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I'm from Raleigh and I love it. But, definitely want to try something different. Are there other places in Virginia or Maryland that would be "livable" for my salary and still fun/interesting?
Ok, I'm starting to get the idea DC might not be the best option. What are some other cities you guys would suggest?
I don't feel a real draw to Pittsburgh...too cold
You could also teach out on the periphery. Like Fredericksburg or Winchester, VA.
You're still within shot of DC, but you'd be living in a much more long-term sustainable cost-of-living area, with a good shot at home ownership with a teacher's salary.
I'm from Raleigh and I love it. But, definitely want to try something different. Are there other places in Virginia or Maryland that would be "livable" for my salary and still fun/interesting?
I have no idea why you'd want to leave Raleigh to live near DC, it sucks here. The traffic is terrible, you're used to Raleigh where the roads are excellent and traffic doesn't get too horrible, nowhere is it worse than the DC area. It's also very expensive and not very fun. I wish there was such a thing as a people trade and you can live here and I move to Raleigh. You should visit DC first and see if you like this kind of pace. There's a lot of stuff to do on a visit like see the museums but the nightlife is way worse than Raleigh if you can believe that.
I have no idea why you'd want to leave Raleigh to live near DC, it sucks here. The traffic is terrible, you're used to Raleigh where the roads are excellent and traffic doesn't get too horrible, nowhere is it worse than the DC area. It's also very expensive and not very fun. I wish there was such a thing as a people trade and you can live here and I move to Raleigh. You should visit DC first and see if you like this kind of pace. There's a lot of stuff to do on a visit like see the museums but the nightlife is way worse than Raleigh if you can believe that.
Yeah, I've not really visited. I'm just trying to be spontaneous and experience something different. I've lived in Raleigh a long time and will most likely be back, so I just want to explore somewhere else. BTW "people trade" actually does happen though...housing swap
What if I just lived near DC for a year, would it be worth it? I'm not planning on staying longer than that.
I grew up about 30 miles from Pittsburgh, I went to college in Durham NC, and I have lived in Silver Spring for almost 3 years now, and I think I have a handle on these areas.
For a young person making about 40k a year, in my opinion the quality of life is Raleigh-Durham > Pittsburgh >>> DC. I like Pittsburgh but it is sort of in the midst of an economically depressed area and it sort of bums me out. I actually think the weather is just as nice as Raleigh. The winter is colder and gloomier but the summer is very pleasant, and you can actually enjoy the outdoors a lot, unlike DC and Raleigh. If you want an idea of what it is like to live in the VA suburbs of D.C., go to Raleigh, but drive at 5 miles per hour wherever you go to simulate NOVA traffic, then calculate everything you buy as being double or triple the price. From what I remember, one of the chief gripes young people have about Raleigh-Durham is that it is too "suburban." If you want to try something dramatically different from this atmosphere, going to the Virginia suburbs of DC is not for you. NOVA is extremely similar to RD, but essentially worse. It's like one gigantic generic suburb with horrendous traffic and unbelievably expensive real estate and high-strung, more competitive people. Places like Arlington and Alexandria strike me as the more young, fun places to live, but I don't think you can afford it.
I'm not saying that I'm miserable here or that no one should live here. I really like DC actually. I'm in law and my husband is in IT and DC offers us the best jobs. There are lots of great school systems here, and there are a lot of museums and beautiful architecture and things to see, and I like that. But it is also prohibitively expensive if you make a small salary and there are a few other negatives everyone here has touched on. Think of it this way- in Montgomery County, someone making around 40k qualifies for low-income rental apartments. It's not just me saying that's low-income, you're qualified for a form of welfare at that salary. Having no extra money at the end of the month is going to have a really negative effect on your whole experience. That's all I think most of the people here are saying.
*EDIT: I posted this as OP was posting her last comment--- So, OP, if you want to live in DC for a year just to be "spontaneous" it's most likely going to be a rather expensive error. You owe it to yourself to at least visit for a few days, go around on the metro, try to maybe drive from where you're looking at living to "fun" places you want to see, check out what apartments are like and what rent is, check out rush hour, etc. You might go ahead and decide to spend a year here, and have a lot of fun. You might want to move here forever! But it should be a somewhat thoroughly researched decision on your part.
Yeah, I've not really visited. I'm just trying to be spontaneous and experience something different. I've lived in Raleigh a long time and will most likely be back, so I just want to explore somewhere else. BTW "people trade" actually does happen though...housing swap
What if I just lived near DC for a year, would it be worth it? I'm not planning on staying longer than that.
I'm sorry I'm going to have say that people are giving a general overview of the area. I'm not saying they are wrong, but a lot of the information in this thread doesn't apply to you. If you are going to work in an elementary school, your lifestyle will likely be much different than what is being described. If you work in a school system nearby to where you live, you won't have to deal with that type of traffic. My wife is a school teacher and when she taught for PG County Schools, she's had commutes as small as 10 minutes. It just depends on where you work. It's not like you will have a job that will require you to be in DC or be near DC. That is where it can be expensive, time consuming and unattractive. A job in a school system is very unique. This is not for me to tell you that you should move here, but I also don't think you should be completely turned off to the idea.
It is indeed expensive up here, but if you live in the far out suburbs that we named earlier it is much cheaper. I lived in Manassas as an intern for a company, didn't make a lot of money, but had a roommate that helped extend my money and made it possible for me to have extra money. I also didn't have to go but about 25-30 minutes away from my home. Even right now I own a condo and my commute is 15 minutes tops from my home. You can find a place here, but there are sacrifices that will have to be made. Being further away from the city is one, but also finding a job that is close to those areas make a huge difference for your lifestyle too. You have the rare luxury of possibly working in this area without having to go to or near DC to have a job. How many professions in the DC region has that luxury?
If you are not comfortable with moving here, then by all means don't do it, but ask yourself are you going to be content with staying in a place that you may not like. We are just here to give you our opinions, but you are the one that ultimately has to live with whatever decision you make. Best of luck with whatever you decide.
I grew up about 30 miles from Pittsburgh, I went to college in Durham NC, and I have lived in Silver Spring for almost 3 years now, and I think I have a handle on these areas.
For a young person making about 40k a year, in my opinion the quality of life is Raleigh-Durham > Pittsburgh >>> DC. I like Pittsburgh but it is sort of in the midst of an economically depressed area and it sort of bums me out. I actually think the weather is just as nice as Raleigh. The winter is colder and gloomier but the summer is very pleasant, and you can actually enjoy the outdoors a lot, unlike DC and Raleigh. If you want an idea of what it is like to live in the VA suburbs of D.C., go to Raleigh, but drive at 5 miles per hour wherever you go to simulate NOVA traffic, then calculate everything you buy as being double or triple the price. From what I remember, one of the chief gripes young people have about Raleigh-Durham is that it is too "suburban." If you want to try something dramatically different from this atmosphere, going to the Virginia suburbs of DC is not for you. NOVA is extremely similar to RD, but essentially worse. It's like one gigantic generic suburb with horrendous traffic and unbelievably expensive real estate and high-strung, more competitive people. Places like Arlington and Alexandria strike me as the more young, fun places to live, but I don't think you can afford it.
I'm not saying that I'm miserable here or that no one should live here. I really like DC actually. I'm in law and my husband is in IT and DC offers us the best jobs. There are lots of great school systems here, and there are a lot of museums and beautiful architecture and things to see, and I like that. But it is also prohibitively expensive if you make a small salary and there are a few other negatives everyone here has touched on. Think of it this way- in Montgomery County, someone making around 40k qualifies for low-income rental apartments. It's not just me saying that's low-income, you're qualified for a form of welfare at that salary. Having no extra money at the end of the month is going to have a really negative effect on your whole experience. That's all I think most of the people here are saying.
*EDIT: I posted this as OP was posting her last comment--- So, OP, if you want to live in DC for a year just to be "spontaneous" it's most likely going to be a rather expensive error. You owe it to yourself to at least visit for a few days, go around on the metro, try to maybe drive from where you're looking at living to "fun" places you want to see, check out what apartments are like and what rent is, check out rush hour, etc. You might go ahead and decide to spend a year here, and have a lot of fun. You might want to move here forever! But it should be a somewhat thoroughly researched decision on your part.
There is no comparison between Montgomery County and some of the far out suburbs. There are a lot of working class people who work in places like Prince William County, Charles County and even Prince George's County. Montgomery County is one of the most expensive parts of our area. Out in a places like Manassas, it is very possible to get an apartment on that salary and live comfortably as long as she doesn't have a lot of debt. The fact that she has a roommate would help a lot. I have co-workers who don't make much more than $40k that have gotten apartments in Alexandria or Arlington. It's not all doom and gloom. That is not to say that it is guaranteed to be easy, but I think you are making it seem as though the entire region is as expensive as Montgomery County and it is not. I've lived in Silver Spring, I've lived in Manassas, I've lived all over PG. Every place has been different.
You could also teach out on the periphery. Like Fredericksburg or Winchester, VA.
You're still within shot of DC, but you'd be living in a much more long-term sustainable cost-of-living area, with a good shot at home ownership with a teacher's salary.
Anywhere around Baltimore as well.
There are some suburbs of Baltimore that can be pricey. Places like Towson, many portions of Howard and Carroll Counties for example that can be pricey. Baltimore suburbs are less expensive but there are some places that aren't really affordable for the average working person.
I grew up about 30 miles from Pittsburgh, I went to college in Durham NC, and I have lived in Silver Spring for almost 3 years now, and I think I have a handle on these areas.
For a young person making about 40k a year, in my opinion the quality of life is Raleigh-Durham > Pittsburgh >>> DC. I like Pittsburgh but it is sort of in the midst of an economically depressed area and it sort of bums me out. I actually think the weather is just as nice as Raleigh. The winter is colder and gloomier but the summer is very pleasant, and you can actually enjoy the outdoors a lot, unlike DC and Raleigh. If you want an idea of what it is like to live in the VA suburbs of D.C., go to Raleigh, but drive at 5 miles per hour wherever you go to simulate NOVA traffic, then calculate everything you buy as being double or triple the price. From what I remember, one of the chief gripes young people have about Raleigh-Durham is that it is too "suburban." If you want to try something dramatically different from this atmosphere, going to the Virginia suburbs of DC is not for you. NOVA is extremely similar to RD, but essentially worse. It's like one gigantic generic suburb with horrendous traffic and unbelievably expensive real estate and high-strung, more competitive people. Places like Arlington and Alexandria strike me as the more young, fun places to live, but I don't think you can afford it.
I'm not saying that I'm miserable here or that no one should live here. I really like DC actually. I'm in law and my husband is in IT and DC offers us the best jobs. There are lots of great school systems here, and there are a lot of museums and beautiful architecture and things to see, and I like that. But it is also prohibitively expensive if you make a small salary and there are a few other negatives everyone here has touched on. Think of it this way- in Montgomery County, someone making around 40k qualifies for low-income rental apartments. It's not just me saying that's low-income, you're qualified for a form of welfare at that salary. Having no extra money at the end of the month is going to have a really negative effect on your whole experience. That's all I think most of the people here are saying.
*EDIT: I posted this as OP was posting her last comment--- So, OP, if you want to live in DC for a year just to be "spontaneous" it's most likely going to be a rather expensive error. You owe it to yourself to at least visit for a few days, go around on the metro, try to maybe drive from where you're looking at living to "fun" places you want to see, check out what apartments are like and what rent is, check out rush hour, etc. You might go ahead and decide to spend a year here, and have a lot of fun. You might want to move here forever! But it should be a somewhat thoroughly researched decision on your part.
Excellent post! Which is also making me think the OP should be looking at Washington DC itself, sharing an apartment, and doing something else besides teaching. Perhaps temp work for a year. It's definitely an interesting experience as well, and they'd probably get a much more rewarding 'something different' year out of it.
There are some suburbs of Baltimore that can be pricey. Places like Towson, many portions of Howard and Carroll Counties for example that can be pricey. Baltimore suburbs are less expensive but there are some places that aren't really affordable for the average working person.
Granted, I haven't looked into all of the Baltimore suburbs, as I'm sure there are some expensive ones.
But I did quickly notice that there is a large price difference between what's in Baltimore County (Artubus, Catonsville, etc.) vs. Howard County (Ellicott City, Columbia, Elkridge, etc.).
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You should visit DC first and see if you like this kind of pace. There's a lot of stuff to do on a visit like see the museums but the nightlife is way worse than Raleigh if you can believe that.
