Anonymous wrote:VA likes to peddle this idea that it has a lower tax burden, and on income tax, that's absolutely correct. But then VA adds in all these fun additional taxes:

Taxes on all groceries
Restaurant tax of 10%
Car tax
Higher property taxes

Those consumption taxes still give VA a lower burden than MD’s state and local income taxes.

Bethesda. Why have to cross one of a few congested bridges every time you go from VA to DC. From Bethesda there are numerous options to get anywhere in DC.

Anonymous wrote:I picked based on the metro. We live in McLean.

Really? I would have said if you want to commute by metro pick Bethesda. In fact I would disagree with a bunch of the advice here (McLean can be just as much “country club” as Bethesda for example).

OP this board is never very helpful on VA vs MD— people have their preferences if not identities and want to reinforce them.

If you have very specific questions like “My work is in Foggy Bottom and I plan to commute by car” maybe you’ll get semi-useful advice but you’ll have to pick thru a lot of nonsense/contradictions.

Anonymous wrote:Depends. Are you a country club type? If so, Bethesda.
Do you make over $500k? If so, McLean.
Does paying taxes on your car bother you? If so, Bethesda
Does paying 50% more in state income tax bother you? If so, McLean
Do you want to send your kids to private school? If so, Bethesda
Do you want to drive through miserable traffic and stop at a red right every block? If not, then McLean.

Hi in response to these questions:
Are you a country club type? Not really
Do you make over $500k? Yes (combined HHI)
Does paying 50% more in state income tax bother you? Depends how much difference between the two states?
Do you want to send your kids to private school? If the privates are significantly better, than would consider
Do you want to drive through miserable traffic and stop at a red right every block? I heard this is the case everywhere in the DC suburbs?

Got kids?
UVA or UMD in state tuition costs.

Both are nice places to live with good public schools.

I would NOT want to cross the river every day to work. That commute is just awful. Not many bridges across the river, so alternate routes are very limited. Every day the Potomac bridges’ multiple issues-du-jour are mentioned during commute times on WTOP-FM’s traffic reports.

If I worked in MD, I would live in MD. If I worked in VA, then I would live in VA. If worked in DC, I might live either place, but only after understanding the specific commute options for my workplace.

Easy decision...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/02/14/youngkin-menstrual-data-abortion-virginia/

VA likes to peddle this idea that it has a lower tax burden, and on income tax, that's absolutely correct. But then VA adds in all these fun additional taxes:

Taxes on all groceries
Restaurant tax of 10%
Car tax
Higher property taxes

Really you want your kids menstrual cycling reported

School choice

McLean it is stupidity

McLean is an easier drive into D.C. People are extremely private. Better public schools - even if you choose not to use them that means more $$ in resale. Taxes are lower.

Are you pro-choice or pro-life? Jewish or Christian? Even though it's still the DMV, you will be reminded that you live in a southern state if you choose VA. I don't think there's anything wrong with any of the above, but rural VA is more conservative than rural Maryland.

Both places are nice. Just pick one

I picked based on the metro. We live in McLean.

Depends. Are you a country club type? If so, Bethesda.
Do you make over $500k? If so, McLean.
Does paying taxes on your car bother you? If so, Bethesda
Does paying 50% more in state income tax bother you? If so, McLean
Do you want to send your kids to private school? If so, Bethesda
Do you want to drive through miserable traffic and stop at a red right every block? If not, then McLean.

Moving from outside the DMV and trying to decide between the two places.

Our plan is to rent in one of the two locations before buying. We're getting mixed feedback in terms of where to live. Family of four - I work in DC and spouse is remote. We've narrowed it to these two due to a combination of good public schools, safe neighborhoods, easy access into DC amongst other reasons. As someone not too familiar with the area, any other feedback that would help pick one over the other would be helpful!