Good areas near D.C. other than Alexandria and Silver Spring for 1?

[MichelleR]

I was in your exact position a year ago and ended up in downtown Silver Spring. I have to commute to a neighborhood just NW of Georgetown and wanted to drive, as I would be returning home late at night and didn't feel comfortable making the 7 block walk home by myself (also a 20-something female). I found Silver Spring gave the be best combo of decent rent, proximity to metro, safety and ease of commute. Granted, there are days that my 8 mile commute has taken 90 minutes (raining, snowing, car crash, stoplights out, etc), but usually I'm door-to-door in and hour at the height of rush hour, which is fine by me.

I know you said being close to metro doesn't matter, but I like being close to the metro because it makes it easy to head into DC for a night out with friends. Also, if I know it's going to be a late night, I can just head a bit north and park at the Forest Glen or Wheaton metro stations (free parking on weekends!) so I don't have to walk home alone. I really like the flexibility this area gives me.

*A heads up on parking in DC: In order to be able to park on the streets in DC without ridiculous restrictions, you need to have DC license plates and a sticker for the zone you live in. This was a major factor in my decision to live in MD, which doesn't have zoned parking. Since I am a student from out of state, I was able to get a $20 temporary resident sticker from the MVA for my car to make it legit, was able to keep my home state registration and license plates and am saving tons of money on car insurance. My rates would have at least doubled if I had registered my car in DC. Yet another thing to think about, unfortunately.

[UMoo31]

Thanks for all the recommendations, everyone!

[rsh56]

I would recommend Bethesda or Silver Spring.

[Cochrynn]

What about Rosslyn? You could find a little studio in your price range or live in a two-bedroom with a roommate. Maybe you could find a building with a dedicated parking spot. I went to undergrad at Georgetown and Rosslyn is super close. Georgetown provides a free shuttle bus to and from Rosslyn so you wouldn't even have to use your car. Other than that, I agree with whoever suggested Glover Park/the neighborhoods around the National Cathedral. I lived in Glover Park my senior year and walked to class and it was great! Don't worry about walking around Georgetown/Burleith/Glover Park with a laptop- when you see these neighborhoods you'll feel silly for ever having concerns like that! Also, everyone in DC carries around a laptop constantly- just don't leave it on the seat next to you on the metro and you'll be fine. Living in Bethesda and having to drive down Wisconsin at rush hour would be a living nightmare and living out in Silver Spring would be just plain stupid- don't do it!

[Samoi137]

I lived in two places in Silver Spring, while working in Southwest DC: in a small row townhouse near "downtown" SS and in a single family dwelling further north, about a mile from the Glenmont Metro station. I had a car but seldom drove to work due to traffic and the high cost of parking. I took Metro rail. Unless you've done the drive from areas you're considering, and have parking arranged, don't discount Metro, even though the closest it goes to the school is George Washington/Foggy Bottom (unless you take a bus). Have you checked with Georgetown's housing office? They may have listings for apartments, rooms to rent, houses to share or rent, etc. I think Arlington and Foggy Bottom are areas to look into.