Moving for a New Job in Baltimore — Torn Between Montgomery County and Howard County for Our Family

[Anonymous]

Here. Case closed. Send me my referral check.

https://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/detail/180-l-4828-4xkj7n/11315-john-carroll-road-owings-mills-md-21117

[Anonymous]

I would choose Howard County for the schools but spend time in Baltimore city. It is a wonderful city but I wouldn’t live there (I grew up in Baltimore county) because crime is definitely an issue. Baltimore city has so much promise because it has so much to offer, but the crime does hold it back so I wouldn’t recommend living there. Spending time with kids/family there is great.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Rockville and the Potomac area caught my attention because I have two friends who live there. They’ve always spoken highly of the schools, the convenience, and the strong sense of community. Interestingly, they mentioned that several people in their neighborhood commute to Baltimore daily, which made me think these two counties are among the top choices.

I also toured Baltimore City. No offense intended, but I didn’t feel as drawn to the city. When I visited a CVS and saw most items locked up, the overall atmosphere felt a bit run-down. It just didn’t leave the best impression on me personally.

[Anonymous]

We live in moco but in your case, def Howard county. HCPS actually better than MCPS nowadays. This is a no brainer. Living in moco so you can visit dc is really a dumb reason

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Rockville and the Potomac area caught my attention because I have two friends who live there. They’ve always spoken highly of the schools, the convenience, and the strong sense of community. Interestingly, they mentioned that several people in their neighborhood commute to Baltimore daily, which made me think these two counties are among the top choices.

I also toured Baltimore City. No offense intended, but I didn’t feel as drawn to the city. When I visited a CVS and saw most items locked up, the overall atmosphere felt a bit run-down. It just didn’t leave the best impression on me personally.

OP, you've said a great deal about yourself in this one brief post to know there's no point making recommendations about anything else. Just buy in Howard County. Ellicott City will be fine and reasonably close to Baltimore. You'll get a decent house in your budget. Thinking about Rockville is silly. If someone lives there and works in the Baltimore area it's because they were previously working in the DMV or have a spouse who works in the DMV and they chose to be the one to suffer a long commute. Rockville is not notable or impressive by any measures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Rockville and the Potomac area caught my attention because I have two friends who live there. They’ve always spoken highly of the schools, the convenience, and the strong sense of community. Interestingly, they mentioned that several people in their neighborhood commute to Baltimore daily, which made me think these two counties are among the top choices.

I also toured Baltimore City. No offense intended, but I didn’t feel as drawn to the city. When I visited a CVS and saw most items locked up, the overall atmosphere felt a bit run-down. It just didn’t leave the best impression on me personally.

Where were you in Baltimore? PPs are recommending Roland Park, which is way different from a lot of other places in Baltimore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Rockville and the Potomac area caught my attention because I have two friends who live there. They’ve always spoken highly of the schools, the convenience, and the strong sense of community. Interestingly, they mentioned that several people in their neighborhood commute to Baltimore daily, which made me think these two counties are among the top choices.

I also toured Baltimore City. No offense intended, but I didn’t feel as drawn to the city. When I visited a CVS and saw most items locked up, the overall atmosphere felt a bit run-down. It just didn’t leave the best impression on me personally.

OP, you've said a great deal about yourself in this one brief post to know there's no point making recommendations about anything else. Just buy in Howard County. Ellicott City will be fine and reasonably close to Baltimore. You'll get a decent house in your budget. Thinking about Rockville is silly. If someone lives there and works in the Baltimore area it's because they were previously working in the DMV or have a spouse who works in the DMV and they chose to be the one to suffer a long commute. Rockville is not notable or impressive by any measures.

Rockville is not only blander and more boring than Roland Park, it is not as nice and doesn’t have near the cache of Roland Park either. It’s like comparing Burke with Spring Valley.

[Anonymous]

The nicer parts of Baltimore are nicer than Rockville, and the city has a lot of great character. (I will admit I mainly go to visit family and do touristy stuff like the aquarium and science center, haven't visited many CVSes )

But if you don't want to live there, and you like suburban feeling areas, Howard is the way to go. The commute from MoCo will be on multiple major roads and be pretty crushing. Unless you have family and a significant community in Rockville or Potomac who will actively support you with childcare, education, etc - avoid.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you have ruled out Baltimore city, but it really does have so much more charm than Howard Co. To each their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Rockville and the Potomac area caught my attention because I have two friends who live there. They’ve always spoken highly of the schools, the convenience, and the strong sense of community. Interestingly, they mentioned that several people in their neighborhood commute to Baltimore daily, which made me think these two counties are among the top choices.

I also toured Baltimore City. No offense intended, but I didn’t feel as drawn to the city. When I visited a CVS and saw most items locked up, the overall atmosphere felt a bit run-down. It just didn’t leave the best impression on me personally.

I wouldn’t move to either based on the school’s. It’s way too competetive and challenging to get into colleges from these schools. 900k housing budget will go way farther in Baltimore.

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Catonsville/1916-Old-Frederick-Rd-21228/home/9106399

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Ellicott-City/4446-Cross-Country-Dr-21042/home/10049644

[Anonymous]

We live in Rockville, and spouse worked in Baltimore for a little over 2 years - don't do it. Way too much time in traffic. We had kids settled in schools, friends, and my job to consider, so we didn't move from Montgomery County to Baltimore, but it wasn't ideal. Both 95 and 29 were always backed up, and even the back routes make for a long commute.

Go for Howard County

[Anonymous]

IF you can afford privates and the Baltimore taxes I would go there. Hoco is okay, but can feel a little Truman Show. Anne Arundel is not very diverse and slightly backward. Montgomery county is too big and annoying to shop in etc. Baltimore is awesome and when my kids are grown I want to move back. We are poor, so went to NOVA for public school for the kids. I have lived in all these counties BTW. I would also suggest northern Baltimore county as it is beautiful, but also not very diverse.

[Anonymous]

We live in Georgetown DC and just went to Baltimore for the day on Juneteenth. Took one hour of driving each way. We do this once a quarter, our family really loves Baltimore.

Live in HoCo, if you want. Personally, I’d do Baltimore County as there is so some amazing housing stock from the early 1900s.

[Anonymous]

If you find Baltimore run down you may be disappointed in DC. There’s no part that is like the commons in Boston with a pretty park and an easy walk down cobblestone roads to Great restaurants and shopping. The National mall has terrible food around it except Chinatown, which has a lot of CVS locks. Even the wealthy enclaves of DC have homeless people loitering by the metro. In this sense, it’s a grittier, more Brooklyn/Manhattan type of urban.

The closest might be Georgetown, which has the waterfront and some restaurants. But Harbor East in Baltimore by the Four Seasons has a similar vibe, better restaurants, and is closer to institutions like the National Aquarium. Roland Park is a short drive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you find Baltimore run down you may be disappointed in DC. There’s no part that is like the commons in Boston with a pretty park and an easy walk down cobblestone roads to Great restaurants and shopping. The National mall has terrible food around it except Chinatown, which has a lot of CVS locks. Even the wealthy enclaves of DC have homeless people loitering by the metro. In this sense, it’s a grittier, more Brooklyn/Manhattan type of urban.

The closest might be Georgetown, which has the waterfront and some restaurants. But Harbor East in Baltimore by the Four Seasons has a similar vibe, better restaurants, and is closer to institutions like the National Aquarium. Roland Park is a short drive.

I’d say that Baltimore is more like Brooklyn than DC, but in a good way. More charm, better restaurants, more hip.

DC manages to be both more pretentious and snooty than Baltimore and less safe. You will see a lot more shady stuff happening in Chevy Chase and Cleveland Park than in comparable places like Roland Park. Same goes for Navy Yard vs Harbor East.