What is an exurb ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's not forget we don't all commute to DC.

This comment is neither here nor there

[Anonymous]

In Virginia, anything beyond Fairfax County. In Maryland, anything past Montgomery or Prince Georges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Besides purely geographic, can anyone share their thoughts on lifestyle and how that differs ?

Seems like I would prefer an exurb livestyle (quiet, larger piece of land) but worried about posting regarding pricing as everyone seems so keen on the new urbanization.

Except for commute times, and that can be impacted upon where you work, I do not see that much a life style difference between exurb and suburb - unless it is in fact the commuting time is the difference in lifestyle. As my DH works from home, that doesn't effect us. And while I would have said more and more folks will be working from home. I know after the last recession some of his work colleagues were worried about their long commutes.
I guess I see the difference between cities and suburbs easier than suburb vs exurb.

Thanks all for your comments and thoughts.

I think you'd find that the people who live in exurbs are somewhat different than the people who live closer-in. A little less wealthy, more laid-back, and more politically conservative. That's obviously a generalization.

[Anonymous]

The term exurb originated in the 50's for places in greater NY and Boston that were really small towns on commuter rail lines that attracted rather affluent people who were willing to trade a long rail commute all the way downtown for a rural lifestyle.

http://www.amazon.com/The-exurbanites-Auguste-C-Spectorsky/dp/B0007DN63I

That lifestyle simple does not exist in greater DC (for the most part), because we don't have the many commuter rail stations or rail road focused small towns. People living on the edge of the metro area either are commuting to another suburb, or they are distinctly non-affluent people taking a heliish drive or a relatively infrequent inconvenient train so they can afford a largish house in a standard suburban subdivision on a modest civil service salary. Or they are folks who make their commute bearable by teleworking 2 or more days a week.

[Anonymous]

There is an official government map showing DC exurbs. But I think it is more like porn-you know it when you see it. We are in western fairfax and it definitely feels exurban to me.

[Anonymous]

My generalization of exurb lifestyle:

You have to get in your car to do anything.
More likely to be conservative.
More likely to be religious.
More likely to have less income (certainly not low-income around here).
More likely to have SAHMs.
You're pretty much never going to DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's not forget we don't all commute to DC.

This comment is neither here nor there

Who has these jobs that they know will stay close to their exurb or allow teleworking for the 20 yrs you are hoping to get your kids thru high school?

[Anonymous]

Close-in suburbs - Arlington, Falls Church, inside-the-beltway Fairfax and Alexandria.
Suburbs - the rest of Fairfax and Alexandria, Loudoun and probably Prince William.
Exurbs - anything beyond that, so Fauquier, Spotsylvania, etc.
There is probably a specific mileage definition too, i.e. how many miles an area is from the city with which it's associated, whether you commute to that city or not. Where you commute to has nothing to do with the definition of your area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's not forget we don't all commute to DC.

This comment is neither here nor there

Who has these jobs that they know will stay close to their exurb or allow teleworking for the 20 yrs you are hoping to get your kids thru high school?

People who work for the county, have their own businesses, etc

How do you know your job will stay in DC. It could move to the burbs or exburbs like DHS or NIH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's not forget we don't all commute to DC.

This comment is neither here nor there

Who has these jobs that they know will stay close to their exurb or allow teleworking for the 20 yrs you are hoping to get your kids thru high school?

None of us are promised a job in any area for 20 years.

I am a teacher in our school district. DH is in sales. His satellite office is nearby but essentially, he can work anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Seems like I would prefer an exurb livestyle (quiet, larger piece of land) but worried about posting regarding pricing as everyone seems so keen on the new urbanization.

Western Montgomery County starting in Potomac and going all the way west to Poolesville and Darnestown has large lots and is very quiet/more rural. The commute is rough and seems like everyone works in DC. Unless you work for NIH or one of the hospitals, there aren't many professional jobs in Montgomery County. It used to be more common to live in Montgomery County/work in VA but the commute to Virginia but the traffic is horrible and the schools are better in VA now.

Frederick MD is farther out but it more traditional town surrounded by suburbs. No idea where people work but the town is very cute. Howard isn't really an exburb because so many people there work in Columbia MD. Same goes for Reston as its more likely to work in Tysons.

[Anonymous]

Sterling, Ashburn, etc.

[Anonymous]

Up 270 beyond the biotech, business and shopping corridor. Urbana. Poolesville. Clarksburg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The term exurb originated in the 50's for places in greater NY and Boston that were really small towns on commuter rail lines that attracted rather affluent people who were willing to trade a long rail commute all the way downtown for a rural lifestyle.

http://www.amazon.com/The-exurbanites-Auguste-C-Spectorsky/dp/B0007DN63I

That lifestyle simple does not exist in greater DC (for the most part), because we don't have the many commuter rail stations or rail road focused small towns. People living on the edge of the metro area either are commuting to another suburb, or they are distinctly non-affluent people taking a heliish drive or a relatively infrequent inconvenient train so they can afford a largish house in a standard suburban subdivision on a modest civil service salary. Or they are folks who make their commute bearable by teleworking 2 or more days a week.

I disagree. I know quite a number of people who commute to DC on rail from Baltimore, the Baltimore suburbs and a few that commute from Phillie and Wilmington area. It's a long commute, but mostly by rail and they have laptops and work on the train. I also know people who commute from the areas. Although Baltimore is its own city, I consider the Baltimore suburbs to be exurbs for those who commute to DC including the southern suburbs like Linthicum, Hanover, Glen Burnie, Odenton, etc. Much of the MAC rail lines and the VRE rail lines are rail commuters from exurban towns into downtown DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The term exurb originated in the 50's for places in greater NY and Boston that were really small towns on commuter rail lines that attracted rather affluent people who were willing to trade a long rail commute all the way downtown for a rural lifestyle.

http://www.amazon.com/The-exurbanites-Auguste-C-Spectorsky/dp/B0007DN63I

That lifestyle simple does not exist in greater DC (for the most part), because we don't have the many commuter rail stations or rail road focused small towns. People living on the edge of the metro area either are commuting to another suburb, or they are distinctly non-affluent people taking a heliish drive or a relatively infrequent inconvenient train so they can afford a largish house in a standard suburban subdivision on a modest civil service salary. Or they are folks who make their commute bearable by teleworking 2 or more days a week.

I disagree. I know quite a number of people who commute to DC on rail from Baltimore, the Baltimore suburbs and a few that commute from Phillie and Wilmington area. It's a long commute, but mostly by rail and they have laptops and work on the train. I also know people who commute from the areas. Although Baltimore is its own city, I consider the Baltimore suburbs to be exurbs for those who commute to DC including the southern suburbs like Linthicum, Hanover, Glen Burnie, Odenton, etc. Much of the MAC rail lines and the VRE rail lines are rail commuters from exurban towns into downtown DC.

You prove my point. Those are CITIES or close in suburbs of other cities - not comparable to the kinds of small RR towns in the Hudson Valley or eastern Mass that were the stape of writers like Cheever and Updike.

I agree a place like Fredericksburg Va or Frederick Md, might be like that - except that the folks who live there are mostly not that affluent, and at least in the case of VRE, the trains are too infreguent and I believe too spartan. Express trains with bar cars really complete the package.