Relocation to Washington DC from Los Angeles?

Question

My company has a job opening in D.C., Its more money and they offer relocation compensation. Im 23, no children, and Im not married. I currently live in los angeles, and I love it because of the always comfortable weather. I really want to apply for this position to experience different things while Im still in my early 20's. I have no family there and never lived or experienced east coast weather in the winter. Will this be a smart move? or should I relocate closer to home in case I dont like it? I even went to college less than 15 mins from my home so Im kind of afraid. Will I like it? are people on the east coast friendly? is D.C. a good place for a young adult? Is the cost of living expensive? Do they have nice neighborhoods? any suggestions or advice will be appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

DC is a great city with lots to offer.  I think you'd enjoy it very much, and while I admit I'm biased, I think you should move!

- DC has lots of young people who moved here from all over the country.  As a result, it's a very friendly place because everyone is trying to make friends.

- Free museums, free zoo, free movie showings -- so much culture to be had on the house!

- Four distinct beautiful seasons.  If you've never seen the Cherry Blossoms in the Spring or the autumn foliage, you're missing out!  Ok, winter is pretty cold and summers can be painfully muggy, but that just makes you appreciate spring and fall that much more.

- Lots of cool neighborhoods.  U-Street, Columbia Heights, Dupont, Adams Morgan, Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, Cleveland Park -- they span from the hip & happening to a bit more established.  But these neighborhoods are all fun and walkable.

Answer 2

I am from DC and I also had the good fortune of spending some time in Los Angeles through my job. It's true that the West Coast is more friendly and embracing to new comers. But since you grew up there and haven't spent time anywhere else, now is the best opportunity to experience something different. And living far from home makes you grow up faster and you'll become a better adult because of it. You will also appreciate your loved ones even more since there is some distance between you. If your company is paying for re-location, that makes it even sweeter. The only people who have difficulty making friends are unfriendly people. I will be the first to admit that since Washington is a city of power, you will notice some pretension. You will see your share of cliques and such. Because the people who move here want to be part of what drives this city. They are very career minded and since your motivated by your career, you will fit in. If you go to church back home, find a similar one here in Washington. Whatever you were into on your spare time in L.A., it can be done here with the exception of going to the beaches. When I was in L.A., I did that a lot but you would have to drive for at least an hour to get the nearest beach here. I think you should go for it!

As far as people being nice, my take on that is that if you seek, you shall find. If you want to meet nice people, you will find them.

Answer 3

Wow, loaded question. You're 23, and have no commitments right now...go for it. Experience a different city with a lot to offer. DC is not a city that embraces you so much, it can be difficult to make friends because it is so transient and people move to DC from all over the US and the world.. I always tell everyone to get involved with things that interest you...do volunteer work, get involved in a team sport or special interest group, you'll meet some nice people. The east coast lifestyle is more fast paced which is kind of fun when you're young. Always a lot to do. Look for places to live in the city of DC, versus the suburbs. Areas to look in are Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, Woodley Park, Adams Morgan and Cleveland Park.  

Answer 4

Washington, DC is VERY different than L.A. in many ways. East Coast weather in the winter sucks and sucks bad compared to Los Angeles, if you moved to DC you would experience extremely cold temps with lots of snow and a lot of wind, the good thing about it is they close down the entire city even if we get like an inch of snow.

As far as neighborhoods go, I suggest that you move either to Fairfax County, VA or Montgomery County, MD in the suburbs for good neighborhoods, stay away from Prince George's County and DC those places have high crime rates.

People in the DC area are also much different than L.A. I personally DONT find Washingtonians to be friendly people. They try too hard to act like New Yorkers but they're very fake and uptight. like if you try to catch a bus and ur running to the busstop to avoid missing it, the bus driver will pull out even if he sees you. It's very fast paced here in DC, but its good if you're single.

As far as things to do, all i know of is museums and nightclubs not much to say on that topic.

cost of living, unfortunately, is NOT cheap unless you live in the slums. However, some decent places with affordable housing are in Silver Spring and Gaithersburg, Md [[those are the parts i live at]]

hope this helped! =]

Answer 5

Wow this sounds like the perfect opportunity for you. If I were in your position, I would probably accept the offer in a heartbeat. Plus, real estate is a bit cheaper in the DC area than LA, so you'll save a bit of  money on your house or apartment. The weather will definitely be an issue for you. Summers can be unbearably hot and humid (DC was made the capital because our founding fathers believed that politicians wouldn't want to stay there during the summer) and winters can definitely bring snowy and icy conditions with temperatures below freezing. It would be a definite change of pace from sunny CA. Also, some other things to consider: along with LA, DC has some of the worst traffic in the nation. However, unlike LA, DC has the metro (extensive subway network) that you can hopefully utilize to your advantage, so you don't have to deal with a horrible commute. On the plus side, you're single and in your early 20s...Washington DC is consistently rated as one of the best cities for singles because of the large amount of new people working in government agencies and related businesses. And, as far as neighborhoods go, stay out of the SE sector of DC, and also a good chunk of the NE sector (other than the area near the Catholic University of America, that area is decent). If you want to live in DC, stay on the west and northwest half of it. Otherwise, find a home in northern virginia (Arlington, alexandria, falls church, dunn loring, vienna) or north of DC in maryland (bethesda, silver springs). remember, when looking for places to live, try to find one near a metro station, especially if your workplace is near a metro stop. best of luck!

Answer 6

I've lived in LA and also DC.  My vote is to move.  The pace will be different - DC is a fast paced life and lifestyle.  There are people that will be more interested in what kind of car you drive and who you know on Capitol Hill.  But - on the other hand, it's a very transient area, there are TONS of people who are exactly in your boat - they've moved to DC in their early twenties and they don't know anyone in town, either.

In terms of where to live, I would recommend downtown Silver Spring.  It is very safe, it's a great, walkable area with everything you need (grocery stores, restaurants, movie theatre) and right on the subway line (unlike LA, many people commute by subway).  

The Courthouse neighborhood in North Arlington, Virginia is also really nice.  It's also safe, has lots of amenities within walking distance, and lots of young people, too.

If you decide to move to DC, I'd really recommend volunteering through Single Volunteers.  You'll meet lots of people who I found were genuinely nice people, and you'll also get to go to different parts of DC.  Their web site is http://www.singlevolunteers.org

I think the only thing you'll miss is the beach and the winters will take some getting used to.  But I think the pluses outweigh the potential drawbacks.

Good luck!

Answer 7

I moved to D.C. when I was 22, no family nearby and never lived on the East Coast before.  It was OK.  D.C. does have a lot to offer for someone in their 20's, but it's also a very transitional city in terms of people constantly moving to and from there.  I admit that I did enjoy it some of the time, but the weather was no fun, cold in winter, hot and muggy in the summer.  I was also mugged while living there, so that put a damper on my experience.

If I were you, I'd either wait until your company can relocate you to a different east coast city like Boston or live in a suburb outside of D.C. and not live downtown.  I think that was my major mistake was living in the city.