Why do you live in the DC area?

[Anonymous]

We came here for a prestige job and stayed here because our kids grew up here, went off to college, and came back here and got their own jobs. There’s a lot to like about this area. Obviously, the big downside is housing prices. Fortunately, we’re rich than most (thanks to the aforementioned prestige job) so that’s not that big of a deal. Also, yes, the commute can be terrible, but again that’s really only for people who don’t have money and have to live in places that require long commutes.

So, basically, I guess what I’m saying is this is a great place to live if you have money.

[Anonymous]

Jobs are here. Family is nearby. I don't like driving and here I don't have to. I like having seasons, and the relative lack of natural disasters. There's a lot to do. I wish there was less crime, but overall I am content being here at least until retirement and maybe longer. I could be equally happy in other places, but I am not sure there's anywhere I would be happier.

[Anonymous]

Cause it’s better than being dead here

[Anonymous]

Brought here by a job. Leaving because of the cost and the fact that even after a decade I still feel out of place and not at home. I love my friends though and some of the more esoteric hobbies I’ve picked up over my decade here.

[Anonymous]

I moved here because I was an Honors Program hire at DOJ out of law school.

I've never loved it. Still here 20 years later because I met my spouse, and spouse was born here, loves it here, all of their friends are here, and they are still at DOJ. I miss Chicago, which is where I spent a lot of time before law school. Spouse hates the cold, so that's not an option.

I do like that we have a house on the Shenandoah River that is only about 2 hours away, and the beach is also about 2 hours away from DC (although we never go). I do like that there is so much opportunity here work-wise.

Hate the high COL; how transient lots of people are and how that effects neighborhoods; the weird, pathetic, striving; the lack of culture (compared to other places I've lived anyway); how basic everyone is -- at least in this suburban hell I'm in at the moment.

[Anonymous]

I was born here. I’m also black and this area doesn’t suck as much to be a black person.

[Anonymous]

Born in the area. My dad’s ancestors came to St. Mary’s in the late 1600s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hate it here. Can’t wait to move.

Mostly Type-A strivers and mean-spirited, cold people,

No sense of hometown / no city pride,

Transient (everyone leaves)

Summers are miserably hot,

Mosquitoes and ticks everywhere

Winters cold and gray with barely any snow,

Crumbling infrastructure,

Deteriorating school system

Skyrocketing crime

Incompetent local government

Whole area stinks of weed.

We are only here for our .gov jobs.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hate it here. Can’t wait to move.

Mostly Type-A strivers and mean-spirited, cold people,

No sense of hometown / no city pride,

Transient (everyone leaves)

Summers are miserably hot,

Mosquitoes and ticks everywhere

Winters cold and gray with barely any snow,

Crumbling infrastructure,

Deteriorating school system

Skyrocketing crime

Incompetent local government

Whole area stinks of weed.

We are only here for our .gov jobs.

People who live in DC have a ton of hometown pride.

I love it here because people are really smart. When you leave, you realize that Americans are really dumb.

I find city dwellers to be very warm and community oriented.

Sorry hun, people in DC aren’t “really smart” and superior in intellect to —as you put it— the whole rest of the country just because they have a masters in public policy and push paper for a living. So get over yourself.

[Anonymous]

Came for a job, met husband, stayed for his job, had kids, husband can now live near any major city and do his job but the kids are old enough that I don’t want to uproot them. I personally hate it here but the kids are happy. We’ll move when they go to college but I wish we’d raised them somewhere that wasn’t filled with so many intense strivers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Came for a job, met husband, stayed for his job, had kids, husband can now live near any major city and do his job but the kids are old enough that I don’t want to uproot them. I personally hate it here but the kids are happy. We’ll move when they go to college but I wish we’d raised them somewhere that wasn’t filled with so many intense strivers.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think 90% of world's population would give their right arm to live a middle class life in world's most powerful country's capital.

Oh please, it is no Paris or London. In fact, the US should have a capital more fitting of its power like New York. DC is too scrubby looking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We came here for a prestige job and stayed here because our kids grew up here, went off to college, and came back here and got their own jobs. There’s a lot to like about this area. Obviously, the big downside is housing prices. Fortunately, we’re rich than most (thanks to the aforementioned prestige job) so that’s not that big of a deal. Also, yes, the commute can be terrible, but again that’s really only for people who don’t have money and have to live in places that require long commutes.

So, basically, I guess what I’m saying is this is a great place to live if you have money.

That is so insightful

[Anonymous]

Taking the obvious “museums” out of the equation, what is there to actually DO in DC? No one goes to museums every weekend.

[Anonymous]

I grew up here and loved it. Moved back a few years after college and still loved it. However, I now hate it but am stuck her bc of DH’s job. It has changed so much in the past 15 years and not at all for the better.