Germantown??? (Baltimore, Gaithersburg, Rockville: low income, transplants, crime)

[Hawa]

How's Germantown? I know nothing about the town but it's seems like a good town to live in. I hear that it is slowly going bad.

[zipty22]

I lived in germantown about 4 years ago and my mom lives there now. I don't think its going bad at all. Germantown is great.

[The Dissenter]

i've heard mixed reviews about it. if it was an apt you're looking for i'd look at other options. if it's a sfh you want i'd think you would be alright.

[pythagras]

I work in Germantown, the gist I've gotten from those that live there is to avoid the Middlebrook and Fox Chapel areas. In general I think the area is fine. You'll hear lots of people who grew up in a more rural Germantown complain that its gone downhill, but its fine... its only become more populated. I think the best parts of the town are probably the northeast, away from 270. The closer to 270 the more unsafe it tends to get.

Of course its all VERY relative. The bad parts of Germantown don't have anything on the bad parts of DC or Baltimore. You'll notice them though, the Middlebrook shopping center has its share of sketchy looking liquor stores.

[flowerlady9]

Germantown has become very populated and on the verge of overpopulation in my mind. Its difficult to get shopping and other errands done on the weekend due to the high volume of people trying to do the same. And forget going to the Walmart, ever. Its crowded day and night.

Gangs are starting to move into Germantown and crime is up however, it is all relative. Its better than Rockville or any areas closer in to DC.

Having said all that though, there are lots of restaurants, a large movie theatre complex and a new large library.

I think every where has good and bad points. Its what you are willing to live with.

[firefightermom]

I have lived in Germantown for 8 years now and am moving this year...Germantown is going down and not slowly...gangs are very prevalent here, even in the grade schools, such as Fox Chapel. The Brandermill development has regular police activity, as does Cinnamon Woods.The local cops call the area the Wild West. I wouldn't take a walk in my neighborhood after dark anymore either. I can't take my kids to the local park b/c of all the riffraff hanging out. I would recomment elsewhere...the new theatre and shops are nice, but check out the police reports....even the new library has to have cops there now b/c the librarians can't control people.
It's sad...the town looks great and all, but stay away...sorry to all those who don't believe me, but it's not good enough for my family any more.

[psychofan]

I am currently living in Germantown right now (just moved into an apt this past July) and I have to agree with the avoid Middlebrook Road area. If you're looking for an apt, I suggest the area closer to the Germantown/Gaithersburg border. For an apt, take a look at The Elms at Kingsview. It's quiet and safe. . . away from the ghetto part.

[TrippingJay]

I work in Germantown and agree that the general consensus is that there are some good areas and some bad areas. Cinnamon Woods, Middlebrook, Fox Chapel and Brandermill are the not so great areas as these areas have a lot of low income housing. I believe a lot of people from SE DC and PG county have moved to Germantown which has unfortunately resulted in higher crime.

The closer you are to Boyds, Richter Farm Dr, or the area close the Kentlands are the better parts of Germantown.

[burnt]

I wish it were more German.

[Tom Lennox 70]

I live in nearby Rockville and yes, Germantown is starting to go bad, though not as bad as parts of Gaithersburg (in particular the area around Gaithersburg HS and Lakeforest Mall) and parts of Rockville and Silver SPring. Keep in mind that 10-15 years ago Germantown was a tranquil little town and Gaithersburg and Rockville were very pleasant suburbs.

Above posters have touched upon what's happened. In the past few years, gentrification in Washington, D.C. has pushed a lot of the ghetto into the suburbs while at the same time, Montgomery COunty, thanks in no small part to our liberal politics, has been overwhelmed by illegal immigrants. The area around Fox Chapel has a high concentration of illegals, as do neighboring parts of Gaithersburg. Our county government and state will do nothing about this problem.

Montgomery County actually used taxpayer money to build a new labor centers for illegals despite widespread opposition from residents. Our county executive, a liberal slimeball called Isiah Leggett according the Washington Post told a man to "shut up" at a town hall meeting when he brought up the problem of illegal immigration in this county. Compare central Gaithersburg 10 years ago with today, or Wheaton 15 years ago vs today, or PG COunty 20 years ago vs today and that's where parts of Germantown and large swaths of Montgomery County are heading. My teacher at Churchill HS several years ago used to teach in Gaithersburg and said most parents couldn't even speak English, that they were almost all illegals and things like abiding by the law, hard work, and honestly are not values they seem to cherish. I mean, honestly, what do you expect from someone whose existence in this country is based on lying, cheating, and stealing?

There are still some nice new subdivions in Germantown though, up along Route 118 toward Clopper Mill Rd and along Germantown Road. The city also has a nice movie theater, a number of nice restaurants and convenient shopping, and a flashy new library building and some streets that are still true to the town's rural heritage. There's a small "historic district" near the MARC station that's pretty nice. A lot of my postings here I do rant against the state, but its not Montgomery County itself, its the people who have moved here, illegal immigrants, ghetto people and northern transplants who have taken over our community, our lifestyles, our government, our politics, our outlook, everything.

In a heartbeat I would live in the Montgomery County of 1975 or 1980 or 1985. But there's no way I'm spending the rest of my life in the Maryland of today. Hopefully after I finish my education I'll be somewhere South or West.