Am I crazy? (crime, how much, house)

[mainelydave]

Yes, I've scanned through many of the threads on this site. But I still have a hard time really making a decision about DC.

Let me explain my situation. I live, quite comfortably, in Maine. But I'm close to accepting an offer in DC that would almost double my salary. I have a wife and a 7 year old daughter.

The decision, ultimately, is if the extra salary will compensate for the higher cost of living, and quality of life.

Based upon my research, I'd face two options. Live in DC, and worry about crime and pay for private school for my daughter, or live in NOVA or Maryland and face a nasty and expensive commute.

The pros. The job is good. In VA, the schools are good. Lots of educational opportunities and fun stuff not available in Maine. The cons. Crime. Traffic. Sprawl.

I'm trying to be open minded, as the career opportunity is awesome. But I worry that the quality of life is sub-par.

Any comments?

[dullnboring]

If living in DC is a financially feasible option, as it appears to be, you can always instead choose to live across the river in Arlington, thereby sidestepping the need to send your child to private school as the public schools in Arlington are perfectly good (as they are in Falls Church and some of the close-in Montgomery County suburbs) and making commuting pretty minimal. It all depends of course on how much you are looking to spend on housing, but in general, it's not an either/or scenario.

[KerryB]

I'd take the job & live in VA close to a Metro stop. Is your job Metro accessible or at least a short bus ride from a Metro station?? Try to take public transportation if you can. Everyone does it in DC & its a lot easier.

Traffic isn't really that bad inside the beltway. The closer to the city the better. I know that sounds weird, but its true. Its when you live further out that traffic really becomes a nightmare, especially if you work in the city. The tradeoff in possible savings on housing isnt worth it IMO.

[Skatergirl]

Yes, dullnboring makes a good point about living in Arlington. I'm hanging my hat here for a while and I have kids here in the school system. The schools are good.

However, you yourself made some good points, and I think you may regret the move here. Why? I think you don't know how good you've got it in Maine. I think you'll end up missing the neighborhood where your daughter can bike up the street with friends and not have panic that she's out of your sight. You can always drive/fly for a trip to the city to take in the cultural events, right?

Unless you're making a truckload of money in the D.C. area, I think you'll find your wallet doesn't stretch as far as you'd like. If you pick D.C., you'll find private elementary schools can costs around $15,000. While NOVA has the quality schools that allow you to send your daughter to a public one, you'll find that a 4bdrm house that doesn't need fixing up is around $700k to a million bucks. The liklihood is that you'll have little to no backyard. You can go to each city's webpage and look up the police blotter to see for yourself what crime is happening where. Also, beware, that Arlington and surrounding communities are in the process of re-districting. Unfortunately, I think these areas will be facing overcrowded schools for some time now

Especially if you have family there in Maine, I think your daughter looses out by going to a large city with no family. Yes, there are cultural advantages, but I don't think those advantages compare to having extended family and roots.

Originally Posted by dullnboring

If living in DC is a financially feasible option, as it appears to be, you can always instead choose to live across the river in Arlington, thereby sidestepping the need to send your child to private school as the public schools in Arlington are perfectly good (as they are in Falls Church and some of the close-in Montgomery County suburbs) and making commuting pretty minimal. It all depends of course on how much you are looking to spend on housing, but in general, it's not an either/or scenario.

[JustinJenni]

I think the Previous Posters have had some great points so I just want to add this to their info. Not all good DC schools cost money. If you get on the lists in December of the year BEFORE your child will go to the school, you have a good chance to get accepted into a good school. A friend of mine has 2 children in the Capitol Hill Cluster Schools for FREE, and some of the classmates are children to congressmen and such. On the flip side, although you can find a good school that's hard to get into for free, you may have a nasty commute accross and through DC to get there.
HTH.

[mainelydave]

Thanks for all the great comments.

Skatergirl, I think you struck closest to the core. Yes, we do have family here. And yes, when I sit back and think about it, we have it pretty good here, depressed salaries and all.

I own a 2800 square foot house in the country on 1.5 acres. Beautiful place. We only owe $100,000 on it, scheduled to be paid off in 10 years.

Wild turkeys stop by daily. No traffic congestion to speak of. Great local arts scene. Even more 30 minutes south in Portland. One hour to the north, great skiing. Half an hour to the south, ocean. A great state park on a crystal clear lake great for swimming and ice skating 10 minutes away.

We don't lock our doors. Don't have to.

I guess this falls into the "the grass is always greener" scenario, particularly with the ridiculous money being offered. But everything comes with a price, doesn't it?

Perhaps I should dismiss my goal of extra earnings and be thankful for what I have!

Thanks.

[Skatergirl]

Dave, for some reason I've always imagined Maine to be the kind of place you'd want to raise kids. Flowing yards with ample romping room and maybe a dog, too. My huband makes alot of money (it is relative because we're by no means rich when you consider what some people make here) but it doesn't seem to go as far as you think it would. I think a lot of people--the ones that consider their children's well-being in making decisions--would think that you've hit the jackpot with what you've got.

BUT, when that place is getting to you, (say, the turkey's dig up your wife's flower garden) come down for a visit. You'll appreciate your house so much more when you drive through some of the neighborhoods and look at the 4,000 sq. ft. house (that cost a million bucks) next to a tiny 900 sq. ft. cape.

Here's a link to the Arlington police reports:

Arlington County Police Department - Crime Reports

Best,
Skatergirl

[mainelydave]

Thanks Skatergirl.

I value your perspective.

Let me move the discussion in another direction. What would I gain by moving to the DC area, besides money?

[macroy]

Originally Posted by mainelydave

Thanks Skatergirl.

I value your perspective.

Let me move the discussion in another direction. What would I gain by moving to the DC area, besides money?

I think everyone has provided some excellent POV's and info. But I think the ultimate decision is up to you.... I didn't read every post word for word, but have you actually compared the differences in cost of living? There are a number of calculators you can use to compare DC with other areas... this may give you a better idea of what your "REAL" increase in wage is.

Given the "good life" you have there, what is the REAL increase that would be necessary for you to move? I think that may be the deal breaker there for you... You yourself mentioned it a few times... the money looks good... but that should never be the sole reason (or even the main reason) for your decision.

And I'm not even sure if these factors are considered in cost of living indexes.....but benefits, taxes etc... all that changes your actual take home pay. So even if your now making twice as much... the increase in benefits and taxes may already decrease that extra pay BEFORE you even look at the cost of living.

But since you asked - I'd say the biggest difference in DC or other big cities is the "excitement" of a faster life-style. I'm guessing DC is much more diverse than your current residence... so you'll be able to experience different foods and cultures. You'll also be closer to arts (i.e. plays, concerts etc..). Of course, extended time in this environment will make you want a week of relaxation in a quite place like.... Maine.

[smakawhat]

got news for you, if you live in NOVA or MD you can worry about crime as well... it's all a matter of how you look at it.