I have a potential job opportunity in Laurel, and was wondering whether to even bother pursuing it.

Just how bad is the cost of living, taxes, and gun laws in that area?

Should I commute from Virginia?

Thanks...

Gun laws suck, in general. Worst problem I see is restricted handgun manufacturers / models due to "safetly" laws and our 'approved' list, 'restricted' firearms like AK's and AR's are in their own (handgun-like) catagory, no 30 round mags through the mail, even though they're now dirt cheap and almost the only thing around for some guns. Class III is reasonable friendly - ask a specific question.

Cost of living is comparable to metro Virginia, high. Dunno how that compares to TX.

Laurel isn't too bad, was 'townish', getting pretty urban anymore, but has nice areas and some seedy spots too. Convenient to lots of things, half hour from DC, half hour from Baltimore, couple hours to the mountains, couple hours to the Ocean (hon). Long-ass way to TX.

Commuting from VA will drive you crazy, literally. I would think that from anyplace on the VA side is a 45 minute run, minimum, to Laurel, even with moderate traffic. How bad traffic is depends on what you're used to. If you live AND work in Laurel, not so bad, if you have to drive any distance during 'rush hour(s)', it can take way long.

"Worth pursueing?" I'll put it to you this way: Were I in Texas, Maryland would not occur to me in any way.

For a broader, perhaps less cynical perspective, look waay down the hometown forum here, or, search for "moving to MD" and similar phrases - these questions get asked a lot.

MD born and bred here who managed to escape for 15 years to Virginia and have now been forced to return here.  

Run.....far away from Laurel.  I teach in the county and I can tell you that it is a rat infested cesspool.  With the gentrification of DC, PG County is becoming a haven for all of the low lifes driven from the district.

PG County has a murder rate comparable to DC, is the car jacking and theft capital of the state.

Commute from VA is nigh impossible.......

I agree with eshell.....stay in the United States and far away from MD.

Would be nice if my fucking industry (pharma/med devices) existed in some RED states, for Christ's sake.

Oh, and if you think Laurel is a shithole, come down to Laredo sometime.

Sigh. Well, maybe I'll go interview, just for the hell of it.

I hear that PA (around Philly) has a lot of pharma industry (FWIW) . . . I'm thinking of relocating there in a few years after I pad my resume here some more . . .

Zaphod,

I'm going to completely contradict myself now......

If you're unattached to too much family responsibility and look at this as a transitional position....it may just be worth it, career wise.  The salaries here are relatively high (of course so is the housing cost) and work with a good company may enhance your career as it progresses (hopefully to a free state).

There are a surprising number of active shooters here and, though the ranges are sometimes less than ideal, there are a pretty fair number of places to shoot near Laurel.

That being said......if you can find a comparable job somewhere else, do it.

Quoted: I hear that PA (around Philly) has a lot of pharma industry (FWIW) . . . I'm thinking of relocating there in a few years after I pad my resume here some more . . .

Might just be me, but I sure don't see Philly as a step up . . . maybe just marginal (and temporary?) relief from the oppressive firearms legislation here . . . but socially, economically, environmentally . . . not IMO.

Don't try to drive from VA!  You will sit in traffic for a long time unless you get to and leave work very early or very late compared to rush hour.


There are plenty of places to live in MD to commute to laurel in a reasonable time.  

According to MapQuest, McLean, VA to Laurel is 38 minutes.

Now, I went to USNA, so I've seen the beltway at rush hour. Call it an hour.

That's no worse than what I was doing in Miami or here in Texas crossing the border every day.

Now, this is all predicated on my being able to live in McLean, which I just don't see, based on what I know.

I don't plan on retiring to Maryland, but I would like to settle down for at least five years.

Quoted: According to MapQuest, McLean, VA to Laurel is 38 minutes. Now, I went to USNA, so I've seen the beltway at rush hour. Call it an hour. That's no worse than what I was doing in Miami or here in Texas crossing the border every day. Now, this is all predicated on my being able to live in McLean, which I just don't see, based on what I know. I don't plan on retiring to Maryland, but I would like to settle down for at least five years.

I doubt that you could consistently do it in a hour.  It sometimes takes me 45-50 minutes to make the drive from Greenbelt to Wheaton to go to the music store.  The top end of the beltway and the Veterans Bridge are FUBAR most days.

Quoted: "Worth pursueing?" I'll put it to you this way: Were I in Texas, Maryland would not occur to me in any way.

eshell pretty much summed it up with this one simple sentence.

Quoted: According to MapQuest, McLean, VA to Laurel is 38 minutes. Now, I went to USNA, so I've seen the beltway at rush hour. Call it an hour.

How long have you been away?

Quoted: Quoted: According to MapQuest, McLean, VA to Laurel is 38 minutes. Now, I went to USNA, so I've seen the beltway at rush hour. Call it an hour. How long have you been away?

Since 1991.

If I were you I would not do it. That being said, I think MD gets most of its horrible rep from Baltimore City, PG , and Montgomery county. I saw a RED/BLUE map broken down by counties, and its really only those aforementioned Blue areas that have a stranglehold on MD. Almost all of the other counties are red. MD also has the highest per capita number of Title 2 owners of any state, and CLEO signoffs are automatic.. Ranges are few and far between.
If you do decide that MD is a place you need to go for now, I would recommend Anne Arundel County. I live in southern AA co, and there is some beautiful country out here. Its not a bad commute to Laurel, and you will be saved from some of the lunacy that permiates other parts of MD. Real estate prices, like the rest of populated MD, are fairly high as well. And being a USNA guy, you probably know the area.
Good luck, and if you decide to come here, its not the worst place in the world, but I would avoid it if you can. Oh, and BTW, others may have metioned this....You like CCW? not a chance here.
HTH
John F.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: According to MapQuest, McLean, VA to Laurel is 38 minutes. Now, I went to USNA, so I've seen the beltway at rush hour. Call it an hour. How long have you been away? Since 1991.

Figured it's been a while.  I used to commute from north of Baltimore to Springfield, VA in about 70 minutes back in 94-95.  Had to be at work at 7am, i left the house at 5:45.   Not a chance in hell of doing that now.

I used to live in Laurel.  ALthough it wasn't that bad then, PG County's outer edges are becoming just as bad as those inside the beltway.  

So if I had to choose between Laurel and Milwaukee, you guys would escape to Wisconsin?

Quoted: So if I had to choose between Laurel and Milwaukee, you guys would escape to Wisconsin?

Although I don't know anything about Wisconsin.  I can tell you that I have lived in MD since '94.  I am in the process of having a house built in WV because I am TERRIFIED knowing that Martin O'Malley or Doug Duncan will be the next governor of Maryland.  These guys make Dianne Feinstein look like a staunch 2nd amendment supporter.  

Can Erlich win again?  Maybe but I doubt it.  God help MD if he doesn't

Quoted: Can Erlich win again?  Maybe but I doubt it.  God help MD if he doesn't

Ditto.....Duncan and O'Malley will pay us back in spades for the embarrassment that we've bestowed upon them the last couple of years.

Zap

Good advice from most but I feel I am the expert on this subject because I just moved from Laurel in August. My wife and I live there for 7 years. I lived basiclly in the center of Laurel behind the Best Buy which is about a 1/2 mile from Laurel Mall.

If you are planning on just working in Laurel it is fine. I don't know if I would want to commute from VA. The money would have to be very good.

As far as living there or most places inside the beltway, let me tell you what as occured in the seven years I have lived there.

Year 1.....A Rapist had struck two times in the area behind the Best Buy, where I lived.
Year 2-3 nothing that I can remember, other than a few car break ins. Kid stuff
Year 4.... A local Latino walking home from the mall after work was chased down by a 10 to 15 black youths and beaten to death. Kicked to death actually 1 block from his apt. The kids attended Laurel High school which is up the road about a mile. One of the few that were charged was LHS's star football player.
Year 5.... Teenage kid not 2 blocks from my condo was shot and killed as he answered the door. It had something to do with drugs, though the childs parents say he was a good kid.
Year 6.... A dead Latino was found floating in Laurel Lakes which is right next to the mall. What was said in the police blotter was that he was trying to escape 2 other men and jumped into the lake and drown. Drug related.
Year 7 nothing to major. Kid stuff mostly.

Now I have friends that live in Laurel but on the Howard County side. Much better area but one is having trouble selling is house. I think it is because he has a Laurel address.

Work there OK for the right money
Live in or near HELL NO.....and that is coming from somebody who lived there for 7 years.

Quoted: Zap Good advice from most but I feel I am the expert on this subject because I just moved from Laurel in August. My wife and I live there for 7 years. I lived basiclly in the center of Laurel behind the Best Buy which is about a 1/2 mile from Laurel Mall. If you are planning on just working in Laurel it is fine. I don't know if I would want to commute from VA. The money would have to be very good. As far as living there or most places inside the beltway, let me tell you what as occured in the seven years I have lived there. Year 1.....A Rapist had struck two times in the area behind the Best Buy, where I lived. Year 2-3 nothing that I can remember, other than a few car break ins. Kid stuff Year 4.... A local Latino walking home from the mall after work was chased down by a 10 to 15 black youths and beaten to death. Kicked to death actually 1 block from his apt. The kids attended Laurel High school which is up the road about a mile. One of the few that were charged was LHS's star football player. Year 5.... Teenage kid not 2 blocks from my condo was shot and killed as he answered the door. It had something to do with drugs, though the childs parents say he was a good kid. Year 6.... A dead Latino was found floating in Laurel Lakes which is right next to the mall. What was said in the police blotter was that he was trying to escape 2 other men and jumped into the lake and drown. Drug related. Year 7 nothing to major. Kid stuff mostly. Now I have friends that live in Laurel but on the Howard County side. Much better area but one is having trouble selling is house. I think it is because he has a Laurel address. Work there OK for the right money Live in or near HELL NO.....and that is coming from somebody who lived there for 7 years.

Wow, I wasn't living too far from you.  I lived in the Arbory townhouses over on Van Dusen and 198.  

Wisconsin is starting to look pretty good, huh?

Quoted: According to MapQuest, McLean, VA to Laurel is 38 minutes.

BWAAAAHAHAHHA!!! Maybe as the crows fly or if you have to wait in line for 38 minutes to beam over there from the Starship Enterprise. Or if you're leaving the house at 3am to go to work...



Considering a job in MD... well coming from TX I would say your in for a bit of a culture shock. The guns laws probably aren't as brutal as some make it seem. Definitely forget about CCW and buying hi-cap mags. Beyond that the mandatory internal gun locks thing has more or less been taken care of.


Jobs might be more plentiful here for .mil contracting and the likes, but the cost of living really blows. Property taxes, sales tax, and prices for homes are ridiculously over inflated. So unless you're coming into a job making quite a bit more than what you're making in TX it might not be worth it.

Quoted: Wisconsin is starting to look pretty good, huh?

No kidding.

You guys should start a tourism office!

So, whatare you doing ?

Quoted: Quoted: Zap Good advice from most but I feel I am the expert on this subject because I just moved from Laurel in August. My wife and I live there for 7 years. I lived basiclly in the center of Laurel behind the Best Buy which is about a 1/2 mile from Laurel Mall. If you are planning on just working in Laurel it is fine. I don't know if I would want to commute from VA. The money would have to be very good. As far as living there or most places inside the beltway, let me tell you what as occured in the seven years I have lived there. Year 1.....A Rapist had struck two times in the area behind the Best Buy, where I lived. Year 2-3 nothing that I can remember, other than a few car break ins. Kid stuff Year 4.... A local Latino walking home from the mall after work was chased down by a 10 to 15 black youths and beaten to death. Kicked to death actually 1 block from his apt. The kids attended Laurel High school which is up the road about a mile. One of the few that were charged was LHS's star football player. Year 5.... Teenage kid not 2 blocks from my condo was shot and killed as he answered the door. It had something to do with drugs, though the childs parents say he was a good kid. Year 6.... A dead Latino was found floating in Laurel Lakes which is right next to the mall. What was said in the police blotter was that he was trying to escape 2 other men and jumped into the lake and drown. Drug related. Year 7 nothing to major. Kid stuff mostly. Now I have friends that live in Laurel but on the Howard County side. Much better area but one is having trouble selling is house. I think it is because he has a Laurel address. Work there OK for the right money Live in or near HELL NO.....and that is coming from somebody who lived there for 7 years. Wow, I wasn't living too far from you.  I lived in the Arbory townhouses over on Van Dusen and 198.   Wisconsin is starting to look pretty good, huh?

That's funny. I lived in Laurel from '69 to '92, and lived in Arbory from '78 when it was built until about '92...

Laurel was fast going downhill even then. The few times I've passed through headed elsewhere made me sooo glad I got out of that shithole.

RUN, don't walk away from the idea of living anywhere in Central MD.