What is life like in Washington DC??

We are a military family moving there soon. I've only heard negatives about the area......lots of crime, high cost of living, poor schools.....I'm just looking for opinions. Thank you.

Poor schools is wrong. There are significant issues in the DC city schools, and PG County schools are at best uneven, but some of the best schools in the country can be found in Virginia and in Montgomery County Maryland.

Costs of living are high - but I think that the military provides an adjustment to help with that - and if you manage to live on base, wherever you are, you avoid the biggest issue, that is, the cost of housing.

Lots of crime is also not correct, even if you move into DC (Most military are actually based in the greater DC area, by the way, few actually IN DC.) That is a very old understanding based on a single statistic - that there were a few years when drug wars in the most impoverished inner city neighborhoods generated a lot of very localized crime, and gave the whole region a black eye, even though most of the area is quite safe. Some of the suburbs, especially in Virginia, have some significant gang activity, which has been problematic, but, again, localized. But generally this region is on a par with other, similar urban areas.

DC is a beautiful, historic city. You will live here years before you are able to take in all the stuff that is available that is just free! We have many of the world's greatest museums, the halls of US government, a collection of architecture that inspires awe, and more going on than just about any city in the world it's size (about 600,000 in the city itself.) I have lived here more than 25 years, and right now I would not live anywhere else!

I love DC and I am sad that I will have to leave it in a few years. It is very diverse and educated area. Plus lots of stuff to always do, some times its free. I love with friends come to visit. The restaurant scene is great - lots of choices. I love that on the metro (which is pretty safe) you can hear several different languages and most of my friends know more than 2 different languages. The holidays are great in DC. There are some areas that the money is unreal - which can provide for some entertaining people watching.

The cost of living is high, very high. But there are areas that are more reasonable. Chances are you wouldn't be living in the district. Areas around some of the military bases are more reasonably priced.

The thing with DC is that it is a very sectioned city. There are parts of DC and the suburbs that are not well-off and are dangerous. It's weird, you can have multi-million dollar mansions and embassies and drive a few more blocks down Mass Ave and you don't want to be there. There are other areas that are completely safe and fine to be out and about at all areas. But that's just like any city.

With the schools, yes the district schools are not the best and you should probably stay away from them... but then again, there are good public schools in the city (k-8), which are located in the NW section. Fairfax County, which is a VA suburb is, has some of the best public schools in the country. Montgomery County (MD) schools are also pretty good.

There is a lot of military in the area. It is very military friendly. Also, people like to exercise and do it outdoors. Running is big ... The Army 10 miler and the Marine Corp Marathon are big events every year.

But as in any area, there are good places and there are bad places ... in DC that dividing line is a little clearer.

julia said it well but there is a good amount of crime in certain places but in the main part of dc it is fine

Well The school system are poor, Im not even going to lie to you, there in the process of trying to close down 23 school in DC, the crime rate is high but you have your good and bad areas of DC, the cost of living is way too much unless your in the hood somewhere! But by you being in a Military family you might be leaving on base i guess??