Moving from Long Island, NY to the DC area (Washington: apartment, rent)

[NewtoDC]

Hi

I have lived in the suburban part of New York my entire life and commuted into NYC.

I am relocating to the DC area for my job which is located in Downtown, DC.

I am 34 and single and want to live where I can meet people in my age group who are also single. I need to live in an area where I will feel safe. Since I never lived in the heart of any city, I was thinking maybe this is the time to do it but people at my job are suggesting Arlington and specifically Ballston. I will have to commute between my office in DC and Tysons but only like twice a month will I need to go to Tysons.

Should I live in DC or Arlington, VA ? I am willing to spend up to $1,800 for an apartment.

What time does the Metro stop running during the week and weekends?

How long would it take in the morning on the Metro from Arlington(Ballston) to downtown DC?

I appreciate the feedback

[jb124]

I live in Ballston and recommend it to any single person or active couple.

The Metro runs until around midnight on weeknights and around 3am on weekends.

You can get stop-to-stop average journey times at Metro's website: Metro - Ballston-MU Metrorail station Use the "Get fare information" pulldown and select the stop closest to where you'll work to get the average commute time. Be aware that it will likely take a little longer than that in the morning though.

$1,800 might be cutting it close unless you're willing to share a 2 BR with someone.

[TrippingJay]

If you do have to commute to Tysons twice a month, Arlington might be a better choice as Tysons is not accessible via Metro and driving from the District would take you longer than from Arlington.

Ballston would probably be the best choice for Arlington.

However; if you looking for a city environment, DC would be the better bet. Specifically within neighborhoods of Dupont Circle, or Adams Morgan.

For your price range, there are different options that would fit. You might want to look on Craigslist to see what you can get in both Ballston or DC.

[Tom Lennox 70]

You can rent in the suburbs in Maryland for a lot cheaper. Ballston is expensive as is most of Arlingotn and DC. Don't get me wrong....all of this area is expensive though I guess by Long Island standards anywhere is cheap (or is it Lwong Island? )

The Metro runs past midnight on weekdays and later on weekends and there are extended hours when there are major sporting events. Most of NW and SW DC is safe. Northeast and SE...less so but there are still some nice areas around Union Station and the Librayr of Congress but just don't go too far into NE or SE. I have a friend from Long Island (around Islip) and she says she feels much safer in NYC than DC. Not surprising given how much NY's cleaned up. We could have used Rudy Giuliani down here. Hey....well maybe in a couple years he'll be living on Pennsylvania Avenue.....hopefully

[NewtoDC]

Hello,

Thank you for all your replys

I am have such a tough decision to make.

Putting my Tyson's commute aside, would you recommend a 34 year old single woman to live in DC or Ballston. To be surrounded by 25 year olds would not be a turn on.

Which would area would you suggest that I live in? I would like to meet a potential husband

Thank you

[saganista]

Well, I don't think there are any areas around that are doiminated by mid-30's singles. But the Ballston Corridor is certainly geared toward professional singles in the perhaps 25-32 age gourp, so maybe something a little more sophisticated would be a better fit, and DC, for all its other faults, may offer an edge in that area. But the commute to Tysons from downtown could be a nightmare. I sometimes have to do a 5-6 mile commute to Tysons, and even with all the advanced skills and cunning gleaned from having lived in the area for more than three decades, it still takes 45 minutes on a good day.

[jb124]

True, you definitely want to avoid Rock Bottom on Wednesday nights unless you feel like reliving a frat party, but there are plenty of 30-something singles in the Ballston corridor. It's a three-mile strip from Ballston to Rosslyn and there is a wide range of restaurants, bars, and even an an art gallery or two. There are many office buildings in the area that host entities like the National Science Foundation, GMU school of Law, E-Trade Bank, and various Federal agencies, so you're likely to encounter a wide range of ages and outlooks depending on the location and the night.

I find that volunteer work (Welcome to Greater DC Cares Online! or VolunteerMatch: Where Volunteering Begins) is a good way to meet the post-20s crowd and I also have participated in activities run by places like Things To Do and Professionals in the City :: Washington DC, both of which feature events for 35+ and 45+ people. You'll meet people (usually singles) from all over the DC area.