Chavy Chase MD or McLean VA (Arlington, Vienna: houses, neighborhoods, elementary school)

[a1975]

I need help please!!!!
I am moving to D.C area. My husband is going to work on D.C east side next to veterans hospital. I have a elementary school children. I need to know which of this to places (Chavy Chase MD or McLean VA) is better to live for a family. It is important public schools and really nice place to live.
Thank you

Posted in Uncategorized

[JD984]

Originally Posted by a1975

I need help please!!!!
I am moving to D.C area. My husband is going to work on D.C east side next to veterans hospital. I have a elementary school children. I need to know which of this to places (Chavy Chase MD or McLean VA) is better to live for a family. It is important public schools and really nice place to live.
Thank you

Posted in Uncategorized

It's not like there's a single answer. They are both nice places to live with good schools. Chevy Chase would almost surely be an easier commute, though, to that part of DC.

[irvine]

I really like Chevy Chase. It is a much older suburb than McLean with very attractive late 19th century and early 20th century homes. Parts Chevy Chase MD or nearby Bethesda have very "walkable" neighborhoods (to shops, cafes, schools, metrorail).

McLean is attractive, but in a much different way. Parts of McLean have an almost rural feel as opposed to the more classic suburban street grid in Chevy Chase. McLean is more automobile oriented.

[JD984]

I would add that I think McLean covers more territory than Chevy Chase, and there are more homes in different price ranges there than in CC. Houses in our McLean neighborhood have a higher WalkScore than many parts of CC, but there are other McLean neighborhoods where you would rely on a car to get anywhere and CC is definitely one of the few suburbs in the DC area that feels more like a traditional "streetcar suburb."

The comment that no one has made yet is that there may be other places you'd want to consider. People who look at McLean often also look at Arlington, Vienna and Falls Church, while people who look at CC often look at Bethesda as well. In addition, Silver Spring, MD is more affordable than CC and even closer to the section of DC where I understand your spouse will be working.

[Carlingtonian]

I like the fact that Chevy Chase was named after a comedian.

Ok, but seriously: It is really charming. McLean is nice too, but it does have (as others have said) a different feel from CC, since it was built out later.

[635911]

Both CC and Mclean are part of top public school systems in MD and VA respectively. You may wanna read up on the politics of both states and go from there. VA is more conservative than MD. That could mean anything depends on what's important to you. Good luck.