Washington DC is the capital of the United States of America. As the capital city of the most powerful country in the world, one might expect it to be a brilliant place to live. It is certainly expensive... but living in Washington DC is far from what some expats might believe it to be. There are many aspects of the city which suggest that it is not the best location to covet in a country as diverse as the USA. After all, it was built midway between the North and South... and, in consequence, lacks the perks of either.
First of all, the city is known for its crime rates. In the 1990s it became infamous as the murder capital: it had the highest homicide rate (472 murders in 365 days) across America. This has reduced drastically as the years have progressed. As of 2011, only 108 murders were committed. This number is still very high though, and reinforces the main reason why many choose to live in the suburbs, rather than braving the eastern districts of the city, where crime seems to be concentrated. Settling in Washington with a family seems fairly daunting given these statistics... However, the main form of crime is still property crime. With a limited amount of housing in affluent areas, and a very limited amount of affordable housing - Washington remains one of the most expensive places in America in terms of real estate - this is not surprising. The city seems unable to combat this, and new cases are reported on a daily basis.
Although the obvious solution does seem to be to live in the suburbs, other problems are then encountered. Firstly, a car becomes more necessary. Yet, given the terrible traffic situation within the city, owning a vehicle is both expensive and thoroughly time consuming: hours are spent in traffic jams during peak times. As a result, most residents prefer to travel via public transport. If you choose to settle in a suburb of the capital, then, make sure it is well served by the metro or the bus. Otherwise, you might find yourself suffering unforeseen hours away from home. Another problem of living outside of the main city is that children will not be eligible for Washingtons public schools. The fees for private schools remain extremely high, so unless you are sure you can afford this, ensure that you will be in the catchment area for schools in Virginia or Maryland (Washingtons neighboring states). In reality, Washingtons public schools have some of the worst achievement rates in the country, especially in proportion to the amount of money they spend. Your children will not be missing much if they are unable to attend these educational establishments when you are living in Washington DC!
Of course, there are numerous benefits to living in the capital of the USA. There are plenty of culturally enriching venues, and world famous monuments are so plentiful that it even becomes excessive! The economic outlook of the city is very positive, although finding a job in Washington will most probably be directly related to whether or not you are working for the federal government. The city is becoming more popular amongst companies unrelated to politics, but this does not change the fact that most families living in Washington are there because they have a family member employed by the government. This, at least, ensures a high presence of fellow expats. Check out the InterNations website to discover Washington DC's local expat community, and meet others in your position.
