Suggestions on where to live around Baltimore? (Towson: car rental, rentals)

[nicolemilman]

Hello there, my family (me, spouse, toddler and cat) are considering a move to the Baltimore area this coming summer. My husband may take a medical job in Towson. We are currently living outside of Chicago but are originally from the northeast. It is important to me to live in a walkable, family friendly, and green (not in the sustainable sense, but that would be great!) place. Diversity would be a plus as well. We don't want to spend our lives commuting - I've read a lot about traffic on these posts. I've read a bit about Federal Hill and Mt. Washington. I've never been to MD so any tips would be welcome! thanks!

[ajacksb]

Welcome to Maryland. There is a strong bias towards the Baltimore area counties on this board, but I recommend checking out some great Baltimore City neighborhoods which all fit your stated criteria:

Federal Hill
Mt. Vernon
Patterson Park
Hampden
Mt. Washington
And many others...

Check out the Live Baltimore site for neighborhood maps and data:

Live in Baltimore - Home

Speaking of commuting, look at MTA's website for transit information. Within the city, there are several major transit projects in the works which will make living in the city more manageable if you choose to go car-free. The city will also be introducing a car-sharing service (hourly car rentals with multiple locations throughout the city and low fares) early next year.

Maryland Transit Administration Home Page

[oneworld25]

In looking for a neighborhood remember that neighborhoods outside the city are no more vanilla white and cookie cutter like than the city neighborhoods are full of drugs and urban decay. It should also be noted that there is only one major major transit project in the works for the Baltimore area right now and this project will cover both Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Neighborhoods in the city that are close to Towson you should look at are: Mt. Washington Roland Park Cheswolde Cross Country Guilford In Baltimore County take a look at the Stoneleigh and Rogers Forge Neighborhoods which are both located in the Towson area and are close to all the major hospitals.

[nicolemilman]

Thank you for the tips so far. I am unsure what any place around there would be like - not expecting there to be clearly defined boundaries either (decayed vs. cookie cutter-like) Actually, I am hoping to see less stark contrasts than where I live now.

[ltong1009]

What type of Housing Stock are you looking for? Do you need a back yard?

[barante]

If walkable means walking, please not that most suburbs do not have sidewalks. Old city neighborhoods do.
You also did not indicate your price range. Prices here are in a free fall and negotiable.
If you can afford Mount Washington, go for it. Adjoining Cheswolde still in the city is a cheaper alternative. Zip code 2909.

[oneworld25]

Originally Posted by barante

If walkable means walking, please not that most suburbs do not have sidewalks. Old city neighborhoods do.
You also did not indicate your price range. Prices here are in a free fall and negotiable.
If you can afford Mount Washington, go for it. Adjoining Cheswolde still in the city is a cheaper alternative. Zip code 2909.

There are plenty of suburbs that have sidewalks including the two I mentioned (Stoneleigh and Rogers Forge). But Mt. Washington and Cheswolde are also very nice.