We used to live in Foxhall Crescent. Our neighbors (that we were friendly with) were: of course big law, lobbyists for oil rich companies, lobbyists for African dictatorship, cyber security guy, Merrill Lynch guy and specialist at Gtown hospital.

I grew up in Battery Park and in addition to doctors and lawyers, a lot of people worked at NIH - scientists, researchers, etc.

we both work in government, not that hard to do, we set goals early in our relationship. We don't make a ton of money but we manage our money well. listen to our financial planner and pay ourselves first. Don't know the Jones' so no need keeping up with them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in upper NW near Sibley/AU. There are lots of retirees and young families around here. Professions of neighbors and friends? Off the top of my head- law, asset management, lobbying, c-level executives, politics, commercial real estate & medicine. Most of the people I know in the neighborhood with creative jobs have trust funds.

+1. We also live here and I'm thinking of what the parents do at my son's school (mann) and it's all these things above. Also lots of international families who live in housing provided by their embassy, etc (so some housing may be supplemented by employers.)

Asset management? Doesn't the DC area have very very few asset management firms?

There's enough. Also depends how strictly you define it. I've heard people even refer to Carlyle group that way.

Asset management as in private equity and hedge funds. Carlyle is the big one but there are lots of small shops around.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in upper NW near Sibley/AU. There are lots of retirees and young families around here. Professions of neighbors and friends? Off the top of my head- law, asset management, lobbying, c-level executives, politics, commercial real estate & medicine. Most of the people I know in the neighborhood with creative jobs have trust funds.

+1. We also live here and I'm thinking of what the parents do at my son's school (mann) and it's all these things above. Also lots of international families who live in housing provided by their embassy, etc (so some housing may be supplemented by employers.)

Asset management? Doesn't the DC area have very very few asset management firms?

There's enough. Also depends how strictly you define it. I've heard people even refer to Carlyle group that way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in upper NW near Sibley/AU. There are lots of retirees and young families around here. Professions of neighbors and friends? Off the top of my head- law, asset management, lobbying, c-level executives, politics, commercial real estate & medicine. Most of the people I know in the neighborhood with creative jobs have trust funds.

+1. We also live here and I'm thinking of what the parents do at my son's school (mann) and it's all these things above. Also lots of international families who live in housing provided by their embassy, etc (so some housing may be supplemented by employers.)

Asset management? Doesn't the DC area have very very few asset management firms?

Anonymous wrote:We are in upper NW near Sibley/AU. There are lots of retirees and young families around here. Professions of neighbors and friends? Off the top of my head- law, asset management, lobbying, c-level executives, politics, commercial real estate & medicine. Most of the people I know in the neighborhood with creative jobs have trust funds.

+1. We also live here and I'm thinking of what the parents do at my son's school (mann) and it's all these things above. Also lots of international families who live in housing provided by their embassy, etc (so some housing may be supplemented by employers.)

We are in upper NW near Sibley/AU. There are lots of retirees and young families around here. Professions of neighbors and friends? Off the top of my head- law, asset management, lobbying, c-level executives, politics, commercial real estate & medicine. Most of the people I know in the neighborhood with creative jobs have trust funds.

Before the dot com bust, the DC area had AOL millionaires.
Now most high tech is government contractor work and those techies don't make nearly as much as private/publicly held tech companies. DOn't get me wrong as my husband was a DOD computer contractor and made in the low 6 figures. We moved out of state to a publicly held tech company and with stock grants and bonus, he's in the $1m+ range.

The rich people we knew were in health care administration, corporate real estate (West Group) and law/lobbying.

We're a journalist and a writer in NW- but had a bit of inherited wealth for a down payment (100K). Couldn't have bought without it.

Lawyers, doctors, investment bankers, business people.

We live (rent) in Cleveland Park and I have this same thought OP. There are many people who bought 20-30 years ago and could not afford their house now. However, there are plenty of houses with strollers on the porch - and I wonder about those people. I am guessing 2 high incomes such as dual lawyers or Dr/Lawyer or Lobbyist/consultant.

If my husband make the same amount as I do, we might be looking in that neighborhood too instead of Arlington where there are some houses less than $1M

Not everyone is inherited wealth. Some of it is just plain hard work, believe it or not. I bought my first house as a single woman in 1999 out of state, used that money when I sold it to 1)help pay off my husbands school loans and 2) put a downpayment on a house in Spring Valley. I work part time, he works full time. He's a doctor, but in academic medicine so making less than $200K and I make about 2/3 of that. Nothing obscure, just well educated, hard working people. Our neighbors are lawyers, etc.

You need to remember there are people with inherited wealth. Doesn't matter so much "what you do" as what are your sources of income.

Sorry if this is a repeat question, but after reading the Apologetically Rich postings, I wanted to ask:

What do you, your neighbors, your friends do? In the following neighborhoods - Glen Echo, Battery Park, etc, Upper NW, near Sibley, Wisconsin near Friendship Heights/Bradley Blvd. You know if you live in a neighborhood like this!

I have two thoughts when passing through 1) A lot of these people are older 2) Who is going to buy these places. And that's where the 'What do they do' question comes in as I'm sure it may be very different today than it was 30 years ago as far as professions. Or maybe not. Controlling for lawyers and doctors, I'm interested in some of the less than usual suspects. It would go a long way to cure curiosity I've had since moving into DC 9 years ago.

Thanks in advance! And I'm not looking for anyone to get snippy or feel like they have to brag. I fully expect someone to totally shock me with an obscure job that allows them to live in a great neighborhood.