Hey there! DC is a great place. It’s definitely a smaller feel than a place like NYC or Chicago, no skyscrapers or super crowded streets. A lot of political people only work here during the week so certain areas of town get really quiet on the weekends, which is kind of unheard of in a city like New York. But there are some really cool neighborhoods filled with young people and great things to do. You get all of the big city things like shopping, concerts, museums, bars, restaurants, etc. I love it.
My experience is that the economy here isn’t terrible, outside of politics. There are a bunch of job openings online and I haven’t had any experiences with people out of work for long periods of time. In fact I’ve known at least 10 people that have switched jobs in the last year, so that’s promising.
Housing is pricey. For a nice place in a good neighborhood I would say you’re looking at $1,300 + for a studio, $1,600+ for a 1 bedroom and around $2,300+ for a 2 bedroom. You can find different deals depending on utilities included versus not, parking included versus not and if you look in some “up and coming” neighborhoods you could find a deal.
The metro is awesome when it’s working and sucks when it’s not. Generally commuting around is easy by metro, bus, walking or cab. It’s rare that I’m in a circumstance where I want to go somewhere and can’t get there. A lot of people have cars, which make going out to MD and VA convenient, but you don’t need one at all.
I hope this helps! If you have any other specific questions, just ask!
