, a retail clerk, a janitor, or an Administrative Assistant you can go anywhere in the US that will improve your quality of life but if you are a high level engineer woking for the a military/government agency you are pretty much stuck here.

Education professionals are blue collar?

[RamblingMan]

Originally Posted by dkf747

How do you know that? Minneapolis St.Paul seems to have a lower unemployment rate than here. I used to live in Minneapolis and I didn't get the impression it was mostly a blue collar town.

msorsa's position is reasonable for a lot of people. I'm very specialized in Foreign Affairs. If I'm not overseas, I'm pretty much going to be working in or very near Washington DC. I know it is the same for people who specialize in intelligence. I'm sure there are plenty of other areas where job opportunities are very closely linked to DC as well.