I am definitely not prepared for urban living ;-;!

Why would you pick Europe over Arlington?

I was prepared to chose Europe before I got the concrete offer, but I didn't count on how much lower European salaries are. If I took the Europe offer, I would be able to afford a small apartment with no roommates near my office and healthy food but not much else :P. In Arlington, my standard of living would be much higher.

Thank you for the trail reccs! I will probably be checking all of those out :).

Thank you for the transportation details! I can't drive right now and am debating whether I need to finally bite the bullet and get a license, car, all that hassle...

I'd rather not share where in Europe because I am afraid of being identified by either of the companies which hired me ;-;. My family is from the same European country though; my parents moved to the States before I was born. I have lived there before and loved it. I was ready to move.

Unfortunately, the salary I was offered in Europe is less than half (in the native currency) what I was offered in Arlington (in dollars). I think I could barely make ends meet, with no money left to spend on frivolous things or save for old age :(.

I suppose I could return to my ancestral roots for a couple years and then move back to the States, but the US economy seems to be starting a downward spiral and I am afraid that the excellent offer I have now in Arlington will not be available in a couple years.

So basically, I love living in Europe too but I think it would be irresponsible. Arlington seems a nice place to live, especially compared to the low standard of living I would have in Europe. Thank you for the good wishes :,).

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If you can get hired in Arlington making 6 figures in your 20s, you can afford to go to Europe and come back to work in Arlington. It’s an opportunity that many want but never get. Sorry, this sounds pretty straightforward to me.

I landed in South Arlington/Shirlington 15 years ago, still here, love it! A bit cheaper. Proximity to everything. What drew me to S Arlington was that the trees typically exceed the height of buildings, four mile run/W&OD bike path (and connections to other trails), parks up the four mile run watershed, quiet, etc. Feels like you aren't so close to the nation's capital but you could get there in a jiffy. I had a community garden plot for a couple of years, determined I did not have the time for it. The bus service to Pentagon from Shirlington is top-notch, or a bike ride is made simple to get into DC. You could get away with not having a car, even in S. Arlington, but not if you want escapes to the mountains on weekends.
Political? No way to escape it. Most workers are feds or contractors for feds. I'm not out enough to understand how Amazon's presence in Arlington has changed the scene, if any.
There are lots of meet-up groups to find your people if the party scene is not your vibe. You can easily pop-up to the Ballston corridor/DC for the 20-something gatherings/partying from Shirlington. Farmer's Markets abound in many Arlington neighborhoods. Your hikes are going to be short or on asphalt/concrete, but there is plenty of elevation to be had in Arlington.
I love it here because of my access to urban nature, trails, quiet, tree tops in the viewshed, and amenities. I'm moving into a different phase of life so I'm thinking about different things - excellent and diverse medical services, can walk to the grocery store and restaurants. Volunteering opportunities are plenty.

Cost of living isn’t worth it in my opinion. It’s a really cool area for a lot of reasons, but cost was enough to make me move

I grew up in the area, moved away to Europe in my late 20s, stayed for almost 13 years where I met my partner and we had a kid. We eventually decided to move back to the US - the Pacific NW to be more specific for 4 years… then then back to DC area (Arlington) and have been here since.

I love the area and have a good group of friends - new and old. But it is expensive here. Good hiking and trails are easily accessible. And some better mountain hiking 45 min drive away at minimum. It’s diverse here and access to so many things to do including great museums and beach only 2.5 hours or so away by car.

Where in Europe can your work take you?

I will say, the best thing I did was move to another country to experience another culture. And have easy access to so many other countries to travel to and explore. I learned so much about myself and other people and cultures. If you are up for the adventure, I’d say go… if after a year or so it isn’t for you, at least you gave it a go! I told myself I’d give it 2 years in the country I landed in. I stayed for 13 and it’s my second home with amazing memories and where I learned so much about myself. Sometimes my partner and I dream about moving back one day. But we also have strong roots here and our son has family close by. This area has a lot to offer but so does the world. It’s your oyster, good luck on your decision! Whatever you choose will be the right one.

Feel free to DM me if you’d like to chat more. Best of luck!

Im in my early 20s and live in Arlington. Here is some info:

1. a lot actually. I have a few hiking places I frequent, there’s also a lot of trails and stuff like that closer. Typically to go hiking it’s a 30-60min drive for me depending on which place I want to to go. Ppl saying there’s no hiking nearby are clueless/have never looked, Shenandoah is about an hour out, sugarloaf is even closer.
2. yes if you’re willing to put yourself out there. If you’re a girl, there’s a group I can refer you to to make other female friends in the area. If you think you’ll make friends just by sitting home though, then probably not, but that’s true of everywhere.
3. yes and no. People can be, but not everyone is. I work in that sphere and am friends with people on both sides of the aisles. People talk about politics a lot, yes, but usually are also open to being friends with anyone.
4. yes. I miss my home but I am happy here too. It’s a great taste of city life without being as overwhelming as like New York.

I love Europe, been all over it, and it’s not a bad idea to spend some time there if you get the chance and you think that’s something you’re interested in. But it also depends on where in Europe and if the job there is something that you can transition into a long term successful job here. Do YOU want to live in Europe for a bit?

Overall- Arlington is a good place to live in your early 20s. It’s very walkable but safer/cheaper than DC. It’s cheaper to live further out in like Alexandria but the commute sucks and you’re further from the social life. Public transport is cheap and easy, or cars are definitely doable too (although expensive to park longterm if you live in DC). You also get the opportunity to thoroughly explore an incredible place most people only get to visit once or twice in their lifetimes.

I love living in Arlington, but I’m mid-thirties, married, and have a good group of local friends. Not sure I would have loved it at 22. But: there’s a lot to love.

It sounds like you’re hoping for a more spacious, nature-friendly life here, and that’s really only possible if you’re rich or willing to move an hour out of the city. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck in the urban sprawl junk of Fairfax/Falls Church, with stupid traffic, crowded parking lots, and crowded everything. (No offense to anyone who loves their neighborhood in those areas, there are cute ones!)

If your office is in DC or Arlington proper, I’d embrace the city life here instead. It’s actually a lot less stressful! You can rent a nice apartment on a 6-figure salary. Live along Wilson/Clarendon somewhere between Rosslyn and Ballston, and you won’t need a car. You can walk to lots of great cafes, restaurants, bakeries, and a cool farmer’s market in Courthouse. You can walk to some amazing parks, including the Iwo Jima memorial. You can walk (or bike/scooter) to Georgetown. The protected bike lanes are great. You can jump on the metro and be at all of the amazing DC parks, landmarks, museums, etc. in minutes. You can Uber in 15-20 minutes to some of the best theaters and music venues in the country. When you do want to get out into real nature, it’s easy to rent a zip car or rental for the day, and much cheaper than maintaining a car here. (I have a car here, and that’s also fine!)

You can find friends. In a post-Covid world it’s harder, as I understand it, but very possible. There are some cool Arlington meetup groups (I’m in a fun ladies’ book club through Meetup). There are lots of hiking groups, and a robust rock climbing community with some great gyms. Expand your search into DC, as a lot of young professionals start in the city proper. (Despite what DC citizens will tell you, it’s all basically the same city.) Dating is a fun way to explore the city — I always discovered the coolest local spots on mediocre Tinder dates, haha.

As someone else covered, it’s primarily a left-leaning, intellectual area. You’ll meet a ton of people who work in defense contracting, defense, the Pentagon, etc. Because of this, Arlington is a bit more politically mixed than the city or Maryland suburbs, which I think is a good thing. In DC, you’ll meet more Congressional staffers, NGO and non-profit workers, and government employees. My least favorite thing about the DC area is how often people talk about their BORING jobs that they think are interesting. My favorite thing about DC is how many people read books on the Metro. Lots of nerds here.

Hope that gives you a sense of life here. Feel free to DM me any questions!

>Not for nothing, but I'd absolutely pick Europe over Arlington.

This isn't too far wrong, but it would depend on where in Europe.

(Although you're far more likely to get decent/functional public transport in Europe)

If and when you age out of that, it's still a nice place to be.

As others will say: public transportation is excellent along the orange/silver line corridor between Rosslyn and Ballston. It is very possible to live there without a car, as far as most of your normal needs.

Access to nature is...ok. Without a car, the closest you will get to nature will be Roosevelt Island, which is actually a nice park in the summer--a nice look into what the area would have been like before it was settled. A little bit of forest cover, a little bit of marsh, some nice places to sit and look out onto the river.

Living in Fairfax or Falls Church will put you outside the best public transport area. You'll need/want a car, there. Fairfax especially is extremely car-dependent, and what public transport exists (bus lines) is so infrequent as to be nearly unusable.

I work in DC and I moved from Fairfax into Arlington. The proximity and the ease of the commute has saved my sanity--at the cost of more expensive housing.

More walking paths than hiking in the immediate vicinity, but they’re nice. Check out custis trail, Potomac heritage river trail, river bend park (especially for the blue bells) and the billy goat trail.

Within a two and a half hour drive there are lots of state parks and national parks, the Shenandoah being probably the most impressive.

Politics depends on your social circle. None of my friends worked in politics.

The best farmers market around here is the one in DuPont (NW DC), but the Arlington ones are also pretty good.

Arlington is one of the best places to live in the country IMO (plenty of other good ones, but Arlington is just top tier). The biggest concern is how urban it is and how expensive it is if that's not something you are prepared for. Expect to pay 2000-2400 for a one-bedroom apartment. I can just tell you aren't prepared for how dense and urban it may be.

Not for nothing, but I'd absolutely pick Europe over Arlington.

>Do you think public transit is good enough where I don't need a car?

Probably not unless you live directly on the ballston/clarendon corridor next to metro. Also, if you don't have a car access to nature is nonexistent.

yes we truly have fantastic farmers markets if that is important to you

Are you from the US originally? Where is the job offer in Europe? I feel like having a job in a different country might make you slightly more appealing when/if you come back and would be a great life experience. I’m sure Europe has its problems, but the US has quite a lot. Also, It’s not every day someone gets an offer for a job in another country, I do think it’s every day that people in Arlington get new jobs. And, if you don’t have a solid friend group here, then what are you sad about leaving (maybe family??) Also, it’s so easy to travel within Europe, you could visit all sorts or different areas of nature, in different countries so easily; one weekend go to the Swiss alps, next check out a waterfall in Croatia. You could say the same thing about the US, but we are much larger so weekend trips aren’t quite as easy/quick plus the public transportation and cheap/quick flights and trains between European cities are very appealing. I’m team Europe!! Wishing you the best in your choice!

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It’s great but it ain’t gonna be cheap. Plenty of outdoors space, neighborhoods, and also city living.

If you love the worst parts college socializing, there is no better place. It is an extension of the frat parties, keggers, and dramas.

you make it sound like the worst parts of college socializing lol :,,,)

Thank you! I still haven't internalized how squished everything is in cities. I also thought 6 figures was a bigger salary than it is ;-;.

They deliver!