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It seems like every single person I talk to here doesn't particularly like it and has an exit plan. And if it weren't for their career they would much rather live somewhere like New York City or California, but can't because they are tied down to their govt. job. It seems like people don't live here out of choice...even the President will flee town once he's done.
Do you live here by choice or do you want to move?
I live by choice now I guess. At first, I was itching to live somewhere warm. Now that I travel for work with the option to live anywhere, I have been looking into other areas and the grass isnt really greener. I'm still looking but for now I like the DC's location, population, and all of the new nightlife that is popping up everywhere.
You can't say you are "forced" to live somewhere if you freely chose the job that put you in that place.
Many people choose careers that happen to have the best jobs found in that career path located only in DC. Lobbyists, political journalists, humanitarian non-profit managers, campaign consultants, etc.
Would those people live in DC if that wasn't the career path they chose? No probably not. But that's a silly question because by removing that career aspiration you are completely changing the character of that person.
Would Bob Woodward still live in DC if he stopped caring about writing about politics? No, probably not. But then he wouldn't be Bob Woodward anymore.
5 years ago I would've agreed, but now DC has become quite the city. My guess is that the financial crisis changed the demographics and talent of the general population, as well as bringing in cash for city projects - both public and private. Now there are nabes all over DC that have the hippest loungest, clubs, restaurants, coffee shops etc. that only 5-10 years ago were full of drug dealers and pimps/prostitutes, or just generally impoverished/ungainly buildings - such as 14th St, U St, H St, Penn Quarter and the list goes on. It's odd how people don't even talk about Georgetown or Dupont Circle these days as a place to hang out (well not as much), because there's so much happening in other parts of DC.
Also, for single males and females, dating here is decent - not the best but probably not the worst. I'm meeting a lot more people during HH with not just government backgrounds - so I actually have interest in what they're saying. There's also a startup culture (albeit small but noticeable and growing) as well as younger people to replace a number of government retirees.
Then you have the incredible amount of outdoor activities in the Spring, Summer and Fall: Hiking in VA and MD, visiting wineries, cycling all over, kayaking and other water sports as well as a number of running clubs and other sporting clubs in town.
All in all, DC is shaping to be a pretty nice place, not the ultimate city, but nice nevertheless.
It seems like every single person I talk to here doesn't particularly like it and has an exit plan. And if it weren't for their career they would much rather live somewhere like New York City or California, but can't because they are tied down to their govt. job. It seems like people don't live here out of choice...even the President will flee town once he's done.
Do you live here by choice or do you want to move?
I think this would be the perfect time for a case study in D.C. proper. Take a poll every year over the next 10 years to see how the city changes as more and more things come online. There isn't a city anywhere in America that will change more in the next 10 years than Washington D.C. based on what is happening now. This is the Golden Age for Washington D.C. People should feel privileged to be able to say they were a part of it. It will be talked about for generations as the turning point for the capital of the United States of America in history books. Hundreds of billions of dollars in investment are happening in D.C. over the next 10-15 years.
DC's not bad at all. I'm originally from the Baltimore area, but have lived in NY, Boston, Philly, Chi and SF. DC is close enough to Bmore that I can swing through anytime I'd like. Also, Bmore adds a great additional element and option being so close to DC ( Canton, Harbor East, Fells, are GREAT during the summer).
I do contracts of varying length primarily for banks and financial. DC has a few choices outside of govt, like Fannie/Freddie, Cap One, credit unions etc. but, nothing like NY, Chi, Jersey etc. I came back to DC to do a fairly well paid shorter term contract, which just ended. Now the decision is whether to stay.
Honestly, I'd love to stay and do one more lucrative contract, setup DC. as a home base, and leave. I'd love to check out LA, both downtown and the West Side. I'm also seriously considering trying to start a business based out of Brazil.
I can rent out my place hopefully to one of the numerous consultants that flood DC during the week. Hopefully for a serious premium.
So in short, DC has made tremendous strides. It's no longer just a govt town. It's got good nightlife (LOVE 14th St from like P to U), it's international, and it's on the Eastern Megalopolis strip; which makes it easily commutable to NY, Philly, and Bmore, and to a lesser extent Boston. For smaller financial centers and jobs, you can also hit, Wilmington, Jersey City, and Stamford, Ct. Pittsburgh and the rest of the near Midwest are also easily drivable. Also, fairly close to beaches, mountains n farms. Location, location, location.
In the coming 5-10 years DC will become one of the hottest cities in America. For my purposes, I'd like, to keep a foot in DC and see where it goes.
One more thing: it's also amazingly walkable, which I LOVE!
Last edited by jeremyw90; 04-07-2014 at 01:52 PM..
5 years ago I would've agreed, but now DC has become quite the city. My guess is that the financial crisis changed the demographics and talent of the general population, as well as bringing in cash for city projects - both public and private. Now there are nabes all over DC that have the hippest loungest, clubs, restaurants, coffee shops etc. that only 5-10 years ago were full of drug dealers and pimps/prostitutes, or just generally impoverished/ungainly buildings - such as 14th St, U St, H St, Penn Quarter and the list goes on. It's odd how people don't even talk about Georgetown or Dupont Circle these days as a place to hang out (well not as much), because there's so much happening in other parts of DC.
Also, for single males and females, dating here is decent - not the best but probably not the worst. I'm meeting a lot more people during HH with not just government backgrounds - so I actually have interest in what they're saying. There's also a startup culture (albeit small but noticeable and growing) as well as younger people to replace a number of government retirees.
Then you have the incredible amount of outdoor activities in the Spring, Summer and Fall: Hiking in VA and MD, visiting wineries, cycling all over, kayaking and other water sports as well as a number of running clubs and other sporting clubs in town.
All in all, DC is shaping to be a pretty nice place, not the ultimate city, but nice nevertheless.
Great post. Even if it weren't for my job, I would definitely be living here. I've lived in several cities along the East Coast, and DC is by far the best (for me). If you like cultural activities and historic spots, this place is a dream. I love the balance of city and non-city life, and the huge variety of outdoor activities and day trips is amazing. All the green space and parks make me happy, and I enjoy the smart and interesting people I meet. Sure, DC has its share of uptight A-types, but so does every other city.
Really depends on what you're looking for in a city. For me, DC is it.
I don't think so anymore. I bought a house here because I generally like the area. Seven years ago maybe, but the city has considerably improved over the last seven years. It is fare more lively, and has far less urban decay. In many ways the gentrification has done wonders for the city, and I wish it to continue.
To be terribly honest, I prefer it to the other east coast megapololis cities.
To be completely honest, the job market is a big attraction to the city, there are few if any cities in the US which can match it for a wide variety of knowledge workers, not just tech or finance people.
Also it is already one of the hottest cities in America. It's not becoming, it already is. It is in the top five in terms of cost of living and gentrification, and in the top ten housing markets consistantly. The city is improving, the dark days of the 80s and 90s and old DC area ending, DC is finally becoming a real capital.
Also I need change of seasons, but DC is usually not as extreme as other cities in the NE megagopolis, and definately not as bad as Chicago.
I should note, I chose not to live in San Francisco or NYC. Seattle might be the other best option for me if I had a choice to live.
Its not bad. Its better than average in my opinion, but as of right now, if I could make the same salary some place with a lower COL, I'd be out of here.
Although, if I could pull in another 50k per year, I might like it a bit more. Its hard to like this place a whole lot when even on a six-figure salary, its tough to find a place to live where you don't share a wall with someone (anyone) and don't have to worry about your safety.
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