I have just been offered a job in Bethesda, which would require my husband and I to move from W NY. I do not know the area at all, but understand that it is rather expensive.
If I take the job we would be looking for an apartment to rent (ideally 2 bedrooms). Any suggestions on where we should look - in Bethesda itself or surrounding towns? Suggestions on towns? Would like to not have a crazy commute.
Thank you!
Without knowing your housing budget and where exactly in Bethesda your work is located, it's difficult to answer. Some parts of Bethesda (downtown and NIH facilities) are well-situated along Metro and you probably don't want to drive there for your commute. Other employment centers (such as near the Mall) are far better suited to driving than public transportation.
"Rather expensive" is a relative term--certainly it's a higher cost of living than Rochester, but my guess is you'll be earning more than you would in western NY for the same work.
Housing located in/near downtown Bethesda is definitely pricey, but if your work is situated there, it does save you the cost of commuting--which is one of the "rather expensive" things around here.
Edited: 4:31 pm, August 16, 2012Blueyeris, this forum is actually geared more for visitors / tourists.
For resettlement questions, you will have much better luck posting on this other site city-data.com/forum/washington-dc-suburbs-ma… . Or you can just type in their search box "Bethesda" and read other discussions on the subject.
Edited: 10:56 am, August 17, 2012Although I agree with MarylandMist that this topic may be better suited for another website, I am glad I stumbled upon this thread.
I attended school at RIT and UofR, and now I am working in Rockville - I may be able to shed some light on this for you.
I lived in Upstate NY my entire life until I took the job in Rockville. I was used to home with a nice yard as the normal standard of living. Down here, things are far different. One one hand, the economy down here is doing quite well. Prices reflect that though. The median houshold income in Rochester in 2009 was just over $30,000 a year. In Bethesda that same year, the median household was nearly $130,000 a year. If you want to purchase a standalone home in Bethesda, plan to pay at least a half a million. A nice condo will be between $250k to $400k. I chose to purchase a home in Pennsylvania and commute down. The commute is long (one hour each way on the rare days that traffic cooperates), but the house was about half the price of a 2-br condo in Rockville and actually has a yard. Traffic in Bethesda is a nightmare, especially right now anywhere near NIH and Bethesda Naval Hospital due to construction. If you crave a quieter and less expensive living option, I would check the areas north of the DC metro area like Frederick or Poolesville, MD. You will still have to contend with traffic, but you could take a commuter bus or train and Metro. On a good note, Frederick does have a Wegmans ;)
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