Moving for a New Job in Baltimore — Torn Between Montgomery County and Howard County for Our Family

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Rockville and the Potomac area caught my attention because I have two friends who live there. They’ve always spoken highly of the schools, the convenience, and the strong sense of community. Interestingly, they mentioned that several people in their neighborhood commute to Baltimore daily, which made me think these two counties are among the top choices.

I also toured Baltimore City. No offense intended, but I didn’t feel as drawn to the city. When I visited a CVS and saw most items locked up, the overall atmosphere felt a bit run-down. It just didn’t leave the best impression on me personally.

We're in downtown Bethesda. (I would never commute to Balt. from this area btw and do not know a single person who does so.) Unfortunately, store crime way up post-covid even in the nice areas! Our CVS has many items locked up, and has been robbed in broad daylight. HoCo schools have surpassed most MoCo in standing. Ellicott City is a good rec. Good luck with your search.

[Anonymous]

CVS? Last time I was in the CVS in Dupont Circle and Bethesda they had their stuff locked up too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:CVS? Last time I was in the CVS in Dupont Circle and Bethesda they had their stuff locked up too

Same with the upper east side in Manhattan.

[Anonymous]

I live in Mt Washington Baltimore. Our CVS in Roland park has deodorant etc locked up. Definitely annoying. But the Walgreens at Quarry Lake, also close to Roland Park, has nothing locked up. Eddie’s food store in Roland Park has nothing locked up. Graul’s food store in ruxton has nothing locked up. C’mon OP - maybe be a little more open-minded?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in Mt Washington Baltimore. Our CVS in Roland park has deodorant etc locked up. Definitely annoying. But the Walgreens at Quarry Lake, also close to Roland Park, has nothing locked up. Eddie’s food store in Roland Park has nothing locked up. Graul’s food store in ruxton has nothing locked up. C’mon OP - maybe be a little more open-minded?

Nah. OP should settle in Howard County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in Mt Washington Baltimore. Our CVS in Roland park has deodorant etc locked up. Definitely annoying. But the Walgreens at Quarry Lake, also close to Roland Park, has nothing locked up. Eddie’s food store in Roland Park has nothing locked up. Graul’s food store in ruxton has nothing locked up. C’mon OP - maybe be a little more open-minded?

Nah. OP should settle in Howard County.

Yep, Hoco is the perfect place for OP.

[Anonymous]

I love MoCo but would never commute from here to Baltimore. Hoco without questions and schools are good and much less needy.

[Anonymous]

Did OP ever say what city "near" Baltimore he/she was working in? near can be such a wide net!

MoCo has plenty to offer, but not at the expense of commuting 4 hours a day. DUlaney, Hereford, Towson are good/central high schools if willing to look in the county.

Also, Baltimore City and Baltimore county are 2 different, but neighboring places with different school systems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Rockville and the Potomac area caught my attention because I have two friends who live there. They’ve always spoken highly of the schools, the convenience, and the strong sense of community. Interestingly, they mentioned that several people in their neighborhood commute to Baltimore daily, which made me think these two counties are among the top choices.

I also toured Baltimore City. No offense intended, but I didn’t feel as drawn to the city. When I visited a CVS and saw most items locked up, the overall atmosphere felt a bit run-down. It just didn’t leave the best impression on me personally.

We're in downtown Bethesda. (I would never commute to Balt. from this area btw and do not know a single person who does so.) Unfortunately, store crime way up post-covid even in the nice areas! Our CVS has many items locked up, and has been robbed in broad daylight. HoCo schools have surpassed most MoCo in standing. Ellicott City is a good rec. Good luck with your search.

No, they have not.
Even in USNews ranking, 6 of the top 10 schools are in MoCo. HoCo only has one at #8 in the top 10.
Even in the top 20, HoCo only has 3 schools represented.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Rockville and the Potomac area caught my attention because I have two friends who live there. They’ve always spoken highly of the schools, the convenience, and the strong sense of community. Interestingly, they mentioned that several people in their neighborhood commute to Baltimore daily, which made me think these two counties are among the top choices.

I also toured Baltimore City. No offense intended, but I didn’t feel as drawn to the city. When I visited a CVS and saw most items locked up, the overall atmosphere felt a bit run-down. It just didn’t leave the best impression on me personally.

We're in downtown Bethesda. (I would never commute to Balt. from this area btw and do not know a single person who does so.) Unfortunately, store crime way up post-covid even in the nice areas! Our CVS has many items locked up, and has been robbed in broad daylight. HoCo schools have surpassed most MoCo in standing. Ellicott City is a good rec. Good luck with your search.

No, they have not.
Even in USNews ranking, 6 of the top 10 schools are in MoCo. HoCo only has one at #8 in the top 10.
Even in the top 20, HoCo only has 3 schools represented.

not in overall scoring, MCPS refuses to recognize anything outside of their magnet and W schools, sorry all you other schools
see https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/s/maryland/
their overall rankings show HoCo has higher math and english
MoCo report card https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/Graphs/#/ReportCards/ReportCardSchool/1/E/1/15/XXXX/2024
HoCo report card https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/Graphs/#/ReportCards/ReportCardSchool/1/E/1/13/XXXX/2024

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Rockville and the Potomac area caught my attention because I have two friends who live there. They’ve always spoken highly of the schools, the convenience, and the strong sense of community. Interestingly, they mentioned that several people in their neighborhood commute to Baltimore daily, which made me think these two counties are among the top choices.

I also toured Baltimore City. No offense intended, but I didn’t feel as drawn to the city. When I visited a CVS and saw most items locked up, the overall atmosphere felt a bit run-down. It just didn’t leave the best impression on me personally.

We're in downtown Bethesda. (I would never commute to Balt. from this area btw and do not know a single person who does so.) Unfortunately, store crime way up post-covid even in the nice areas! Our CVS has many items locked up, and has been robbed in broad daylight. HoCo schools have surpassed most MoCo in standing. Ellicott City is a good rec. Good luck with your search.

No, they have not.
Even in USNews ranking, 6 of the top 10 schools are in MoCo. HoCo only has one at #8 in the top 10.
Even in the top 20, HoCo only has 3 schools represented.

not in overall scoring, MCPS refuses to recognize anything outside of their magnet and W schools, sorry all you other schools
see https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/s/maryland/
their overall rankings show HoCo has higher math and english
MoCo report card https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/Graphs/#/ReportCards/ReportCardSchool/1/E/1/15/XXXX/2024
HoCo report card https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/Graphs/#/ReportCards/ReportCardSchool/1/E/1/13/XXXX/2024

Ahh, Niche.
Great

[Anonymous]

I live in MoCo and commute to Baltimore City. HoCo is likely the best option for you but I will admit that, when faced with the same decision, I decided MoCo and haven’t regretted it. My commute is an hour each way not two (for the many people that mention 4 hours of commute time). I just like the DC area in terms of things to do and community. We really do use DC a lot. But agree for most HoCo better in this circumstance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you find Baltimore run down you may be disappointed in DC. There’s no part that is like the commons in Boston with a pretty park and an easy walk down cobblestone roads to Great restaurants and shopping. The National mall has terrible food around it except Chinatown, which has a lot of CVS locks. Even the wealthy enclaves of DC have homeless people loitering by the metro. In this sense, it’s a grittier, more Brooklyn/Manhattan type of urban.

The closest might be Georgetown, which has the waterfront and some restaurants. But Harbor East in Baltimore by the Four Seasons has a similar vibe, better restaurants, and is closer to institutions like the National Aquarium. Roland Park is a short drive.

I’d say that Baltimore is more like Brooklyn than DC, but in a good way. More charm, better restaurants, more hip.

DC manages to be both more pretentious and snooty than Baltimore and less safe. You will see a lot more shady stuff happening in Chevy Chase and Cleveland Park than in comparable places like Roland Park. Same goes for Navy Yard vs Harbor East.

I love Baltimore, but you are being ridiculous. DC is pretty and of course there are many safe places in the city. I think Baltimore has more charm for sure. I will say this, many pretty Baltimore neighborhoods are next to the hood like Guilford. You don't find that as much in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Rockville and the Potomac area caught my attention because I have two friends who live there. They’ve always spoken highly of the schools, the convenience, and the strong sense of community. Interestingly, they mentioned that several people in their neighborhood commute to Baltimore daily, which made me think these two counties are among the top choices.

I also toured Baltimore City. No offense intended, but I didn’t feel as drawn to the city. When I visited a CVS and saw most items locked up, the overall atmosphere felt a bit run-down. It just didn’t leave the best impression on me personally.

We're in downtown Bethesda. (I would never commute to Balt. from this area btw and do not know a single person who does so.) Unfortunately, store crime way up post-covid even in the nice areas! Our CVS has many items locked up, and has been robbed in broad daylight. HoCo schools have surpassed most MoCo in standing. Ellicott City is a good rec. Good luck with your search.

No, they have not.
Even in USNews ranking, 6 of the top 10 schools are in MoCo. HoCo only has one at #8 in the top 10.
Even in the top 20, HoCo only has 3 schools represented.

That's individual. As a system, HoCo is better. Mostly because there is very little poverty in HoCo, whereas MoCo has great wealth and great poverty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Rockville and the Potomac area caught my attention because I have two friends who live there. They’ve always spoken highly of the schools, the convenience, and the strong sense of community. Interestingly, they mentioned that several people in their neighborhood commute to Baltimore daily, which made me think these two counties are among the top choices.

I also toured Baltimore City. No offense intended, but I didn’t feel as drawn to the city. When I visited a CVS and saw most items locked up, the overall atmosphere felt a bit run-down. It just didn’t leave the best impression on me personally.

We're in downtown Bethesda. (I would never commute to Balt. from this area btw and do not know a single person who does so.) Unfortunately, store crime way up post-covid even in the nice areas! Our CVS has many items locked up, and has been robbed in broad daylight. HoCo schools have surpassed most MoCo in standing. Ellicott City is a good rec. Good luck with your search.

No, they have not.
Even in USNews ranking, 6 of the top 10 schools are in MoCo. HoCo only has one at #8 in the top 10.
Even in the top 20, HoCo only has 3 schools represented.

That's individual. As a system, HoCo is better. Mostly because there is very little poverty in HoCo, whereas MoCo has great wealth and great poverty.

not as much as difference as you think, HoCo poverty rate 5.6, MoCo 7.2 HoCo's median household income is higher by about 20K. The biggest difference between HoCo and MoCo is population density. MoCo is more crowded, almost 2X more. The racial make-up and incomes between the 2 counties are similar. HoCo is a bit more educated than MoCo. Here are the census numbers

MoCo https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/montgomerycountymaryland/PST045223
HoCo https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/howardcountymaryland/AFN120222