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Whether you choose to live in the sixty-seven square miles of Washington D.C. proper, or in the greater Washington D.C. metropolitan area which extends north toward Baltimore and south into Virginia, you'll reap a wealth of benefits from being close to the US capital.
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Home to countless historical monuments, with a wonderful cultural diversity indicated by the 172 foreign embassies in and around Washington's Embassy Row, a vibrant artistic presence, and all the necessary professional sports teams, Washington D.C. has everything you could ask of a major American city.
Because those Federal monuments are so important to the Washington D.C. aura, in 1910 the US Congress passed legislation prohibiting any commercial building from rising above them. Thanks to their foresight, you can feast your eyes on the same wide swaths of public green that greeted Washingtonians in the early 20th century.
When you decided to move to Washington D.C., you were following in the steps of George Washington himself, who used his surveyor's training to help him select the city's one-hundred square mile site on the banks of the Potomac, just sixteen miles north of his home at Mount Vernon.
Washington D.C. Weather
Washington D.C. enjoys the typical mild springs and autumns of the US' inland mid-Atlantic region, with temperatures in the mid-60 to mid-70s range. Winter temperatures seldom fall below 30°F with yearly snowfall in the 17" (44 cm) range. Most Washingtonians find the summer humidity to be the least pleasant aspect of the climate, because of the regular thunderstorms which infrequently spawn tornadoes. A bigger threat to the city is the Atlantic hurricane.
While Washington is far enough from the coast that hurricane remnants are seldom severe by the time they reach it, hurricane tidal surges to cause flooding along the Potomac River's banks and can inundate the low lying areas of neighborhoods like Old Town Alexandria and Georgetown. Those instances are rare, however, and even the worst Washington weather of one year is forgotten with the blooming of the city's thousands of cherry trees in the springtime of the next.
Getting to and from Washington D.C.
As one of the world's foremost cities, Washington needs every one of its three major airports: Ronald Reagan National; Washington Dulles International: and Baltimore/Washington International. No matter where in the world you're going or coming from, one of these airports can either welcome you or see you on your way.
To Drive, or Not to Drive?
Washington D.C. has a fine public transportation system of buses and light rail, and you can use the trip planning tool at their website. They also operate several Metro parking garages where you can park for a fee during the work week, and for free on weekends or Federal holidays.
If you know where you'll be living in the D.C. area, why not give the Metro system a serious look by giving it a series of test runs, during morning and evening rush hours and again on the weekend, dressed as you would be and carrying whatever you would carry if you were heading to work. You'll have to walk from your Metro station or bus stop to your workplace, and should have first-hand experience of what that will mean on hot, cold, or rainy days (or after dark.) Also factor in the cost of your daily commute when you think about car payments, parking fees, and auto insurance premiums.
Finding Your Way around Washington D.C.
Understanding the Grid
The sixty-seven square miles of Washington D.C. have been divided into four separate quadrants, symbolically radiating out from the US Capitol Building. The Washington D.C. street system is remarkably easy to navigate, with numbered streets going east and west, and lettered (A, B, C) streets going north and south. North-south streets beyond Z Street are given names, with their names increasing in length the further they are from the Capitol. Each of the streets will be further identified according to is quadrant--Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, and Southeast.
The Diagonals
While most of Washington's streets follow its grid on direct east-west or north-south lines, there are a few diagonals. The diagonal streets are named for the states (the White house, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, is on a diagonal) and almost always begin and end at one of Washington D.C.'s traffic circles. Use the diagonals when you're in a hurry to get around.
The Traffic Circles
The most famous of Washington D.C.'s traffic circles is DuPont Circle, at which five of its streets converge from two directions each, meaning that traffic is entering and exiting in ten different directions. It also has an inner and outer traffic lane and its own underpass! DuPont Circle is only one of ten of the district's traffic circles, and learning to navigate them is essential if you are to survive in your new life.
One-Way Streets
The traffic planners in Washington D.C., in an attempt to control traffic flow, have designated certain streets as one-way during morning and evening rush hour and two-way the rest of the time. So pay attention to the hours posted on the Do Not Enter signs. If you can’t find one, play it safe, and "go with the (traffic) flow."
Washington D.C. School Districts
If you're relocating to Washington with your kids, finding a good school district will be a priority, greatly influencing your choice of neighborhoods. The District of Columbia itself has 193 public schools, but the school district is struggling with financial, security performance, and administrative issues.
The 83 D.C. charter schools accept students from pre-school to high school age who live within the District's boundaries at no charge. The also accept, for a fee, non-resident students if space is available. The D.C. charter schools, however, normally have waiting lists. There are many private schools as well, a number of them with religious affiliations.
If you'll be settling outside of Washington D.C. proper, there are excellent public school districts in McLean, Vienna, and North Arlington, VA, as well as in MontgomeryCounty, MD. All those communities are within a sixty-minute commute of Washington D.C. The communities the furthest away have correspondingly lower real estate prices.
Washington D.C. Crime Rates
Like all major cities, Washington D.C. has its share of violent and non-violent crimes, with the types and frequency of crime varying according to area. Property crimes like burglary and car theft far outnumber violent crimes, most of which occur in D.C.'s Southeast District. Many of these crimes are drug-related and occur in the most economically-deprived parts of the city.
An excellent source of recent crime statistics is the Washington Post Local Explorer where you can search for crime rates both by zip code and by D.C. or Virginia neighborhoods.
If you apply the same common sense personal security measures while spending time in D.C. proper that you would in any large city, you should avoid becoming a crime statistic.
Washington D.C. Housing Costs
Like everywhere in the US, Washington D.C. and its surroundings, especially Northern Virginia, have been affected by dropping real estate prices. The foreclosure rate in D.C. did not begin to climb until January of 2008, but now it is among the most rapidly increasing in the US. The large inventory of foreclosed homes offers anyone relocating to the area a chance to find housing at a cost far less than it would have been only a year ago.
Many D.C. foreclosure homes are selling at significant discounts or 30 to 40% to their market value, making them attractive to investors as well as potential home buyers. Low-end fixed rate mortgages (minus points) in late 2008 range between 5.6125% and 6.125%, with 5-year adjustable mortgages at between 5.5% and 5.6125%
In 2008 new home prices averaged about $650,000 and the median home price was about $400,000.
For Renters
If your Washington D.C. relocation plans include renting until the housing market has sorted itself out, you'll have plenty of options. Apartments and condos comprise thirty-one percent of D.C.'s housing, with basic studios beginning at around $600, one-bedroom units averaging about $1,100, and multi-bedroom luxury units in the multiple thousands each month. hose high-end units raise the average cost for smaller apartments, so don't be taken aback at that $1100 average for one bedroom.
Home Heating Costs
According the US Senate Joint Economics Committee, the average home heating cost in the District of Columbia was $797 during the winter of 2007, up 5% from the previous year.
Washington D.C. Taxes
Here are the 2007 income tax rates for anyone living within the District of Columbia:
First $10,000 = 4.0%
$10,000 < $40,000 = $400 + 6.0% of excess above $10,000
More than $40,000 = $2,200 + 8.5% of excess above $40,000
Note: Excludes Social Security income and maximum $3,000 exclusion on military retired pay, pension income, or annuity income from D.C. or federal government.
Sales Taxes
As far as sales taxes are concerned, D.C. has several different rates. The basic rate for personal goods is 5.75%, has a sales tax rate of 5.75%. It risesto 9% for liquor purchased for off-premises consumption, 10% on restaurant meals and car rentals, and 14% on hotel accommodations. However, groceries, both prescription and non-prescription drugs, and home utilities are exempt.
While property taxes vary depending on where in the Washington D.C. area you decide to live, within the city itself residential real property is taxed at 0.85/$100 assessed value as of late 2008.
Miscellaneous Costs
You can't relocate to Washington D.C. and not want to enjoy as much as you can of the great historical, cultural, entertainment, dining, shopping, and sports attractions. Expect to pay $9.50 for a movie matinee, between $5 and $20 for a nightspot cover charge, and between $40 and $80 per month for gym membership. Restaurant lunch will set you back between $10 and $18, and that's not including the Tip and 10% tax. Factor your entertainment expenses into your overall budget, because they are going to mount!
Living in Washington D.C. won’t be cheap. In the 3rd quarter or 2008, the overall cost of living in the District of Columbia was 37.8% higher than the national average, and housing costs were 116.8% higher.
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