TKPK or CCDC?

[Anonymous]

Moving out of Columbia heights condo as our toddler is pushing its limits and we don’t feel as safe after a couple of unfortunate incidents (everyone is okay!)

We’ve been saving up and can afford up to 1.7M.

We are torn between these two neighborhoods. The walkable restaurant and coffee scene in TKPK seems better, but the schools and safety in CCDC seem better.

Would love opinions from people in those two neighborhoods. Do you feel safe? Do you like the schools? Do you have a sense of community with your neighbors?

[Anonymous]

I would 100 percent pick Takoma Park (you mean MD, right?) but many people prefer CCDC. I think it really depends on your personality. If you are more preppy than hippie, probably CC?

[Anonymous]

I don't think a marginally better "walkable restaurant and coffee scene" is as important as schools and safety. Not by a long shot.

The main commercial strip of CCDC on Connecticut is a great place for a stroll and has a few good neighborhood restaurants, an amazing independent toy store, and an actual greengrocer. Lots of great preschools around too!

You'd also be close to the walkable commercial areas of Cleveland Park and Downtown Bethesda if that interests you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would 100 percent pick Takoma Park (you mean MD, right?) but many people prefer CCDC. I think it really depends on your personality. If you are more preppy than hippie, probably CC?

OP might also mean Takoma DC. The DC and Maryland sides are both beautiful and relatively quiet / safe. More convenient to the Metro (red line) than much of Chevy Chase DC.

[Anonymous]

???

DC public schools are not better than Takoma Park schools.

And if in Maryland, you are in state for all the Maryland colleges.

Look in both and base it on which house you like best. If the houses are a toss up, choose Takoma Park for sure. Better schools, better services, more community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:???

DC public schools are not better than Takoma Park schools.

And if in Maryland, you are in state for all the Maryland colleges.

Look in both and base it on which house you like best. If the houses are a toss up, choose Takoma Park for sure. Better schools, better services, more community.

I believe property taxes in MD are much higher than DC, and your DC assessed value can only rise a maximum 10% per year. My understanding is income taxes are also similar/slightly higher once you factor in MD state and local taxes.

The only point is that with DC TAG already giving you $10k of the difference between in state and OOS, you will probably more than make up the difference on taxes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:???

DC public schools are not better than Takoma Park schools.

And if in Maryland, you are in state for all the Maryland colleges.

Look in both and base it on which house you like best. If the houses are a toss up, choose Takoma Park for sure. Better schools, better services, more community.

I believe property taxes in MD are much higher than DC, and your DC assessed value can only rise a maximum 10% per year. My understanding is income taxes are also similar/slightly higher once you factor in MD state and local taxes.

The only point is that with DC TAG already giving you $10k of the difference between in state and OOS, you will probably more than make up the difference on taxes.

That would depend on your income and property value. Our property taxes on our three bedroom plus attic cape cod is 2800 a year. Doesn't seem that high to me.

And even if you do make up the value, you don't have in state admissions preference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:???

DC public schools are not better than Takoma Park schools.

And if in Maryland, you are in state for all the Maryland colleges.

Look in both and base it on which house you like best. If the houses are a toss up, choose Takoma Park for sure. Better schools, better services, more community.

The public schools in CCDC are most certainly better than the public schools in Takoma Park.

[Anonymous]

I would look at both, spend time there (cafes, playgrounds, etc) and ask people!

Then maybe pick the house you like?

For those who keep pushing in-state colleges, if that is what you want move to VA! Many more options. With a toddler, college is a long way off and tides change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:???

DC public schools are not better than Takoma Park schools.

And if in Maryland, you are in state for all the Maryland colleges.

Look in both and base it on which house you like best. If the houses are a toss up, choose Takoma Park for sure. Better schools, better services, more community.

The public schools in CCDC are most certainly better than the public schools in Takoma Park.

Why do you think TPMS and Blair are worse than Deal and Wilson? I disagree with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would look at both, spend time there (cafes, playgrounds, etc) and ask people!

Then maybe pick the house you like?

For those who keep pushing in-state colleges, if that is what you want move to VA! Many more options. With a toddler, college is a long way off and tides change.

Virginia instate tuition is much higher than Maryland. By like 10k a year. And NoVa sucks. Who wants to have to be constantly driving on highways. CCDC and TK, you drive on normal streets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:???

DC public schools are not better than Takoma Park schools.

And if in Maryland, you are in state for all the Maryland colleges.

Look in both and base it on which house you like best. If the houses are a toss up, choose Takoma Park for sure. Better schools, better services, more community.

I believe property taxes in MD are much higher than DC, and your DC assessed value can only rise a maximum 10% per year. My understanding is income taxes are also similar/slightly higher once you factor in MD state and local taxes.

The only point is that with DC TAG already giving you $10k of the difference between in state and OOS, you will probably more than make up the difference on taxes.

That would depend on your income and property value. Our property taxes on our three bedroom plus attic cape cod is 2800 a year. Doesn't seem that high to me.

And even if you do make up the value, you don't have in state admissions preference.

Well, OP said they are looking to spend $1.7MM...so I assume they will spend $1.7MM at which point the underlying tax rates are most important. I assume this is a youngish person, so they don't get any elderly or low-income property tax breaks.

UMD in state and OOS admissions %age are identical...it's 37% overall regardless of your state of residence. The other MD state schools like UMBC, Towson, etc. have very high admissions rates, so also not a factor.

UMD isn't like UVA or UNC with respect to OOS admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:???

DC public schools are not better than Takoma Park schools.

And if in Maryland, you are in state for all the Maryland colleges.

Look in both and base it on which house you like best. If the houses are a toss up, choose Takoma Park for sure. Better schools, better services, more community.

The public schools in CCDC are most certainly better than the public schools in Takoma Park.

Why do you think TPMS and Blair are worse than Deal and Wilson? I disagree with that.

I don't know much about TPMS...but Blair and Jackson-Reed (formerly Wilson) are pretty similar...so I think it is a wash.

Now, the Blair Magnet program is something different, but I don't believe there is any preference for Blair feeder schools vs. Montgomery County as a whole. However, you do of course have to live somewhere in MoCo and Blair is more convenient to Takoma Park vs. living in WOTP MoCo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would 100 percent pick Takoma Park (you mean MD, right?) but many people prefer CCDC. I think it really depends on your personality. If you are more preppy than hippie, probably CC?

+1. This is biggest difference. I personally think TPMS-Blair and Deal-JR are pretty comparable, but MCPS does have more magnet and special programming options than DCPS.

[Anonymous]

I would think Takoma Park and CCDC would appeal to wildly different people.