Which DC neighborhood is right for us?

Question

My boyfriend and I are relocating to DC.
We'll be working in Arlington and Park View, DC. Looking to rent in a relatively safe, upper-middle class, urban neighborhood, good for couples in late 20s, access to metro. Would really appreciate suggestions!

Answer 1

Not sure where Park View is so I'll answer from the perspective of working in Arlington.

First off, there are SOOOO many great places to live around here....and SOOO many crappy places...lol. I can only tell you what I like.

First Choice - Capital Hill area, DC. This would be anywhere from the Capital east to RFK Stadium, (north or south 6 blocks) roughly. My wife and I rent a row house near the stadium and have a 6 month old. Capital hill is family oriented, well gentrified, and has lots of great restaruants, pubs, and quick access to the national mall. You could take the Blue or Orange line from Stadium, Potomac Ave, Eastern Market, or capital south to get over to Arlington.

Second Choice - Northwest DC. This is a huge range, but some neighborhoods to consider are Shaw, Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, or Cleveland Park. You'd be changing trains from Red to Blue line though.

Third Choice - Old Towne Alexandria, VA. This is a very hip, quaint, histroic area just across the river from DC. Pretty close to Arlington (all things considered).

My best advice would be to get a book like "The insiders guide to DC" and hopefully come visit. DC/MD/VA area is a mad house of people and traffic. If you're into quality of life, I suggest locating close enough to work that you don't have to drive. Driving is a nightmare around here, and parking is too expensive.

Here is a link to a place that rents houses on Capital Hill:
http://www.yarmouthm.com/
Good company.

Answer 2

I'm not sure where you are relocating from....DC could be a big culture shock (and sticker shock). If you are coming from anywhere other than a major, urban area (like NYC, L.A., Chicago, Atlanta), DC itself can be a lot to handle. It is very expensive (even in this terrible housing market, just be prepared).

And DC itself (no matter what some may tell you) can be pretty dangerous. Mostly Northeast & Southeast are the roughest areas... but even the "gentrified" areas wouldn't be places I'd walk alone in after 10pm. And I've lived in major cities all over the country...like right in the heart of Chicago (in the so-called "scary" parts like Uptown).

I'm from the DC area originally and have lived in Northern VA and Silver Spring MD.

My recommendation: Stick with the places in the first answer (Sunny8463's got it right!) and Old Town Alexandria. Rosslyn, Clarendon & Arlington are great.

Unless you are from a big city and really want to be adventurous, Northern VA is where you'll likely be most comfortable (and still have easy access by Metro & on foot to DC). Another thing....taxes in Northern VA are better (MUCH lower) than DC & MD.

Good luck and enjoy DC! There's a ton to do and see!

Answer 3

Sounds like Alexandria is the place for you. Access to the Metro, but not in DC. Close to Arlington. I have friends who live there and they love it, but some of them moved further into VA (like Fairfax) because they said the schools would be better. I think most of the areas mentioned by others that are within DC (Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, etc.) will be very expensive.

Answer 4

I would suggest North Arlington, VA (Rosslyn, Courthouse, Clarendon, VA Square and N. Ballston - don't go too far down the Pike) which is just outside of the city. I've lived in Rosslyn for about 6 years and I love it. The view is great, the neighborhoods are safe, there are shops and restaurants a plenty, a few bars but not so many that it's disruptive, there is public transportation (buses, metro and the Arlington connector), Rosslyn is only a 10 minute walk to Georgetown and it's full of other young professionals.

Good luck and welcome to DC!

Answer 5

I checked on a map and Park View is an area north of Howard University. Dupont Circle is a very nice, gay-friendly, and very expensive area. Adams Morgan and Mount Pleasant are mixed, very diverse neighborhoods. Columbia Heights is rapidly becoming gentrified, but is still a "good block-bad block" 'hood.

Adams Morgan and Mount Pleasant don't have a Metro station in their neighborhoods (the Woodley Park stop is about a 15-minute walk from AM's main drag), but there are numerous buses that run through both neighborhoods.

Answer 6

I was raised in Maryland, went to college in Ohio and served in the military overseas. When we returned to the DC area we settled in Northern VA and yes, more people are moving in and now traffic runs heavy even late at night... and daytimes esp workdays are terrible that I'm sad for people who live so far out bec a nice house might not be worth the time sacrificed going and coming to/from work.

Best Advice is live in a fairly central location liike Arlington along the Orange Metro Line bec who knows when JOB OPPORTUNITY comes knocking, and when it does or you decide to look around ---

Best of Luck and Welcome to DC!

Answer 7

Ballston, Virginia Square, or Clarendon areas of Arlington are good. Depending on what you want to pay per month rent wise will determine the proximity to the metro. I suggest looking into Dittmar Properties.

Answer 8

If you have the cash the Dupont Circle area should be appealing. There are a lot of gays in that area which says that it is probably safe (for DC anyway). Stay away from southeast, southwest and Capitol Hill. You will probably like Northern Virginia (NOVA) much better than DC anyway.

Answer 9

West Hollywood, the western part of Los Angeles, In NYC - the chelsea and greenwich area, Northampton, MA, Boston, MA, San Diego, CA, San Francisco, CA, Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, Phoenix, AZ, Mineopolis, Minnesota, Chicago, IL, Miami/Southbeach, FL. Stay away from Virginia.