Anonymous wrote:What is considered "wealthy" in DC in terms of networth? It seems to me this board is full of upper class elites if so many of you REALLY can afford a 3 mil house. You networth must be at least 10 mil to be able to afford this, right? Just wonder what do these people do for a living...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get that this is an anonymous board, but I hope you'd never ask anyone in person to name the wealthiest neighborhood in the District. It would be considered terribly gauche. The East Coast is quite different from places like California, Texas and Florida where people are showy about their wealth. Here, it is almost the opposite. You will just as likely find people with loads of money driving an old Volvo as a new Range Rover. You'd never guess who the top donors at your private school are because they don't necessarily stand out from the other families and they certainly don't necessarily live in $3M houses. Yes, you'll see some, but you won't see nearly as much flashy jewelry or designer labels as you did in CA. Material displays of wealth are considered tacky. Your fellow private school moms will label you a social climber and/or "new money." If you're the type of person who likes flashy things, then you'd probably fit in better in McLean or Potomac than in the District. You can find plenty of $3M houses either of those places. Just about all the mothers that I know (and I know several that either live in or could afford homes in your price range) would think, "What is the best family neighborhood with nice, large homes that would fit our needs?" I can't think of anyone whom I could see saying, "What is the wealthiest neighborhood?" Welcome to D.C.

McLean and Potomac have different types of neighborhoods, just like the District. Some score very high on the bling factor; others are comfortable, low-key places; and still others are suprisingly affordable for their proximity to DC. For just about every family in McLean or Potomac that who flaunts their wealth, you can find someone in Georgetown or Kalorama who does likewise. The fact that homes in the District may be smaller doesn't hide at all the very conspicuous consumption of some of the people who live there.

Anonymous wrote:I get that this is an anonymous board, but I hope you'd never ask anyone in person to name the wealthiest neighborhood in the District. It would be considered terribly gauche. The East Coast is quite different from places like California, Texas and Florida where people are showy about their wealth. Here, it is almost the opposite. You will just as likely find people with loads of money driving an old Volvo as a new Range Rover. You'd never guess who the top donors at your private school are because they don't necessarily stand out from the other families and they certainly don't necessarily live in $3M houses. Yes, you'll see some, but you won't see nearly as much flashy jewelry or designer labels as you did in CA. Material displays of wealth are considered tacky. Your fellow private school moms will label you a social climber and/or "new money." If you're the type of person who likes flashy things, then you'd probably fit in better in McLean or Potomac than in the District. You can find plenty of $3M houses either of those places. Just about all the mothers that I know (and I know several that either live in or could afford homes in your price range) would think, "What is the best family neighborhood with nice, large homes that would fit our needs?" I can't think of anyone whom I could see saying, "What is the wealthiest neighborhood?" Welcome to D.C.

Anonymous wrote:DC isn't like many cities where there is one "wealthiest" neighborhood. There are many "wealthy neighborhoods." Many of these wealthy neighborhoods also have less wealthy (but still relatively affluent) parts. Not considering the suburbs (where you can find some extreme wealth), I'd say the "wealthiest" are Mass Ave Heights, Foxhall/Wesley Heights, Spring Valley, Georgetown and Kalorama.

And really, it's pathetic if you're basing where you want to live on what is considered the "wealthiest." You'll also very likely be disappointed, as no matter where you live in DC, you will most likely always encounter a house/neighborhood that seems grander than yours.