Cultural differences between Rockville vs. Takoma Park?

[Anonymous]

What is a striver?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We currently live in West End Rockville and love it, but we are thinking about moving near to Takoma Park (near the metro). We are pretty young (~30), have a non-traditional family, and are generally quirky people. We know some older academics and unschoolers who live in Takoma Park, and feel like we would really connect with those type of people. We can afford up to $800k.

However, I have heard that the younger families who live in Takoma Park are pretty similar to the younger families in Rockville, and don't fit the classic stereotype. Is that right?

Any related thoughts or important differences between the two areas?

Thanks!

OP, we used to live close to Rockville, and now live very close to TP. You have no business living in Rockville. Yes, TP is no longer old hippies, but Silver Spring close to Takoma Park or TP is what you want as far as vibe. Come on down and check out the farmer’s market one Sunday.

Oh come on! Do you so at the co op? Walk around downtown and the historic district? The prime demographic in Takoma Park is still old hippies. Plenty of young families but a plethora of old white women in tie dye shirts and men with long white beards.

[Anonymous]

What do you mean by non-trad family?

I'm asking because I know gay families happily living in straight-laced neighborhoods (Chevy Chase) and cul-de-sacs (Howard and AA counties).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean by non-trad family?

I'm asking because I know gay families happily living in straight-laced neighborhoods (Chevy Chase) and cul-de-sacs (Howard and AA counties).

OP here. We're a polyamorous marriage.

Rockville has been great BTW. Everyone has been super cool.

[Anonymous]

I moved to Rockville from a “crunchier” area. We also considered Takoma Park and Silver Spring but ended up in Rockville for practical reasons such as one parent’s commute. We’ve been pleasantly surprised by Rockville. I have kids at Beall, which has great teachers and kids. There’s a mix of family types, income levels, ethnicities, etc. We know families with same sex parents. We like walking to the town center and Woolley gardens shopping center. But, it’s not hip. That’s definitely Takoma Park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a few different TPS due to its size. The small cute but increasingly jonesy historic area, the area behind the co-op, the barrio most people think is Langley Park, the cheap diverse homes alone Sligo park Jackson rd to just the other side of New Hampshire and last but least the maple ave projects strip of cheap apts.

There are a few hippies left near the co-op and the historic area and a few academic types emulating them but the “vibe” is more academic non-conformity than hippy nowadays. You are as likely to find a yuppie or a vegan or even an anti-Vaxer.

This sounds about right, although I'd add "the part zoned for Rolling Terrace that TP folks don't claim."

Even with some gentrification, it is still the best place I've ever lived for a "nontraditional family" or nontraditional kids. Folks aren't going to blink at any number of different family formulations. While I take the point that Hyattsville has some of the same vibe, the public school situation pushes a lot of families into parochials, which brings its own set of issues if you have a familiy that is not Husband + Wife + children.

OMG this is Takoma Park

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is a striver?

Was just about to ask that. What is a 'striver' as opposed to an 'academic'? A securities trader wannabe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We currently live in West End Rockville and love it, but we are thinking about moving near to Takoma Park (near the metro). We are pretty young (~30), have a non-traditional family, and are generally quirky people. We know some older academics and unschoolers who live in Takoma Park, and feel like we would really connect with those type of people. We can afford up to $800k.

However, I have heard that the younger families who live in Takoma Park are pretty similar to the younger families in Rockville, and don't fit the classic stereotype. Is that right?

Any related thoughts or important differences between the two areas?

Thanks!

OP, we used to live close to Rockville, and now live very close to TP. You have no business living in Rockville. Yes, TP is no longer old hippies, but Silver Spring close to Takoma Park or TP is what you want as far as vibe. Come on down and check out the farmer’s market one Sunday.

Oh come on! Do you so at the co op? Walk around downtown and the historic district? The prime demographic in Takoma Park is still old hippies. Plenty of young families but a plethora of old white women in tie dye shirts and men with long white beards.

Well, no one really shops at the coop except these types, so you are self-selecting. Look at who is walking to the metro in the mornings. Definitely a different demographic -- largely young professionals dressed relatively conservatively.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean by non-trad family?

I'm asking because I know gay families happily living in straight-laced neighborhoods (Chevy Chase) and cul-de-sacs (Howard and AA counties).

OP here. We're a polyamorous marriage.

Rockville has been great BTW. Everyone has been super cool.

So you invite all your lovers to the family thanksgiving, eh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean by non-trad family?

I'm asking because I know gay families happily living in straight-laced neighborhoods (Chevy Chase) and cul-de-sacs (Howard and AA counties).

OP here. We're a polyamorous marriage.

Rockville has been great BTW. Everyone has been super cool.

So you invite all your lovers to the family thanksgiving, eh?

Yep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is a striver?

Was just about to ask that. What is a 'striver' as opposed to an 'academic'? A securities trader wannabe?

A striver is the term for someone focused on positioning and rankings above actual results while an academic (as a pejorative) is an over educated nerd who tries to flex their educational chops or title to compensate for lower income comparatively. They do thing that they think makes them look interesting or deep similar to how pretty people over exaggerate on Instagram pictures.

[Anonymous]

I had no idea the heart of Langley Park was technically TP. It goes all the way to New Hampshire and University

This can't be the TP people are raving about

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do you mean by non-trad family?

I'm asking because I know gay families happily living in straight-laced neighborhoods (Chevy Chase) and cul-de-sacs (Howard and AA counties).

OP here. We're a polyamorous marriage.

Rockville has been great BTW. Everyone has been super cool.

So you invite all your lovers to the family thanksgiving, eh?

Yep.

So your kids know mommy and daddy are bunking a bunch of people on the side?

[Anonymous]

A striver is the term for someone focused on positioning and rankings above actual results while an academic (as a pejorative) is an over educated nerd who tries to flex their educational chops or title to compensate for lower income comparatively. They do thing that they think makes them look interesting or deep similar to how pretty people over exaggerate on Instagram pictures.

Somewhat agree.

A striver is going for the expensive historic house or hoping to upgrade as soon as they can. A striver moved because of the magnet ranking and is intent that their kid get into the magnet. A striver will be in the admin office at PBES on day 2 going off on how little Brodie or little Ivy is not being challenged. A striver will have a stash of prep books hidden in their desk. When their kid does OK on the test, it will be due to natural genius not all the hours with the secret books that the kid lets on about with friends and teachers. A striver will humble brag about loving diversity and that why they moved there but then will be only be friends with the people at their own "level". A striver is usually an intense hypocrite.

An academic in this context is anyone that either A.) has any job in a university or B.) graduated from a well known university with a degree that you can not do much with so you end up in odd administrative type jobs. This groups loves the descriptor "academic" because they know it sounds like you are talking about a tenured professor or expert in their field. There are no experts here only the vast array of lower paid support people that surround them or the English lit major that is managing events for a non profit.

I don't find TP hippie at all. The young residents are very interested in being perceived as being hip. There are some that like the idea of being a hippie but are more faux hippies. The crunchiness is far more mainstream crunchiness now.

[Anonymous]

The descriptions of TP are so funny. If you actually live there and are middle to upper middle class (and since OP's housing budget is $800k they are in this category) you'll find mostly 2 parent families (both gay and hetero) with 1-3 kids (some bio, some adopted, some adopted outside of the parent's race). Often one parent is more highly paid (maybe an attorney) which allows the other parent to be either stay at home or work a less demanding job from home or with flexible hours. But there are plenty families with 2 parents that work outside of the home (a lot of attorneys at non-profits or with gov, professors, scientists, communication professionals, people who work in international development and lots of other federal jobs). Everyone skews very liberal politically. Most kids attend local public school. A lot of nice, normal people who value the walkable community, the sense of Takoma Place with its own identity, yes the diversity (even with its challenges), the parks, the schools, the proximity to Metro.

FWIW - I've lived in TP for 10 years and I know a lot of different families but I don't know anyone that is openly polyamorous (or that have shared that information with me).