Best cities for early twenties crowd (Virginia Beach, Norfolk: housing, condos, rent)

[Laura2434]

Ok... I went down to Richmond last weekend and wasn't impressed. It is a beautiful city but the lack of public transportation and apparent high crime rate kind of turned me off from it.

I'm looking for a city with some sort of public transportation where you could get by without a car. Most importantly though I'm looking for somewhere that is reasonably priced as far as renting, has a good culture/nightlife atmosphere, and friendly people.

If anyone could give me any suggestions or point me in the right direction, it would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you!

[dullnboring]

I'm sorry to say that I can't think of any places in Virginia that would fit into all of those requirements. Much of Virginia, including our cities, is low-density sprawl. There are some urban cores with a higher concentration of nightlife, good public transportation and pedestrian-friendly in places like Richmond and Charlottesville. To be honest though, the only place I think you could actually get by without a car in Virginia would be living in Northern Virginia near one of the Metro stations in Arlington or Alexandria. These areas also have a high concentration of twenty-somethings and a good amount of nightlife, culture and restaurants and are only a short train ride away from DC with it's plethora of things to do. The drawback however is the cost. If you're willing to room with someone though, either in an apartment or rent out a room in someone's home, you can actually find deals, but apartments, condos and homes in and of themselves are somewhat expensive.

[kitkatjmu]

I would agree for the most part. Clarendon and Ballston in Arlington have great night life and are packed with 20s and early 30s crowd, but rent would be high, unless maybe you could rent a house with other people. There are metro stops and you can walk to most places you might need, so it is easy to get around without a car. You can check out the housing section on mod cut to get an idea of rent options and costs.


Where are you moving from?

[kitkatjmu]

I'm a newbie and didn't realize they cut links! yeah it was just washingtondc dot craigslist dot org

[Laura2434]

I'm moving from NY... I guess the overall atmosphere and culture of the place is more important than public transportation. But thank you for the suggestions so far

[NJnative]

I just moved from Northern NJ, and currently reside in Cary NC. I am a late twenties woman with a 10 year old. Cary Is anything but diverse. I do want to have diversity, but not live in anywhere USA. Can anyone suggest where in Va (southern due to cost of living) I can still enjoy being young, and balance motherhood. I thought about VA beach area. How's the diversity there?.

[tvpirate05]

Norfolk/Virginia Beach has a decent nightlife, but public transportation is nothing more than the bus. They plan to open a light-rail system in about two or three years, but it'll probably be limited starting up.

The cost of living isn't that "reasonable" either, at least compared to salary.

[roanoker 4]

Remember, VA is the OLD Dominion!
If I were in my early 20's and had plenty of Daddys' money, good education,
professional job I would head for DC/Northern VA!!
New York City, Atlanta, Boston, LA, SF should not be ruled out but if you still like VA thats really my top pick!!

[7citiesVA]

Remember if you live in Hampton Roads/Tidewater, you have the choice of doing something in not just one, but each of the surrounding cities. (whether it be va beach, norfolk, portsmouth, chesapeake, hampton, newport news, or suffolk.) Each city is no more than 5 - 15 mins away from each other depending on what part of a city you live in and where your going.
I always try to tell people that our setup down here is like that of NYC and the 5 boroughs. Instead you have 7 cities. Each is its own independent city with different history, vibes, and culture, but they all come together to make up the greater hampton roads/tidewater area. (7cities, VA)
Each city has different bars and clubs scattered throughout. There is sort of a club district in Downtown Norfolk on Granby St. and there is also the 'strip' of Va Beach down at the ocean front that hosts a number of clubs and bars for all types. There are always a number of concerts coming to the area.
Dont get me wrong...this area is no LA, DC, Miami, or New York, but basicly There is always something to do. You just have to get out and do it!

[pythagras]

Charlottesville is great for the just-out-of-college crowds. Its a college town but has a good amount of other stuff to stand on its own. Depending on where you live, life can be very pedestrian friendly. Another perk, (if this is your thing) is the proximity of Shenandoah and the mountains. Its still got a lot of small town charm despite its heavy development and pretty good nightlife. The main negative, however, is that it can tend to be a fairly elitist/snobby place. Its a city obsessed with how perfect it is.