Better option for a bachelor? Columbia or Canton Baltimore (Linthicum: rentals, crime)

[jrh0341]

I was originally planning on Columbia, as I could get a decent, safe place there and still be within easy reach of DC for the social scene.

Today a friend from Baltimore suggested that I might really like the Canton area of Baltimore. The area itself looks nice, but it also looks a little more expensive and its definitely a little more remote from DC.

I'm a 30 year old single guy who likes to spend my weekend nights on the bar/club scene and spent a lot of time on the Capitol Hill, Adams Morgan, Georgetown bar scenes last time I lived here.

I'd want to keep my rent below 1350 if possible. I only really need one bedroom. I'll be commuting to Linthicum for work.

Thanks.

[MrRational]

There's no good reason for a 30yo single to live in a boring suburb like Columbia unless you work there. But unless you're still living like an undergrad... there's no good reason to live right in the middle of a high rent, no parking, party area like Canton either.

Nearby? OK, sure. But not right in it.
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If your weekend social life is going to be focused more on DC anyway...
then limit your triangle to DC, Linthicum (for work) and some third that works with those two.

[KatSRVA]

Originally Posted by jrh0341

I was originally planning on Columbia, as I could get a decent, safe place there and still be within easy reach of DC for the social scene.

Today a friend from Baltimore suggested that I might really like the Canton area of Baltimore. The area itself looks nice, but it also looks a little more expensive and its definitely a little more remote from DC.

I'm a 30 year old single guy who likes to spend my weekend nights on the bar/club scene and spent a lot of time on the Capitol Hill, Adams Morgan, Georgetown bar scenes last time I lived here.

I'd want to keep my rent below 1350 if possible. I only really need one bedroom. I'll be commuting to Linthicum for work.

Thanks.

I know folks who lived in the Fells Point/Canton area of Baltimore in their 20s and 30s and had a blast.

[KLynch10]

Depends, are you into HS girls and Cougars, or good looking mid 20's single girls, tons of activities, bars, sports Leagues and festivals?

Move to Federal Hill, you can get to DC in 45 minutes, and it's probaby the #1 social scene around right now, slightly ahead of canton. Linthicum is less than 10 minutes and you could even take the Light Rail if you wanted. You can walk to Ravens/Orioles and other Stadium and Arena events, there is a sports league for anything you want...Kickball, Football, Beach Volleyball and Softball the most common. You can also walk to the Harbor, and take public transportation to other cool neighborhoods like Mt. Vernon, Fells Point, Harbor East, Little Italy, Ridgely's Delight and more. I think there is a chance you'll go to DC a lot less than you expect, based on lots of fun had in walking distance to your house.

Canton is very cool too, but will add 10 minutes to your commute to Linthicum and DC.

[jrh0341]

Ok, I will have to look into Federal Hill as well then. Thanks. How is Federal Hill in terms of atmophere and Safety?

[KLynch10]

Federal Hill is very safe and the adjacent neighborhood, Locust Point (Where Under Armour and Fort McHenry are) is the 3rd safest urban neighborhood in America. I've been living here 8 years, walk my dog at all hours of the night, never been sketched out once. Columba has had more murders in the last week than Federal Hill has had in the last 10 years probably.

I'd say the atmosphere is very laid bag, pretty preppy young professional, but also eclectic, also a lot of empy nesters. There is a restaurant for just about every ethnicity, and probably over 150 bars between Fed Hill and Locust Point. I believe Fort Ave alone has like 30. The combined area has 6 pretty big parks, Rash Field, Federal Hill Park, Riverside Park, Latrobe Park, Fort McHenry and Swann, so it is a pretty active and there are tons of Dogs. There is lots of Festivals, and the area becomes one big party during Ravens home games. There is also a waterfront community between Harbor View and the Ritz... normal people like us can't afford to live there, but you can walk through and it is gorgeous.

[SmokeyLisa]

Originally Posted by KLynch10

Federal Hill is very safe and the adjacent neighborhood, Locust Point (Where Under Armour and Fort McHenry are) is the 3rd safest urban neighborhood in America. I've been living here 8 years, walk my dog at all hours of the night, never been sketched out once. Columba has had more murders in the last week than Federal Hill has had in the last 10 years probably.

I'd say the atmosphere is very laid bag, pretty preppy young professional, but also eclectic, also a lot of empy nesters. There is a restaurant for just about every ethnicity, and probably over 150 bars between Fed Hill and Locust Point. I believe Fort Ave alone has like 30. The combined area has 6 pretty big parks, Rash Field, Federal Hill Park, Riverside Park, Latrobe Park, Fort McHenry and Swann, so it is a pretty active and there are tons of Dogs. There is lots of Festivals, and the area becomes one big party during Ravens home games. There is also a waterfront community between Harbor View and the Ritz... normal people like us can't afford to live there, but you can walk through and it is gorgeous.

Give me a break on the Columbia murders, they were not random like the ones you get in Baltimore. One was a bails bondsmen serving a warrant and the other was an argument between two people where one was stab not shot. You do not have random shootings in Columbia like you do in Baltimore. Or are you saying events like this can never happen, did never happen or will never happen in Federal Hill. You could have made your point without putting down another community especially since we all know that crime happens in all neighborhoods in Baltimore but it does not mean that the neighborhood is unsafe.

[KLynch10]

Wow, relax. Just making the point that just because you live in Columbia vs. a Baltimore Neighborhood doesn't make it safer. Which is what the worry was.

Amazing how a bailbonds women murdered picking up a "Criminal" and a domestic murder are swept under the rug as nothing. Sorry gotta go, bullets wizzing by my house.

[davecj]

I would definitely recommend federal hill or canton. I just showed a couple rentals today in both and found a really nice one just north of canton in fells point for $1225.

[jrh0341]

Dave, PM'd you about it.