I moved to this area just over 3 years ago. I definitely had this question after riding through parts of MoCo and DC.

I live on the west end (poorer side) of Alexandria. Riding through Alexandria and Arlington has me asking the same thing. What do these people do?!?!?

When I first moved to Cleveland Park in the early 90's (two lawyer family) we had a neighbor who was a retired cab driver. He's since passed away, but there are still quite a few people who wouldn't be able to afford their houses if they had to buy today. And a LOT of people who rode the DC real estate market up. We have well over 30% equity in our house now, but it's almost entirely appreciation from the last house that we bought in the late 90's.

My boyfriend comes from wealth but also owns a few businesses. I'm an interior designer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't live in the areas you listed but I live in a very nice upscale area. Our house is paid off and worth about 2 million. I sah and my husband owns a few businesses. Our HHI after taxes is about 850k I am in my mid twenties my husband is in his mid thirties. Some of our neighbors are a dentist, obgyn, lawyers and a lot are older and retired as well.

Thanks for all the irrelevant and non-essential boasting. I'm sure you're the queen bee among the junior member country club gals.

No most people who meet me think I'm poor.

Anonymous wrote:I don't live in the areas you listed but I live in a very nice upscale area. Our house is paid off and worth about 2 million. I sah and my husband owns a few businesses. Our HHI after taxes is about 850k I am in my mid twenties my husband is in his mid thirties. Some of our neighbors are a dentist, obgyn, lawyers and a lot are older and retired as well.

Thanks for all the irrelevant and non-essential boasting. I'm sure you're the queen bee among the junior member country club gals.

I don't live in the areas you listed but I live in a very nice upscale area. Our house is paid off and worth about 2 million. I sah and my husband owns a few businesses. Our HHI after taxes is about 850k I am in my mid twenties my husband is in his mid thirties. Some of our neighbors are a dentist, obgyn, lawyers and a lot are older and retired as well.

Lived in one of the named neighborhoods. Lots of lawyers/lobbyists. Had three neighbors in commercial real estate. High end consulting firms. Physicians. And quite a few regular government types (who purchased about 20 years ago). Lots of people in declining health and retiring, too.

I always see people jogging during the day that look 30's and 40's. I wonder who those people are! I want to job during the day down by the waterfront. LOL!

A lot of finance people

Some people are living on the edge and can barely make their mortgage payment (like us) and some people have jobs in other cities (NY) and commute on weekends.

Anonymous wrote:Au here. Journalist, school teacher, retiree are the old guard - the folks who bought when it was $200k. New guard, finance, lawyer, entrepreneurs, google guy, world bank or idb, etc.

It's the usual suspects really.

Google Guy is probably law/lobbyist and not computer geek. Google geeks are concentrated in NY, SF or Seattle.

Au here. Journalist, school teacher, retiree are the old guard - the folks who bought when it was $200k. New guard, finance, lawyer, entrepreneurs, google guy, world bank or idb, etc.

It's the usual suspects really.

In AU Park, lawyers, scientists, doctors, government employees of multiple types, professors, writers, retired people. Some family money too. Not a lot of BigLaw types on our block but I am sure they are around. Maybe more of them in CCDC.

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

Exactly OP's point. A lot of people in these areas (and other areas down the ladder) cannot afford to buy there now. It's either fascinating or sad.

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

I live in Battery Park with a scientist husband. There are not many NIH scientists (salary ranging from 50K-100K) who can afford this neighborhood now! All of DH's colleagues are in Rockville or further away. We could not have bought here without family help. The young family down the road are probably a 2 lawyer family. We know a 2 doctor family in a brand new McMansion. Then there are the retirees (some of them scientists!) who definitely keep the neighborhood grounded.