Probably the best place to be in the area
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8/29/2006
I believe that Arlington is probably the best place to be in the DC area, with the possible exception of some very nice places around Cleveland Park in NW DC. Reston is nice, and some MD places are very nice too, but it's a pain in the *** to get into the city, whereas Arlington's very close. The talk about high cost of living may be nonsense. I live comfortably on $32k and I'm right by downtown Arlington (10 minute walk or less to the metro!).
As for traffic...if you know your way around, you can avoid the worst of it, but I've grown up around it so it no longer bothers me. The only terrible traffic you'll hit is during commuter hours on the beltway, and just about all day on M Street in DC.
The thing about Arlington is, you'll pay the same amount of money anywhere else in Fairfax county (unless you're in, say, Mt. Vernon, very far away), and probably anywhere else in Montgomery County. The cost of housing has really levelled off, and you'll only pay through the nose if you're right in downtown Arlington (a very small area) or want a luxury place.
By the way, if you complain about the hectic pace of things, we're on the East Coast and life does move quickly here. If you want to lay back and coast, go to southern California or upstate New York.
Thomas | McNair, VA