What is a good suburb of Washington D.C. to live?

What is best for you?

If by "best" you mean wealthiest, then you'll want to look along the Potomac River to the northwest of the city. Bethesda, Potomac and McLean are the prime addresses outside the District itself.

If by "best" you mean most affordable, then you'll want to look in Prince George's County, which is the only place where you'll be able to find an inexpensive home that doesn't require you to live so far away that the gas and car insurance bills outweigh the savings in house price.

If by "best" you mean best schools for your kids, then Montgomery, Fairfax and Arlington Counties are easily the places to be.

If by "best" you mean a good nightlife with good connections to the city, then Arlington, Alexandria, Bethesda or Silver Spring are your best bets.

If by "best" you mean most safe, then Arlington is the best combination of low crime and low traffic danger (statistics show that most outer suburbs are more dangerous than inner cities due to their high incidence of car crashes).

If by "best" you mean least traffic congestion, then for god's sake, live in the District itself where everything is walkable and there's a good Metro, so you don't have to drive at all.

Tell us what you mean by "best" and we'll clarify for you.

Oh, and Severna Park would be a terrible choice. It's a Baltimore suburb, not a Washington suburb. The absolute worst of all worlds. If you're happy with a commute that long (I wouldn't be), go west or northwest of DC and avoid the hassle of dealing with two major metropolitan areas instead of just one.

I have lived in both the Virginia and Maryland suburbs and have moved around a bit over the past 24 years - so I think I know the area somewhat.

First, Virginia is nicer/safer than Maryland.

Second, Virginia is also more expensive than Maryland.

Third, you have to decide where you will be working. The commute in and around the DC area can be problematic. So, try to determine where you will be working and how far of a commute it will be from your residence. Also, determine if public transportation is available to and from work.

The area with the worst reputation for crime in Prince Georges County Maryland. There are some pockets of decent living areas in "PG County", but they are iffy.

You should consider homes near the Metro stations that surround the city. Gaithersburg, for instance, and Derwood are both within a very short commute from the subway and offer safe, decent housing of a variety of styles.

Go to Realtor.com and check out what is available. Apartments.com will give you rental listings. Check Gaithersburg, Derwood, Germantown, Rockville and Frederick. Bethesda is pricey, but a great town.

Bethesda is nice, but can be expensive. I have a friend who lives in Rockville and works in DC, and he likes it. You may also consider Silver Spring and Takoma Park. If you're very lefty, you will love Takoma Park. I've heard good things about Mount Rainier, MD, too.

In Virginia, your best bet is Arlington, Alexandria, or Falls Church.

But I actually like living in the District.

IF YOU DONT WANT ANYTHING MORE THAN A 30 MINUTE RIDE TO WORK I WOULD SAY VA. THE ARLINGTON AREA IS KINDA STEEP BUT YOU GET YOUR MONEY'S WORTH FAIFAX IS NICE BUT A LITTLE FURTHER THAN ROSSYLN WHICH IS RIGHT AT THE BRIDGE. MARYLAND IS KINDA JACKED IN THE PG AREA IVE LIVED THERE FOR YEARS AND THE CRIME RATES ARE BAD. MONTGOMERY COUNTY IS THE BEST PLACE TO LOOK IN MARY LAND SILVER SPRING IS CHEAP BUT NICE IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION ROCKVILLE TOO. REALLY JUST LOOK FOR A NICE CITY. NEIBORHOODS ARE DIFFERENT FOR SOME PEOPLE BUT THE AVERAGE PERSON WOULD ENJOY THE AREA.

There's a town just outside Annapolis called Severna Park. it is a very nice place to live. mostly just rich white people and their kids. Pat Sajak has a house here. (wheel of fortune guy)

i'm 13 and live in severna park and love it it is great for all ages

and yeah alot of times i see pat sajack in safeway

GREAT PLACE!!

not to far away!