SAFE, Affordable, Kid Friendly Liberal Neighborhood...

[Smoke_Jaguar4]

Try the Red Line segment going into Montgomery County, MD. Takoma Park, Silver Springs, or Glenmont may be near your price range.

[RJacobs]

I'm going to do a thorough search of the areas you suggested -Takoma/Silver Springs etc. It's really incredible how expensive things are. In the places I've lived (one of which a big west coast city), $1200 gets you a NICE apartment. My mortgage is currently less than that. Are DC wages -say in a technical college education field commensurate with the costs of living?

[sdrouble]

i recently moved from ny to dc and have been here for about 6 months. i share about 700 square feet of a one-bedroom with my husband and infant son...living right on wisconsin ave in glover park (aka, 'upper goergetown'), my husband's commute to downtown takes about 45 minutes bc there are only bus lines and no subway (the subway is a straight shot on wisconsin, about 1.5 miles)--BUT, all considering, this is a 'good' neighborhood. everything is in proximity and the price for my apt in a VERY old building (i question the safety of the electrical system--also, while not on a lower level, there is no balcony, view or even good natural light) is 1200 after being pro-rated (one month was free). fyi, for some reason, a lot of dc apts pro-rate (hook you up with a free month). NOW, if my son was going to school i would get my ass to VA, as they have AWESOME school districts. in parts of arlington or falls church you can be 1.5 miles from a subway and pay as little as 100K for an apt (a smaller fixer-upper)...check out zillow.com--although it isn't all inclusive (also plz check craigslist, hotpads.com and trulia.com as well as washingtondc.condo.com)...i say 100K bc i'm not looking to rent at the moment, but am looking to purchase by summer's end. i assume if you can get a cheapo place (prob car/bus dependent, although a lot of buildings have amenities as well as parks and grocery stores nearby, but are, of course, NOT walking distance to the metro). you WILL either have to sacrifice commute OR space. if i were you, i would stop thinking in terms of all the wasted space inherent in suburban living. get a one bedroom with two windows and a sound proof curtain/panel-type contraption. if you can't really imagine a small space working for you and your family, please visit apartmenttherapy.com or check out HGTV's small spaces and you will find that people make it work--usually bc they prefer to be in an urban area closer to their work and so end up with a smaller space in lieu of a longer commute (and time away from their family). if you have a park, a grocer's and a decent bus line to take you to the metro (i would not consider 45 min or an hour to be a hefty commute--we aren't in ny where public transportation is fabulous; waiting 15 minutes for a bus or subway is normal here), all at 1n't find any cool/free things to do100-1400, then i would count myself lucky. i know THIS neighborhood is family friendly (a lot of strollers, a decent-sized park, etc). other than museums, you wo with your kiddie, so i would make it a point to be near a park, rec center (they can become a little pricey though) or a great public library. and good luck with ever going out and finding a sitter; i haven't been able to pay anybody 100 smackaroos for an overnighter for the life of me. ta heck with bars and such, really--park, bus, grocer's, pharmacy...good luck in your search and please look at the websites i listed, as you might get a better idea about price points and certain areas as well as what different dc communities have to offer. OH and if you end up in NW DC i think the only affordable shopping you'll find is in target @ columbia heights...and please try not to let whole foods become your only grocery source, even if you live next to it. i am up to my ears in organic crap and grocery bills that i've never imagined possible... (giant is is a hefty walk from here).

[sdrouble]

"I'm going to do a thorough search of the areas you suggested -Takoma/Silver Springs etc. It's really incredible how expensive things are. In the places I've lived (one of which a big west coast city), $1200 gets you a NICE apartment. My mortgage is currently less than that. Are DC wages -say in a technical college education field commensurate with the costs of living? "

are you an 'IT guy' and if so, what's your speciality? my husband makes 6 figures as a data warehouse consultant...without us having a car or being frivolous, we struggle to save. if your partner is not working, may i very strongly suggest she babysit--really--i may go that route myself. she'll make at least 15 an hour EVEN if she has an infant in her care. considering that it's tax free, it's definitley something to do while you figure out everything else. most sitters in the area are college educated and experienced. and even if they aren't i can't imagine with waiting lists at day cares that somebody wouldn't simply hire a thoughtful and responsible person. there's ahuge need here for child care, really...