Maryland or Massachusetts?
 

So, it looks like Badger and I will be moving this summer -- either to the Columbia, MD area or to the greater Boston area. We have both been given good job offers in both areas.

A great deal of our desire to move is to leave the Jersey area. I have lived here since I was 2 1/2. I think it's time to see... something different. We are toying around with the idea of living in the city proper if we move to Boston. Columbia, on the other hand, is a more suburban-type experience. It's about half-way between Baltimore and D.C.

What would you do, and why? What attracts or repels you about Boston, or cities in general? About the Maryland area, or the suburban lifestyle? The cultural opportunities? The traffic? The weather?

As background information, we don't have (or plan to have) kids. We may get a dog some day, if it works out. We currently have two cats. I'd like to keep my commute under 1/2 hour, if I can, but I am amenable to a longer ride using public transit.

My 2 cents.
I have lived in Jersey twice, once as child/teen, S. Plainfield; once in the military, Ft. Monmouth. Good move leaving Jersey.

I have lived in the following states in order of event; Chicago subb's, Long Island, Jersey, Oklahoma, S.A. Texas, Washington-D.C., S.A. Texas, Hawaii, S.A. Texas, Ft. Campbell-KY, Jersey, Augusta-GA, Savannah-GA.

Boston:
1) Negatives: Cost of living-Very Expensive to live in the city unless you make a good six figure income, Crowds- to many people everywhere, Traffic- absolute gridlock and no parking, Attitudes, Winter Weather- way cold in the winter, Pollution, apartment living makes it very difficult to own a dog.
2) Positives: Cultural diversity, Always something to do every weekend or day off, public transport or ability to ride bike or motorcycle and keep costs low, Spring and Fall are beautiful, Quick dash to the country side, Canada, and Maine/VT/New Hamshire.

Maryland:
1) Negatives: Comuter traffic, not quite as bad as inner city Boston but bad enough, Housing may be difficult to find that is not going to require a commute, May be required to live way out on commuter line to afford cost of living.

2) Positives: Quick shot to the countryside and coast and Washington D.C., easier to live in the countryside and commute, Cost of living less than Boston, May be able to rent a house and have a dog.

Note having never lived in either city I have experienced inner city living and rural living. Maybe the older I get the less I like the crowds. I prefer rural living more. The city does not make a big difference as most problems revolve around population density. Columbia is a bit less big city but a city any way you look at it. Boston is an animal all it's own. Not much different than D.C., Atlanta, Honolulu, Nashville, Baltimore, etc. The personality may be a bit different but the problems are all the same.

The most important factor in your decision should be cost and affordability. If you think you can swing it go to Boston and see if you like it, you may, like I said I have become more biased as I have gotten older. I met my wife in D.C. and we had a blast as a young couple living there with no serious ties to anything or anyone.

JMHO. Good luck and let us know what your decision tree led you to do. (good idea to write it all down on a bit of paper individually and then compare notes to see where you agree after some joint research).

I am interested to hear what others have to say.

Let's not forget the corruption aspect. Boston spends 14.6 billion on it's 'big dig' a project that kills a motorist in a ceiling collapse almost a soon as it's complete.

Maryland might also be corrupt, but at least Southern frauds are more interesting.

I chose Columbia,MD because the city always ends up on 'best places to live' lists.

It would depend on Where in Boston exactly which area. It is the 10th largest city in the U.S. Pick your neighborhood wisely. I guess there arn't many working class communities anymore in urban Boston but if you were talking say, Cape Cod or some other beachy city.

But what do I know...I'm just a tree hugger from out west.

Massachusetts? NO, no, no, no, no! :headshake
Income tax, sales tax, excise tax on personal property (every year), high energy costs, high insurance costs, stratospheric housing costs... and they talk funny.

I lived in Columbia for almost three years. Loved it.
It's a great town, very unlike the rest of mind-numbing, soul-crushing suburban sprawl in the area. I very much recommend it... however, cost of living and real-estate prices are extremely high in the DC area. Probably a good deal higher than Mass.
If cost is not a great worry, I would definitely choose Columbia.

Well this is interesting anyway.

Ibby, why did you find Columbia to be different? What differentiated it from the rest of the "soul crushing"? I have been down there many times in the past few years on business, and I saw very little that was dissimilar from the area of NJ I live in (Princeton-Trenton area).

Badger found a site (bestplaces.net) that does COL comparisons, and the Columbia vs. Boston comparison can be seen here. They're roughly equivalent; Boston is cheaper, even, once you factor in that health care is covered by our employers. We have crunched the numbers and we should be able to swing it comfortably in either area.

To be honest, I was hoping for a slightly more Boston-positive viewpoint... I saw Columbia as being more of what we are living in now, and boredom is a large motivator in our decision.

Please, educate me.

We can't educate you on the "X" factor, which is highly personal and very important. :headshake

Boston. If you can't live in LA, NYC, or Seattle, Boston will do.

If it were me, I'd choose Boston in a second.

It's got more personality. It's right on the water. It's very historic. It's vibrant.

Suburban Maryland is boring.

I would go for Columbia, MD. It's close to all the great stuff you can do in D.C. and Baltimore, and it's easy to get to sticks to relax. Also, you're close to three major airports (Reagan, Dulles and BWI), if you're going to travel much.

For Columbia, honestly, it's the people I liked most, but columbia has a little personality at least. the 'village center' design ensures convenience, and also helps build a little more 'community' with events and stuff. Plus, with WAY harsh limits on signage and billboards and stuff, it's pretty damn good looking for suburbia.

the further north and east you go in the US, the nastier people are. People in Boston are horrible sonsabitches. MD is a better choice. boring, maybe.....but at least ther're no traffic rotaries.

I don't think I could live in Taxachussets or Maryland. Especially as a Yankee fan and someone who isn't fond of our federal government.