DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

I've been out of college for nearly 2 years now and have decided I'm ready to relocate. After considering many possible cities DC/N.Virginia/Maryland & Minneapolis/St.Paul are my two finalists. I've weighed a lot of the pros & cons of each area and they're very close in my mind. Some of the bigger factors in my decision are:

-I have friends in both areas, but my college roomate and my sister (who knows lots of people) live in the DC area.
-DC has a much higher cost of living. I will probably be renting for 6 months to a year and than buying a condo. Rent in the DC area appears to be around twice as much as Minny. It also looks like it may be pretty tough to find anything in DC for under 200K.
-Salaries look to be pretty similar giving me a lot more purchasing power in Minny.
-I really enjoy live Go Fish. Canterbury is 20 minutes away from Minny. Atlantic City is 3 1/2 hours from DC.
-My girlfriend (who is long distance now) would probably move to DC if I did. There's no way she's moving to Minny.
-I like snow and cold and don't like it when it gets much hotter than 90 degrees.
-Jobs seem to be a non-issue with my work experience, I shouldn't have a hard time finding one in most cities.

I'm not looking for anybody to weigh the above factors for me, I've already done that. Instead, what factors am I missing? Tell me a thing or two about your city I haven't considered that may sway my decision.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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It also looks like it may be pretty tough to find anything in DC for under 200K.


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That's the understatement of the year. Try more like 250-300k (plus) for a one bedroom condo (in some cases studio) anywhere you want to live.

Jeff

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

How serious are you about the gf?

Other than that point, it seems like you've already made up your mind.

-d

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

well, I near DC and I like it. Of course I don't in the city.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

Theres lots of cool 2p2ers in minneapolis.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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-I like snow and cold and don't like it when it gets much hotter than 90 degrees.

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>90 degree days don't happen often in DC, although the humidity can be bad. It also gets pretty cold in the winter and snows quite a bit. Maybe not as much as MN, but I don't think the difference is huge, so unless this factor is really important to you I wouldn't think much about it.

Another pro for DC is that you're close enough to other major cities like New York and Baltimore to drive there and back in a day if you wanted to. I don't know of any other cities near Minneapolis that you could visit if you got bored. Also in DC you're close to a number of good Atlantic beaches.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

I like the atmosphere of DC, and being on the East Coast is just my preference. But, unless you are in love with your girlfriend, it looks like you have made up your mind already.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

I don't know what DC has to offer so its kind of hard to compare the two. But the Twin Cities have a lot to offer. Great parks and lakes in the city. Pretty good live music scene. NFL, NBA, NHL, and (indoor)MLB teams. The traffic in the Twin Cities is probably better than that in DC. Good healthcare available. Lots of new condo devlopment. Canterbury games are soft. Minnesota is a fairly progressive state and has fairly high taxes. No buying liquor on Sundays. Lots of tall blondes. Lots of mosquitoes in the summer. The Twin Cities are kind of off by themselves, Chicago is the closest major city at about a 6 hour drive.

Were there anymore specific things you were looking for in a city?

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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I'm not looking for anybody to weigh the above factors for me, I've already done that. Instead, what factors am I missing? Tell me a thing or two about your city I haven't considered that may sway my decision.

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Minneapolis has a lot more live theatre and music than you might expect. Lots of small independent theatres and bars that book shows. The cold does not stop anyone.

But, man, it is cold. I know you said that you are interested in factors you have not weighed already, but have you ever been to the Twin Cities in February? Ever experienced a week straight of -20 degrees F?

It's not just the intensity, either, it's the duration. The first snow is usually October. The last one in April.

And it's not as if you are escaping 90 degree heat in the summer. It's hot and humid on the plains in summer.

That said, I enjoyed the Twin Cities. You can have a good time there.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

Odd the company I work for has two offices...Outside Dc (Fairfax) and Minnaepolis. But whatever..

I cant speak for MN, but my vote would go for DC.. But since I dont know much more about what you actually want, dont know if I can help. PM if you have spefic questions. But without knowing your job and goals and crap...Its hard to say..

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

Can't speak for MN, but if you like the ratrace, DC/NOVA is the place to be. Only to be surpassed by NYC.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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-I like snow and cold and don't like it when it gets much hotter than 90 degrees.

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>90 degree days don't happen often in DC,

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What? That's like every other day from May/June to August/September.

-d

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

You're more likely to get killed by terrorists in DC. (You asked for factors you hadn't considered.)

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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-I like snow and cold and don't like it when it gets much hotter than 90 degrees.

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>90 degree days don't happen often in DC,

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What? That's like every other day from May/June to August/September.

-d

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According to CityRating.com , the average temperature is only 75.6 in the hottest month, and only above 90 degrees 29 days per year, and I doubt very many of those days are higher than 95.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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After considering many possible cities DC/N.Virginia/Maryland & Minneapolis/St.Paul are my two finalists.

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Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

I live in NoVa. I pay $1000 for a 600 sq ft apt. I got effed because I had 2 days to find an apt when I moved here but that's not totally out of line here. There are a lot of 2p2ers in DC but there's no "real" live [censored]. DC does not get that cold, it doesn't snow until January and stops in March (I went to school in upstate NY so that is a mild winter to me). Summers, it's above 90 from June to October.

Don't know what you wnat in a social life, but unless you're an uptight wannabe politician DC probably doesn't have it. I wouldn't recommend this city to my worst enemy.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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-I like snow and cold and don't like it when it gets much hotter than 90 degrees.

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>90 degree days don't happen often in DC,

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What? That's like every other day from May/June to August/September.

-d

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According to CityRating.com , the average temperature is only 75.6 in the hottest month, and only above 90 degrees 29 days per year, and I doubt very many of those days are higher than 95.

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29 days per year? That's a third of your summer. I wouldn't call that "not happening very often".

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

Thanks everybody for your responses. I will try to touch on all your comments and questions in one post.

Many of you commented on the GF being the only thing keeping me from moving to Minny. Yes, she is a factor but my sister and old roomate are bigger influences. I have some friends in Minnesota, however moving to DC were I have 2 people I'm close with is important.

What general factors was I looking for in a new city that I did not mention?
-Fairly large city
-Somewhere were I already had friends
-Lots of young people (I'm 25)
-Sports (Profesional to watch & rec leagues to play in)
-Fairly Clean (I was amazed by the cleanliness of DC's Metro)
-Low crime for a big city (I haven't seen any of the sketchier parts of DC but I'm sure they exist. Do you DC residents feel safe in most areas?)
-Low cost of living compared to income (I know DC dosen't really fit this factor)
-I'm not really a club person, much bigger fan of brewpubs/smaller dive bar type places. I went to the RFD after a Capitols game and loved it. Really looking forward to going to Town Hall in Minnesota.

Some questions after reading your replies:
-A couple of people mentioned Minnesota's music scene. This is a big plus. I'm a big fan of going to smaller clubs and seeing unknown bands, can anybody comment on DC's music scene?
-Minnesota's winters won't be a problem for me. I went to school for 5 years in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, so I know all about long cold winters.
-I hadn't thought about proximity to big cities. This is a plus for DC. However I can drive from Minny to my college, which I do still visit from time to time.
-Some asked about my career goals. I have an accounting/finance degree and nearly 2 years experience with a large leasing company. I'm not exactlly sure what I want to do, but this should open a lot of doors for me in accounting, leasing or banking.
-As for the GF. We've had a good relationship and have been through a lot. I don't think either one of us are ready to end it, moving to Minnesota may do that.

Two additional questions:
DC Residents-I'm pretty apathetic about politics. How much does it come up in your day to day life? Will I be able to live without really caring about politics?

Minnesota residents-Do any of you own condos? It looks like I should be able to find a decent 1 bedroom for around 180k. Does this sound about right?

Thanks again to everybody who took the time to read and reply.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

For DC:

-Fairly large city
Check

-Somewhere were I already had friends
Check

-Lots of young people (I'm 25)
Check

-Sports (Profesional to watch & rec leagues to play in)
Check

-Fairly Clean (I was amazed by the cleanliness of DC's Metro)
Check

-Low crime for a big city (I haven't seen any of the sketchier parts of DC but I'm sure they exist. Do you DC residents feel safe in most areas?)
I have never felt unsafe. I haven't been to the absolute worst parts but I end up in bad areas at night and never feel out of place. You just know how to handle yourself and not be stupid.

-Low cost of living compared to income (I know DC dosen't really fit this factor)
Nope


Some questions after reading your replies:
-A couple of people mentioned Minnesota's music scene. This is a big plus. I'm a big fan of going to smaller clubs and seeing unknown bands, can anybody comment on DC's music scene?
DC gets pretty much any band on tour. There are really only two places for smaller shows: 9:30 club which gets mid-range stuff (http://www.930.com) and Black Cat which gets really small and local bands.

-I hadn't thought about proximity to big cities. This is a plus for DC. However I can drive from Minny to my college, which I do still visit from time to time.
DC is awesome for this. Chinatown bus is $35 roundtrip to NYC. Baltimore is 1 hour although I don't know why you'd go there. The beaches in the summer in the area are great also.


DC Residents-I'm pretty apathetic about politics. How much does it come up in your day to day life? Will I be able to live without really caring about politics?
Never. Yes.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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Don't know what you wnat in a social life, but unless you're an uptight wannabe politician DC probably doesn't have it.

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I go out quite often in DC, (I live in MD), I hate politics, and dont understand why you would think the social life revolves around politics? The night life is great in DC. The only thing I would have to say is the places could stay open later into the night.

Georgetown has plenty of bars, restaurants and places to go out to. If you dont like the "psuedo-upscale" places on M-street, go to Mid-town or Adams Morgan. If these places dont suite your need, Alrington (just outside DC) has pretty much anything you want. There are plenty of college grads living in and around Arlington, with plenty of bars for every type of fancy.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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I go out quite often in DC, (I live in MD), I hate politics, and dont understand why you would think the social life revolves around politics? The night life is great in DC. The only thing I would have to say is the places could stay open later into the night.

Georgetown has plenty of bars, restaurants and places to go out to. If you dont like the "psuedo-upscale" places on M-street, go to Mid-town or Adams Morgan. If these places dont suite your need, Alrington (just outside DC) has pretty much anything you want. There are plenty of college grads living in and around Arlington, with plenty of bars for every type of fancy.

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The only non-pool hall place I really like is The Black Cat and it can even be hit or miss. If you know anything else like Black Cat (doesn't need live music, just the same clientele and feel) though, I'm all ears.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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-Minnesota's winters won't be a problem for me. I went to school for 5 years in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, so I know all about long cold winters.

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Tech or NMU? Either way, winter in Da UP is NOT equal to winter in Minneapolis. I spent 5 years at Tech. Yeah, it snows every damn day, but it never gets particularlly cold. And when it does, it doesn't last.

I've been in Minneapolis now for 9 years. It's pretty common to have a week go by in Minn where it doesn't get above -10 or -20. It sucks the life out of you.

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Minnesota residents-Do any of you own condos? It looks like I should be able to find a decent 1 bedroom for around 180k. Does this sound about right?

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That's about what I paid for my townhouse.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

What kind of atmosphere are you looking for? Bar? Pub? Live Music?

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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What kind of atmosphere are you looking for? Bar? Pub? Live Music?

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The only non-pool hall place I really like is The Black Cat and it can even be hit or miss. If you know anything else like Black Cat (doesn't need live music, just the same clientele and feel) though, I'm all ears.

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Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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-Minnesota's winters won't be a problem for me. I went to school for 5 years in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, so I know all about long cold winters.

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Tech or NMU? Either way, winter in Da UP is NOT equal to winter in Minneapolis. I spent 5 years at Tech. Yeah, it snows every damn day, but it never gets particularlly cold. And when it does, it doesn't last.

I've been in Minneapolis now for 9 years. It's pretty common to have a week go by in Minn where it doesn't get above -10 or -20. It sucks the life out of you.

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NMU, my last winter up their the avg Jan & Feb tempature was a shade under 0 F. Sounds like Minn gets colder, but I don't think the adjustment for me will be as big as for others.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

With that description I dont think I am much help. Ive never been to The Black Cat but judging from their website its a alternative band style club. Claredon Ballroom has some live and non-live music with a good variety. Plus they have a deck upstairs on the roof thats good to great to get away from the loud music. The cover bands here play mostly mainstream rock/pop. CLaredon Grill is good for bands and dj's alike. In the winter they have an outside area with space heaters on the ceiling.

If you havent been to Adams Morgan there is pretty much a place for any type of person. Theres a lot of different cultural bars in this area.

Sorry If I am of no help to you.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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This is a plus for DC.

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Huge plus for DC. New York, Baltimore, Philly, AC, Research Triangle, all within 250 miles. That radius from Twin Cities gets you to Iowa City or Madison.

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Baltimore is 1 hour although I don't know why you'd go there.

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The answer used to be baseball at Camden Yards.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

you cannot compare the music scenes of the two, regardless of taste, dc will have more of what you want. if you like non mainstream music, this is even more true. read the washington post online for an idea of the options.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

Avg high in June is 85. July, 89. August, 87.

-d

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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can anybody comment on DC's music scene?

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Do you like go-go?

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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can anybody comment on DC's music scene?

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Do you like go-go?

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Does anyone outside DC even use this term?

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

I have lived In Nova for ten years now, and I go to Gtown right now, which is the prototype of an area that is to expensive in terms of everything. I think Northern Virginia is a great place to live for a family, but not as a young couple. DC can be okay, but it is expensive, and there is apparently tons of young, successful single people under 30 in the area, it won some award recently in some magazine for that. So, yea, for me Nova has been great, plus Minneapolis blows. The nationals are in town too.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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can anybody comment on DC's music scene?

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Do you like go-go?

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Does anyone outside DC even use this term?

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I don't think so.

Re: DC & Minneapolis residents please help
 

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can anybody comment on DC's music scene?

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Do you like go-go?

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Does anyone outside DC even use this term?

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I don't think so.

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Yeah I didnt even realize go-go was only a DC thing until a few years ago.