<p>DD just accepted a job (yay!) in Columbia, MD and will be relocating from Ann Arbor in May. She is intent on having her own apartment and seems very interested in living in Silver Spring near a metro stop, but I have concerns about safety in the area and the commute (she will have a car). The alternatives are Rockville and Columbia itself, but the latter may not be great for young people? Can anyone shed light on these concerns? Any alternatives to consider? Any help will be much appreciated!</p>
<p>Columbia is much better place to live. She has to seriously consider traffic. Traffic will make life miserable in metro DC. We are talking about traffic that adds 1-1.5 hours each way to the commute. The closer she is to work the better. I haven’t lived in the area in 10 years so I don’t know if any new roads were built, I doubt it. But when I visit, I inevitable run into traffic issues. Also look into Anne Arundel county communities. I have friends who live there and drive into Fort Meade each day without issues.</p>
<p>I have not lived in the Baltimore area in over 20 years, but I’ll share my opinion. If she were my daughter, I would encourage her to find an apartment in Columbia, maybe even surrounding Ellicott City or Elkridge. It is a family oriented area so safety would really not be an issue. Columbia is convenient (less than 30 minutes) to downtown Baltimore and DC where I imagine all the action is for young people. I would think that going into town on the weekends would satisfy her social needs and having an easy commute during the week would just be a plus. Actually she could even go into the city on weeknights too; it’s that convenient.</p>
<p>I don’t know much about Silver Spring, but it is probably reputed to be not as safe as Columbia. Why does she want to live near a metro? She will have a car so I don’t see how access to public transportation would be a factor. If she wanted to take the metro somewhere, she could just drive herself to the metro station.</p>
<p>It is a blessing that her job is in Columbia. It is a safe, clean, community friendly area and young adult fun is just a short ride away. Congratulations to your daughter!</p>
<p>It really depends on what she is looking for. If she lives in Silver spring and commutes to Columbia by car she will be commuting in the opposite direction of the major commute, and her commute time will be relatively easy. Downtown Silver Spring has undergone a renaissance in the last decade. It is much safer and vibrant than it was 15 years ago. It is an easy metro ride in to DC. Columbia is a family place. Relatively safe, terrific biking, paths, recreational facilities, and schools, but there is no there there. No downtown, no place for a twenty year old single person to go for a nightlife. </p>
<p>She will be bored in Columbia, heck even I’m bored in Columbia. So what will bother her more, a long commute or a less interesting community?</p>
<p>Is there an urban place closer than Silver Spring? I live in Silver Spring and I don’t think it’s dangerous. If she lived in downtown, close to the Metro, it wouldn’t be cheap (unless you were comparing to DC). She would be “reverse commuting” to go from here to Columbia but Baltimore is closer. I’m not sure what that commute would be like though. </p>
<p>Is her place of work near the MARC train or a shuttle that goes to it? That would make her commute easier no matter which direction she is going. </p>
<p>A lot of newly graduated Columbia people migrate to Baltimore. Around the Federal Hill neighborhood there is a lively night life, and great restaurants. Again, commuting to Columbia would be easy because she would be driving in the opposite direction of most commuters.</p>
<p>If her job is in Columbia, daily commute from Rockville might be too much. At least from SS, you can take Rt 29 – straight shot to Columbia going against the traffic. Why not live in Columbia first year and then move (if she wants to) after that? Also, compare rent b/c, as SS may cost a bit more. Good luck. </p>
<p>The only safety concern I would have in that area would be traffic accidents.</p>
<p>I lived in Rockville for four years–12 years ago. My D and son-in-law lived in DC until last year when they relocated for grad school. What everyone says about traffic in the DC metro area is correct–it can be horrendous. That being said, given that your D is young and single, I’d say that she should look in Silver Spring. Is she intent on living along?Lots of opportunities for young professionals to rent rooms in homes with other young professionals. Your D is more likely to find that in Silver Spring than in Columbia. Another area to consider is Takoma Park–it’s close to Silver Spring. She should check Craig’s List.</p>
<p>I am very familiar with the area. Annapolis is another are people commute from. Rockville would be a miserable commute. What metro stop is she thinking she wants to live near? Many places in SIlver Spring would be fine. Columbia is relatively equidistant fromDC and Baltimore, but Baltimore is much easier to get to. </p>
<p>I so much appreciate all this info! D is now focused on Silver Spring near downtown…the apartments are pricey but she wants to be nearer DC and NoVa because she has college friends there. Columbia is still a possibility; it looks like there may be short term rentals which would allow her to move there and then check out longer term preferences. She definitely wants to live alone so that she can have her own kitchen (she is vegan) and she does need her own space. It looks like she could get a nice one-bedroom in Columbia for less than she can get a studio in downtown SS, if there is even one available.</p>
<p>I lived in Columbia for a few years not long ago, and while it is pricey (compared to some areas, at least) and somewhat dull it does have the advantages of being relatively safe and having everything you need close at hand. She needs to realize that she will be looking at a 30 minute commute each way at best, more if she falls victim to any of the many traffic delays that can plague that area, compared to only ten minutes at most if she is in town. I knew people who lived out in that direction, and they spent ~6-8 hours a week just commuting to/from work - you have to be partying in DC a LOT to make that worthwhile, essentially every day.</p>
<p>If she is food conscious, she might be interested in the Wegmans in Columbia - a really nice grocery store that is not nearly as pricey as Whole Foods. I would also add that one of the things I really miss about Columbia is the Columbia Association - she might want to check it out before deciding. I pay almost as much now for half the benefits and memberships I got when I live in Columbia.</p>
<p>Columbia is a great place to live and raise a family, but most 20 somethings think it’s boring. Most of the young adults living in the area grew up in Howard County, and prefer to live in downtown Baltimore or the DC area if they can afford it. As Eastcoastcrazy pointed out, she will be commuting against the traffic, so her commute won’t be too awful. It should take her 30-40 minutes. Silver Spring has a lot of nice buildings and much easier access to DC. The area has improved a lot in the past few years. I think it’s pretty safe these days. Can you visit the area with her and walk around at night to see things feel? Congrats on the job!</p>
<p>^ Thanks for the info and the congratulations. . Unfortunately we won’t get a chance for her to see the area, in daylight or at night, given the timing of her graduation and starting work. Her D and I can try to, though. </p>
<p>Just be aware that some parts of Silver Spring are better than others, especially for a young woman living alone… Please check carefully before signing a lease. </p>
<p>Downtown Silver Spring could be a great place for a young person to live, provided the housing is affordable enough. It is a straight shot from there to Columbia and against the regular commuting traffic headed into DC. There are scads of things to do in the evening, and it is easy to get there to downtown DC.</p>
<p>The commute to Columbia from Rockville would be awful. No. She does not want to do that.</p>
<p>smdur–PM me, I lived in downtown Silver Spring for a year (last year, actually) and am in my mid-20s. Trust me, she will be bored in Columbia</p>