<p>I'm just trying to get an idea of where we should be focusing our search for apartments in D.C. My impression thus far is that places in the northwest of DC are better and that anywhere across the Anacostia are shady.</p>
<p>Yup, I would stay away from the bad areas of South East. [Cap Hill is a pretty safe bet, as is Eastern Market - anything but that…eh]. Anacostia is shady and I had someone tell me I needed a glock if I lived in the area. </p>
<p>Gtown is ridiculously expensive and there is no metro. Foggy Bottom area is really safe, as is Dupont Circle. I actually would find somewhere near Dupont - it’s a fun neighborhood with lots of cultural events and things going on.</p>
<p>If you want to be downtown and near all the places that people go out, Dupont, Woodley Park and around U Street are the best. Though U street you should be little more careful about; some parts can get a little sketch. If you want something a little cheaper but still convenient to all those parts of downtown, Cleveland Park and Van Ness are both on the red line only a few stops away, though they are significantly quieter. Columbia Heights and Mt. Pleasant will also be cheaper and they’re definitely up-and-coming young neighborhoods, but you’d have to switch metro lines or be up on bus schedules to get to the fun parts of town.</p>
<p>I should clarify, I actually don’t mind how long the commute is, as long as it can be done by bus/metro. In both Paris and Taipei, I had a two-hour round-trip commute, and it didn’t bother me a bit. </p>
<p>Here is what’s important to us*:
- price
- proximity to public transportation
- good neighborhood (incl. proximity to grocery stores)</p>
<p>We don’t really care too much about if there are bars around are apartment (we don’t go to bars too often). </p>
<p>*…that I can think of, I’m sure I’m leaving something out</p>
<p>Northwest, Northern Virginia, Adams Morgan… Dupont can be very expensive.</p>
<p>NoVA is good - but even outside the city you are still going to be paying a decent amount of rent. Plus, you have a longer commute into the city by metro. From the farther corners of the metro it takes about 30 minutes to get into the heart of the city {say Dupont or Cap Hill}. But that’s when trains are actually on time. Add serious extra time if rush hour. I know it took me anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to get to Cap Hill from Foggy Bottom on the really bad days (and that’s actually not very far apart).</p>
<p>Adams Morgan seems like a pretty good area - there are also some places even north (?) of that - out by the zoo. </p>
<p>As for proximity to shopping-groceries: I found DC to be awful !!! If in Foggy Bottom area, I would suggest doing your shopping at the Trader Joe’s (not the Safeway that’s below the Watergate - it is tiny and has nothing). I also hear there are a couple Whole Foods located throughout the city. I know Tenleytown has one.</p>
<p>Try to live in the suburbs with Metro stations. That includes Northern Virginia and Maryland. As others have stated, the best neighborhoods in DC are Dupont Circle, Woodley Park and mostly Northwest quadrant (where the rich and young professionals live). The area around the Capitol is okay (including Eastern Market). Stay away from the Southeast quadrant. I’m not sure about the Northeast quadrant but practice common sense over there. If you live out in the suburbs, try to live near the metro commute stations (Shady Grove, Largo Town Center, Franconia-Springfield, etc.) so that you can hop on the Metro to work in D.C. (if that’s where your place of employment is located). If your place of employment is located OUTSIDE DC, such as Northern Virginia, live in Northern Virginia.</p>
<p>Consider Glover Park. It’s sort of between American and Georgetown. Safe, nice, and there is a regular Safeway grocery as well as Whole Foods. Also CVS and assorted restaurants, coffeeshops, drycleaners, etc. The nearest Metro stop is Dupont Circle, a short bus ride away.</p>
<p>NOVA is an awesome place to live but expensive - Vienna, Alexandria, and even to some extent Arlington. If you wanted to go a little farther, Fairfax is not that bad of a metro ride.</p>
<p>Georgetown is the safest part of D.C. to live in. Tenlytown next to AU has a good residential community. Stay away from Anacostia or you will die young. Capital Hill is not that safe either.</p>
<p>If you live in D.C. or even NOVA get a house with like 8 room mates and it won’t be that bad. But if you get a single bedroom, small appt., expect like 1300 a month.</p>
<p>What about Silver Spring?</p>
<p>It depends on where in Silver Spring and where you’re going to school. If you’re going to AU or Georgetown it would be a pretty significant commute on the metro. Otherwise, the area near the Silver Spring metro station is pretty nice. There are restaurants, movie theaters, stores, etc. Before you get too far in your housing search you should check to see how late you may be in class. There are nights I don’t get out of class until close to 11 pm, and it’s something to consider when you’re deciding how much time you’re willing to spend commuting.</p>