Down to earth communities for a transplant? (Baltimore, Silver Spring: apartment, renting)

[CondeCasio]

I'm a Chicago native, but I moved here from California after graduating from UC-Irvine about 5 months ago. I'm renting a room in Adams-Morgan, DC and although it's really close to work and my roommates are very decent human beings I really cannot stand how pretentious everyone is in DC. It's hard to put into words but I get the feelings that most people are more interested in what someone does or how much money they have than who that person is, a very superficial and disingenuous vibe permeates DC and as someone who had a very middle class, grounded suburban Chicago upbringing it's really quite unbearable for me. It's not as if I'm a lowlife or uneducated and I feel inferior, it's the vibe of the town, maybe it's because (unlike Chicago) this is a place where people move to from elsewhere to attain money and status, not a place where people put down roots.


Not me! I'd like to put down roots and live in a more low key, down to earth community.



About me:


As I said above, I'm a Chicago (Bridgeview, IL) native, UCI grad, I work in the hard sciences, I'm a practicing Muslim (and the one thing I do really like about DC is the big, diverse Muslim community), I'm mixed race with my mom being Mexican and my father being from the former Yugoslavia, I want to live in my own apartment in a safe, non-pretentious, quiet, diverse/mixed area with good amenities for Muslims like halaal groceries and restaurants that doesn't have the vibe that DC has.


Sorry if that's a weird/impossible request. I said something similar to a coworker and they told me that I won't find that until I get closer to Baltimore than DC, is that true?


My budget is $1250 (give or take, I'm flexible) and I would like a one bedroom near to a metro station, big plus if there's parking or if there is easy and safe street parking available. I don't like being really high up and I would prefer an area without a ton of foot traffic, but those are secondary requests.

[Turnerbro]

Interesting, I've never heard of a Mexican Muslim before....Anyway, yeah the pretentiousness you speak off is certainly an issue in D.C. I think a lot of people who live here don't really notice it, but many outsiders do. You might want to look into North Western interior PG County. Near Maryland universities. This area includes many small incorporated towns such as College Park, Hyattsville, University Park, Mt. Rainer, Greenbelt, and Riverdale Park. This area is highly diverse "actually one of the most diverse areas in the country" It also has one of the most prominent younger working class populations in the DMV. It's also near the university which helps since you get people from all walks of life.

[bufflove]

Originally Posted by Turnerbro

Interesting, I've never heard of a Mexican Muslim before....Anyway, yeah the pretentiousness you speak off is certainly an issue in D.C. I think a lot of people who live here don't really notice it, but many outsiders do. You might want to look into North Western interior PG County. Near Maryland universities. This area includes many small incorporated towns such as College Park, Hyattsville, University Park, Mt. Rainer, Greenbelt, and Riverdale Park. This area is highly diverse "actually one of the most diverse areas in the country" It also has one of the most prominent younger working class populations in the DMV. It's also near the university which helps since you get people from all walks of life.

Personally, I think "outsiders" are the problem. I'm born and raised inside the beltway and most people I grew up with are perfectly down to earth, normal folks; it's outsiders who come and are hyper-focused on their careers and/or obsessed about their status/$$ that I find unbearable.

OP, I agree College Park/Hyattsville might be good options. As might Wheaton and Twinbrook, especially if it's helpful for your commute to stay on the Red Line.

[papichulo2]

Originally Posted by bufflove

Personally, I think "outsiders" are the problem. I'm born and raised inside the beltway and most people I grew up with are perfectly down to earth, normal folks; it's outsiders who come and are hyper-focused on their careers and/or obsessed about their status/$$ that I find unbearable.

True

[Turnerbro]

Originally Posted by bufflove

Personally, I think "outsiders" are the problem. I'm born and raised inside the beltway and most people I grew up with are perfectly down to earth, normal folks; it's outsiders who come and are hyper-focused on their careers and/or obsessed about their status/$$ that I find unbearable.

OP, I agree College Park/Hyattsville might be good options. As might Wheaton and Twinbrook, especially if it's helpful for your commute to stay on the Red Line.

This is true to some degree. Most of the "old school" D.C people aren't snobby or pretentious.

[CondeCasio]

Originally Posted by Turnerbro

Interesting, I've never heard of a Mexican Muslim before....Anyway, yeah the pretentiousness you speak off is certainly an issue in D.C. I think a lot of people who live here don't really notice it, but many outsiders do. You might want to look into North Western interior PG County. Near Maryland universities. This area includes many small incorporated towns such as College Park, Hyattsville, University Park, Mt. Rainer, Greenbelt, and Riverdale Park. This area is highly diverse "actually one of the most diverse areas in the country" It also has one of the most prominent younger working class populations in the DMV. It's also near the university which helps since you get people from all walks of life.

My dad is from the former Yugoslavia, that's where the Muslim comes from.



Thank you, I'll check those places out.

[e2ksj3]

Originally Posted by Turnerbro

Interesting, I've never heard of a Mexican Muslim before....Anyway, yeah the pretentiousness you speak off is certainly an issue in D.C. I think a lot of people who live here don't really notice it, but many outsiders do. You might want to look into North Western interior PG County. Near Maryland universities. This area includes many small incorporated towns such as College Park, Hyattsville, University Park, Mt. Rainer, Greenbelt, and Riverdale Park. This area is highly diverse "actually one of the most diverse areas in the country" It also has one of the most prominent younger working class populations in the DMV. It's also near the university which helps since you get people from all walks of life.

+1

Definitely worth checking out PG along the Route 1 corridor (College Park/Hyattsville/Brentwood/Mt. Rainier/Riverdale Park). It is diverse and I think the people are a little more opened minded and down to earth, well at least from my experiences in my neighborhood and also from the fact that they even chose to live here despite all the negativity around PG County and believe me there is a lot.

We also have a good size Muslim community too, with Halal stores in the area and even a Muslim school Al-Huda which has an awesome administration. They invited folks in my neighborhood for lunch one weekend and told us about their school and discussed their faith.

There is also an active arts scene (Gateway Arts District), plenty bike trails, close to public transportation and DC, and lots of new development.

Good luck on your search!

[Longer643]

College Park,Beltsville,Laurel,Silver Spring/Wheaton,Hyattsville,Greenbelt,Bowie

[DistrictSonic]

I know the Bridgeview area, and the areas people are suggesting are great. Silver Spring, Wheaton, and Hyattesville would all seem close to home. University Blvd. area would seem super familiar.

The whole eastern part of Montgomery Count/Western Part of PG has a somewhat similar vibe.

[citygawker]

Wow. This post resonate with me and I am a black female. I couldn't stand bringing my sweet kid to a local park the parents seem miserable because of a competitiveness that feels desperate for success. It was confusing for me being so "diverse." I happily took my kid to a park a few miles away and people were decidedly more natural and easy to be around and it was predominantly white. I'm still figuring this place out.