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I am in the hiring process for a job in the District. We have a 7 year old and my wife will be working. She is in Finance in the health care industry. We are trying to weigh the pros and cons of the various area choices in the DC Metro area to figure out where we want to live -- the best intersection between commute, good schools and quality of life. We have been living in a condo in a walkable urban neighborhood in southern California and enjoy that, but now schools are a bigger priority. Assistance on the pros and cons of the choices would be greatly appreciated.
Also from a tax perspective, how is Maryland? We are moving from Ca, where the state is really struggling with tax increases and service cuts. How do Maryland and VA compare from that standpoint?
Maryland taxes, as far as I know, are higher than VA, but in either case, you're still getting a lot of service. However, if you can afford it, I'd recommend a nice neighborhood inside DC - think Cleveland Park, Van Ness, or for a more "hip" area, U Street or Columbia Heights. Personally, with a 7 year old, I would recommend the former. In VA, Alexandria and Courthouse (metro) are big hits with a lot of people. If you're looking in MD, the new town square in Rockville offers the same walkable urban neighborhood.
While it is true that "taxes" (income and property) are higher in MD, VA has personal property taxes and fees that MD doesn't have.
That being said, close in to DC, Northern VA is definately "better" than MD. If good schools and low cost are your priorities, you will need to trade on the commute (i.e live much further out).
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