DC Habitation

[Noodle]

Just got a job with UD. I am from Ohio and have absolutly no idea where to live when move. I do not think that I want the 6 hour commute from Columbus. I have been told to look in the Gaithersburg or Silver Springs areas. Anyone have any suggestions. The only things that I am really lloking for is a safe place to park my truck, and not get robbed or burglarized. Being withing walking distance of the metro so I don't have more that a 30 min commute would be nice as well. Any suggestions would be awsome. Thanks.

[DC LD]

First of all, congrats on making UD.
Gaithersburg is too far if you are going to work in DC. Traffic here makes hell look like a picnic. Silver Spring is reasonable because of proximity to the city and price. It's not the cheapest suburb but your truck should be fairly safe. Prince George county is the cheapest suburb but may God help your truck. Some areas are OK, some are not. I live in DC. This city is really changing. There are some areas that are inexpensive now but not completely safe. They will be soon but it may be a year or 2. The nice areas are way too expensive. Northern VA is an option but prices are skyrocketing and the traffic problems are the most severe. PM me if you need more info. I've been here about 12 years.

:alienfade

Strength & Honor

[BVG819]

I have lived in both Maryland and Virginia, and would recommend Northern VA. In particular, I would look at Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax. The traffic is tough, but the Metro is free for police officers. Arlington in particular has some nice apartments within easy walking distance to the Metro. When you look for an apartment regardless of the area you choose, you will probably be shocked by the prices. With the D.C. Metro area, you get what you pay for. Some complexes look decent in the daytime, but on a Saturday night you may be ducking gunfire. I would stay away from Prince George's County and D.C. in general (no offense DC LD). If you wind up in a bad part of either of these two jurisdictions, you could end up dead. In the worst parts of VA or Montgomery County, you really only need to worry about your car.

[Noodle]

Thanks for the info guys. I will be heading down to look around in the middle of feb. I hope that I will find something nice, but I do not get out of FLETC until JUNE 11, so I do have some time to find something. Just wanted one less thing on my plate to worry about. I appreaciate the help.

[psheeran]

I plan on applying for UD, USCP, and USPP in a few years when my military commitment is up. My only apprehension is living around DC/MD/VA. I keep hearing the traffic and commute is horrible and everything is really expensive. I'd like to get some opinions from LEO's who live and work in the area. Is it really bad? Does the typcial LE pay make it difficult to live comfortably?

[BVG819]

The starting pay for most of the LE agencies in the DC area is sufficent for a single person to live comfortably. You could rent for a while until your salary increases, then buy something. Here's the reality: To buy a townhome in a decent community within 25 miles of the city, you are looking at the $180-275k range. For a single family home, don't plan on spending less than $250k (probably closer to $320k). Don't count on doing that on a $37,000/year salary. It's only going to happen on a two-income household.
As far as traffic is concerned, the commute can be tough. Luckily, LE shifts usually start at off hours, so it's not really a factor most of the time.

[BVG819]

In Virginia, Gainsville, Stafford, and Ashburn have large L.E. populations. In Maryland, I know Damascus has a reputation as being "Cop Land" for Montgomery County. 1200 per month will get you into a decent apartment.