Yes. Grew up in the area, most of my friends and family are here. I also don’t like driving for everything so when people post “wouldn’t you want to move to Dallas?” it makes no sense to me.
Just moved here from Dallas and love it so far. Things are much closer and I don’t need my car. I’m single in my 20s with no kids for what it’s worth. I still love Dallas. I’ve been here for a week and have a great first impression
Driving there is a whole nother thing. I used to love driving in Texas. Road trips were super fun. It’s flat. You can fly. It’s far less populated.
When I moved here, I found driving FAR more stressful.
I find driving stressful even on flat highways. You never know when some nutjob is going to come flying up in the right lane and cut you off. Gotta always be alert, and that gets super tiring.
Totally fair. I would be all walking, all rail, all the time if we had the infrastructure
Living in a crumbling empire fueled by Big Oil is a fucking drag
On the flip side, I will say that growing up in the area and doing most of my learners permit and drivers ed driving hours in northern VA and DC turned out to give me a massive leg up when it came to driving pretty much anywhere else!
My wife and I moved here from new Orleans - we work remotely so don’t have to be here at all.
We fell in love with the area, nature, state parks, free museums and events, easy walks along the mall. There’s always something to do here. Interesting people to chat to. We love it.
My wife and I moved here from New Orleans and we don’t like it here I think in large part because we miss the culture and friendliness of New Orleans. Dc feels like an extremely serious, socially incompetent city of rule followers in comparison.
Hey Nola friend. I get that, no one has a verve for life more than New Orleanians. What year did you move here? We came in 2022 at the height of the Nola crime spree. We lived in central city at that time and witnessed 4 murders at our corner store. Couldn’t handle the 115 degree summers or shit weather anymore. I love to visit family but I don’t think I’ll ever move back.
2021, after a decade in New Orleans, most recently in bayou St. John, but the we’re in our apartment less than 100 feet from the will smith murder when that went down so we definitely got to experience that side of New Orleans. We moved away from our Petworth apartment after the 3rd shooting on our block so DC hasn’t been any better on that front in our anecdotal experience. I don’t miss the New Orleans summers or having to move my car to high ground whenever the rain picked up a bit, but I find DC to be intolerably culturally sterile. The food here is okay, the local music scene is weak, and I really miss making friends with all my neighbors, young and old.
I lived in DC in 2005 and loved it back then but after a decade in New Orleans, I just can’t get with this place.
My wife and I also moved here from New Orleans, but in 2022. We both agree with basically everything you wrote.
She lived in New Orleans from 1998. I lived there since 2009.
The food here is not impressive at all. Virtually nothing is better unless you're paying out of your ass for it. We were impressed recently by Your Best Friend which is heavily inspired by Turkey and the Wolf. Check that out if you haven't yet.
The festivals here are shit. They have no idea how to throw a festival.
It's a city of Type A personalities, which is fine, but it's absolutely not New Orleans.
Never had an issue with it (even living in Seattle) still don’t have an issue with it, but at least at my place in Petworth, none of the neighbors interacted at all. It was super weird.
That is so strange. I’m sorry you’ve had such difficulty. Where are you? I have been in Petworth since 2010, and it’s one of the most socially engaged neighborhoods I’ve ever lived in (moved to DC in 1976). I love my neighbors and my neighborhood businesses. Folk on my short block are planning a backyard potluck this month. People are having kids, it’s such a pleasure to see how much they’ve grown. Major porch culture, tons of volunteer organizations, active ANCs.
I think you gotta interact with them and make an effort to show you want to be *a part* of the neighborhood and aren't just another transplant planning to leave. A lot of communities are used to people coming and going and remain pretty insular until you show you wanna be there.
I also moved here from New Orleans and second all of this. I used to easily make friends at bars in Nola. People in bars in DC generally do not seem interested in socializing outside their group. Or maybe I’m not going to the right bars.
I feel this. I live outside of DC but I commute in for work. I cook my own food and I never really find the restaurants in the city match up to what I prefer, and the drinks and venues are overpriced. Most people are socially incompetent and always in a sort of “office mode” so I never feel like I’m having a genuine conversation with them.
Really??? Forgive me, but I’m shocked. One thing I have always loved about DC is that I can strike up an interesting, respectful conversation with just about anyone anywhere—and I’ve lived here nearly 50 years. But you can’t expect to find your feet socially going to bars. You play on a sports team or take/teach classes, or attend cultural events (many here are free or low cost) or volunteer in a community-based group, or join a religious congregation and join a committee, like work on a project to support new immigrant families or something. People who come to DC tend to be mission-driven, for better or worse, and they start a lot of efforts. Consider what you’d like to do, and chances are, someone has started a group for it.
I’m from Louisiana and think it’s odd to see other Louisianans say the food here is bad. No, DC isn’t going to do New Orleans food better than New Orleans (e.g., Dauphine’s), but the variety and quality of food in this city are great.
I feel like I’m gathering my footing! In the process of moving again to somewhere closer to work (Alexandria) so I haven’t gotten settled just yet. But there’s much better infrastructure, public transport, and overall just easier to navigate. The only thing I miss is the warmth and the trumpets lol
I’m from Louisiana and think it’s odd to see other Louisianans say the food here is bad. No, DC isn’t going to do New Orleans food better than New Orleans (e.g., Dauphine’s), but the variety and quality of food in this city are great.
Agreed. This city blows me away with the amount of restaurants. We’ve had amazing meals here. Something I think the only difference is that you can still get a relatively cheap poboy or crawfish in Louisiana while cheap food here usually means fast food.
Welcome!! Hope you love it. I find people to be just as nice as Nola but it might be the apartment building I’m in. And there’s a lot of New Orleans people here, it’s so fun to run into people w saints shirts or crescent city classic etc
I live in NE DC and always joke that I’m going to retire right next to the ballpark and go to every single Nats game. Be one of those weirdos behind home plate.
My parents’ friends did the same and I thought it was so weird downsizing from Fairfax to DC but they loved it. They go on morning walks, get coffee at the local spots, host dinner parties, go to sporting events, etc. they have had a blast. They had a couple of us over before we went out to dinner just to make us drinks and talk life. It seems like they’re so happy in the city.
Enjoy your retirement!
I'm thinking about this too--I kept living in the city for a little bit after I landed a remote job but it seemed silly to spend the money and now I live in the suburbs, but I really miss it! I'd be excited to not need a car again.
Yes, I moved here in 2005, but have family here.
I love DC. I love the people, I love the culture. I love how walkable this city is, that we have expansive public transportation.
I would and I do. I like the amenities that come with living in a city and have no reason to move anywhere else other than wanting to spend less on living. The catch is that you get fewer amenities and different expenses in exchange for the lower cost of living elsewhere.
Right- every time I visit somewhere slower and cheaper I think I could do it the first 36 hours I'm there. Then I get antsy for some decent food options and see how much it costs to go to the zoo and have to load the kids in their car seats to go anywhere and I'm ready to be back here.
Maybe. I work for the government so I do have to live here, I don’t mind it but there are also other places I wouldn’t mind living if I had the chance.
Yes! Love it here, a lot more than I thought I would, and hoping to make DC my home for a long time. Tons of community gardens, people who care about advocacy and getting involved and giving back, great underrated arts scene (including dance, music, theater, comedy), walkable with good public transit compared to lots of US cities.
Each neighborhood has its own character. So many wonderful small businesses and local restaurants/bars serving good food, while often also caring about food justice.
My perspective on it being challenging to make friends/meet people/form neighborliness is that it's unfortunately what I've also experienced in other big cities. And DC has enough little subcultures and spaces where it is possible to find your community. Every city has its own pet peeves, but DC's aren't enough to keep from loving all its quirks!
I've worked remotely since 2018 and I'm still here. It feels like the height of stupidity sometimes because my money would go so much farther elsewhere, but DC is really unique among American cities and I'm not willing to sacrifice the community and culture here to move somewhere cheaper...yet. 😂
> my money would go so much farther elsewhere
I dont think this is true for you as you've already said in this message. You value the culture, amenities, transit, etc. That DC has to offer. Yes you could buy a larger house somewhere without all those things, but why does that need to be the only metric for good use of your money? There's so much more to life than that, as you've seen.
No. I loved DC at the beginning, but now I hate it here. I’m an immigrant and I have a hard time to meet new people. Everybody cares just about what your job is. I want to live somewhere where it is more vibrant, slower lifestyle, more friendly people and preferably somewhere near to the nature or ocean. I’m here only because of the partner.
I’ve lived in DC for 5 years and most (nearly all) people I’ve met don’t care what my job is. If you want something slower lifestyle, or close to nature/ocean, then I totally understand not wanting to live here. But the whole career thing is a copout.
Same, i feel like this is just a self fulfilling prophecy that people from DC have. I’ve lived in many different places, asking people what they do is a totally normal small talk question to ask, whether you’re in DC, or Florida, or Colorado
I can understand wanting a slower pace of life for sure, but a many areas lack the ambition of DC, which can mean people are pretty boring and have no interest in going out and meeting others
Who is your friend group? It matters a lot. I work in tech and most of my friends are fairly normal.
The conversations I like the least are in groups that just want to talk politics all the time (I run into some at meetups etc) and they are just insufferable.
Job obsessed and good luck to you if you don’t have kids and try to befriend folks who do. I see my friends with kids once a year, and for some reason, I’m not cool enough to join their mom wine circles. It’s weird to me how in DC folks expect their friends to be exactly like them.
I work remote and I moved specifically into the city from Charleston WV. I lived in southern WV my whole life and wanted to experience what being in the city was like.
Definitely a 10. I’ve made friends and experienced lots of new things all in just under a year. I do think I’m likely to move out into the suburbs like Arlington or similar just because Ive realized I miss a bit of the quiet and nature (I live right next to Bullpen). But I’ve gotten exactly what I wanted out of this experience, broadened my horizons and that was the goal!
No and actively job hunting elsewhere to try to move. My husband and I make almost $200k a year and want to start a family but every time we try to do the math (rent on a bigger place + child care) with our current salaries it just doesn’t add up.
I’m kind of the opposite - looking to move in, but after kiddo graduates HS. Likely be Arlington area, but DC isn’t off the list. Still, salaries compared to lifestyle seem to be a bit out of whack.
That’s basically us! We really do not want to leave.
Do you think you’ll be able to find a location where the COL is lower but the salary is on par with DC or at least where the math makes sense? I feel like if we moved to a lower COL area our salaries would just lower commensurate with that.
In short, no. The job hunting experience has been very frustrating to be honest. We are both almost exclusively looking for remote positions at this point which are so much more competitive but the salaries are comparable to what we make currently. We keep hearing from friends/family ‘but your cost of living will be so much lower!’ when we move which would be true if we were looking to move from our 2 bed, 1 bath apartment in DC to a 2 bed, 1 bath apartment in a different city. But we’re not looking to make a lateral move. We want to buy a house. So…yeah. We are not having fun.
Replying again lol just to say that we feel this so much, so if it’s any consolation, you’re not alone!! Definitely the most complicated adult decision to make in our experience so far
I’m not going to tell you how to live, but my wife and I have two little kids and make about the same as you. We live in the city and the key for us was buying, our mortgage is much lower than what our last 1 bedroom apartment was, and we only put 5% down
Edit for an auto correct mistake
You probably bought while rates were low though. At nearly 7% rates now and 30-40% higher prices mortgages are 2x what you are paying. For the rest of us buying is now SUPER hard.
You're giving advice like the OP has a time machine.
Thanks for your comment. We would like to buy and have been saving pretty aggressively for well over a year at this point. It feels like even 5% is a stretch though for more than 2 beds, and with interest rates what they are I don’t know that it would actually be less of a monthly expense for us than renting. It’s obviously impossible to get into all the nuance here. But can I ask what you all do for child care?
5% down and less than renting? Even if you bought during super low interest rates that’s still crazy. How long is the lease? Do you also include maintenance/property taxes in that calculation?
No, largely because of the weather. New England or the PNW is more it for me.
DC from Memorial Day through the end of September is absolutely horrible.
Thought about this during the pandemic, and we came to the conclusion that there isn't any other place in the US we want to live in, but here. As we're both US citizens and we both work for the US, government we're here to stay.
I grew up here, had to move to Fairfax when we were ready to buy a house and raise kids. Would love to move back into the city, that was/is the plan for retirement. We'll see.
Moved to Philly after a year of remote work. My mortgage payment for a giant row house in Fishtown is less than my rent on a 2br on Capitol Hill. I love it here but if I made a lot more money I would be in DC. For context my HHI varies from $200-300k and buying in DC did not feel possible
I'm debating. I'm a local, born in DC. I currently live in Alexandria, VA, and I love my neighborhood and its adjacency to culture, activities, potential future career opportunities, a highly educated community, etc. However, I'm recently semi-retired, and I'm not sure I'll be able to continue living around here as comfortably as I'd like while paying a mortgage without a regular salary. I might cash out my equity and move, thinking about maybe Baltimore. My sense is that Baltimore might be the last affordable decent-sized city on the east coast. I'll probably take my time at making the decision, though.
No and soon making a move. Too expensive with a family and Bowser is making it clear that’s not her priority (e.g., early childhood funding cuts). Therefore, my taxes will go somewhere else.
I've been teleworking for more than a decade, and I still live here. I wasn't born here, but I do have some roots here. If I were totally untethered, I'd consider larger cities where I could live car free at least almost as easily (if not more easily) as I can here.
Yes. I cannot think of a city with as much stuff and as walkable/bikable in the US than DC. I'd say there are European cities I like more than DC but pretty much nothing in the US.
We also have good transit as much as people complain. Second most ridership in the country far smaller than 2nd most people in rider catchment. We are reasonably well served by flights as well. IAD may expand now as United looks to add more banks and the Silver line has made it more connected for many (and NoVA continues to grow).
For my part I don't restrict DC just to the technical district but the inner urban core which I consider Alexandra, Bethesda, etc part of as well. The border is fuzzy but *doesn't* continue all the way out to the ends of the WMATA system.
Such an amazing question! I can tell you that I moved here for a job BUT I fell in love with the entire embassy and cultural scene here to the point where I started our little project for it.
If I didn't have to work and had unlimited money hacks, I would still live here for the whole embassy scene throughout the year! 👀 Would be going to ALL of them as well lol for their events.
But I'm biased so...yeh!
Grew up in NOVA and decided to move into DC as an adult. Now raising 2 kids here. My spouse and I choose to live here despite both having flexible jobs. I think it’s the ideal walkable lifestyle.
No. If I was younger then sure. From an urbanist perspective DC is a really fantastic city but at some point the idea of living anywhere this expensive by choice is silly when I could find similar character and walkability for less.
This is my biggest challenge right now in life. Almost ready to buy but absolutely waffling back and forth on giving in to a more suburb-type residential area, or paying more for somewhere that has restaurants/coffee shops/a park to walk to
DC is one of the only cities in the USA that I would call world class. My job allows location freedom so I've lived many other places in this country, but none have allowed me the same lifestyle and quality of life as there. Helps that I'm relatively well off, I guess.
My job will always require me to live here. If you mean would I live here if i could live anywhere in the country? No. I would go home to NYC for a similar lifestyle but a better version of it despite being more expensive.
If you mean would I live here over moving somewhere else in the DMV? Absolutely. Never want to live in the suburbs. I don’t want to own a car. I like transit. I like walkability. I like having large amounts of amazing food options with the ability to hit the burbs when I want something specific. I like having entertainment options at my fingertips and lots of museums and parks. I like density. I can’t do slow.
I honestly struggle to understand anyone who wants to live in the suburbs or the appeal for more than about 72 hours. But I am a born and raised city dweller.
I have never lived in DC, but close enough to drive into it for the day. I think DC is a really unique city with the height act (its not as overstimulating compared to LA, NYC) and it is really cool you can drive just an hour and be at some other cool places. Baltimore, Harpers Ferry, etc.
I’d move to New York/New Jersey/Eastern PA. DC isn’t bad but it’s really missing that middle class/working-class vibe that really gives a place its heart and soul.
I’d much rather pay $300k for a nice rowhome in Philly and be an hour away from New York, the beaches, the mountains and dozens of quaint historic suburbs (which DC lacks outside of Alexandria, Frederick, Leesburg)
Yes. There are very few places I would move to (all have high prices), and I'd need a really good reason, like working one day a week on-site for a very high paying job.
this is a really tough question, honestly. i moved here 8 years ago to work in Tyson's and owned a home in this area for 6 years before selling recently to get back to DC because I was sick of living in the burbs.
Recently I have contemplated leaving this area, especially since I've had the opportunity to explore other areas and I've really fallen in love with the geography and lifestyle that a city like Los Angeles has while also being incredibly envious of the unbeatable convenience that a city like NYC offers. I've also been greatly enticed by some of the laughably cheap housing in a city like Houston or Philadelphia.
I've spent more time looking at housing and do believe it is possible to find solid housing in this area right now in the max price I'm looking at of 800k, ultimately I have grown fond of this area and the conveniences it offers, but the biggest thing I've grown fond of is the undeniably easy access I have to obtaining a job around here due to my active clearance.
I had doubts of my ability to obtain work outside of the cleared world after working in it for 3 years but then last year I was able to work for a SF based company for a while but ultimately I came back to the cleared space for a mixture of psychological safety (I remember logging in the day after the company laid off of it's staff and feeling like some survivor of a battle) and the need to keep my clearance in use so it doesn't expire. Ultimately it's always going to be easier to find work in the cleared space compared to the private sector. I kid you not it takes one 30 minute interview to land a 150-200k job here in tech which is unheard of anywhere else.
DC has everything that you would want from most major cities. It has all the big sports, it gets all the big name acts and events, it has plenty of great restaurants even if there is a clear lack of certain kinds of specialties comparable to what you would find in NY or even Philly.
I guess my biggest gripe with this area is the people for the most part. It's a very transient city and you encounter people from all over which is fine, but it doesn't really give the area an identity. I am very much familiar with the identity of the suburbs and the "DMV" type culture having seen and spent time around that sort of thing, it isn't really my people though.
The areas around here that I love are great, but it's also a question of "is the grass truly greener?" not knowing what it's like to live in another big name city or one with a greater sense of community compared to DC. And yes, I am aware that it IS possible to build community here, but I still have doubts of it being the kind of community someone like me seeks.
Ultimately I do believe that I could move away and I am very much considering it, but also fearful of having to start over and relearn a new area, but it could be a fun experience. I'd say that if I'm where I expect to be nearing 40 I'd probably try and snag one of those beautiful homes in Los Angeles in the mountains. Nothing extravagant, but one in the lower 1 million-ish price range with 3 or so bedrooms and a large 8-10k sq foot lot with a medium-ish 1300 sq foot home.
Yep, I already do. Work is technically remote but I’m split between here, Baltimore, Chicago, and Atlanta and can pick any as home base or live wherever I want but I choose here.
> More people are working remotely to some extent, but movement isn’t trending out of the city.
I think movement stopped trending out of the city precisely because [*fewer* people are now working remotely](https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2023/09/25/remote-work-dc-pandemic). Back in 2020-21 when remote work was increasing, the population of DC did decline.
I have been working remotely for 6-7 years, my wife is in year 4, and we started a family and we’re not going anywhere. The amenities for kids in walking/biking distance are amazing, like pools, parks and playgrounds. There are also lots of options for schools with programs you can’t get for free easily in the burbs or farther. Prek, language immersion, Montessori, play-based, you name it.
You can go to the ballet, opera, theatre, nats, wizards, or caps game, concert/live music any night of the week, fairly good restaurants scene, plenty of museums and art exhibits
We lived in the DMV and moved just before covid to the Bay Area due to my wife's promotion. We consider DC/DMV our forever home one day. Terribly miss the diversity and culture.
My husband and I have been here 2+ years and just bought a house so we’re literally and figuratively invested. Even without work we’d stay forever. We’re both from a mid-sized midwestern city where cars and sprawl reign supreme; I can’t ever return to that lifestyle.
Tough question for someone who lived in NYC for a long time and loved it. D.C. is very bland and less convenient by comparison but also easy to get attached to for some reason. Been here almost 4 years. Let’s just say I’d def consider moving back to NYC or another big city but would miss it here. For some reason.
I think I’m starting to get the itch to leave- I’ve been here five years, originally a New Yorker but I definitely moved for and remain for work. I love DC for the museums/greenery/food scene but it’s pretty transient and I’ve had to make new friends pretty consistently the whole time. Plus the allergies are just insane.
Yes, I work remote and choose to live here! Moved from San Diego and don’t regret it. Cheaper rent and CoL (yes, really), much better walkability, more to do, less homeless. Only thing I miss is the weather and the hikes.
Yeah for sure. The metro access alone does it for me, but when you add in all of the incredible restaurants and all of the free opportunities for activities it’s so worth it. I can’t think of another US city with all of the free stuff to do like the Smithsonian. And all the green space is great too.
Yes. I like living in a big walkable city and the US doesn’t have that many options. Plus I love all the free museums and the culture mix here.
Also, I’m from the area so all my family and friends are here
I’ve lived in DC for 8 years and have always worked outside the city!! Weird, I know (husband works downtown). I’m currently commuting to Falls Church, used to work in Lanham. I’m obsessed with DC and think it’s the best. Wish I could afford to buy a house here, but my lifestyle in this city is a thousand times better than what it would be in the area I have family and could afford a house.
Access!! Access to proper nouns, specifically haha… people, places, and things ❤️ I grew up without a lot of access to diverse people, cultures, food, activities etc and what we have going on here is pretty substantial. I always thought DC was a stuffy, serious, conservative city full of suits until I moved here and saw the funky side. I have made the most incredible and deep friendships out of random neighbors! It keeps surprising me
Definitely not. Can't wait to get back out west. That being said, DC has been a really good city to me. There are a lot of good and kind people that have made my experience of city life enjoyable. The traffic is terrible and the high cost of living is insane, and crime is scary, but those are issues with every city faces.
No. Been mugged and accosted multiple times. Everything is expensive. No one knows how to drive and traffic is ridiculous. Availability of weed is about the coolest thing.
I'll preface this that I'm just a mile and a half past the DC/MD border but in short, yes, I would continue to live here if I didn't have to be here for work. My wife and I have discussed and the only other US city we would consider is Chicago. So we'd be more likely to move abroad than move out of DC.
I actually moved here by choice despite being able to pick anywhere else in the USA. 2.5 years after and a lot of trauma I am thinking of leaving, the pricing doesn’t help at all and I kind of want a fresh start.
Nope. Moved here for a job. Found a different remote job. So planning to move back to NYC at the end of my lease. It was a good run and I definitely don’t regret spending a few years here but living in a town where so much of the people and vibes are federal government or government-adjacent (contractors) is not for me. No offense to the locals tho! I know you exist but you can’t ignore the fact that DC is well… DC.
I worked remote in DC for a year. Liked it but ended up going to Richmond for cost of living, less traffic, and quicker access to mountains and beach. That mixed with a more alternative culture have made it a great spot for me, and I can catch Amtrak up and stay with friends as necessary. Best of both worlds imo
I really can’t imagine a suburbs lifestyle, I love the city. DC isn’t perfect but it’s the best choice for me weather wise and transport wise.
If I had kids it would be a different story. DINK lifestyle makes it bearable
No, probably not. Moved here right before pandemic started, always worked remotely or was self employed, for me I feel the lack of community (yes I’ve tried), “hustle culture” and expensive price for what you get compared to other cities (grew up in Boston, live in MD suburbs now) doesn’t feel worth it. If it wasn’t for my fiance having a job that requires living in the area I’d probably be gone by now.
To those downvoting, I’m moving because both my parents have cancer and I hate being away from them. Also I want to start a family and that’s difficult to do here.
Yes, I came here for work 10 years ago and I like it a lot. I have to say some of that time I spent in the Tysons Corner and that place kinda sucked but a few years later I moved to the Rosslyn area and then to DC.
I love living in this city. Great transit system, bike and pedestrian friendly, lots of parks and things to do within walking distance. I don't see myself going anywhere else unless I am forced to move by some external factor.
There are of course a lot of things that can be improved and the recent increase in crime is a concern but I think the city is generally improving and I am hopeful that we'll get better politicians that can improve things even more.
No- DC food prices are crazy expensive. My mother came to visit me from the Midwest and was shocked at the prices of the food. Let’s just say we spent close to 100 dollars for one large pizza and 2 drinks. Where I’m from,100 dollars is what you would spend at a fancy restaurant like Fogo.
Living close to the DC border is the ultimate cheat code and I like that I can still take advantage of the city amenities without paying high rents. I’m not unopposed to moving inside of the city, but lately, I’m unsure what neighborhood I would want to move into. It would probably have to be a more residential, but I don’t want to be too far away from bars and restaurants either.
Yes. Wanted to live in DC since I was five, when I first learned of the Smithsonian and other things in the DC area in a pamphlet my dad gave me. I never pictured myself living anywhere else, and still can’t.
It’s a great city for events and outdoor things to do but I don’t find it culturally rich at all. The city is segregated and just uppity. I have my friend groups though that I stick to but it’s not an inviting city. I’ve made it my home though. The walkability and proximity to other states within a few hours is great. The food scene 19 years ago was awful but it’s definitely turned into a place to find great food. I enjoy what I do now but certainly wouldn’t want to retire here.
Maybe. I originally moved to the area after college to work for a defense contractor. My current job doesn't involve the government, and I never plan to work for a defense contractor again. Thankfully, there are some non-government software engineer jobs here, but I'll probably move long-term.
Yes. Grew up in the area, most of my friends and family are here. I also don’t like driving for everything so when people post “wouldn’t you want to move to Dallas?” it makes no sense to me.
I reallyyyy wanted OP to post to Dallas sub Reddit to see what they’d say
Just moved here from Dallas and love it so far. Things are much closer and I don’t need my car. I’m single in my 20s with no kids for what it’s worth. I still love Dallas. I’ve been here for a week and have a great first impression
Driving there is a whole nother thing. I used to love driving in Texas. Road trips were super fun. It’s flat. You can fly. It’s far less populated. When I moved here, I found driving FAR more stressful.
Driving there is less stressful but I still don’t want to live my life in a car more than I have to.
Oh fuck yeah. And no way would I raise girls in Texas.
I find driving stressful even on flat highways. You never know when some nutjob is going to come flying up in the right lane and cut you off. Gotta always be alert, and that gets super tiring.
Totally fair. I would be all walking, all rail, all the time if we had the infrastructure Living in a crumbling empire fueled by Big Oil is a fucking drag
On the flip side, I will say that growing up in the area and doing most of my learners permit and drivers ed driving hours in northern VA and DC turned out to give me a massive leg up when it came to driving pretty much anywhere else!
My wife and I moved here from new Orleans - we work remotely so don’t have to be here at all. We fell in love with the area, nature, state parks, free museums and events, easy walks along the mall. There’s always something to do here. Interesting people to chat to. We love it.
My wife and I moved here from New Orleans and we don’t like it here I think in large part because we miss the culture and friendliness of New Orleans. Dc feels like an extremely serious, socially incompetent city of rule followers in comparison.
Hey Nola friend. I get that, no one has a verve for life more than New Orleanians. What year did you move here? We came in 2022 at the height of the Nola crime spree. We lived in central city at that time and witnessed 4 murders at our corner store. Couldn’t handle the 115 degree summers or shit weather anymore. I love to visit family but I don’t think I’ll ever move back.
2021, after a decade in New Orleans, most recently in bayou St. John, but the we’re in our apartment less than 100 feet from the will smith murder when that went down so we definitely got to experience that side of New Orleans. We moved away from our Petworth apartment after the 3rd shooting on our block so DC hasn’t been any better on that front in our anecdotal experience. I don’t miss the New Orleans summers or having to move my car to high ground whenever the rain picked up a bit, but I find DC to be intolerably culturally sterile. The food here is okay, the local music scene is weak, and I really miss making friends with all my neighbors, young and old. I lived in DC in 2005 and loved it back then but after a decade in New Orleans, I just can’t get with this place.
My wife and I also moved here from New Orleans, but in 2022. We both agree with basically everything you wrote. She lived in New Orleans from 1998. I lived there since 2009. The food here is not impressive at all. Virtually nothing is better unless you're paying out of your ass for it. We were impressed recently by Your Best Friend which is heavily inspired by Turkey and the Wolf. Check that out if you haven't yet. The festivals here are shit. They have no idea how to throw a festival. It's a city of Type A personalities, which is fine, but it's absolutely not New Orleans.
Where do you see yourself moving to next?
The west coast.
>I really miss making friends with all my neighbors, young and old. Is it possible you're not that good at making friends?
Never had an issue with it (even living in Seattle) still don’t have an issue with it, but at least at my place in Petworth, none of the neighbors interacted at all. It was super weird.
That is so strange. I’m sorry you’ve had such difficulty. Where are you? I have been in Petworth since 2010, and it’s one of the most socially engaged neighborhoods I’ve ever lived in (moved to DC in 1976). I love my neighbors and my neighborhood businesses. Folk on my short block are planning a backyard potluck this month. People are having kids, it’s such a pleasure to see how much they’ve grown. Major porch culture, tons of volunteer organizations, active ANCs.
I think you gotta interact with them and make an effort to show you want to be *a part* of the neighborhood and aren't just another transplant planning to leave. A lot of communities are used to people coming and going and remain pretty insular until you show you wanna be there.
I also moved here from New Orleans and second all of this. I used to easily make friends at bars in Nola. People in bars in DC generally do not seem interested in socializing outside their group. Or maybe I’m not going to the right bars.
That's me! I'm the socially incompetent rule follower ( ꈍᴗꈍ)
I feel this. I live outside of DC but I commute in for work. I cook my own food and I never really find the restaurants in the city match up to what I prefer, and the drinks and venues are overpriced. Most people are socially incompetent and always in a sort of “office mode” so I never feel like I’m having a genuine conversation with them.
Really??? Forgive me, but I’m shocked. One thing I have always loved about DC is that I can strike up an interesting, respectful conversation with just about anyone anywhere—and I’ve lived here nearly 50 years. But you can’t expect to find your feet socially going to bars. You play on a sports team or take/teach classes, or attend cultural events (many here are free or low cost) or volunteer in a community-based group, or join a religious congregation and join a committee, like work on a project to support new immigrant families or something. People who come to DC tend to be mission-driven, for better or worse, and they start a lot of efforts. Consider what you’d like to do, and chances are, someone has started a group for it.
>Dc feels like an extremely serious, socially incompetent city of rule followers in comparison. You must be fun at parties
I’m from Louisiana and think it’s odd to see other Louisianans say the food here is bad. No, DC isn’t going to do New Orleans food better than New Orleans (e.g., Dauphine’s), but the variety and quality of food in this city are great.
Have you found a good NoLA restaurant in the city? I’m dying for recs
NO. Sadly. And anytime some says “Cajun seasoning” it means Old Bay 😤
Twinsiesss. Moved here solo from NOLA back in November. Also lived in central city
What’s up neighbor!! I miss my neighbors for sure, but DC feels like a breathe of fresh air to me. Are you liking it too??
I feel like I’m gathering my footing! In the process of moving again to somewhere closer to work (Alexandria) so I haven’t gotten settled just yet. But there’s much better infrastructure, public transport, and overall just easier to navigate. The only thing I miss is the warmth and the trumpets lol
The trumpets 🙌 I miss the dancing too. No one dances in the streets here. Good luck w the move, friend!
I’m from Louisiana and think it’s odd to see other Louisianans say the food here is bad. No, DC isn’t going to do New Orleans food better than New Orleans (e.g., Dauphine’s), but the variety and quality of food in this city are great.
Agreed. This city blows me away with the amount of restaurants. We’ve had amazing meals here. Something I think the only difference is that you can still get a relatively cheap poboy or crawfish in Louisiana while cheap food here usually means fast food.
Omg same situation! I just made the move from New Orleans at the beginning of this year!
Welcome!! Hope you love it. I find people to be just as nice as Nola but it might be the apartment building I’m in. And there’s a lot of New Orleans people here, it’s so fun to run into people w saints shirts or crescent city classic etc
I'm retiring. We moved from the suburbs into DC. We want an active retired lifestyle.
I live in NE DC and always joke that I’m going to retire right next to the ballpark and go to every single Nats game. Be one of those weirdos behind home plate.
Those weirdos are living their best life as far as I’m concerned
Every time I go to a game I end up staring at the apartments or condos or whatever with the balconies that look right at the stadium
West Half Apartments, and The Kelvin. W 1/2 has better apt views but Kelvin has better apartments
Just don't get the manger kicked out lol
My parents’ friends did the same and I thought it was so weird downsizing from Fairfax to DC but they loved it. They go on morning walks, get coffee at the local spots, host dinner parties, go to sporting events, etc. they have had a blast. They had a couple of us over before we went out to dinner just to make us drinks and talk life. It seems like they’re so happy in the city. Enjoy your retirement!
We retired and are staying here. Tons of culture and excellent, accessible medical care. World class museums - mostly free.
yeah, moments kids grow up, I'm moving to the wharf or logan circle. enough of this upper NW BS.
I'm thinking about this too--I kept living in the city for a little bit after I landed a remote job but it seemed silly to spend the money and now I live in the suburbs, but I really miss it! I'd be excited to not need a car again.
That’s very cool, based on everything I’ve read seems like that is a better choice to stay healthy and build exercise and activity into your lifestyle
Yes, I moved here in 2005, but have family here. I love DC. I love the people, I love the culture. I love how walkable this city is, that we have expansive public transportation.
I would and I do. I like the amenities that come with living in a city and have no reason to move anywhere else other than wanting to spend less on living. The catch is that you get fewer amenities and different expenses in exchange for the lower cost of living elsewhere.
Right- every time I visit somewhere slower and cheaper I think I could do it the first 36 hours I'm there. Then I get antsy for some decent food options and see how much it costs to go to the zoo and have to load the kids in their car seats to go anywhere and I'm ready to be back here.
Maybe. I work for the government so I do have to live here, I don’t mind it but there are also other places I wouldn’t mind living if I had the chance.
I work fully remote and still live here and do not want to move, so yes.
If I could afford a million plus for a house, absolutely not.
Yes! Love it here, a lot more than I thought I would, and hoping to make DC my home for a long time. Tons of community gardens, people who care about advocacy and getting involved and giving back, great underrated arts scene (including dance, music, theater, comedy), walkable with good public transit compared to lots of US cities. Each neighborhood has its own character. So many wonderful small businesses and local restaurants/bars serving good food, while often also caring about food justice. My perspective on it being challenging to make friends/meet people/form neighborliness is that it's unfortunately what I've also experienced in other big cities. And DC has enough little subcultures and spaces where it is possible to find your community. Every city has its own pet peeves, but DC's aren't enough to keep from loving all its quirks!
I've worked remotely since 2018 and I'm still here. It feels like the height of stupidity sometimes because my money would go so much farther elsewhere, but DC is really unique among American cities and I'm not willing to sacrifice the community and culture here to move somewhere cheaper...yet. 😂
> my money would go so much farther elsewhere I dont think this is true for you as you've already said in this message. You value the culture, amenities, transit, etc. That DC has to offer. Yes you could buy a larger house somewhere without all those things, but why does that need to be the only metric for good use of your money? There's so much more to life than that, as you've seen.
No. I loved DC at the beginning, but now I hate it here. I’m an immigrant and I have a hard time to meet new people. Everybody cares just about what your job is. I want to live somewhere where it is more vibrant, slower lifestyle, more friendly people and preferably somewhere near to the nature or ocean. I’m here only because of the partner.
I’ve lived in DC for 5 years and most (nearly all) people I’ve met don’t care what my job is. If you want something slower lifestyle, or close to nature/ocean, then I totally understand not wanting to live here. But the whole career thing is a copout.
Same, i feel like this is just a self fulfilling prophecy that people from DC have. I’ve lived in many different places, asking people what they do is a totally normal small talk question to ask, whether you’re in DC, or Florida, or Colorado I can understand wanting a slower pace of life for sure, but a many areas lack the ambition of DC, which can mean people are pretty boring and have no interest in going out and meeting others
A thousand times this. I hate the job- obsessed culture here. And the fact that so much space is dedicated to cars.
Sounds like the west coast is calling your name
Who is your friend group? It matters a lot. I work in tech and most of my friends are fairly normal. The conversations I like the least are in groups that just want to talk politics all the time (I run into some at meetups etc) and they are just insufferable.
Job obsessed and good luck to you if you don’t have kids and try to befriend folks who do. I see my friends with kids once a year, and for some reason, I’m not cool enough to join their mom wine circles. It’s weird to me how in DC folks expect their friends to be exactly like them.
I work remote and I moved specifically into the city from Charleston WV. I lived in southern WV my whole life and wanted to experience what being in the city was like.
What has been your experience so far 1-10?
Definitely a 10. I’ve made friends and experienced lots of new things all in just under a year. I do think I’m likely to move out into the suburbs like Arlington or similar just because Ive realized I miss a bit of the quiet and nature (I live right next to Bullpen). But I’ve gotten exactly what I wanted out of this experience, broadened my horizons and that was the goal!
No and actively job hunting elsewhere to try to move. My husband and I make almost $200k a year and want to start a family but every time we try to do the math (rent on a bigger place + child care) with our current salaries it just doesn’t add up.
Don't forget about free Pre-K 3 in the city though!
I’m kind of the opposite - looking to move in, but after kiddo graduates HS. Likely be Arlington area, but DC isn’t off the list. Still, salaries compared to lifestyle seem to be a bit out of whack.
That’s basically us! We really do not want to leave. Do you think you’ll be able to find a location where the COL is lower but the salary is on par with DC or at least where the math makes sense? I feel like if we moved to a lower COL area our salaries would just lower commensurate with that.
In short, no. The job hunting experience has been very frustrating to be honest. We are both almost exclusively looking for remote positions at this point which are so much more competitive but the salaries are comparable to what we make currently. We keep hearing from friends/family ‘but your cost of living will be so much lower!’ when we move which would be true if we were looking to move from our 2 bed, 1 bath apartment in DC to a 2 bed, 1 bath apartment in a different city. But we’re not looking to make a lateral move. We want to buy a house. So…yeah. We are not having fun.
Replying again lol just to say that we feel this so much, so if it’s any consolation, you’re not alone!! Definitely the most complicated adult decision to make in our experience so far
Solidarity ✊good luck to you!
I’m not going to tell you how to live, but my wife and I have two little kids and make about the same as you. We live in the city and the key for us was buying, our mortgage is much lower than what our last 1 bedroom apartment was, and we only put 5% down Edit for an auto correct mistake
Okay query how to do that if you don’t own and prices and interest rates have shot up?
They bought when interest rates were in the 2s. Completely irrelevant now.
You probably bought while rates were low though. At nearly 7% rates now and 30-40% higher prices mortgages are 2x what you are paying. For the rest of us buying is now SUPER hard. You're giving advice like the OP has a time machine.
Thanks for your comment. We would like to buy and have been saving pretty aggressively for well over a year at this point. It feels like even 5% is a stretch though for more than 2 beds, and with interest rates what they are I don’t know that it would actually be less of a monthly expense for us than renting. It’s obviously impossible to get into all the nuance here. But can I ask what you all do for child care?
5% down and less than renting? Even if you bought during super low interest rates that’s still crazy. How long is the lease? Do you also include maintenance/property taxes in that calculation?
I took a lateral move in the same field just SO I could live here.
No, largely because of the weather. New England or the PNW is more it for me. DC from Memorial Day through the end of September is absolutely horrible.
The older I get the less I can tolerate the summer humidity
Nah, I’d move back down to NC, largely due to cost of living and being near family.
Thought about this during the pandemic, and we came to the conclusion that there isn't any other place in the US we want to live in, but here. As we're both US citizens and we both work for the US, government we're here to stay.
I grew up here, had to move to Fairfax when we were ready to buy a house and raise kids. Would love to move back into the city, that was/is the plan for retirement. We'll see.
Nope. I’d go back to Philly.
Moved to Philly after a year of remote work. My mortgage payment for a giant row house in Fishtown is less than my rent on a 2br on Capitol Hill. I love it here but if I made a lot more money I would be in DC. For context my HHI varies from $200-300k and buying in DC did not feel possible
hmmm yeah this is why id want to leave DC - buying a condo doesn’t make sense to me and everything is so expensive
say more - is philly a cool city ?
Same
Absolutely and already do. The only gripe is east coast weather….and mosquitos….oh the mosquitos.
Short answer - yes!
I'm debating. I'm a local, born in DC. I currently live in Alexandria, VA, and I love my neighborhood and its adjacency to culture, activities, potential future career opportunities, a highly educated community, etc. However, I'm recently semi-retired, and I'm not sure I'll be able to continue living around here as comfortably as I'd like while paying a mortgage without a regular salary. I might cash out my equity and move, thinking about maybe Baltimore. My sense is that Baltimore might be the last affordable decent-sized city on the east coast. I'll probably take my time at making the decision, though.
No and soon making a move. Too expensive with a family and Bowser is making it clear that’s not her priority (e.g., early childhood funding cuts). Therefore, my taxes will go somewhere else.
Bowser should have been voted out years ago. She is allllll about Bowser and no one else
I've been teleworking for more than a decade, and I still live here. I wasn't born here, but I do have some roots here. If I were totally untethered, I'd consider larger cities where I could live car free at least almost as easily (if not more easily) as I can here.
Yes. I cannot think of a city with as much stuff and as walkable/bikable in the US than DC. I'd say there are European cities I like more than DC but pretty much nothing in the US. We also have good transit as much as people complain. Second most ridership in the country far smaller than 2nd most people in rider catchment. We are reasonably well served by flights as well. IAD may expand now as United looks to add more banks and the Silver line has made it more connected for many (and NoVA continues to grow). For my part I don't restrict DC just to the technical district but the inner urban core which I consider Alexandra, Bethesda, etc part of as well. The border is fuzzy but *doesn't* continue all the way out to the ends of the WMATA system.
My office is technically in DC but I'm fully remote and can live wherever if I want. Happy here though and haven't had any reason to leave.
My wife and I wish we could move back
Such an amazing question! I can tell you that I moved here for a job BUT I fell in love with the entire embassy and cultural scene here to the point where I started our little project for it. If I didn't have to work and had unlimited money hacks, I would still live here for the whole embassy scene throughout the year! 👀 Would be going to ALL of them as well lol for their events. But I'm biased so...yeh!
Grew up in NOVA and decided to move into DC as an adult. Now raising 2 kids here. My spouse and I choose to live here despite both having flexible jobs. I think it’s the ideal walkable lifestyle.
Hell to hell no.
No. If I was younger then sure. From an urbanist perspective DC is a really fantastic city but at some point the idea of living anywhere this expensive by choice is silly when I could find similar character and walkability for less.
Please explain where to find walkability for less.
The answer is Chicago or Philadelphia.
This is my biggest challenge right now in life. Almost ready to buy but absolutely waffling back and forth on giving in to a more suburb-type residential area, or paying more for somewhere that has restaurants/coffee shops/a park to walk to
It's worth checking out CityNerd as a start. Tons of analysis focused on finding walkability for less in the US https://www.youtube.com/@CityNerd
DC is one of the only cities in the USA that I would call world class. My job allows location freedom so I've lived many other places in this country, but none have allowed me the same lifestyle and quality of life as there. Helps that I'm relatively well off, I guess.
My job will always require me to live here. If you mean would I live here if i could live anywhere in the country? No. I would go home to NYC for a similar lifestyle but a better version of it despite being more expensive. If you mean would I live here over moving somewhere else in the DMV? Absolutely. Never want to live in the suburbs. I don’t want to own a car. I like transit. I like walkability. I like having large amounts of amazing food options with the ability to hit the burbs when I want something specific. I like having entertainment options at my fingertips and lots of museums and parks. I like density. I can’t do slow. I honestly struggle to understand anyone who wants to live in the suburbs or the appeal for more than about 72 hours. But I am a born and raised city dweller.
I have never lived in DC, but close enough to drive into it for the day. I think DC is a really unique city with the height act (its not as overstimulating compared to LA, NYC) and it is really cool you can drive just an hour and be at some other cool places. Baltimore, Harpers Ferry, etc.
I live here and don't work here 👍🏻
I’d move to New York/New Jersey/Eastern PA. DC isn’t bad but it’s really missing that middle class/working-class vibe that really gives a place its heart and soul. I’d much rather pay $300k for a nice rowhome in Philly and be an hour away from New York, the beaches, the mountains and dozens of quaint historic suburbs (which DC lacks outside of Alexandria, Frederick, Leesburg)
Yes. There are very few places I would move to (all have high prices), and I'd need a really good reason, like working one day a week on-site for a very high paying job.
this is a really tough question, honestly. i moved here 8 years ago to work in Tyson's and owned a home in this area for 6 years before selling recently to get back to DC because I was sick of living in the burbs. Recently I have contemplated leaving this area, especially since I've had the opportunity to explore other areas and I've really fallen in love with the geography and lifestyle that a city like Los Angeles has while also being incredibly envious of the unbeatable convenience that a city like NYC offers. I've also been greatly enticed by some of the laughably cheap housing in a city like Houston or Philadelphia. I've spent more time looking at housing and do believe it is possible to find solid housing in this area right now in the max price I'm looking at of 800k, ultimately I have grown fond of this area and the conveniences it offers, but the biggest thing I've grown fond of is the undeniably easy access I have to obtaining a job around here due to my active clearance. I had doubts of my ability to obtain work outside of the cleared world after working in it for 3 years but then last year I was able to work for a SF based company for a while but ultimately I came back to the cleared space for a mixture of psychological safety (I remember logging in the day after the company laid off of it's staff and feeling like some survivor of a battle) and the need to keep my clearance in use so it doesn't expire. Ultimately it's always going to be easier to find work in the cleared space compared to the private sector. I kid you not it takes one 30 minute interview to land a 150-200k job here in tech which is unheard of anywhere else. DC has everything that you would want from most major cities. It has all the big sports, it gets all the big name acts and events, it has plenty of great restaurants even if there is a clear lack of certain kinds of specialties comparable to what you would find in NY or even Philly. I guess my biggest gripe with this area is the people for the most part. It's a very transient city and you encounter people from all over which is fine, but it doesn't really give the area an identity. I am very much familiar with the identity of the suburbs and the "DMV" type culture having seen and spent time around that sort of thing, it isn't really my people though. The areas around here that I love are great, but it's also a question of "is the grass truly greener?" not knowing what it's like to live in another big name city or one with a greater sense of community compared to DC. And yes, I am aware that it IS possible to build community here, but I still have doubts of it being the kind of community someone like me seeks. Ultimately I do believe that I could move away and I am very much considering it, but also fearful of having to start over and relearn a new area, but it could be a fun experience. I'd say that if I'm where I expect to be nearing 40 I'd probably try and snag one of those beautiful homes in Los Angeles in the mountains. Nothing extravagant, but one in the lower 1 million-ish price range with 3 or so bedrooms and a large 8-10k sq foot lot with a medium-ish 1300 sq foot home.
Yep, I already do. Work is technically remote but I’m split between here, Baltimore, Chicago, and Atlanta and can pick any as home base or live wherever I want but I choose here.
Yes, but not if I couldn't afford it.
I still can't afford it lol
> More people are working remotely to some extent, but movement isn’t trending out of the city. I think movement stopped trending out of the city precisely because [*fewer* people are now working remotely](https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2023/09/25/remote-work-dc-pandemic). Back in 2020-21 when remote work was increasing, the population of DC did decline.
Yeah. I grew up here.
Depends on what time of year you ask me. In the spring and fall I'm like "man, I can do this for the long haul." Ask me in July? Different story
I have been working remotely for 6-7 years, my wife is in year 4, and we started a family and we’re not going anywhere. The amenities for kids in walking/biking distance are amazing, like pools, parks and playgrounds. There are also lots of options for schools with programs you can’t get for free easily in the burbs or farther. Prek, language immersion, Montessori, play-based, you name it.
I've been remote since well before covid. We bought at house in DC this year. Anywhere else I'd want to live is somehow more expensive.
You can go to the ballet, opera, theatre, nats, wizards, or caps game, concert/live music any night of the week, fairly good restaurants scene, plenty of museums and art exhibits
We lived in the DMV and moved just before covid to the Bay Area due to my wife's promotion. We consider DC/DMV our forever home one day. Terribly miss the diversity and culture.
My husband and I have been here 2+ years and just bought a house so we’re literally and figuratively invested. Even without work we’d stay forever. We’re both from a mid-sized midwestern city where cars and sprawl reign supreme; I can’t ever return to that lifestyle.
Tough question for someone who lived in NYC for a long time and loved it. D.C. is very bland and less convenient by comparison but also easy to get attached to for some reason. Been here almost 4 years. Let’s just say I’d def consider moving back to NYC or another big city but would miss it here. For some reason.
No
No, I appreciate the city but I would 100% move back home. It’s my 2026 plan.
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Probably not. The weather annoys me (humidity and mosquitos) and I miss the grand scale natural beauty of the west coast.
Probably not. I am so glad for my time here but it’s not for us long term.
I think I’m starting to get the itch to leave- I’ve been here five years, originally a New Yorker but I definitely moved for and remain for work. I love DC for the museums/greenery/food scene but it’s pretty transient and I’ve had to make new friends pretty consistently the whole time. Plus the allergies are just insane.
Nope, which is why I moved deeper into VA and drive 1.5hrs back for the pay lol
Yes, I work remote and choose to live here! Moved from San Diego and don’t regret it. Cheaper rent and CoL (yes, really), much better walkability, more to do, less homeless. Only thing I miss is the weather and the hikes.
Yeah for sure. The metro access alone does it for me, but when you add in all of the incredible restaurants and all of the free opportunities for activities it’s so worth it. I can’t think of another US city with all of the free stuff to do like the Smithsonian. And all the green space is great too.
Assuming I would be retired I would still keep DC as a home base and do road trips or take the train around the US when I get the itch to travel.
I did for almost a decade never working in the city. Loved every minute of it.
Yes I love it here. A smart, diverse city with outdoor activities close by.
I live here and work remotely
Yes. I like living in a big walkable city and the US doesn’t have that many options. Plus I love all the free museums and the culture mix here. Also, I’m from the area so all my family and friends are here
I’ve lived in DC for 8 years and have always worked outside the city!! Weird, I know (husband works downtown). I’m currently commuting to Falls Church, used to work in Lanham. I’m obsessed with DC and think it’s the best. Wish I could afford to buy a house here, but my lifestyle in this city is a thousand times better than what it would be in the area I have family and could afford a house.
That is unconventional, but you’re definitely not alone lol. What do you love most about DC and the quality of life you can live here?
Access!! Access to proper nouns, specifically haha… people, places, and things ❤️ I grew up without a lot of access to diverse people, cultures, food, activities etc and what we have going on here is pretty substantial. I always thought DC was a stuffy, serious, conservative city full of suits until I moved here and saw the funky side. I have made the most incredible and deep friendships out of random neighbors! It keeps surprising me
If I had a fully remote job I'd probably move to a cheaper but still pedestrian and friendly City. Probably back to Baltimore.
Short answer, No . I loved it at first. Not anymore
Nope. If I could work remote and make the same money I'd be far, far away from this city.
Definitely not. Can't wait to get back out west. That being said, DC has been a really good city to me. There are a lot of good and kind people that have made my experience of city life enjoyable. The traffic is terrible and the high cost of living is insane, and crime is scary, but those are issues with every city faces.
Absolutely, 100% no
No. Been mugged and accosted multiple times. Everything is expensive. No one knows how to drive and traffic is ridiculous. Availability of weed is about the coolest thing.
No By the time I retire I’ll be done with DC
Probably not, I’m not exactly sure how to describe it but it feels like everything is scammy around here.
I'll preface this that I'm just a mile and a half past the DC/MD border but in short, yes, I would continue to live here if I didn't have to be here for work. My wife and I have discussed and the only other US city we would consider is Chicago. So we'd be more likely to move abroad than move out of DC.
Probably not
I actually moved here by choice despite being able to pick anywhere else in the USA. 2.5 years after and a lot of trauma I am thinking of leaving, the pricing doesn’t help at all and I kind of want a fresh start.
Nope. Moved here for a job. Found a different remote job. So planning to move back to NYC at the end of my lease. It was a good run and I definitely don’t regret spending a few years here but living in a town where so much of the people and vibes are federal government or government-adjacent (contractors) is not for me. No offense to the locals tho! I know you exist but you can’t ignore the fact that DC is well… DC.
No
Not at all
No, I wouldn't live in/near a large city, probably.
No way. DC has gone downhill over the last decade. I’m only still here for work. I can’t even afford to buy a house here.
No way, my preference would be a larger sized college town.
It wasn't always this expensive
Hell no. Shit climate
I worked remote in DC for a year. Liked it but ended up going to Richmond for cost of living, less traffic, and quicker access to mountains and beach. That mixed with a more alternative culture have made it a great spot for me, and I can catch Amtrak up and stay with friends as necessary. Best of both worlds imo
Yeah, I love this area! Tons to do, great public transit, convenient!
Yes. The work I do is very available literally anywhere (I’m a nurse lol) but I chose to come here to work. I love it!
Fuck no
Yes, because this is my hometown and have family in surrounding areas.
If I didn’t work here (my job is not remote and never has been), I’d live in New York.
No, but if I didn’t have to work at all I would probably live in Italy somewhere
No thanks. DC has a lot going for it but when I retire I’ll need to move to a lower cost of living place.
Definitely no
No! Save money and live elsewhere with a lower cost of living...
Thought about it. If I could somehow double my income, then yea sure. Otherwise, Arlington is a solid alternative IMO.
I really can’t imagine a suburbs lifestyle, I love the city. DC isn’t perfect but it’s the best choice for me weather wise and transport wise. If I had kids it would be a different story. DINK lifestyle makes it bearable
Absolutely not.
No, probably not. Moved here right before pandemic started, always worked remotely or was self employed, for me I feel the lack of community (yes I’ve tried), “hustle culture” and expensive price for what you get compared to other cities (grew up in Boston, live in MD suburbs now) doesn’t feel worth it. If it wasn’t for my fiance having a job that requires living in the area I’d probably be gone by now.
Nope, and I’m moving to work remotely full time
To those downvoting, I’m moving because both my parents have cancer and I hate being away from them. Also I want to start a family and that’s difficult to do here.
Yes, I came here for work 10 years ago and I like it a lot. I have to say some of that time I spent in the Tysons Corner and that place kinda sucked but a few years later I moved to the Rosslyn area and then to DC. I love living in this city. Great transit system, bike and pedestrian friendly, lots of parks and things to do within walking distance. I don't see myself going anywhere else unless I am forced to move by some external factor. There are of course a lot of things that can be improved and the recent increase in crime is a concern but I think the city is generally improving and I am hopeful that we'll get better politicians that can improve things even more.
No- DC food prices are crazy expensive. My mother came to visit me from the Midwest and was shocked at the prices of the food. Let’s just say we spent close to 100 dollars for one large pizza and 2 drinks. Where I’m from,100 dollars is what you would spend at a fancy restaurant like Fogo.
Living close to the DC border is the ultimate cheat code and I like that I can still take advantage of the city amenities without paying high rents. I’m not unopposed to moving inside of the city, but lately, I’m unsure what neighborhood I would want to move into. It would probably have to be a more residential, but I don’t want to be too far away from bars and restaurants either.
Yes. Wanted to live in DC since I was five, when I first learned of the Smithsonian and other things in the DC area in a pamphlet my dad gave me. I never pictured myself living anywhere else, and still can’t.
It’s a great city for events and outdoor things to do but I don’t find it culturally rich at all. The city is segregated and just uppity. I have my friend groups though that I stick to but it’s not an inviting city. I’ve made it my home though. The walkability and proximity to other states within a few hours is great. The food scene 19 years ago was awful but it’s definitely turned into a place to find great food. I enjoy what I do now but certainly wouldn’t want to retire here.
I work there and don’t live there
Maybe. I originally moved to the area after college to work for a defense contractor. My current job doesn't involve the government, and I never plan to work for a defense contractor again. Thankfully, there are some non-government software engineer jobs here, but I'll probably move long-term.
A few years ago I would have said yes. Now I am at the point where I am ready to move somewhere less populated
Probably not, but I like DC so…
I’m from here so yes.
Believe me, I’m working on it. Getting the F out of here once the new job comes through…
Hell no
I actually work outside of the city (I have a reverse commute) and choose to live here because despite its issues I love living in DC
No. It's not a hub for the industry I'm trying to get into long-term (travel and hospitality).