Working in Camp Springs, MD (@Branch Ave) where to live?

[G1..]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Combination of fairly decent schools and commute time would maybe be a sweet spot. The Upper Marlboro cluster of schools are not as good as they once were.

You asked about northern Calvert. Rural/exurban, one of the top three school systems in the state, commute time not that bad to Camp Springs (although if something happens on the only road in or out, RTE 4, everything becomes a ball of snot), major town centers have the basics but no Home Depot or other large chains except WalMart, not much night life, lots of water related activities.

.........may I add relatively easy access to Annapolis (still a ride)

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by G1..

.........may I add relatively easy access to Annapolis (still a ride)

You may.

[MiamiCommuter]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Combination of fairly decent schools and commute time would maybe be a sweet spot. The Upper Marlboro cluster of schools are not as good as they once were.

You asked about northern Calvert. Rural/exurban, one of the top three school systems in the state, commute time not that bad to Camp Springs (although if something happens on the only road in or out, RTE 4, everything becomes a ball of snot), major town centers have the basics but no Home Depot or other large chains except WalMart, not much night life, lots of water related activities.

Thanks NBP!

Any areas of Calvert you'd particularly recommend? Contra-wise, any you'd say to steer clear from?

[MiamiCommuter]

Originally Posted by G1..

.........may I add relatively easy access to Annapolis (still a ride)

G1...would Annapolis be for things like shopping and nightlife? What's the need for access to Annapolis?

[MiamiCommuter]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Combination of fairly decent schools and commute time would maybe be a sweet spot. The Upper Marlboro cluster of schools are not as good as they once were.

You asked about northern Calvert. Rural/exurban, one of the top three school systems in the state, commute time not that bad to Camp Springs (although if something happens on the only road in or out, RTE 4, everything becomes a ball of snot), major town centers have the basics but no Home Depot or other large chains except WalMart, not much night life, lots of water related activities.

@NBP: is there a particular school you were referring to for Calvert county? Or are you saying that Calvert county schools are one of the top three in entire state? Our kids are just going to be starting school in the coming years, so any school recommendations you have will be well received. Thanks!

Also, G1 has mentioned some of the problematic highways and driving routes...is RTE 4 one of them in so far as people drive recklessly often? Are there constant back-ups from accidents...or is that more of an anomaly?

[North Beach Person]

School systems here are County based, so the system itself is highly rated. There are a couple of problematic elementary schools in the south end of the County but they really aren't "bad", just not quite as good as the others. All the schools are fairly highly rated.

An example:
Several years ago the local to me elementary was put on the State's " watch list" even though it had 95% of the students rating as Proficient. One kid caused that. The kid moved and the rating was changed.

RTE 4 just has too much traffic, roughly 65% of County residents leave it for work, so it is, in many ways, a bedroom community. There just aren't many ways in or out.

It's difficult to give you many more recommendations without knowing your price ranges. Generally speaking the northern end has more expensive housing than the southern. But they commute from the southern end is longer.

Anything waterfront is, of course, much more expensive.

[G1..]

Originally Posted by MiamiCommuter

G1...would Annapolis be for things like shopping and nightlife? What's the need for access to Annapolis?

Not knowing your needs or wants I suggest it as an "alternative" to people needing the Big city . Calvert has very good/nice shopping and it lacks for very little but lest say you like a Mall for certain things I would send you to the Annapolis Mall instead of Charlestown Center in Waldorf...just a little nicer to me.Annapolis has more "todo" type things...IMPO,that's all. But you can get there on rt 2 and never touch ,rt 4 , 301 or the Capital Beltway(495) which is nice.