Money Magazine Best Places to Live 2014 Three Maryland Cities make the list (Baltimore: schools, income)

[Aimewitue]

Three Maryland cities made the Top 50 list.

6. Columbia/Elliott City MD
24. Rockville.MD
28. Bowie, MD


A little surprised bowie,md made the list maybe Bowie is making a comeback!!

https://time.com/money/3312334/rockv...laces-to-live/

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by Aimewitue

Three Maryland cities made the Top 50 list.

6. Columbia/Elliott City MD
24. Rockville.MD
28. Bowie, MD


A little surprised bowie,md made the list maybe Bowie is making a comeback!!

https://time.com/money/3312334/rockv...laces-to-live/

Those lists are laughable. lol They would be more believable if they were more consistent. You mean to tell me that last year, Vienna, VA was ranked number 3 and then this year they drop completely off the list? Then in comes Bowie, MD at number 28 out of nowhere? Bowie doesn't even have mass transit. Neither does Columbia/Ellicott City. They certainly aren't best places to live for those without accessible public transportation.

[Aimewitue]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

Those lists are laughable. lol They would be more believable if they were more consistent. You mean to tell me that last year, Vienna, VA was ranked number 3 and then this year they drop completely off the list? Then in comes Bowie, MD at number 28 out of nowhere? Bowie doesn't even have mass transit. Neither does Columbia/Ellicott City. They certainly aren't best places to live for those without accessible public transportation.

I believe to most people public transportation isnt that big of deal.

[michgc]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

Those lists are laughable. lol They would be more believable if they were more consistent. You mean to tell me that last year, Vienna, VA was ranked number 3 and then this year they drop completely off the list? Then in comes Bowie, MD at number 28 out of nowhere? Bowie doesn't even have mass transit. Neither does Columbia/Ellicott City. They certainly aren't best places to live for those without accessible public transportation.

While I agree that some of the places on their list are surprising, I wanted to point out that Vienna made the list last year for "best small towns." The list this year is for bigger towns/cities of between 50k and 300K. So Vienna didn't drop off this list, as it doesn't qualify. Having said that, their choice of Vienna last year was definitely a good one.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by michgc

While I agree that some of the places on their list are surprising, I wanted to point out that Vienna made the list last year for "best small towns." The list this year is for bigger towns/cities of between 50k and 300K. So Vienna didn't drop off this list, as it doesn't qualify. Having said that, their choice of Vienna last year was definitely a good one.

Hmmmmm. You are correct. They alternate years. Soooo misleading to have the same title. It should read "Best Places To Live: Small Towns Edition." and "Best Places To Live: Small Cities Edition." Lots of people go straight to the list like I did. :-)

[ABQ1]

Was it last week or so I read that the State of Maryland is the richest state judging by median income. MD is $72k , the highest. But what does that mean in reality if many struggle to live on that income in Montgomery County with housing eating up over 29% of that? I guess the "richest state or city " is relative like per capita income of nations.

Someone in Houston or Dallas, TX making 10k less but paying only 60% of Washington Metro including Montgomery County housing is better off. However, "rich" for me when it comes to cities or states should be beyond income to include actual wealth, experience, culture, education, etc. When those are included Maryland will still very high on the list but what position? I don't know.

Best places to live is really in the eye of the beholder. What people judge as important to them for a city are different for different people. I suspect though that the "bests" surveys are based more on the people opinions of those who look like the interviewers of the survey (interviewer bias}.

[bufflove]

Originally Posted by ABQ1

Someone in Houston or Dallas, TX making 10k less but paying only 60% of Washington Metro including Montgomery County housing is better off.

...right, except in one instance you get to live in MoCo and the other instance you have to live in Houston or Dallas. There's a reason why one is expensive and one is inexpensive; one is in demand due to top-tier schools, amenities, and access to high-paying jobs...the other is in Texas.

[Deluusions]

Originally Posted by ABQ1

Was it last week or so I read that the State of Maryland is the richest state judging by median income. MD is $72k , the highest. But what does that mean in reality if many struggle to live on that income in Montgomery County with housing eating up over 29% of that? I guess the "richest state or city " is relative like per capita income of nations.

Someone in Houston or Dallas, TX making 10k less but paying only 60% of Washington Metro including Montgomery County housing is better off. However, "rich" for me when it comes to cities or states should be beyond income to include actual wealth, experience, culture, education, etc. When those are included Maryland will still very high on the list but what position? I don't know.

Best places to live is really in the eye of the beholder. What people judge as important to them for a city are different for different people. I suspect though that the "bests" surveys are based more on the people opinions of those who look like the interviewers of the survey (interviewer bias}.

How did this even come about, so off topic.

[Aimewitue]

Originally Posted by bufflove

...right, except in one instance you get to live in MoCo and the other instance you have to live in Houston or Dallas. There's a reason why one is expensive and one is inexpensive; one is in demand due to top-tier schools, amenities, and access to high-paying jobs...the other is in Texas.

OUCH!!!! LOL!! tell'em how you really feel about TEXAS!!!

[ABQ1]

[quote=bufflove;36670935]...right, except in one instance you get to live in MoCo and the other instance you have to live in Houston or Dallas. There's a reason why one is expensive and one is inexpensive; one is in demand due to top-tier schools, amenities, and access to high-paying jobs...the other is in Texas.[/quote

That's right! You have it correct but 'best place to live' is defined by different people different ways. I think I mentioned thagt earlier.

Many Texans probably don't care about living in the DC region despite all that you listed either. I moved back to MoCo from the SouthWest for the things you mentioned. I made more while there with much lower housing but I felt not belonged and out of place but it took a recession job loss to bring me back.

I didn't want to live in Texas either believe me, but curiosity along with certain offers will take people anywhere. One who have lived all his life in MoCo and one who have lived in the four regions (SE, SW, NW & Baltimore/Washington ) of the country are not the same. Also throw in a foreign countries. That experience is hard to match