Tell me about Takoma Park

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP the feel will remind you of Del ray. We’re in Alexandria (moved from nw) and have friends in TP. It’s a lovely community but does feel a lot further from things than Alexandria does

I actually feel the opposite. Alexandria felt too remote, and far from things. Takoma Park is contiguous with DC and coming from NW, Takoma Park made more sense and we stayed closer to our DC friends.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:You will either love it or hate it. I hate it, and will tell you the things I hate about it, which you may not hate.

It is stridently liberal. I am liberal. But because I do not have a yard sign that says "love loves here and we love all kinds of people" I suspect my neighbors, who've also heard my opinions re: the Co-Op Parking Lot Wars, do not think so. I'm not sure. We no longer speak.

If you love yoga classes, and expensive yuppie Mexican food, it may be for you. If you are a nice white family who wants some diversity around them and support for your quirky teen without ever having to inconvenience yourselves by worrying about poverty, or cultural tolerance, it may also be for you: there are hundreds of families just like yours. Parents with advanced degrees, good intentions, NPR tote bags, and family money. In the age of Trump, it could almost sound comforting, maybe.

Takoma Park is a small city with all sorts of people (not just those you describe). For most, these issues don’t even come up.

We like the proximity to downtown, the schools, the trail and the “small town feeling” downtown. Restaurants are good too though we don’t eat out a lot. Our neighbors are nice. My primary complaint is that if your kids do certain semi serious sports, the drive to those facilities after school can be tough!

Yes, which points out one of the TKPK negatives: they try to make it difficult to drive around, so it takes time to drive out of the city of Takoma Park. If your tendency is to drive most places, you'll benefit from living near a major road because it's hard to get out.

I’m the poster you’re responding to. I don’t find it at all difficult to get out, but once out, you have to deal with long drives to, e.g. Rockville and Bethesda where many sports clubs are based.

And this is just one of many reasons why living west of the pike is the best option if you’re a young family going to live in this. county. Elite schools, parks, classier neighbors, just generally richer young people who are mostly white and have great connections.

"Mostly white"? I'm shocked that this racist bullshit is allowed on this site.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will either love it or hate it. I hate it, and will tell you the things I hate about it, which you may not hate.

It is stridently liberal. I am liberal. But because I do not have a yard sign that says "love loves here and we love all kinds of people" I suspect my neighbors, who've also heard my opinions re: the Co-Op Parking Lot Wars, do not think so. I'm not sure. We no longer speak.

If you love yoga classes, and expensive yuppie Mexican food, it may be for you. If you are a nice white family who wants some diversity around them and support for your quirky teen without ever having to inconvenience yourselves by worrying about poverty, or cultural tolerance, it may also be for you: there are hundreds of families just like yours. Parents with advanced degrees, good intentions, NPR tote bags, and family money. In the age of Trump, it could almost sound comforting, maybe.

Takoma Park is a small city with all sorts of people (not just those you describe). For most, these issues don’t even come up.

We like the proximity to downtown, the schools, the trail and the “small town feeling” downtown. Restaurants are good too though we don’t eat out a lot. Our neighbors are nice. My primary complaint is that if your kids do certain semi serious sports, the drive to those facilities after school can be tough!

Yes, which points out one of the TKPK negatives: they try to make it difficult to drive around, so it takes time to drive out of the city of Takoma Park. If your tendency is to drive most places, you'll benefit from living near a major road because it's hard to get out.

I’m the poster you’re responding to. I don’t find it at all difficult to get out, but once out, you have to deal with long drives to, e.g. Rockville and Bethesda where many sports clubs are based.

And this is just one of many reasons why living west of the pike is the best option if you’re a young family going to live in this. county. Elite schools, parks, classier neighbors, just generally richer young people who are mostly white and have great connections.

"Mostly white"? I'm shocked that this racist bullshit is allowed on this site.

It is just a troll. Best to ignore.

[Anonymous]

I would rather stay in Virginia for the in state colleges. It’s only going to get more expensive for college tuition and there are lots of options in Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:liberal and inviting crime

No one 'invites,' crime

lots of crime like rapes, violent property damage for a much smaller population
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/md/takoma-park/crime

compare that to bethesda and mclean
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/md/bethesda/crime
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/va/mclean/crime

Oh FFS, there is so little crime in Takoma Park that the police department puts out press releases for lost cats. No joke! And if you go out of town they will check on your house for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Make sure you understand the extra tax burden of TP.

And the schools are good but not as good as Bethesda/Potomac.

What do you mean by this? They are all part of montgomery county schools.

Be specfic

They’re not W schools. If you care about elite schools, move west of the Pike. Potomac with the similar to Takoma Park priced houses near Rockville/North Bethesda. That is the place to be.

Elite, lol, ok. There is no such thing as an elite MCPS school. You will get just as good of an education at Blair or Einstein or BCC as you will get at the W schools. Which is to say, it will be part of a big public school with all the good and bad that comes with that, and if your kid is smart and a self starter, it will be a fine education.

Can any Blair kid take the magnet classes, or only those accepted to the magnet? At RM, anyone can take IB classes in 11th and 12th but the magnet classes in 9th and 10th are restricted. If the answer is no, it's actually detrimental to a kid who attends Blair and is both shut out of the most rigorous curriculum and then must compete against 100 high-achieving magnet kids for college admissions.

Blair college admissions are impressive, but the top admits are all magnet kids. Compare to, say, Churchill, with no magnet. Also impressive, but an even playing field.


Public Schools

Maryland

Bethesda-Chevy Chase: https://www.instagram.com/bccdecisions25/
Blake: https://www.instagram.com/wherethebengalsgo2025/
Clarksburg: https://www.instagram.com/coyotecommits2025/
Damascus: https://www.instagram.com/official.dmas2025commits/
Einstein: https://www.instagram.com/farewelltitans25/
Gaithersburg: https://www.instagram.com/gburgcommits25/
Kennedy: https://www.instagram.com/jfkcommits2025/
Magruder: https://www.instagram.com/whatcomingcolonels25/
Montgomery Blair: https://www.instagram.com/blaircommits25/
Northwest: https://www.instagram.com/nwhscommits25/
Northwood: https://www.instagram.com/gladiatorcommitments/
Paint Branch: https://www.instagram.com/panthersgowhere25/
Poolesville: https://www.instagram.com/falconsflyhigh2025/
Quince Orchard: https://www.instagram.com/cougarcommits/
Richard Montgomery: https://www.instagram.com/blastoffrockets25/
River Hill: https://www.instagram.com/rhhs.25/
Rockville: https://www.instagram.com/rockvilleseniors25/
Seneca Valley: https://www.instagram.com/wheretheeaglessoar25/
Sherwood: https://www.instagram.com/sherwoodgrad25/
Springbrook: https://www.instagram.com/bluedevilsbound25/
Thomas S Wootton: https://www.instagram.com/peaceoutpatriots25/
Walt Whitman: https://www.instagram.com/vikingdestinations2025/
Walter Johnson: https://www.instagram.com/wherethewildcatsgo2025/
Watkins Mill: https://www.instagram.com/wm2025commits/
Wheaton: https://www.instagram.com/whs25commits/
Winston Churchill: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthebulldog25/

Yes any Blair kid that meets the prerequisites can take magnet electives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would rather stay in Virginia for the in state colleges. It’s only going to get more expensive for college tuition and there are lots of options in Virginia.

This. VA colleges are elite compared to those bummy ass MD schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would rather stay in Virginia for the in state colleges. It’s only going to get more expensive for college tuition and there are lots of options in Virginia.

This. VA colleges are elite compared to those bummy ass MD schools.

Wow. I guess you’ve not heard of UMD College Park or looked at how it compares to VA schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will either love it or hate it. I hate it, and will tell you the things I hate about it, which you may not hate.

It is stridently liberal. I am liberal. But because I do not have a yard sign that says "love loves here and we love all kinds of people" I suspect my neighbors, who've also heard my opinions re: the Co-Op Parking Lot Wars, do not think so. I'm not sure. We no longer speak.

If you love yoga classes, and expensive yuppie Mexican food, it may be for you. If you are a nice white family who wants some diversity around them and support for your quirky teen without ever having to inconvenience yourselves by worrying about poverty, or cultural tolerance, it may also be for you: there are hundreds of families just like yours. Parents with advanced degrees, good intentions, NPR tote bags, and family money. In the age of Trump, it could almost sound comforting, maybe.

you’re thinking of the TKPK of 25 years ago. The hippies were priced out awhile ago; it’s now more of another wealthy dc suburb.

Takoma park is not wealthy, historic TP is upper middle class with a few working everyday millionaires types. Get away from the historic part it gets very poor and very sketchy very fast

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would rather stay in Virginia for the in state colleges. It’s only going to get more expensive for college tuition and there are lots of options in Virginia.

This. VA colleges are elite compared to those bummy ass MD schools.

Wow. I guess you’ve not heard of UMD College Park or looked at how it compares to VA schools.

That’s one school, which UVa is better than.

After that, what public schools in MD compare to William & Mary, VTech, and GMU?