Arlington or Montgomery County? [VA/MD]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

seems to be new money strivers vs old wealth

Hard to believe Bethesda is old wealth, or it wouldn't have such a reputation, even among people in its own state, for obnoxious residents flaunting their money.

Most homes are modest in Bethesda/CC, expensive, but not over the top. There are some flashy neighborhoods but most homes on River Rd/Mass Ave corridor are quite modest.

lI would say Great Falls and Potomac is more the "flaunt it" type.

+1 historically, Bethesda (and Chevy Chase) is where the old money lived. The wealthy in NoVA is much more recent relative to Bethesda area.

A lot of jobs have moved over to NoVa area, so you have more transplants there. The median age in Arlington is younger than the median age in Bethesda (and Chevy Chase).

DC is not really an old money town. Old money is generational wealth passed down from business tycoons like the DuPonts or the Mellons.

It is true that the MoCo suburbs were the wealthiest in the area for many years. However, NoVa has been outpacing MoCo economically for many decades, so the "old money" in MoCo isn't so much generational wealth as much as just more old people with (or who had) money. Because more younger people who are affluent now live in NoVa, it's "new money" compared to MoCo, but it's still not the type of divide you might find in other parts of the country.

Bethesda and CC have some very pretty neighborhoods. But you couldn't pay me to live there now, because they are part of a county that has been declining for a long time and stands to continue to do so.

They are declining so much that house prices are ridiculous.

LOl right? Bethesda has some major headquarters/employers in it's downtown. It has gone through a major transformation and still growing. Home prices are stable and there is little to no supply. It provides major arteries into downtown DC without having to cross a bridge. Some of the best golf courses/parks in the area. Some of the best schools (public and private) in the state/area. But sure, it's dying.

A declining county have some nice areas; indeed, the decline may make the remaining decent areas more desirable for some period of time. But then you have a smaller base propping up everything else, which eventually takes its toll.

As does living in a state that includes Appalachia. People who live in Chevy Chase and Bethesda have more than enough money to not worry about a few percentage points more in income tax or whether they’re paying a few thousand dollars a year more to fund programs for less affluent people Germantown. At the end of the day Bethesda and Chevy Chase are just nicer than anything in the NoVA suburbs. Ask the average person to walk around a neighborhood in Chevy Chase and then to walk around a neighborhood in North Arlington and report back on which neighborhood has nicer homes, nicer landscaping, and the like. How many of these people will say North Arlington? Then factor in your private school and public school options in Bethesda and Chevy Chase and it’s a no brainer. If VA was that nice and Chevy Chase is a socialist hell hole why do Kavanaugh and Roberts live in Chevy Chase? Because if have money you want to be near the best country clubs and the best private schools and have a nicer home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

seems to be new money strivers vs old wealth

Hard to believe Bethesda is old wealth, or it wouldn't have such a reputation, even among people in its own state, for obnoxious residents flaunting their money.

Most homes are modest in Bethesda/CC, expensive, but not over the top. There are some flashy neighborhoods but most homes on River Rd/Mass Ave corridor are quite modest.

lI would say Great Falls and Potomac is more the "flaunt it" type.

+1 historically, Bethesda (and Chevy Chase) is where the old money lived. The wealthy in NoVA is much more recent relative to Bethesda area.

A lot of jobs have moved over to NoVa area, so you have more transplants there. The median age in Arlington is younger than the median age in Bethesda (and Chevy Chase).

DC is not really an old money town. Old money is generational wealth passed down from business tycoons like the DuPonts or the Mellons.

It is true that the MoCo suburbs were the wealthiest in the area for many years. However, NoVa has been outpacing MoCo economically for many decades, so the "old money" in MoCo isn't so much generational wealth as much as just more old people with (or who had) money. Because more younger people who are affluent now live in NoVa, it's "new money" compared to MoCo, but it's still not the type of divide you might find in other parts of the country.

Bethesda and CC have some very pretty neighborhoods. But you couldn't pay me to live there now, because they are part of a county that has been declining for a long time and stands to continue to do so.

umm ok, MoCo has more older money people, and NoVa has strivers/new money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

seems to be new money strivers vs old wealth

Hard to believe Bethesda is old wealth, or it wouldn't have such a reputation, even among people in its own state, for obnoxious residents flaunting their money.

Most homes are modest in Bethesda/CC, expensive, but not over the top. There are some flashy neighborhoods but most homes on River Rd/Mass Ave corridor are quite modest.

lI would say Great Falls and Potomac is more the "flaunt it" type.

+1 historically, Bethesda (and Chevy Chase) is where the old money lived. The wealthy in NoVA is much more recent relative to Bethesda area.

A lot of jobs have moved over to NoVa area, so you have more transplants there. The median age in Arlington is younger than the median age in Bethesda (and Chevy Chase).

DC is not really an old money town. Old money is generational wealth passed down from business tycoons like the DuPonts or the Mellons.

It is true that the MoCo suburbs were the wealthiest in the area for many years. However, NoVa has been outpacing MoCo economically for many decades, so the "old money" in MoCo isn't so much generational wealth as much as just more old people with (or who had) money. Because more younger people who are affluent now live in NoVa, it's "new money" compared to MoCo, but it's still not the type of divide you might find in other parts of the country.

Bethesda and CC have some very pretty neighborhoods. But you couldn't pay me to live there now, because they are part of a county that has been declining for a long time and stands to continue to do so.

They are declining so much that house prices are ridiculous.

LOl right? Bethesda has some major headquarters/employers in it's downtown. It has gone through a major transformation and still growing. Home prices are stable and there is little to no supply. It provides major arteries into downtown DC without having to cross a bridge. Some of the best golf courses/parks in the area. Some of the best schools (public and private) in the state/area. But sure, it's dying.

A declining county have some nice areas; indeed, the decline may make the remaining decent areas more desirable for some period of time. But then you have a smaller base propping up everything else, which eventually takes its toll.

As does living in a state that includes Appalachia. People who live in Chevy Chase and Bethesda have more than enough money to not worry about a few percentage points more in income tax or whether they’re paying a few thousand dollars a year more to fund programs for less affluent people Germantown. At the end of the day Bethesda and Chevy Chase are just nicer than anything in the NoVA suburbs. Ask the average person to walk around a neighborhood in Chevy Chase and then to walk around a neighborhood in North Arlington and report back on which neighborhood has nicer homes, nicer landscaping, and the like. How many of these people will say North Arlington? Then factor in your private school and public school options in Bethesda and Chevy Chase and it’s a no brainer. If VA was that nice and Chevy Chase is a socialist hell hole why do Kavanaugh and Roberts live in Chevy Chase? Because if have money you want to be near the best country clubs and the best private schools and have a nicer home.

+1

Rich people and older money people don't care about a few% points in taxes. That's why the Trump family lived in NYC up until they got chased out of town. That's why so many rich people live in CA.

Newer monied people care very much about taxes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

seems to be new money strivers vs old wealth

Hard to believe Bethesda is old wealth, or it wouldn't have such a reputation, even among people in its own state, for obnoxious residents flaunting their money.

Most homes are modest in Bethesda/CC, expensive, but not over the top. There are some flashy neighborhoods but most homes on River Rd/Mass Ave corridor are quite modest.

lI would say Great Falls and Potomac is more the "flaunt it" type.

+1 historically, Bethesda (and Chevy Chase) is where the old money lived. The wealthy in NoVA is much more recent relative to Bethesda area.

A lot of jobs have moved over to NoVa area, so you have more transplants there. The median age in Arlington is younger than the median age in Bethesda (and Chevy Chase).

DC is not really an old money town. Old money is generational wealth passed down from business tycoons like the DuPonts or the Mellons.

It is true that the MoCo suburbs were the wealthiest in the area for many years. However, NoVa has been outpacing MoCo economically for many decades, so the "old money" in MoCo isn't so much generational wealth as much as just more old people with (or who had) money. Because more younger people who are affluent now live in NoVa, it's "new money" compared to MoCo, but it's still not the type of divide you might find in other parts of the country.

Bethesda and CC have some very pretty neighborhoods. But you couldn't pay me to live there now, because they are part of a county that has been declining for a long time and stands to continue to do so.

They are declining so much that house prices are ridiculous.

LOl right? Bethesda has some major headquarters/employers in it's downtown. It has gone through a major transformation and still growing. Home prices are stable and there is little to no supply. It provides major arteries into downtown DC without having to cross a bridge. Some of the best golf courses/parks in the area. Some of the best schools (public and private) in the state/area. But sure, it's dying.

A declining county have some nice areas; indeed, the decline may make the remaining decent areas more desirable for some period of time. But then you have a smaller base propping up everything else, which eventually takes its toll.

As does living in a state that includes Appalachia. People who live in Chevy Chase and Bethesda have more than enough money to not worry about a few percentage points more in income tax or whether they’re paying a few thousand dollars a year more to fund programs for less affluent people Germantown. At the end of the day Bethesda and Chevy Chase are just nicer than anything in the NoVA suburbs. Ask the average person to walk around a neighborhood in Chevy Chase and then to walk around a neighborhood in North Arlington and report back on which neighborhood has nicer homes, nicer landscaping, and the like. How many of these people will say North Arlington? Then factor in your private school and public school options in Bethesda and Chevy Chase and it’s a no brainer. If VA was that nice and Chevy Chase is a socialist hell hole why do Kavanaugh and Roberts live in Chevy Chase? Because if have money you want to be near the best country clubs and the best private schools and have a nicer home.

+1

Rich people and older money people don't care about a few% points in taxes. That's why the Trump family lived in NYC up until they got chased out of town. That's why so many rich people live in CA.

Newer monied people care very much about taxes.

My grandparents passed away with an 84M estate. They could have been Florida residents via their property but they didn't care about the taxes and wanted to maintain their residency in CO because that was home. My grandpa was old school and didn't want to leave the state that helped him grow his businesses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

seems to be new money strivers vs old wealth

Hard to believe Bethesda is old wealth, or it wouldn't have such a reputation, even among people in its own state, for obnoxious residents flaunting their money.

Most homes are modest in Bethesda/CC, expensive, but not over the top. There are some flashy neighborhoods but most homes on River Rd/Mass Ave corridor are quite modest.

lI would say Great Falls and Potomac is more the "flaunt it" type.

+1 historically, Bethesda (and Chevy Chase) is where the old money lived. The wealthy in NoVA is much more recent relative to Bethesda area.

A lot of jobs have moved over to NoVa area, so you have more transplants there. The median age in Arlington is younger than the median age in Bethesda (and Chevy Chase).

DC is not really an old money town. Old money is generational wealth passed down from business tycoons like the DuPonts or the Mellons.

It is true that the MoCo suburbs were the wealthiest in the area for many years. However, NoVa has been outpacing MoCo economically for many decades, so the "old money" in MoCo isn't so much generational wealth as much as just more old people with (or who had) money. Because more younger people who are affluent now live in NoVa, it's "new money" compared to MoCo, but it's still not the type of divide you might find in other parts of the country.

Bethesda and CC have some very pretty neighborhoods. But you couldn't pay me to live there now, because they are part of a county that has been declining for a long time and stands to continue to do so.

They are declining so much that house prices are ridiculous.

LOl right? Bethesda has some major headquarters/employers in it's downtown. It has gone through a major transformation and still growing. Home prices are stable and there is little to no supply. It provides major arteries into downtown DC without having to cross a bridge. Some of the best golf courses/parks in the area. Some of the best schools (public and private) in the state/area. But sure, it's dying.

A declining county have some nice areas; indeed, the decline may make the remaining decent areas more desirable for some period of time. But then you have a smaller base propping up everything else, which eventually takes its toll.

You just outlined the state of Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

seems to be new money strivers vs old wealth

Hard to believe Bethesda is old wealth, or it wouldn't have such a reputation, even among people in its own state, for obnoxious residents flaunting their money.

Most homes are modest in Bethesda/CC, expensive, but not over the top. There are some flashy neighborhoods but most homes on River Rd/Mass Ave corridor are quite modest.

lI would say Great Falls and Potomac is more the "flaunt it" type.

+1 historically, Bethesda (and Chevy Chase) is where the old money lived. The wealthy in NoVA is much more recent relative to Bethesda area.

A lot of jobs have moved over to NoVa area, so you have more transplants there. The median age in Arlington is younger than the median age in Bethesda (and Chevy Chase).

DC is not really an old money town. Old money is generational wealth passed down from business tycoons like the DuPonts or the Mellons.

It is true that the MoCo suburbs were the wealthiest in the area for many years. However, NoVa has been outpacing MoCo economically for many decades, so the "old money" in MoCo isn't so much generational wealth as much as just more old people with (or who had) money. Because more younger people who are affluent now live in NoVa, it's "new money" compared to MoCo, but it's still not the type of divide you might find in other parts of the country.

Bethesda and CC have some very pretty neighborhoods. But you couldn't pay me to live there now, because they are part of a county that has been declining for a long time and stands to continue to do so.

They are declining so much that house prices are ridiculous.

LOl right? Bethesda has some major headquarters/employers in it's downtown. It has gone through a major transformation and still growing. Home prices are stable and there is little to no supply. It provides major arteries into downtown DC without having to cross a bridge. Some of the best golf courses/parks in the area. Some of the best schools (public and private) in the state/area. But sure, it's dying.

A declining county have some nice areas; indeed, the decline may make the remaining decent areas more desirable for some period of time. But then you have a smaller base propping up everything else, which eventually takes its toll.

You just outlined the state of Virginia.

Virginia has an economy; MoCo is increasingly a bedroom suburb where most of the bedrooms are worn out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

seems to be new money strivers vs old wealth

Hard to believe Bethesda is old wealth, or it wouldn't have such a reputation, even among people in its own state, for obnoxious residents flaunting their money.

Most homes are modest in Bethesda/CC, expensive, but not over the top. There are some flashy neighborhoods but most homes on River Rd/Mass Ave corridor are quite modest.

lI would say Great Falls and Potomac is more the "flaunt it" type.

+1 historically, Bethesda (and Chevy Chase) is where the old money lived. The wealthy in NoVA is much more recent relative to Bethesda area.

A lot of jobs have moved over to NoVa area, so you have more transplants there. The median age in Arlington is younger than the median age in Bethesda (and Chevy Chase).

DC is not really an old money town. Old money is generational wealth passed down from business tycoons like the DuPonts or the Mellons.

It is true that the MoCo suburbs were the wealthiest in the area for many years. However, NoVa has been outpacing MoCo economically for many decades, so the "old money" in MoCo isn't so much generational wealth as much as just more old people with (or who had) money. Because more younger people who are affluent now live in NoVa, it's "new money" compared to MoCo, but it's still not the type of divide you might find in other parts of the country.

Bethesda and CC have some very pretty neighborhoods. But you couldn't pay me to live there now, because they are part of a county that has been declining for a long time and stands to continue to do so.

They are declining so much that house prices are ridiculous.

LOl right? Bethesda has some major headquarters/employers in it's downtown. It has gone through a major transformation and still growing. Home prices are stable and there is little to no supply. It provides major arteries into downtown DC without having to cross a bridge. Some of the best golf courses/parks in the area. Some of the best schools (public and private) in the state/area. But sure, it's dying.

A declining county have some nice areas; indeed, the decline may make the remaining decent areas more desirable for some period of time. But then you have a smaller base propping up everything else, which eventually takes its toll.

You just outlined the state of Virginia.

Virginia has an economy; MoCo is increasingly a bedroom suburb where most of the bedrooms are worn out.

with a lot of rich people

To OP -- ^PP is the kind of VA people you'd be surrounded by: strivers who are always out to prove how they are better.

Good luck to you.

[Anonymous]

So much posturing to conjure up pretend differences so people can feel better about their million dollar choices. So ridiculous. They're nearly identical, and the differences at the margins are shockingly minimal. I don't know anyone could take people seriously when their big arguments are like, "the people in the other state, 10 miles from where I chose to live on the planet Earth, are SO different AND weird AND snobby."

You're the same, y'all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

seems to be new money strivers vs old wealth

Hard to believe Bethesda is old wealth, or it wouldn't have such a reputation, even among people in its own state, for obnoxious residents flaunting their money.

Most homes are modest in Bethesda/CC, expensive, but not over the top. There are some flashy neighborhoods but most homes on River Rd/Mass Ave corridor are quite modest.

lI would say Great Falls and Potomac is more the "flaunt it" type.

+1 historically, Bethesda (and Chevy Chase) is where the old money lived. The wealthy in NoVA is much more recent relative to Bethesda area.

A lot of jobs have moved over to NoVa area, so you have more transplants there. The median age in Arlington is younger than the median age in Bethesda (and Chevy Chase).

DC is not really an old money town. Old money is generational wealth passed down from business tycoons like the DuPonts or the Mellons.

It is true that the MoCo suburbs were the wealthiest in the area for many years. However, NoVa has been outpacing MoCo economically for many decades, so the "old money" in MoCo isn't so much generational wealth as much as just more old people with (or who had) money. Because more younger people who are affluent now live in NoVa, it's "new money" compared to MoCo, but it's still not the type of divide you might find in other parts of the country.

Bethesda and CC have some very pretty neighborhoods. But you couldn't pay me to live there now, because they are part of a county that has been declining for a long time and stands to continue to do so.

umm ok, MoCo has more older money people, and NoVa has strivers/new money.

It's true people making lots of money now generally avoid MoCo, but you don't know the difference between "old money" and some 85-year-old schmuck in Potomac who owned a car dealership and whose father was a grocer in Brooklyn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much posturing to conjure up pretend differences so people can feel better about their million dollar choices. So ridiculous. They're nearly identical, and the differences at the margins are shockingly minimal. I don't know anyone could take people seriously when their big arguments are like, "the people in the other state, 10 miles from where I chose to live on the planet Earth, are SO different AND weird AND snobby."

You're the same, y'all.

But we aren't..have you lived in both areas? Communities within miles of each other can be vastly different in their view, socioeconomic backgrounds, culture, etc.

Do you not think there is a difference between South Arlington and North Arlington? Bethesda and Silver Spring, etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

seems to be new money strivers vs old wealth

Hard to believe Bethesda is old wealth, or it wouldn't have such a reputation, even among people in its own state, for obnoxious residents flaunting their money.

Most homes are modest in Bethesda/CC, expensive, but not over the top. There are some flashy neighborhoods but most homes on River Rd/Mass Ave corridor are quite modest.

lI would say Great Falls and Potomac is more the "flaunt it" type.

+1 historically, Bethesda (and Chevy Chase) is where the old money lived. The wealthy in NoVA is much more recent relative to Bethesda area.

A lot of jobs have moved over to NoVa area, so you have more transplants there. The median age in Arlington is younger than the median age in Bethesda (and Chevy Chase).

DC is not really an old money town. Old money is generational wealth passed down from business tycoons like the DuPonts or the Mellons.

It is true that the MoCo suburbs were the wealthiest in the area for many years. However, NoVa has been outpacing MoCo economically for many decades, so the "old money" in MoCo isn't so much generational wealth as much as just more old people with (or who had) money. Because more younger people who are affluent now live in NoVa, it's "new money" compared to MoCo, but it's still not the type of divide you might find in other parts of the country.

Bethesda and CC have some very pretty neighborhoods. But you couldn't pay me to live there now, because they are part of a county that has been declining for a long time and stands to continue to do so.

umm ok, MoCo has more older money people, and NoVa has strivers/new money.

It's true people making lots of money now generally avoid MoCo, but you don't know the difference between "old money" and some 85-year-old schmuck in Potomac who owned a car dealership and whose father was a grocer in Brooklyn.

I don't know a single person who has left MoCo to move to NoVa for the 3% in difference in income tax..my core friends are all highly comped people with high 6 and low 7 figure incomes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much posturing to conjure up pretend differences so people can feel better about their million dollar choices. So ridiculous. They're nearly identical, and the differences at the margins are shockingly minimal. I don't know anyone could take people seriously when their big arguments are like, "the people in the other state, 10 miles from where I chose to live on the planet Earth, are SO different AND weird AND snobby."

You're the same, y'all.

But we aren't..have you lived in both areas? Communities within miles of each other can be vastly different in their view, socioeconomic backgrounds, culture, etc.

Do you not think there is a difference between South Arlington and North Arlington? Bethesda and Silver Spring, etc

I have had the pleasure of living in Bethesda, North Arlington AND South Arlington. I have not had significantly different experiences in any of those places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Bethesda and have lived in Arlington, DC and back to Bethesda. You could not pay me to move back to VA, regardless of the tax benefit. Weird vibe. It's like they all try to prove something and many are transplants. Many of my neighbors work in Tysons, McLean or Arlington and still decide to live in Bethesda..myself included.

There are nice benefits - great trails, parks, etc but for whatever reason, it just feels stale and transitory compared to Bethesda.

seems to be new money strivers vs old wealth

Hard to believe Bethesda is old wealth, or it wouldn't have such a reputation, even among people in its own state, for obnoxious residents flaunting their money.

Most homes are modest in Bethesda/CC, expensive, but not over the top. There are some flashy neighborhoods but most homes on River Rd/Mass Ave corridor are quite modest.

lI would say Great Falls and Potomac is more the "flaunt it" type.

+1 historically, Bethesda (and Chevy Chase) is where the old money lived. The wealthy in NoVA is much more recent relative to Bethesda area.

A lot of jobs have moved over to NoVa area, so you have more transplants there. The median age in Arlington is younger than the median age in Bethesda (and Chevy Chase).

DC is not really an old money town. Old money is generational wealth passed down from business tycoons like the DuPonts or the Mellons.

It is true that the MoCo suburbs were the wealthiest in the area for many years. However, NoVa has been outpacing MoCo economically for many decades, so the "old money" in MoCo isn't so much generational wealth as much as just more old people with (or who had) money. Because more younger people who are affluent now live in NoVa, it's "new money" compared to MoCo, but it's still not the type of divide you might find in other parts of the country.

Bethesda and CC have some very pretty neighborhoods. But you couldn't pay me to live there now, because they are part of a county that has been declining for a long time and stands to continue to do so.

umm ok, MoCo has more older money people, and NoVa has strivers/new money.

It's true people making lots of money now generally avoid MoCo, but you don't know the difference between "old money" and some 85-year-old schmuck in Potomac who owned a car dealership and whose father was a grocer in Brooklyn.

I don't know a single person who has left MoCo to move to NoVa for the 3% in difference in income tax..my core friends are all highly comped people with high 6 and low 7 figure incomes.

Your friend group isn't representative of MoCo today and there are a lot more people with those incomes moving into NoVa in the first place, so whether others are leaving MoCo largely misses the point.

[Anonymous]

Both MoCo and Arlington are fine places to live, with nice homes, good schools, decent suburban amenities. Each with their boosters, who like to pretend (on DCUM) that small differences are fundamental.

But to build on a point made earlier, Montgomery County is part of the state of Maryland, which in many key respects - demographics (and diversity), political registration (and vote margin for Dem presidential candidates), urbanization level, religious observation (and church attendance) -- tends to be more like California than is Virginia, where Arlington is situated. Which means that state-level politics and policies -- which affect even blessed enclaves like Bethesda or McLean -- are less likely in Maryland to be hijacked by ugly cultural wedge issues like trans access or 'woke' book-burnings or Jan 6 denial. Maryland, whose population is overwhelmingly dominated by the DC and Baltimore metro areas, has a political orientation that's basically like northeastern or western states, and migrants from those areas feel very much at home in Maryland communities. But while Virginia may have voted blue in the last four Presidential elections, its political orientation is essentially even (as characterized by 538.com before the 2020 and 2021 elections), it's still a state in transition, and the educated achievers of northern Virginia are still a minority in the state. That might sound good and non-partisan in theory, but it also means there's a lot of lively/contentious battle for the state-wide political-intellectual terrain.

So if OP's family really likes the 'feel' of life in the Bay Area, it's more likely to feel similar in Montgomery County MD. If they routinely look around them on the Peninsula and say "OMG all this woke craziness -- we've got to move out of California" then Arlington County VA is probably a better bet.

That's just an objective observation. If someone were posting to say "we're blissfully happy here in the suburbs of Atlanta/Charlotte/Dallas and will be moving to DC but don't know if we'd prefer Arlington or MoCo" I'd note exactly the opposite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much posturing to conjure up pretend differences so people can feel better about their million dollar choices. So ridiculous. They're nearly identical, and the differences at the margins are shockingly minimal. I don't know anyone could take people seriously when their big arguments are like, "the people in the other state, 10 miles from where I chose to live on the planet Earth, are SO different AND weird AND snobby."

You're the same, y'all.

But we aren't..have you lived in both areas? Communities within miles of each other can be vastly different in their view, socioeconomic backgrounds, culture, etc.

Do you not think there is a difference between South Arlington and North Arlington? Bethesda and Silver Spring, etc

I have had the pleasure of living in Bethesda, North Arlington AND South Arlington. I have not had significantly different experiences in any of those places.

I've lived in both Silver Spring and Falls Church, and have not had a significantly different experience either. We moved to have a shorter commute. That was the only reason.