Help! best places to live

[Proverbs 16:3]

Alright, i was in baltimore and it's not like philly so i can't tell which place is a good area. I've heard of several areas: charles village, federal Hill, midtown, Mt Vernon, canton, Parkville, i'm also looking at a property at ednor gardens.

It's very confusing. Yes i live in philly which is high crime but i live dowtown which is very safe so i'm a little oblivious to the crime in this city since they do a good job keeping it out of center city. Anyway, i've heard horror stories about baltimore. People tell me that it's worse than the worse parts of philly.

I'm trying to decide on where to live. I'm a city girl, but i can live i the burbs as well. No, i do not like sketchy areas. You're likely to find me walking outside at 1am in philly and so i need somewhere safe. Oh, i don't think i'll be walking around at 1am in baltimore but i still need a safe neighborhood.

Anyway, which area would you guys suggest is good for me to live? which places are safe? i don't want a place where everyone in the neighborhood has been mugged or had their house broken into. If you need my stats to fit me somwhere, I'm a new grad, single, female, no kids, not pets. I don't want an isolated area; i like a place with movie theaters and stuff to do. i really need to make a decision fast. I saw one place in Ednor gardens i think i like, does anyone have info on the area?

For those of you who live in baltimore or the surrounding burbs, or if you've ever lived there, please share your opinions, good or bad, i'd love to hear them.

thx

[Jules A, MSN]

It will depend on how much you want to spend and also where you are working because the beltway can really add time to a commute depending on when/where you are headed.

For city living I really liked Federal Hill and Locust Point but they are expensive. Fells Point is pretty happening and Hampden might be a cheaper alternative if you want a city type setting.

As for the burbs one of my favorite places was White Marsh. Good location, has plenty of shopping etc. and isn't nearly as congested as Towson. Columbia is nice also but I wouldn't want to do too much of a commute from that side of the beltway during prime time.

Those are just the places I have experience with and please don't be too scared. Imo a majority of the crime in Balto., like Philly, is concentrated in a few areas and if you are reasonably sensible you should be fine, knock wood.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

the thing about baltimore is you have a nice area in the city just a block away from a sort of sketchy area -- so if you're planning to live in the city, plan on not walking around at 1am. my husband and i looked at fells point and canton but ended up outside the beltway in north anne arundel county near the water. i'm so happy that we did. it's a 30-40 minute commute in to work, but we feel safe walking the dog at 1am, and leave the front door unlocked while we're doing so. plus, our townhouse is much wider than the row houses in the city, our neighbors are friendly and we can go swimming and keep our 37 foot sailboat in the creek out back..

a friend of mine is moving up from florida to work at towson and did a lot of research on apartments. she chose cockeysville. i went with her to look at apartments, and she got a really nice 2 br apartment in a nice development for under $1000/mo. she's near starbucks, restaurants, bars, shopping, etc. and is just a short distance from her work. she looked at white marsh but thought it was too expensive.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

I realize you posted this on the Maryland Forum, but did you ever think about moving to California? LA has cleaned up a lot. The area where I live (Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley) is suburban and you can walk around safely. Plus, there is the 1:4 nurse patient ratio law in effect so RNs are needed out here, especially in this area. And, we never get snow, at least in this part of California. Want to be by the beach, go down to Orange County just an hour away. And, Las Vegas is only 4 hours away (3 1/2 hours if your drive faster!).

[Jules A, MSN]

I realize you posted this on the Maryland Forum, but did you ever think about moving to California? LA has cleaned up a lot. The area where I live (Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley) is suburban and you can walk around safely. Plus, there is the 1:4 nurse patient ratio law in effect so RNs are needed out here, especially in this area. And, we never get snow, at least in this part of California. Want to be by the beach, go down to Orange County just an hour away. And, Las Vegas is only 4 hours away (3 1/2 hours if your drive faster!).

Daytonite you make it sound so nice I'm thinking about CA! Only problem is your real estate prices. I don't think I could afford to buy a house.

[shamus]

I would pick Charles Village. The area is relatively safe and you have a nice little grocery store, movie rentals and several pubs/restaurants to pick from. I would pick an apartment that is not on the first floor for safety, but the neighborhood is relatively safe compared to most areas of Baltimore. You will find a nice mix of people. A lot of college kids though because Hopkins is there. Union Memorial is right there as well you could just walk to work.

[Jules A, MSN]

but ended up outside the beltway in north anne arundel county near the water. i'm so happy that we did. it's a 30-40 minute commute in to work, but we feel safe walking the dog at 1am, and leave the front door unlocked while we're doing so. plus, our townhouse is much wider than the row houses in the city, our neighbors are friendly and we can go swimming and keep our 37 foot sailboat in the creek out back..

sounds fabulous but i'm betting expensive.

[Proverbs 16:3]

Thanks y'all. i really appreciate your input.

I'll either be working at mercy or hopkins, if God permits.

I was thinking about the high rise by mercy where they have the superfresh on the first floor. It's pretty darn expensive but i'm not sure how the area is like.

Also, I found a really nice place 3 blocks from hopkins. I'm not sure the name of the area around hopkins.

do you guys think both places are safe? I don't keep a car here in philly because it costs about $300 a month to park. I used to keep a car back in the midwest and i plan to get one when i get to baltimore because your public transit doesn't seem to be as extensive as the one we have here in philly.

Anyway, I'm still open to all suggestions so please you guys, help!

And to the other poster, can you tell me which hospitals in CA need GNs? just give me the name and i'll apply.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

and to the other poster, can you tell me which hospitals in ca need gns? just give me the name and i'll apply.

pasadena medical center, methodist hospital in arcadia, city of hope in duarte (a cancer hospital). if you want to go to one of the biggie teaching centers they are always in need of nurses: usc/la county, ucla medical center, mount sinai. new grads are called ips (interim permitees in california until they pass the nclex and get their license.)

daytonite you make it sound so nice i'm thinking about ca! only problem is your real estate prices. i don't think i could afford to buy a house.

but the wages are also high.

[Jules A, MSN]

Thanks y'all. i really appreciate your input.

I'll either be working at mercy or hopkins, if God permits.

I was thinking about the high rise by mercy where they have the superfresh on the first floor. It's pretty darn expensive but i'm not sure how the area is like.

Also, I found a really nice place 3 blocks from hopkins. I'm not sure the name of the area around hopkins.

do you guys think both places are safe? I don't keep a car here in philly because it costs about $300 a month to park. I used to keep a car back in the midwest and i plan to get one when i get to baltimore because your public transit doesn't seem to be as extensive as the one we have here in philly.

Anyway, I'm still open to all suggestions so please you guys, help!

And to the other poster, can you tell me which hospitals in CA need GNs? just give me the name and i'll apply.

Hopkins Hospital? Even I'm not real cool with that area but if mean Hopkins school thats a whole different story. When I first moved to Balto. I was in one of the three highrises at the corner of Saratoga and Charles Street and loved it but parking was a bummer. There used to be an independent garage over there that was cheaper than the apartment's garage. Good luck.

[zahryia, LPN]

Thanks y'all. i really appreciate your input.

I'll either be working at mercy or hopkins, if God permits.

I was thinking about the high rise by mercy where they have the superfresh on the first floor. It's pretty darn expensive but i'm not sure how the area is like.

Also, I found a really nice place 3 blocks from hopkins. I'm not sure the name of the area around hopkins.

do you guys think both places are safe? I don't keep a car here in philly because it costs about $300 a month to park. I used to keep a car back in the midwest and i plan to get one when i get to baltimore because your public transit doesn't seem to be as extensive as the one we have here in philly.

Anyway, I'm still open to all suggestions so please you guys, help!

And to the other poster, can you tell me which hospitals in CA need GNs? just give me the name and i'll apply.

I used to live there! I had a decent experience living there, although management was extremely nasty. If you plan on having a car, I wouldn't do it, because the parking fees are atrocious.

Also, that area of downtown is a little boring in the evening....at least when I lived there four, five years ago. So, if you wantto hang out in other neighborhoods, you would probably need a car BUT it's so convenient to Mercy (about a three-minute walk) and a shuttle takes you to Hopkins hospital and the supermarket/food court is right there.

I would probably pick either Towson, Fells Point or Mount Vernon.

• Towson is a nice mix of surburbia, college students, safety, restaurants and shopping. Assuming you're driving, you should'nt have a bad commute with either Hopkins or Mercy. You could take either the local route or Interstate 83 and will get to either place within 20 to 30 minutes.
  
• Fells Point. Honestly, I don't know too much about this neighborhood, except what I've heard which is a good nightlife and single people. Very convenient to Hopkins. Within 30 minutes to Mercy.
  
• Mount Vernon is not too far from the high rise you're considering and the nightlife is better and it's pretty safe and has a lot of character. Parking is a pain though. Within 10 to 15 minutes of Mercy and maybe 15 to 25 minutes of Hopkins.

If your primary concern is safety, I'd probably pick Towson. Good luck!

[*ac*]

There was a piece on the news tonight about murders in Federal Hill. There've been two in 2 days.

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/16678765/detail.html

The area around Hopkins does not have a good reputation crime-wise either.