Moving to DC Area from Westchester, NY, Want a Different Vibe...Where Should We Definitely Avoid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure, there's diversity and people who emigrated from all over the world. And became rich and are materialistic and just as self absorbed as any white Westchester clique. They're all over DC. Is that what she is looking for?

Takoma Park is her tribe. Hie there there and be happy in your bubble.

OP here. This is exactly it!! It's not real diversity if everyone is rich and living the same lifestyle. I hear people in Westchester saying all the time, "It's so diverse here!" Because they have a friend from South America and a friend from former USSR and a friend from France and a friend from China...but they all work in finance or law or consulting and live the same materialistic, competitive lifestyle. I really hope to escape this BS.

I mean, if that's the goal, you're coming to the wrong place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax City.

c'mon.

C’mon what?

Fairfax City??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax City.

c'mon.

C’mon what?

Fairfax City??

You’re not saying anything. What specifically about Fairfax city does not fit with OPs post?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax City.

c'mon.

C’mon what?

Fairfax City??

New York City?!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think OP may like Arlington. I live in Lyon Park but OP could also consider S Arlington. Some parts of N Arlington are very white and Fancy but that is not all of the county. I am from Darien CT so I know what OP is trying to avoid. Lyon Park has a very different feel.

Lyon Park may be tough at OPs price range but it is doable. I agree Takoma Park would work too

seems like lyon park is about 80 percent white, which suggests a bit more diversity than some other parts of north Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax City.

c'mon.

C’mon what?

Fairfax City??

New York City?!?

This salsa’s made in New York City?!?

[Anonymous]

I agree, Fairfax city gets you a diverse school decent size yards, parks, playgrounds, restaurants, nice library, nature trails that take you from the neighborhoods Into downtown and plenty of festivals (rock the block, fall fest, Asian street fest)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think OP may like Arlington. I live in Lyon Park but OP could also consider S Arlington. Some parts of N Arlington are very white and Fancy but that is not all of the county. I am from Darien CT so I know what OP is trying to avoid. Lyon Park has a very different feel.

Lyon Park may be tough at OPs price range but it is doable. I agree Takoma Park would work too

seems like lyon park is about 80 percent white, which suggests a bit more diversity than some other parts of north Arlington.

The schools Lyon Park is zoned to also pull from some lower SES areas with apartments so the schools are more economically diverse than the neighborhood. All the schools in that pyramid (Long Branch/TJ/W-L) are 30-40% lower income. And, for ethnic diversity, Long Branch is 50% white, TJ is 28% white, W-L is 44% white.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure, there's diversity and people who emigrated from all over the world. And became rich and are materialistic and just as self absorbed as any white Westchester clique. They're all over DC. Is that what she is looking for?

Takoma Park is her tribe. Hie there there and be happy in your bubble.

OP here. This is exactly it!! It's not real diversity if everyone is rich and living the same lifestyle. I hear people in Westchester saying all the time, "It's so diverse here!" Because they have a friend from South America and a friend from former USSR and a friend from France and a friend from China...but they all work in finance or law or consulting and live the same materialistic, competitive lifestyle. I really hope to escape this BS.

I mean, if that's the goal, you're coming to the wrong place.

Yeah I’m not sure why you think the parts of DC that meet your criteria are going to be any different in that regard, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Budget? Commute? Where in Westchester did you live?

This area just doesn’t have the town centers like Westchester does. And lots tend to be small, so you may have to look around for .25 acres if that’s important to you.

OP here. What does the area have instead of town centers? Strip malls?

We were in the Rivertowns, but looked all over Westchester and talked to people in Scarsdale, Bronxville, Rye, Mamaroneck, etc and it all seems to be the same. One exception is White Plains - we like that vibe a lot.

We're flexible on budget, finding the right area to live is more important. If it's expensive, we can just buy a smaller house. Hoping to stay under a million but could go up to 1.2. Commute under an hour.

I grew up in one of the river towns. If even that part of Westchester has become a rich bubble that you want to avoid ( it was not when I grew up), then you probably won’t like Bethesda. I suggest the Woodside, North Hills and Seven Oaks neighborhoods in Silver Spring, or Takoma Park. But keep in mind that for the most part, there are no real towns here (although TP is a town). The school system is run by the county. So if streets are clear in Silver Spring, but too icy 40 minutes away in north county, your kids will have a snow day.

[Anonymous]

I still vote Old Town

[Anonymous]

In Montgomery County, my vote is Rockville in the neighborhoods near Rockville Town Square. The houses and neighborhood are charming and they feed into Richard Montgomery HS which is a truly diverse school. Another option is also in Rockville, in the FLower Valley neighborhood which also feeds into a very diverse school- Rockville High School. It's also one of the smaller high schools in the county which is a plus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure, there's diversity and people who emigrated from all over the world. And became rich and are materialistic and just as self absorbed as any white Westchester clique. They're all over DC. Is that what she is looking for?

Takoma Park is her tribe. Hie there there and be happy in your bubble.

OP here. This is exactly it!! It's not real diversity if everyone is rich and living the same lifestyle. I hear people in Westchester saying all the time, "It's so diverse here!" Because they have a friend from South America and a friend from former USSR and a friend from France and a friend from China...but they all work in finance or law or consulting and live the same materialistic, competitive lifestyle. I really hope to escape this BS.

I mean, if that's the goal, you're coming to the wrong place.

Yeah I’m not sure why you think the parts of DC that meet your criteria are going to be any different in that regard, OP.

Lol yup

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think Silver Spring and Takoma Park would work for you. Parts of Kensington might also work. There are parts of Kensington that has that sort of white/wealthy bubble, but even so, it's nowhere as isolating/isolated as Westchester feels to me.

For Silver Spring, you want to look at the areas adjacent/in downtown Silver Spring.

I think if you move to these areas you will appreciate Westchester more. Our friends from Westchester live in Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Lot size is toughbut the orange line elementary schools in Arlington have a lot of diversity both racial and socioeconomic. Innovation, long branch, globe, ASFS.