Reply to NYTimes: College educated workers are leaving DC due to high housing costs

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Reply to "NYTimes: College educated workers are leaving DC due to high housing costs"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The reality is that these T2 cities now have most of the amenities of larger cities with nicer housing, less traffic and fewer awful people. And for the number of times you actually use the Smithsonian or go to the theater, you can travel to NYC or DC four times a year to see the shows and then GTFO back to a more civilized enclave.[/quote]

Depends on the person. We actually use the Smithsonian almost every weekend. We are also tired of the high cost of housing and some of the culture in DC, and are exploring moving elsewhere. But losing access to free museums and events, all year round, is actually a big deal and not easy to give up.

Another issue we are encountering is that there are very few truly walkable cities in the US. DC, NYC, Boston, Philly. Chicago has decent public transportation which can make it walkable if you live/work/go to school in the right place. Seattle is walkable in parts but it's public transportation is spotty. All the other alternatives people have mentioned -- Minneapolis, Portland, Denver, Austin, etc. -- you will be very car dependent.

But NYC and Seattle are as expensive if not more so than DC. Boston is comparable. Philly and Chicago are cheaper; they are also more insular and can be harder to move to as an outsider -- fewer transplants and if you aren't from there, it can be socially difficult.

I totally get why people might want to leave DC. We often feel that way. But the idea that there are lots of other cities that offer what DC offers is false. DC offers something really unique: a walkable, modern city with a booming economy, tons of cultural/social activities and venues, AND a culture that is extremely friendly to newcomers and outsiders.[/quote]

I can’t recommend Philly enough. Like all big cities, it has big city problems, but cost of living is so much better and has all of the amenities, most of which are better than DC. Much better in terms of restaurants, etc. Also, it really isn’t insular at least in greater center city. Lots of transplants from Europe as well. The only major issue is that schools are difficult to navigate in the city. There are options but not easy if you don’t go private.  Suburbs have comparable school stock to DC burbs [/quote]

I could not disagree more. I used to live in Philly, have tons of family in the area, and still get back there often. It really isn't that much cheaper when you consider city taxes and having to send your kids to private school. (Maybe you'll get lucky and get a charter, but most of those are mediocre, or by high school get into Masterman or Central). The city itself has really gotten rough post-covid. Even Rittenhouse has homeless people laying in the middle of the sidewalk. And it is incredibly provincial. If someone finds out you are from there, they ask what high school you go to. The main line is incredibly insular among the upper crust. The other suburbs and places like the far Northeast are filled with people who think Tacony is exotic. The cultural amenities are expensive and second tier, at best. The one place they have DC (and many other cities) beat is food. A great eating city, no doubt.[/quote]

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