Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hello all. My wife and I are thinking of moving to WV. We currently live in NoVA and are looking to get a bigger home for less money, and less stressful environment.
We are thinking about Charles Town or Martinsburg. I work in Arlington, VA and start work at 6am and leave work at 2PM. How bad would the commute be at these hours? I'm thinking driving 70/270 would possibly be better than Rt.7/Rt.267. I'm thinking my commute time may be 1:15-1:30 in the am and usually/hopefully only a little longer in the pm. Am I way off?
We especially like the home prices in Martinsburg, but it seems like the crime there is considerably higher than Charles Town(according to statistics). Is this crime mostly property crimes/vandalism, or is it serious crime?
Our other concern is how is the school system in both areas?
Any recommendations for other areas that may have a good mix of good schools, lower crime and comparable commute?
Both areas are relatively safe. Other forum members have been discussing Martinsburg's recent spike in crime, but a lot of that can be attributed to I-81. Martinsburg has quite a few neighborhoods that cater to higher income residents, so I'm sure they're perfectly fine. Charles Town and Ranson are further from the highway and are generally pretty quiet areas, but you have to travel for any real shopping or entertainment.
Thank you for the information. We are also considering staying in VA, looking at Strasburg. We like that it has considerably less local traffic than Martinsburg, and Front Royal and Winchester are close enough for shopping, errands, etc. We also like the wonderful mountain views there.
Does anyone have any information on Strasburg? Crime, school system?
I work the same hours as you do, but I commute to and from Montgomery County, Md. Your estimate commute times are about right using I-270/I-70 during ideal travel conditions. But, it can take longer depending on weather, vehicle accidents, etc. In the morning, you won't hit much traffic/delays until you get to Frederick, Md. and merge onto I-270. That's where the regular slow down begins (on and off slow downs until you reach Germantown that begin as early as 5:30 a.m.). In the afternoon (before 3pm), you generally will have a little traffic backup at the three lanes to two merge near the Hyattstown/weigh station area. Traffic will then pick up speed on the way to Frederick. Once you're on I-70 or Rt. 340, there is rarely a major backup.
My wife and I also looked at homes in both Jefferson and Berkeley County several years ago. Here are my pros/cons for both areas:
Jefferson County: More rural/small town atmosphere; less people/less crime; some shopping options; 20 miles to the nearest interstate highway, but Rt. 340 and the recent expansion of Rt. 9 have made it easier to access interstates; utilities and taxes are pretty much the same as Berkeley County; seemed more tranquil; home prices may be slightly less than Berkeley County; a few new schools; small hospital, limited medical treatment options; best areas are Charles Town or Shepherdstown (according to the criteria you listed).
*It takes longer to reach more shopping, restaurants, entertainment options from Jefferson County than Berkeley County.
Berkeley County: More suburban atmosphere; more people/more crime (violent crime is generally limited to the bar scene; property crime is widespread); more shopping options; close access to interstate highways; is more busy/bustling; more housing inventory/selection; home prices may be slightly more than Jefferson County; many new schools (especially in the northern part); bigger hospital (with recent multi-million dollar additions), more medical treatment options (such as a brand new cath lab and expanded emergency room and birthing suites); best areas are Spring Mills or Falling Waters (according to the criteria you listed).
*Also, it is easier to travel to other cities such as Hagerstown and Winchester from Martinsburg which provides more options for things to do such as shopping/restaurants/entertainment.
As far as Strasburg/Front Royal, I-66 is a nightmare at any time of day (much like I-95). I commuted to DC from Gainesville, Va., and it was a much longer commute than from Martinsburg, W.Va. (despite being 20 miles shorter than my current commute). I can't imagine how long the commute would be to Strasburg (probably two hours or more each way).
Last edited by Secret.Squirrel; 02-19-2015 at 11:20 AM..
Hello all. My wife and I are thinking of moving to WV. We currently live in NoVA and are looking to get a bigger home for less money, and less stressful environment.
We are thinking about Charles Town or Martinsburg. I work in Arlington, VA and start work at 6am and leave work at 2PM. How bad would the commute be at these hours? I'm thinking driving 70/270 would possibly be better than Rt.7/Rt.267. I'm thinking my commute time may be 1:15-1:30 in the am and usually/hopefully only a little longer in the pm. Am I way off?
We especially like the home prices in Martinsburg, but it seems like the crime there is considerably higher than Charles Town(according to statistics). Is this crime mostly property crimes/vandalism, or is it serious crime?
Our other concern is how is the school system in both areas?
Any recommendations for other areas that may have a good mix of good schools, lower crime and comparable commute?
Thanks in advance
This question comes up every now and again in this forum. I encourage you to look through past posts on this topic in the forum.
A daily commute from the panhandle to Arlington VA would be horrendous and I would discourage you very, very much from doing it. That is a lot of time spent behind the windshield (and not with your family) battling traffic, not mention the wear and tear on your vehicle and $$$ spent on fuel. WV gas prices suck as compared to surrounding states.
I commuted from Ranson WV to Ashburn VA for six years and couldn't wait to move in closer. Besides there is nothing in Jefferson County but wilderness- if you are into that sort of thing.
Have you considered Poolsville MD? It is on the edge of civilization and lot closer to Arlington VA then Martinsburg and Charles Town. The commute would not be as bad- plus there is a lot of land out that way.
Venture 2000 brings up some good points. It all depends on the quality of life, personal preferences, and family priorities. If you want a shorter commute and more government services - move to suburban Maryland or northern Virginia. If you want to get out of the congestion, pay less taxes, and get more for your money (house, food, etc.) - move to West Virginia.
we are moving to Harpers Ferry next month. We bought a new construction over there. We will have 2 kids in elementary school and the school they will be going to is a blue ribbon school, the middle school is only 2 years old and the high school has really good reviews. We are in NoVa right now and really just can't wait to get out of here. It's way too crowded for us and even though my husbands commute will be longer, it is worth it to have nice peaceful weekends and mountain views. He does work the night shift though so he will not be in rush hour. We are very laid back people and the people in NoVa are just too formal and uptight and stressed all the time. We are originally from CA and we have been told that you really have to be ok with a longer commute, not just to work but to grocery stores, target and shopping malls and we are totally fine with that. We are actually looking forward to summer so we can have picnics by the river and we even have a season pass to adventure park. Looking forward to a slower paced life We are also getting a 4 bedroom 2400 sq ft house for way cheaper than the small house we are renting now
Hey Candicem, if your kids like sports, I urge you to look into AYSO soccer. Everyone gets to play and there are no screaming parents! In Jefferson County the league is called AYSO/JCYSL, its home page is: AYSO Region 322 – JCYSL
Thanks Spunkydawg! We are not really a huge sports family though. We are still trying to find what they like to do. My daughter has done ice skating lessons, pottery, girl scouts, martial arts, and voice lessons. She loves to sing but things just got too busy when school started up again (I also work part time). My son has tried wrestling, and martial arts. He does like martial arts and we might look into that for him out there. My daughter loves art too. They both just aren't into sports too much. We do love to swim though and I am bummed there aren't very many community pools out there and I think camp KOA is $8 per person to use their pool. We are pretty active though. We love going on bike rides, swimming, going on walks. They are outside all day when they are not in school We are excited to go zip lining and hiking this summer!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We are also getting a 4 bedroom 2400 sq ft house for way cheaper than the small house we are renting now
