<p>By neighborhood issues, I mean crime, appearance, amenities, etc, etc - but mainly crime. Not race - the neighborhood I live in now is diverse, and I have lived in diverse parts of Alexandria Virginia, and in Hyde Park in Chicago. Nonetheless there are parts of NYC where I would be reluctant for my DD to live. From what I understand there are different sub neighborhoods in Washington Heights and anyway, I am not interested in going into detail about your D’s situation. But in terms of rents, I guess Wash Heights is far enough out that its rents are more comparable to Brooklyn and Queens than to Manhattan below 96th Street (despite the A train). </p>
<p>For a look by the NYT on the RE situation of 20somethings in and around Manhattan, take a look at this </p>
<p><a href=“The Price 20-Somethings Pay to Live in the City - The New York Times”>The Price 20-Somethings Pay to Live in the City - The New York Times;
<p>Here is the NYT quoting one 20something </p>
<p>* Before this I was living in a loft in Bushwick,” said Mr. Cavin Quezada, who grew up outside Washington. “This apartment is nicer, and has more amenities, but the neighborhood is noticeably fishier. In Bushwick, I never really felt threatened. Now, the sounds around are more aggressive. I’ll see 20 guys ride by on motorcycles, or hear gunshots outside my window. </p>
<p>“And one day,” he said, “in the middle of a Sunday afternoon, I saw a guy on a motorcycle with a handgun. It was not a reassuring sight.” *</p>