Moving to Maryland from overseas to work in Johns Hopkins main Hospital (Baltimore: apartment complexes, crime)

[littlegirl4576]

Hi all. I will be moving to Maryland in 4 weeks time and don't know which is the safest place to live. I have a 10 year old daughter so a good school is necessary. Will be working in Johns Hopkins in the main hospital and would prefer to commute than drive. A 30 minute commute would be ok. What is the safest area to live? I do shift work so there will be times I have to walk at night. Is it safe to walk at night from Metro station to JHH?
I am currently living in Australia which is a very safe place to walk anytime of the day. Now reading some of the thread here is really scaring me of the move. Thank you all in advance. Looking forward to read your suggestions/opinions.

[CBMD]

I'm not intimately familiar with the area, but a 30-40 minute commute, by car, but maybe not by transit, would also give you the option of living in Baltimore County as opposed to the city. In general, suburban schools tend to better than inner city ones. That said, within the city, I'd start my search in the Fells Point, and neighboring Canton areas, both are on or close to the water.

Maryland Schools - Maryland State School Ratings - Public and Private

[dkf747]

Isn't there a train station in the hospital? Could they live somewhere on that line and meet all their desires?

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by littlegirl4576

I have a 10 year old daughter so a good school is necessary.
What is the safest area to live?

Settle on these FIRST... and sort out the 'get to work' aspect after.

...would prefer to commute than drive.

Oh well...

You may ALSO be able to 'commute' but driving is just about unavoidable.
Especially if you have kids in the house.

A 30 minute commute would be ok.

And there are a LOT of JHH people all around to 'commute' with too.

Areas you'll soon be familiar with: Rodgers Forge, Anneslie, Towson, Northwood.
Expect to make a move after a couple of years when kiddo gets to Middle school.

A google map to start from: http://tinyurl.com/hcblejt

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by littlegirl4576

Will be working in Johns Hopkins in the main hospital and would prefer to commute than drive. A 30 minute commute would be ok. What is the safest area to live?

You could live in Pikesville, and take a bus to the Reisterstown Metro. During regular daytime hours, it is about 40 minutes by bus and Metro. I would not want to use the Metro after dark. It might be safe enough if you ask for an escort to the Metro, but you can't be sure what happens on the Metro or waiting for a bus to take you home.

Agree that Anneslie and Rodgers Forge are other good options, but you probably need a car to commute on the evening or night shift.

[kanling]

The Metro (subway) station is right in the middle of the Johns Hopkins Hospital campus, so it is safe to walk from the station. JHH is the last station on the line. Owings Mills is the first station on the line and is safe with a lot of apartment complexes. I don't know if you would consider schools in Owings Mills "good", but I don't think they are terrible. There are web sites to compare schools.

[pwduvall]

If it were just you, and no schools issue, you would have plenty of good options in the city. But there is a school issue. The other posters are correct. If you want to use public transportation, the areas on the metro outside the city line are worth considering. If you are willing to drive, the county neighborhoods between the city line and Towson are a good option.

By the way, the premier citywide high schools in the city are quite competitive with most county high schools. The middle school years are where the city schools are the weakest. There are almost no good neighborhood options in the city for someone with a 10 year-old.

[Tallybalt]

Within Baltimore City the Roland Park elementary/middle school zone is the most sought after, and counts many Hopkins faculty and staff among the parents. This may be your best bet if you want to live somewhere with a good zoned school and also be not too far from Hopkins Hospital (depending on the time of the day the drive can be anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes due to traffic). Roland Park is also a lovely area, quite leafy and green and populated by an affluent professional population. There are a number of apartment buildings, just make sure the buildings are within the elementary school zone.

Baltimore is not going to be like any Australian city (it may come closest to Melbourne due to the prevalence of historic buildings). Despite that there are crime ridden areas that look like they were recently attacked by invading armies, there are still quite pleasant areas in Baltimore and the city can offer a high quality of lifestyle if you organize your life carefully. You may find the suburbs better suited for your needs (Towson probably is best for its schools and shopping amenities) but don't automatically rule off the city either.

[Infinite_heights77]

....And stay away from that annoying Afrocoid population, right Tallybalt?! Lol! How about we string up a Rabbit Proof Fence around the Roland Park/Guilford area?!

Originally Posted by Tallybalt

Within Baltimore City the Roland Park elementary/middle school zone is the most sought after, and counts many Hopkins faculty and staff among the parents. This may be your best bet if you want to live somewhere with a good zoned school and also be not too far from Hopkins Hospital (depending on the time of the day the drive can be anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes due to traffic). Roland Park is also a lovely area, quite leafy and green and populated by an affluent professional population. There are a number of apartment buildings, just make sure the buildings are within the elementary school zone.

Baltimore is not going to be like any Australian city (it may come closest to Melbourne due to the prevalence of historic buildings). Despite that there are crime ridden areas that look like they were recently attacked by invading armies, there are still quite pleasant areas in Baltimore and the city can offer a high quality of lifestyle if you organize your life carefully. You may find the suburbs better suited for your needs (Towson probably is best for its schools and shopping amenities) but don't automatically rule off the city either.

[pwduvall]

Originally Posted by Infinite_heights77

....And stay away from that annoying Afrocoid population, right Tallybalt?! Lol! How about we string up a Rabbit Proof Fence around the Roland Park/Guilford area?!

I'm game. Is there an overwhelmingly black area with an excellent zoned middle school? I'm sure that area would attract parents of all races. There are clearly some good middle schools in mostly black areas but their students are chosen in a lottery - so living nearby doesn't help in getting into them.