taking into account all of the major pros and cons (which to me include cost of living, quality and access of public education at all levels, crime rate and quality of public services), I just don't see how anyone can choose to live in PG County over Fairfax County. But clearly reasonable people can disagree.

And don't forget that Hyattsville now has a tara thai and a poets and busboys.... very fun!

I live in University Park. It is so much cheaper than elsewhere. It has a real "norman rockwell" community feel, with lots of community activites and children playing in the streets. The town is also just pretty. The local elementary is wonderful. Hyattsville middle is tolerable or you can go private. For high school, if your kid tests into eleanor roosevelt, that is wonderful. or you can go private. There are not many private options, though. It is helpful to be Catholic, as this provides a few middle/high school options.

I saw one person mention Hope Academy in Landover. Has anybody else tried this? I didn't know about it when I had to choose a middle school for my children.

Also, my son goes to public school, though a magnet. But not because we didn't like the local elementary school.

Mount Rainierite here. Longtime DCUM poster. I won't argue there's nothing wrong with the county, but it is oftentimes unjustly maligned with a very broad and frankly offensive racist and classist brush. So I get a little defensive. I like where I live.

Anonymous wrote:I find it odd how there's often no middle ground, either there's PG boosterism where there's nothing wrong with the county or it's ZOMG I CANT LIVE THERE AMONG THE POORS.

The dichotomy is probably because the people who could ZOMG never live here, aren't here -- o they don't know that it is a decent place to live!

Hyattsville resident here!

I find it odd how there's often no middle ground, either there's PG boosterism where there's nothing wrong with the county or it's ZOMG I CANT LIVE THERE AMONG THE POORS.

I'm so glad I stumbled across this thread! I was starting to become seriously depressed after reading the MD Public School forums feeling that we made a catastrophic error by buying in PG instead of renting a shack in Bethesda in order to get my kid in a good school district. You know, so we can also battle an insane commute and live in a place where we have very little in common with our neighbors. sigh.

We live in Cheverly and truly love it here. My only concern is the schools. Our DD is only a year and a half, but where she will go to school is already stressing me out. We have a lot more research to do, but if push comes to shove, we are leaning toward penny pinching to send her to private in order to remain in a down-to-earth, close-knit community full of diverse, interesting people. Bonus points for an easy commute!

So glad to hear like-minded folks are out there. Or rather, on DCUM -- who knew?

Anonymous wrote:
Reg: schools, I think it is still a tough situation. I have 3 kids and we have been very lucky to have them all go through French Immersion - which goes to 8th grade. After that? It's private school. I am also not interested in sending my kids to a school where they will be pounded with religious propaganda, but I hope that my influence will be stronger... For high schools, DeMatha for boys is one of the best highschools in the counRty - not county.
For girls, I hear that Elizabeth Seton is great.
10 years ago, not sending my kids to French Immersion was not an option. Over the years, several local elementary schools have really changed: University Park has always been good, but I did not live in UP, and now, Hyattsville Elementary is also a very positive school.

Yeah, I'm a big booster of Prince George's County and its schools. I think they deserved their bad reputation in the past, but they really do seem to have changed for the better in the past years, esp. the elementary schools. The past superintendent Deasy made some important changes, and the new Superintendent Hite seems basically on a good track as well.

I think many elementary schools are quite acceptable. We do have a big problem with most middle schools, though. I know a couple of parents who have chosen the K-8 magnet programs for their kids (won the lottery) like French immersion of the Montessori schools, and aren't that thrilled with the program for their own kid -- it's good overall, just not working so well for their kid, but they are staying because there aren't very good options for middle school.

To poster 07/08/2010 12:21: I lived on Irving a block away from Mt Pleasant 15 years ago, then moved to Riverdale and it was a real improvement then. Now, I can honestly say that I have found the slice of heaven we were looking for.

My husband and I bought a house in PG County 2 years ago. I have lived here almost 15 years and I was very picky about where to buy. I drew a map for our realtor and specified that I would only be interested in that particular area. There are still some god areas and some bad ones, and we definitely have some areas which are very versatile in races and cultures, and some that seem to be another country. A good realtor who knows the area will be able to figure out what you want and not want in a minute.

I recommend a realtor (although she wasn't the one we used): Ann Barrett. She lives in the heart of the area most people have described (Hyattsville, Riverdale Park, Mt Rainier, Greenbelt, etc...) and within a walking distance of the new development on Route 1 where Busboys and Poets is getting ready to move (YAY).

Reg: schools, I think it is still a tough situation. I have 3 kids and we have been very lucky to have them all go through French Immersion - which goes to 8th grade. After that? It's private school. I am also not interested in sending my kids to a school where they will be pounded with religious propaganda, but I hope that my influence will be stronger... For high schools, DeMatha for boys is one of the best highschools in the counRty - not county.
For girls, I hear that Elizabeth Seton is great.
10 years ago, not sending my kids to French Immersion was not an option. Over the years, several local elementary schools have really changed: University Park has always been good, but I did not live in UP, and now, Hyattsville Elementary is also a very positive school.

I love our neighborhood in Riverdale Park. I love the trail system: it's huge but unfortunately under-used. I love Franklin's and their mussels on the skillet. I love our farmer's market. I love Bike to Work Day in Hyattsville. I love PG pool. I love my friends and neighbors: They are all colors and sounds and they all bring such wonderful tastes to the table! We are very lucky to live where we live.

to the 12:21 poster--look for real estate listings that state the subdivision is "Hyattsville Hills" and have the zip code 20781

Greenbelt, Riverdale, Cheverly, Bowie, University Park

Anonymous wrote:I like what I'm hearing here, and I'm interested in hearing more about that French Immersion school.

We've lived in the District for years, and thought we would stay here, but we are getting tired of the crime and filth of Columbia Heights. My way-liberal soul is curling up in shame as I say this, but it's become a hispanic ghetto with all the public housing and drunks and noise. Not to mention the turf wars between the black and hispanic crews. I just don't see that all the new "luxury" apartments and retail has improved that. I think I liked it better before.

One of my main concerns about moving to PG would be that I'd be getting more of the same. I'm afraid that when I drive through PG county (on the thoroughfares, of course) I see endless strip malls and lots of litter and loiterers, just like at home, but without the convenience of CH. Could someone recommend some really specific areas I could take a look at? Like, if there's a house for sale on your street that you love... post the listing?

The French Immersion school is by lottery only and you can only enter the lottery the spring prior to your child entering kindergarten.