re: Anyone lived in DC? Just got a new job there

Fredricksburg is not an hour from dc. I-95 is a shite show and absolute parking lot especially during the summer. You will hate life I promise. If you could live there and work there or work Alexandria south it would be more tolerable.

It’s nice and growing and there are people that make that commute every single day. It it is fricking mean. No metro to the south to offset traffic. It’s all vehicle traffics.

Live in Maryland or Virginia. Live close to a Metro stop if possible. Even having a place a short drive to a Metro stop is preferable. Be prepared to pay a lot for a small living space (in comparison to Louisiana).

I haven't lived there in decades but if you can take a straight shot in on a major highway without using the Beltway, you cut your chances of getting stuck in traffic by half.

We lived in Virginia and the vast majority of communities in northern Va are decent to great.

Even if you don't use the Metro to commute, living near one will make everything non-work related much better. You can get to the airport, sports, pretty much everything with great ease without having to worry about parking in the city.

Save your weekend car trips for heading out to other major east coast cities that are a half day away.

Also keep in mind any commute that involves I 66 is going to cost a lot of money. It’s now a toll road into and out of the city and the amount is dependent on the amount of traffic. I’ve seen it as high as $25 one way into the city before one day.

frick all of that. You cannot pay me enough to live in the DC area. The quality of life just isn't worth the salary, no matter how high it is.

I spent two weeks in Alexandria, driving contraflow to work each day off main roads for maybe eight miles, and it was still fricking miserable.

Lived in DC for 6 years until 2018. It was fun in my mid to late 20’s, but it can wear you down pretty easily between the general cost of living, relying Metro or Metrobus to get to work, and the overall political activism/overly intellectual mindset that is rampant in every corner. That said, you’ll still enjoy it if you’ve got your “city legs” under you.

Capitol Hill is nice. It’s probably the most popular area for early 30’s couples, at least when I lived there. The whole SW area around the Wharf down to Nats Park is definitely turning into a family-friendly area with some fun stuff to do. Relatively safe, as well, but you’re gonna get crackheads anywhere you go, except for a few areas in NW DC.

In NW DC, the quieter neighborhoods are Tenleytown, Woodley Park, and Glover Park. Georgetown was fun when I lived there, but it’s chilled out a lot. The Red Line on Metro can be a real bitch if you have to take it into downtown for work. Adams Morgan, U St, and Shaw are the younger areas.

Brookland and the H St. area were also being developed before I left and had some good times out there, not sure how it is now.

This is all a long way of saying if you can find a good spot within your price range, which I think you should be able to, Capitol Hill is a great neighborhood.

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Appreciate it and the other advice as well

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Absolutely do not waste your time on anything in between Baltimore & DC from 95 to the coast. That’s a shite show. Annapolis is alright but all military officers and Naval cadets. Potomac & Bethesda areas will require your first born child as down payment. Rockville/Gaithersburg is going to be your best options.

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This is my dream job so I’m taking it no matter what.

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Blowing congressmen for green energy sudsidies?

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I spent two weeks in Alexandria

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There you go.

What are the party affiliations of your cat and dog? Need to be Dems if you’re living inside the Beltway