How many friends or family of yours have left the DC area recently due to the rising cost of living?

[Anonymous]

A friend of our family just recently left the area after finally receiving an out of state transfer after 4 years of waiting.
She estimates in the 4 years she has been living here she has spent close to 100k just in rent alone.
A few months after relocating here she realized this area was not for her but by then it was already too late.

[Anonymous]

N one. Instead, we're all living in condos, smaller houses, budgeting. The amenities are just too good here. Some talk about leaving though, but no one has.

[Anonymous]

Two. But they both had family elsewhere and it was a sahm and an attorney so they went to a lower col so they could make it work for their 3 children on one salary and not insane hours. The other set were teachers and family up north with an extra house they could live in rent free. Most of my other friends are from here and have family ties for at least one spouse and have usually one fed in the couple at a pretty high level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:N one. Instead, we're all living in condos, smaller houses, budgeting. The amenities are just too good here. Some talk about leaving though, but no one has.

This is overwhelmingly the case for us. There's some moving around within DC and the surrounding area looking for a fix, but only two friends moved away. Both are cautionary tales. Friend #1 moved to a lower cost Midwestern City and found that you have to pay for culture. No free world class museums and zoos. They can't afford the memberships so their kids are bored when it's too cold to be outside. Lots of tv. Friend #2 bought a huge house in the burbs of a mid-size mid-Southern city. There is no diversity. Few folks who aren't white, Protestant, and straight. Even the few Jewish people and POC all have the same bland culture as everyone else. It's very isolating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two. But they both had family elsewhere and it was a sahm and an attorney so they went to a lower col so they could make it work for their 3 children on one salary and not insane hours. The other set were teachers and family up north with an extra house they could live in rent free. Most of my other friends are from here and have family ties for at least one spouse and have usually one fed in the couple at a pretty high level.

Our family friend was also a fed which may explain why she had to wait 4 long years for a transfer.
With all of the money she wasted on the rent she could have paid for both of her children's college educations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:N one. Instead, we're all living in condos, smaller houses, budgeting. The amenities are just too good here. Some talk about leaving though, but no one has.

This is overwhelmingly the case for us. There's some moving around within DC and the surrounding area looking for a fix, but only two friends moved away. Both are cautionary tales. Friend #1 moved to a lower cost Midwestern City and found that you have to pay for culture. No free world class museums and zoos. They can't afford the memberships so their kids are bored when it's too cold to be outside. Lots of tv. Friend #2 bought a huge house in the burbs of a mid-size mid-Southern city. There is no diversity. Few folks who aren't white, Protestant, and straight. Even the few Jewish people and POC all have the same bland culture as everyone else. It's very isolating.

This area is rapidly headed that way with all of the CVS, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Panera, & Potbelly within all of the new condos being built.

[Anonymous]

This area has the most ideal col to salary ratio. Only foolish people leave because of col.

[Anonymous]

I'm 3rd gen DC. My grandparents are still here. I'm done with this place. I guess I feel like many of you do when you long to leave your hometown. The grass may not be greener elsewhere but I'd like to try. I no longer go to the museums or really anywhere downtown. It has gotten so crowded that's it's just not fun any more. And metro was never this unreliable. I have a WFH job so I'm taking that with me wherever I end up. I'm excited for the change and the chance to leave home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This area has the most ideal col to salary ratio. Only foolish people leave because of col.

Everyone does not earn the same salary.

[Anonymous]

No. We moved here because the COL compared to our salaries was attractive. We moved from a higher COL city where it would have been hard for us to purchase a decent home.

We earn close to 450k and that we'd have to be in a higher COL city to earn that much and we'd have higher housing costs. We purchased a home for a million dollars here and will have it paid off in less than 15 years and a lot of money in the bank. Living here we also don't require two cars and can send our children to public elementary school. Our commutes are 30 minutes or less.

[Anonymous]

None. The other option is go back to their home state and make $40k a year lol. Not many people choosing that option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None. The other option is go back to their home state and make $40k a year lol. Not many people choosing that option.

Why are these the only options? We left DC but are not in either of our hometowns. Use a little imagination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two. But they both had family elsewhere and it was a sahm and an attorney so they went to a lower col so they could make it work for their 3 children on one salary and not insane hours. The other set were teachers and family up north with an extra house they could live in rent free. Most of my other friends are from here and have family ties for at least one spouse and have usually one fed in the couple at a pretty high level.

Our family friend was also a fed which may explain why she had to wait 4 long years for a transfer.
With all of the money she wasted on the rent she could have paid for both of her children's college educations.

If your friends spent $100,000 for rent in 4 years, that is about $2,100 per
month. Unless she has free accommodations in her new location, she will again havr to pay rent. Say it is $1,000 per month That is $48,000 for four years. .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None. The other option is go back to their home state and make $40k a year lol. Not many people choosing that option.

?

A lot of people in the DC area are from the DC area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two. But they both had family elsewhere and it was a sahm and an attorney so they went to a lower col so they could make it work for their 3 children on one salary and not insane hours. The other set were teachers and family up north with an extra house they could live in rent free. Most of my other friends are from here and have family ties for at least one spouse and have usually one fed in the couple at a pretty high level.

Our family friend was also a fed which may explain why she had to wait 4 long years for a transfer.
With all of the money she wasted on the rent she could have paid for both of her children's college educations.

I don't know what college you are thinking of, but no, $100,000 will not pay for two kids' college educations. It costs money to live everywhere - the notion that a person is "wasting" money on rent is ludicrous.