Silver Spring versus Bethesda & Chevy Chase

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think Silver Spring is ghetto and I wouldn't live there but then again I grew up in the Whitman district.

Must be a kick in the ass to have to live in Rockville now that you are less successful than your parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Silver Spring is ghetto and I wouldn't live there but then again I grew up in the Whitman district.

Must be a kick in the ass to have to live in Rockville now that you are less successful than your parents.

Actually I moved out of DC as soon as it was time for college.

But, hey- you tried.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
What's with the insertion of Kensington into the discussion?

Maybe because it is borders all of the places OP asked about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My advice is to be really honest with yourself on your feelings of diversity, economic and racial. I have a lot of friends who live in SS who I think love the idea of diversity but not when it means having their kids at schools with high minority and/or FARMS populations. Just read these boards to see how they all go nuts over getting their kids into magnet programs.

I admit to being rather torn on this myself. My kids go to a school with both in SS and there are pros and cons.

No one has mentioned crime and my two cents is that crime happens everywhere. There are car and home break ins all the time in Chevy Chase and Bethesda. And some of the scarier ones tend to happen there as thieves know where the money is.

All that being said, I would still choose Chevy Chase, Kensington or Bethesda over Silver Spring.

What's with the insertion of Kensington into the discussion?

It's a good compromise between SS and Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are very similar communities: well-educated, affluent, though Bethesda is more broadly so, and less diverse.

I live in 20910, and love it. And, speaking in very general terms (because we have lovely friends who live in Bethesda an)--what sounds more like your tribe: are you more of a keeping up with Jones' type/anxious about risk? If so, then Bethesda is your place? Or, are you a little more laid back, and want diversity, or okay with it?

I like Bethesda, but people seem a little more anxious over there.

The last census have residents over 25 with just a bachelors degree at 35% for greater silver spring and 80% for Bethesda. Incomes where about 1/3 in silver spring and housing prices about 1/3as well. While the number are slightly better closer to downtown SS where it is closer to 50% and 1/2 & 1/2 They are not similar communities, silver spring just thinks they are.

Sorry, but the most recent census bureau estimate has nearly 70% of adults over 25 in 20910 with a bachelor's degree or higher.

http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF

Not the PP, but also a 20910 resident, and I will take my smart, down-to-earth 20910 neighbors over the grasping, insecure, Bethesda snobs. I'm sorry it is upsetting to you to realize that there are intelligent, well-educated, successful people who do not aspire to live in your neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My advice is to be really honest with yourself on your feelings of diversity, economic and racial. I have a lot of friends who live in SS who I think love the idea of diversity but not when it means having their kids at schools with high minority and/or FARMS populations. Just read these boards to see how they all go nuts over getting their kids into magnet programs.

I admit to being rather torn on this myself. My kids go to a school with both in SS and there are pros and cons.

No one has mentioned crime and my two cents is that crime happens everywhere. There are car and home break ins all the time in Chevy Chase and Bethesda. And some of the scarier ones tend to happen there as thieves know where the money is.

All that being said, I would still choose Chevy Chase, Kensington or Bethesda over Silver Spring.

What's with the insertion of Kensington into the discussion?

It's a good compromise between SS and Bethesda.

I actually like Kensington but the good parts are as exspensive as Bethesda and as close to sketchy stuff as silver spring (admittedly not nearly as bad) and less proximity then both. The town of and antique strip are cute I just wish the would modernize that shopping center. The parts closer to Wheaton suck though and drag down the area

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Silver Spring is ghetto and I wouldn't live there but then again I grew up in the Whitman district.

Must be a kick in the ass to have to live in Rockville now that you are less successful than your parents.

Not the PP, but it's such a sad irony that so many people are MORE successful than their parents, but can't afford their childhood neighborhoods.
That said...hey, Rockville's looking pretty good these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Silver Spring is ghetto and I wouldn't live there but then again I grew up in the Whitman district.

Must be a kick in the ass to have to live in Rockville now that you are less successful than your parents.

Not the PP, but it's such a sad irony that so many people are MORE successful than their parents, but can't afford their childhood neighborhoods.
That said...hey, Rockville's looking pretty good these days.

Eh, I think you're seeing a restructuring. Plenty of young people are moving to new places, kind of making their own way. I doubt there are many 25 year olds that would want to live in Bethesda anyway, if we're being brutally honest...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are very similar communities: well-educated, affluent, though Bethesda is more broadly so, and less diverse.

I live in 20910, and love it. And, speaking in very general terms (because we have lovely friends who live in Bethesda an)--what sounds more like your tribe: are you more of a keeping up with Jones' type/anxious about risk? If so, then Bethesda is your place? Or, are you a little more laid back, and want diversity, or okay with it?

I like Bethesda, but people seem a little more anxious over there.

The last census have residents over 25 with just a bachelors degree at 35% for greater silver spring and 80% for Bethesda. Incomes where about 1/3 in silver spring and housing prices about 1/3as well. While the number are slightly better closer to downtown SS where it is closer to 50% and 1/2 & 1/2 They are not similar communities, silver spring just thinks they are.

The people in 20901 and 20910 went to the same colleges, law schools and grad schools as the people in Bethesda. We just chose to do different things with those degrees. So, while my classmates who went the Big law route live in Bethesda, I live very comfortably on my GS 15 salary in 20901.

[Anonymous]

It was probably my fault, someone mentioned Kensington, and I asked for zip codes.

I thought Kensington was a name of a part of Bethesda --like North Bethesda or something since a large part (most?) of Kensington seems to go to 2 (?) of the 3 HSs in Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are very similar communities: well-educated, affluent, though Bethesda is more broadly so, and less diverse.

I live in 20910, and love it. And, speaking in very general terms (because we have lovely friends who live in Bethesda an)--what sounds more like your tribe: are you more of a keeping up with Jones' type/anxious about risk? If so, then Bethesda is your place? Or, are you a little more laid back, and want diversity, or okay with it?

I like Bethesda, but people seem a little more anxious over there.

The last census have residents over 25 with just a bachelors degree at 35% for greater silver spring and 80% for Bethesda. Incomes where about 1/3 in silver spring and housing prices about 1/3as well. While the number are slightly better closer to downtown SS where it is closer to 50% and 1/2 & 1/2 They are not similar communities, silver spring just thinks they are.

The people in 20901 and 20910 went to the same colleges, law schools and grad schools as the people in Bethesda. We just chose to do different things with those degrees. So, while my classmates who went the Big law route live in Bethesda, I live very comfortably on my GS 15 salary in 20901.

Maybe but just not as many of them. I get it you like Silver spring but you do your self a disservice thinking that it has as much money or Education. Next you will say the census was biased. If silver spring was as nice and desirable, more people with money would want to move there and prices would go up. The reason you feel quite comfortable is because you make more than most of silver spring as a GS15, you would be avg at best in Bethesda. Well I guess I kind of see the draw for you after all.

And I am no Bethesda fan and live in DuPont. I just am honest enough to see the difference in places and the people who live there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are very similar communities: well-educated, affluent, though Bethesda is more broadly so, and less diverse.

I live in 20910, and love it. And, speaking in very general terms (because we have lovely friends who live in Bethesda an)--what sounds more like your tribe: are you more of a keeping up with Jones' type/anxious about risk? If so, then Bethesda is your place? Or, are you a little more laid back, and want diversity, or okay with it?

I like Bethesda, but people seem a little more anxious over there.

The last census have residents over 25 with just a bachelors degree at 35% for greater silver spring and 80% for Bethesda. Incomes where about 1/3 in silver spring and housing prices about 1/3as well. While the number are slightly better closer to downtown SS where it is closer to 50% and 1/2 & 1/2 They are not similar communities, silver spring just thinks they are.

The people in 20901 and 20910 went to the same colleges, law schools and grad schools as the people in Bethesda. We just chose to do different things with those degrees. So, while my classmates who went the Big law route live in Bethesda, I live very comfortably on my GS 15 salary in 20901.

Maybe but just not as many of them. I get it you like Silver spring but you do your self a disservice thinking that it has as much money or Education. Next you will say the census was biased. If silver spring was as nice and desirable, more people with money would want to move there and prices would go up. The reason you feel quite comfortable is because you make more than most of silver spring as a GS15, you would be avg at best in Bethesda. Well I guess I kind of see the draw for you after all.

And I am no Bethesda fan and live in DuPont. I just am honest enough to see the difference in places and the people who live there.

Your post, and your interpretation of what I said are very telling. I didn't choose where to live based on how much money my neighbors have. That is the whole point. Yes, I am sure the average family income in Bethesda is higher than in Silver Spring. And, by virtue of being larger and more diverse than Bethesda, there is a wider range of education levels. But I and my non-profit, government, self-employed neighbors have the same educations as our contemporaries who chose to follow more lucrative paths with the same education. Or, in the case of some of my friends, choose to be house poor and stressed out trying to stretch their nonprofit salary to cover a Chevy Chase mortgage.
People who place a high value on living only near others with lots of money are not going to choose Silver Spring. And, I for one, am totally ok with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are very similar communities: well-educated, affluent, though Bethesda is more broadly so, and less diverse.

I live in 20910, and love it. And, speaking in very general terms (because we have lovely friends who live in Bethesda an)--what sounds more like your tribe: are you more of a keeping up with Jones' type/anxious about risk? If so, then Bethesda is your place? Or, are you a little more laid back, and want diversity, or okay with it?

I like Bethesda, but people seem a little more anxious over there.

The last census have residents over 25 with just a bachelors degree at 35% for greater silver spring and 80% for Bethesda. Incomes where about 1/3 in silver spring and housing prices about 1/3as well. While the number are slightly better closer to downtown SS where it is closer to 50% and 1/2 & 1/2 They are not similar communities, silver spring just thinks they are.

The people in 20901 and 20910 went to the same colleges, law schools and grad schools as the people in Bethesda. We just chose to do different things with those degrees. So, while my classmates who went the Big law route live in Bethesda, I live very comfortably on my GS 15 salary in 20901.

Maybe but just not as many of them. I get it you like Silver spring but you do your self a disservice thinking that it has as much money or Education. Next you will say the census was biased. If silver spring was as nice and desirable, more people with money would want to move there and prices would go up. The reason you feel quite comfortable is because you make more than most of silver spring as a GS15, you would be avg at best in Bethesda. Well I guess I kind of see the draw for you after all.

And I am no Bethesda fan and live in DuPont. I just am honest enough to see the difference in places and the people who live there.

x2. It takes some real wishful thinking not to accept that...

[Anonymous]

Bethesda and across the river just west is sort of the white Meca and Silver Spring and it's satellite DC areas is basically the Black Meca for the norther DC area. People of color are very protective of Silver Spring because it is where many minorities aspire to move after getting priced out of DC or in search of schools but unwilling to settle in PG. The AAs move to the two DC neighborhoods that border SS if they have money and silver spring if the are professional and PG or PW for just about everybody else. White People move to Bethesda/N Arlington because most minorities can't afford to live there and they get to mostly live void of poor people problems.

African American are defensive about it because it is as complete of a package nice "diverse" area as one gets in the DC area even though most of the nicest neighborhoods on the MD are mostly still white. Whites are defensive because people in downtown Silver Spring don't have to pay the "no black people tax" and get 90% as much neighborhood for 50-60% money so they try to act like the disparity is greater than it is to make them selves feel better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Silver Spring is ghetto and I wouldn't live there but then again I grew up in the Whitman district.

Must be a kick in the ass to have to live in Rockville now that you are less successful than your parents.

Not the PP, but it's such a sad irony that so many people are MORE successful than their parents, but can't afford their childhood neighborhoods.
That said...hey, Rockville's looking pretty good these days.

Eh, I think you're seeing a restructuring. Plenty of young people are moving to new places, kind of making their own way. I doubt there are many 25 year olds that would want to live in Bethesda anyway, if we're being brutally honest...

Um, well yeah, because those 25 year olds don't have families yet. Let's see how they feel when they're 35 or 45 with school-age kids. I don't live in Bethesda myself, but I can't say that I wouldn't have at least considered it, had I been able to afford it.