Moving to DC in summer, what places to avoid?

[pelu]

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For all of you who live in the DC area, I'll be moving there for med school this summer and I'm looking for apartments. As much as I would love to live in places like Dupont Circle, it seems that the NE and SE parts of DC have really nice condos for REALLY cheap...so what's the catch?? I mean, are these areas unsafe or something?😕

What areas should I definitely avoid in DC?

any help is much appreciated👍

 

[MtnRescue]

Unfortunately, the places to avoid are any places to live with "REALLY cheap rents." NE and SE *can* be unsafe, but anywhere in DC can be unsafe. It's really all about what you're comfortable with. Less expensive places are going to be less gentrified than somewhere like DuPont Circle. Make of that what you will. There are some good blogs/pages that show DC crime maps, but unfortunately rents are a pretty good proxy for safety (as defined by crime rates) and school quality in DC.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

In all seriousness. Don't bother with any cheap condo's in D.C. Try Montgomery county or Northern Virginia. Much safer and a ok commute which you get used to ( Metro goes very nicely).

 

[pmc2025]

Yeah dude, an unfortunate reality with DC is, if the rent is REALLY cheap, then odds are the area isnt the best. I lived in NE, which is a really nice area (I suggest trying to look around Foggy Bottom - the apartment complexes and condos there are pretty nice and relatively inexpensive), and I learned that the best place to live in DC is outside of DC. Montgomery County (Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville etc) are awesome places, and have good metro access. Arlington, Crystal City, Rosslyn, Pentagon City, and Alexandria are also great places with metro access. Good luck, and let us all know how it turns out!!!

 

[marele86]

I lived in Anacostia once.

Don't do that.

 

[Poliscidoc]

Um the safest place to live in DC is not in DC, try VA like somebody said above...

 

[ProtonatedAlchy]

umm NW DC is safe/the best, SE is most certainly NOT. (generalization here, but I would never want to live in southeast DC)

Also the metro is one of the best around, so anywhere metro accessible shoudl do (assumign your okay with a long commute)

 

[CUBR]

I would live somewhere close to the school so you can drive as little as possible. The traffic is horrible and there is nothing better than being stuck in traffic the morning of a test.

I wouldn't live outside of DC unless you really want to get away from things when you're not in school, or if you're going to USU in which case that's really a Maryland school. You also want to be somewhat close to your classmates for studying and relaxing purposes. The Metro is only good for GW and Howard; it does not go near Georgetown.

Northern VA also a pretty good place. I would say 1200 is avg for a 1br around DC, but other people may know better. I would just shoot for the avg, you're not going to save that much money in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Myuu]

Whatever you do, don't live that far from the metro. While you're at it, don't live so far out (in Virginia) that you'd have to take 66 to get to the Vienna stop. Traffic is absolutely abysmal until and just past the exit for Vienna.

 

[escesc]

where are you going to school? Find a place in the NW area.

 

[pelu]

thanks guys for the help! I would prefer to be nearer to school (GW), but I will definitely consider VA. It's just so tempting to see such cheap places with great looking interiors and not consider them due to safety issues. 🙁

 

[Ischemic]

thanks guys for the help! I would prefer to be nearer to school (GW), but I will definitely consider VA. It's just so tempting to see such cheap places with great looking interiors and not consider them due to safety issues. 🙁

Well you can go with cheap or you can go with dead. Choice is pretty easy really. Money's important but you gotta realize you will be a doctor and you will be able to pay off loans. Money isn't THAT big a issue that you'd risk your life for it.

 

[RunningDiva]

thanks guys for the help! I would prefer to be nearer to school (GW), but I will definitely consider VA. It's just so tempting to see such cheap places with great looking interiors and not consider them due to safety issues. 🙁

Try Foggy Bottom as someone above mentioned. Arlington isn't bad at all, just be near the Metro stop.

 

[pinkanml]

Being from the DC area and having just graduated from GW, I can give you my $0.02 on living here:

1. PLEASE avoid going for any of those cheaper apartments in NE/SE. This is especially true if you are a female and will be walking/taking the bus. I cannot stress how dangerous it is in this city (I'm not being paranoid or exaggerating, this is coming from a tough chick married to a Marine martial arts instructor and knows a thing or two).

2. Don't assume that ANYWHERE in DC is "safe." I lived in Dupont Circle for a couple years in undergrad (also at GW) and there were multiple armed assaults and rapes of women -- inside their supposedly secure apartment buildings. It was nice to live in a such a cool neighborhood and walk to class, but I still carried pepper spray and a pocket knife in my purse and looked over my shoulder constantly.


If you can, I'd go with some of the above suggestions. I've tried them all, literally: I grew up in Silver Spring and kept a job there in undergrad, I commuted the first year of undergrad from Gaithersburg, MD to DC everyday (spending either 2-3 hrs a day in traffic or on the Metro); I lived in Dupont Circle and walked to school; in the last few years I've lived in Alexandria, Annandale, and Oakton/Vienna and mostly relied on driving to the nearest metro station and riding it for 10-30 min each way.

Your best bet for cost, quality of housing, and safety would be in a neighborhood located on the metro line in Northern VA (I'd suggest Clarendon, Courthouse, or Rosslyn if you don't have a car). Or, if you really plan on spending a lot of time on campus to study or are into the downtown club scene, lots of people in our class enjoyed living in Foggy Bottom. Georgetown has some nice places to live, but is not on the metro and can cause a hassle.

I've just moved to the complete opposite of DC (Charleston, WV) for my residency and I know I made the right choice: no traffic, polite and friendly people (didn't know they existed!), plenty of outdoor pursuits, beautiful scenery, and a 2500 sq foot house for $950/mo that's 3 minutes from the hospital. It's the greatest culture shock I think I'll ever experience!

Good luck in school. If you have any questions about stuff to do and see around town, or about GW, feel free to PM me 😉

 

[akinetopsia]

From another native, I'd second the suggestions to live by Metro-accessible places. Courthouse/Rosslyn are both pretty good, and Rosslyn is just a Metro stop away from GW. The rent is a little bit on the higher side the closer you are to D.C. (both VA & MD suburbs) but if you're dead-set on living in D.C., a lot of people seem to like Columbia Heights. It's going through "urban renewal" it's fairly close to Foggy Bottom/GW, there's a Target, Best Buy, etc. nearby.