Job is relocating - which city to choose; Baltimore or Norfolk?

[Anonymous]

It'll be interesting to see what you think of Catonsville and Howard after seeing Stoneleigh and the Towson area.

I have a soft spot for Catonsville. It functions in many ways like a small town, with both racial and socio-economic diversity. The housing stock runs the gamut from older and stately to new subdivisions and modest 1950s ranchers. The schools are community prides, and while it won't have the top scores of Towson schools or Howard County schools, they're still very good and any "lower" scores only reflects that they are more demographically mixed rather than nearly uniformly affluent.

Do report back and tell us what you think. There's no "wrong" area to live of all the places you're looking at, just personal preference and what works for your family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But how often really do most people take tourist trips from DC/Baltimore to NYC or Philly? I'd rather be 20-30 minutes from the BEACH in Norfolk! Talk about a quality of life change.

Virginia Beach is trashy and you won’t use it for most of the year anyway when it’s too cold. Like PPs have said even if you don’t like Baltimore that much it’s still 45 minutes from DC, 1 1/2 from Philly, and around 3 hours from NYC. You could drive or just hop on the Amtrak for day trips to DC and Philly and overnight trips to NYC.

I can not stress enough how isolated and boring Norfolk is. There is nothing to visit except Colonial Williamsburg and Richmond. No thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But how often really do most people take tourist trips from DC/Baltimore to NYC or Philly? I'd rather be 20-30 minutes from the BEACH in Norfolk! Talk about a quality of life change.

Virginia Beach is trashy and you won’t use it for most of the year anyway when it’s too cold. Like PPs have said even if you don’t like Baltimore that much it’s still 45 minutes from DC, 1 1/2 from Philly, and around 3 hours from NYC. You could drive or just hop on the Amtrak for day trips to DC and Philly and overnight trips to NYC.

I can not stress enough how isolated and boring Norfolk is. There is nothing to visit except Colonial Williamsburg and Richmond. No thanks.

The summer on a beach is a lot of the year.

Plus, Busch Gardens?

Baltimore Harbor has . . . paddle boating in nasty harbor plus aquarium.

[Anonymous]

Baltimore was so bad the last time we visited it. We went to the Childrens’ museum and at every intersection a gang of about 8 boys with sloppy greasy window sqeezgees would just pounce on our windows without asking first. This happened repeatedly in and out of the city from the arena to the museum. It was nerve racking bc you didn’t really know how they would react when you said ‘no thank you.’ Some just left the slop on the windows and walked away. One kid hit the window with his stick, etc. This scared us in the car. And, this was in the tourist section around the Inner Harbor. Now we find other cities to visit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Baltimore was so bad the last time we visited it. We went to the Childrens’ museum and at every intersection a gang of about 8 boys with sloppy greasy window sqeezgees would just pounce on our windows without asking first. This happened repeatedly in and out of the city from the arena to the museum. It was nerve racking bc you didn’t really know how they would react when you said ‘no thank you.’ Some just left the slop on the windows and walked away. One kid hit the window with his stick, etc. This scared us in the car. And, this was in the tourist section around the Inner Harbor. Now we find other cities to visit.

Uh, I’m glad you recovered from your traumatic experience?

Yes, if you are terrified by squeegee boys, Baltimore is probably not for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Baltimore was so bad the last time we visited it. We went to the Childrens’ museum and at every intersection a gang of about 8 boys with sloppy greasy window sqeezgees would just pounce on our windows without asking first. This happened repeatedly in and out of the city from the arena to the museum. It was nerve racking bc you didn’t really know how they would react when you said ‘no thank you.’ Some just left the slop on the windows and walked away. One kid hit the window with his stick, etc. This scared us in the car. And, this was in the tourist section around the Inner Harbor. Now we find other cities to visit.

+1. It’s gone downhill…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Wow- a lot of responses! Thank you for all the information on the different areas to look at. We flew into Baltimore yesterday and so far we really like Canton in the city and the Stoneleigh area outside the city. I love the walkability of Canton and we talked to several families that are happy with the zoned school but 32 kids in a kindergarten class? Wow, that’s a lot. I can’t even imagine how that would work but these families all had positive things to say. Are class sizes that large common out here?

We’re touring Catonsville and Howard County tomorrow on our way down to the Norfolk area. Thanks again!!

Just a heads up, OP—we’re experiencing a king tide this weekend. Between that and the rain, you’re probably going to see some flooded streets in Norfolk. Which will not make a good impression. But if there’s any chance this is where you’ll end up, pay attention where the flooding is and don’t buy or rent there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But how often really do most people take tourist trips from DC/Baltimore to NYC or Philly? I'd rather be 20-30 minutes from the BEACH in Norfolk! Talk about a quality of life change.

Virginia Beach is trashy and you won’t use it for most of the year anyway when it’s too cold. Like PPs have said even if you don’t like Baltimore that much it’s still 45 minutes from DC, 1 1/2 from Philly, and around 3 hours from NYC. You could drive or just hop on the Amtrak for day trips to DC and Philly and overnight trips to NYC.

I can not stress enough how isolated and boring Norfolk is. There is nothing to visit except Colonial Williamsburg and Richmond. No thanks.

The summer on a beach is a lot of the year.

Plus, Busch Gardens?

Baltimore Harbor has . . . paddle boating in nasty harbor plus aquarium.

It’s not about Baltimore vs Norfolk. It’s the fact that Baltimore is close to DC, Philly and NY while Norfolk is two hours from…Richmond

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those recommending Baltimore to a Midwesterner from a "small city" are almost criminal. OP, do some more homework. Baltimore would be a shock to you- it's a city of despair: high crime, vacant buildings, and dysfunctional city gov. With small kids, it is absolutely a non-starter. Suburban southern Maryland counties have their own problems, too, when it comes to education. I know of what I speak having traveled there often and having family who have worked in the city at Hopkins for decades. Do not go there- you'll regret it.

Norfolk is safer and cleaner- you can drive to NC, DC, etc if you need a change of scenery. Virginia is a wonderful state to call home.

You don't even go here

[Anonymous]

Read the thread on some poster inquiring about jogging around Johns Hopkins. It was unanimous to stay inside and use a treadmill! Baltimore is run down, crime ridden, and depressing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Read the thread on some poster inquiring about jogging around Johns Hopkins. It was unanimous to stay inside and use a treadmill! Baltimore is run down, crime ridden, and depressing.

Sure, sure.You clearly have more insight than the posters who actually live in Baltimore. Well done.

OP, visit and talk to people who live in Baltimore, not terrified suburbanites who knew someone who heard about someone who got shot. The crime statistics are very much stratified by zip and demographics. There are parts of the city that are beautiful, historic, safe, and affordable. There are people here who are absolutely insane on the subject of Baltimore. Not sure why Baltimore triggers DCUM so badly, but I would place a lot more weight on your own observations while visiting, and conversations with people who live there in particular location and demographics slice you would be in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read the thread on some poster inquiring about jogging around Johns Hopkins. It was unanimous to stay inside and use a treadmill! Baltimore is run down, crime ridden, and depressing.

Sure, sure.You clearly have more insight than the posters who actually live in Baltimore. Well done.

OP, visit and talk to people who live in Baltimore, not terrified suburbanites who knew someone who heard about someone who got shot. The crime statistics are very much stratified by zip and demographics. There are parts of the city that are beautiful, historic, safe, and affordable. There are people here who are absolutely insane on the subject of Baltimore. Not sure why Baltimore triggers DCUM so badly, but I would place a lot more weight on your own observations while visiting, and conversations with people who live there in particular location and demographics slice you would be in.

Yeah I don't live in B'more, but see the same rhetoric re: DC and I have lived in the city for nearly 20 years never a victim of a crime, not even petty theft such as car broken window etc. so I always take the "THE CRIME IS SO SCARY!!!!!!!!!!!" people with a grain of salt especially if they don't actually live in the city they are claiming to know so much about it. Go see for yourself OP, check the police blotter, talk to people in the neighborhoods you are interested in and make your decision based on that information.

[Anonymous]

Baltimore - hands down. DC is just down the road from Baltimore, and they have the Capitol Steps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Baltimore was so bad the last time we visited it. We went to the Childrens’ museum and at every intersection a gang of about 8 boys with sloppy greasy window sqeezgees would just pounce on our windows without asking first. This happened repeatedly in and out of the city from the arena to the museum. It was nerve racking bc you didn’t really know how they would react when you said ‘no thank you.’ Some just left the slop on the windows and walked away. One kid hit the window with his stick, etc. This scared us in the car. And, this was in the tourist section around the Inner Harbor. Now we find other cities to visit.

+1. It’s gone downhill…

There are a lot of Maryland posters who are insanely competitive when it comes to anything having to do with Virginia, the DC suburbs of which have really overtaken the Maryland suburbs in terms of overall wealth and influence in the DC region. They’ll try to make Baltimore sounds like Paris if the alternative is the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area, but everyone knows that Baltimore is the worst place on the East Coast (it’s certainly the most run-down and only Philadelphia rivals it when it comes to crime and open-air drug markets) between Boston and DC and these folks would be pointing that out loudly if someone were asking about the relative merits of Baltimore and DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Baltimore was so bad the last time we visited it. We went to the Childrens’ museum and at every intersection a gang of about 8 boys with sloppy greasy window sqeezgees would just pounce on our windows without asking first. This happened repeatedly in and out of the city from the arena to the museum. It was nerve racking bc you didn’t really know how they would react when you said ‘no thank you.’ Some just left the slop on the windows and walked away. One kid hit the window with his stick, etc. This scared us in the car. And, this was in the tourist section around the Inner Harbor. Now we find other cities to visit.

+1. It’s gone downhill…

There are a lot of Maryland posters who are insanely competitive when it comes to anything having to do with Virginia, the DC suburbs of which have really overtaken the Maryland suburbs in terms of overall wealth and influence in the DC region. They’ll try to make Baltimore sounds like Paris if the alternative is the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area, but everyone knows that Baltimore is the worst place on the East Coast (it’s certainly the most run-down and only Philadelphia rivals it when it comes to crime and open-air drug markets) between Boston and DC and these folks would be pointing that out loudly if someone were asking about the relative merits of Baltimore and DC.

😂 excuse me while I paint “THE WORST CITY ON THE EAST COAST” on all the bus benches.

People on DCUM are nuts on the subject of Baltimore. But I don’t really mind. Keeps things affordable here! It’s a running joke in Baltimore how outsiders think this place is a wasteland. There’s a popular bumper sticker that says “Baltimore: actually, I like it”.

OP, I’ve lived here for 20 years and have somehow managed to live a happy, peaceful and productive life and raise a family in the WORST CITY ON THE EAST COAST. Different neighborhoods have different vibes. If you like leafy single family homes, Roland Park and Mount Washington are lovely. I like urban/hipster/bohemian, and am very happy in Hampden.

Good luck with your decision and your move!