High gay population, Traffic, Crime, Condos, and m
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5/2/2007
There is no way you can compare DC to larger cities such as New York, LA, and Chicago. DC is not very big, it has its own culture, which is slowly dying, history, and that is about it.
The city features a very large gay and bi-sexual population, high priced condos, apartments, and homes, fancy restaurants, museums, and politics. It is a very transient city, and it is hard to find any true Washingtonians.
Nightlife is ok, but it does get boring after a while with the number of under-aged high school girls that frequent local clubs and 30 to 40 year old men that stalk them. Also, there are many crazy people, stalkers, and other ill-fated people that you will meet at any given DC club, lounge, or bar.
The traffic is horrible. Getting anywhere in the city is difficult and parking is a premium.
DC is not a good place to raise a family and the schools are really terrible. The public school kids seem to take over most of the city's metro system after school as they form into their neighborhood gang or what those in DC call crews and mobs and intimidate bus and metro riders. Private schools are very very expensive.
The metro system itself is another haggle. Buses are always late, trains are always crowded during rush hour and late evenings on weekends, and there are frequent delays and accidents.
DC is a very segregated city and divided along class lines, and the only time people within the city come together is during football season to cheer on the Redskins.
Crime is a big big big problem.
Air quality in DC sucks.
Overall, DC gets a 5 out of 10, with 10 being a great city. If you plan on moving to the area, prepare to spend a fortune on housing, food, and transportation and live check to check unless you happen to be rich. The DC suburbs are no better, but the cost of living in some cases is just a few cents cheaper (far western and southwestern Virginia and West Virginia suburbs and southern Maryland).
Jennifer | Washington, DC