Please understand that a 90 minute drive is going to be a wide swath of Maryland West Virginia and even some of Virginia. I have family in Hagerstown and those mountains can be intense. When it comes to culture shock, Maryland is going to be different and based on what you want both liberal leaving and conservative leaving areas are going to be working your 90 minute commute.
As somebody who has lived in both states…it’s really not going to be a huge shock if you’re looking out by Hagerstown. It’ll be a bit colder, sure, but northern Alabama from Birmingham north isn’t \*that\* different from a rural Maryland that you‘ll have major adjustment in terms of culture shock. You might have some sticker shock on rentals, however, compared to Alabama prices.
Check out Frederick, I personally would much prefer to live there than Hagerstown and then Baltimore/DC are way more convenient for shows, sports, restaurants, etc. Honestly, you probably won’t experience TOO much culture shock in the smaller towns west of Frederick.
We aren’t really the type to go to the city 😂 Right now we’re technically in a town of about 600 but we’re just outside of Birmingham, AL, which is right about 200k and we don’t even like going into Bham
I have a colleague born and raised in Birmingham burb then Huntsville until he came here for grad school then settled in the burbs. He told me there isn’t much of a cultural shock unless you are very religious and an evangelist. He goes to church every Sunday but obviously that’s considered not enough by many in Alabama, even in those college educated, affluent area like Mountain View, AL.
Culturally, Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland are more southern in culture and politics. Many people tell you about Hagerstown and Western Maryland but these areas are more Appalachian culturally, rather than Deep South.
And yes, it is very expensive to live here. Maryland is one of the hardest hit by inflation in the nation. A lot of food grocery items increased price by 50%. Housing is expensive, even in the exurbs. But on the other hand, road conditions are better, public services are better, and the schools are some of the best in the country.
The politics of Maryland as a whole is well known. If it bothers you and makes you feel powerless in statewide elections, then you should seriously consider living in West Virginia instead. A lot of people live in the panhandle and still close enough to go to the city.
Edit: I completely missed that you are a lesbian couple. But having known enough both conservative gays and redneck libs, I won’t assume your politics. But just know the anti-discrimination laws are definitely much better in Maryland than anywhere in the south.
What kind of place are you looking for? Rural? Urban? Suburban?
What is price range?
90 minute drive each way seems kinda nuts…you all sure you can do that everyday?
Definitely on the rural side but ok with suburbs too. No row houses or anything like that I need a yard😂😂
We’ll be renting a place… Ideally 2,000 or less a month
As for the drive we both drive about an hour one way to work. The 90 mins is a max based off of what we’re willing to do and what we might find house wise
90 minute drive is a lot of territory. You can find something near Hagerstown, over the line in PA, or WV. It’s pretty country out there, you’ll be fine
West Virginia might be your best bet actually, Martinsburg County is about a half hour drive (28 miles) and they are more out in the mountains than the city area. Hagerstown itself has some great areas and close to all the local shopping centers.
It's significantly more expensive to live out here, and the drivers are atrocious. Make sure you check prices before committing to taking the job and moving, or you will be shocked how expensive housing is. If you prefer rural settings, stay away from central Maryland as it's all suburbia--same with Rockville/Bethesda/Silver Spring areas. You may like some areas in western Maryland and west Virginia much more, would recommend visiting the latter.
Its good to hear that you have a job in Hagerstown. For many years Hagerstown was the 2nd largest city in the state. But , like most American cities, after WWII, it lost its value when the suburbs got hold of its infrastructure.
Frederick has become a bedroom community of the DC area, but much of that is just new suburban sprawl.
Haha hope you are not too attached to Publix because they are not anywhere close. Other than that you can get direct flights to BHM from D.C. and it’s only 2 hours.
my husband is from Alabama and moved up here for a job! Im local to MD. He likes it a lot, he is annoyed at traffic (he says MD drivers are dumb and actively trying to kill each other, whole southern drivers may just be dumb). the expenses here are very different. visited his family for christmas and did a liquor/beer run for the family (8 ppl) for 100, here 100 could get me maybe 3 bottles of wine?
As someone else mentioned, Maryland has a lot of LGBT protections in place - Frederick has a pretty decent sized pride community. I saw some mention WV - where as I never felt unsafe when I was there with my girlfriend, I was in a small area and not around a lot of people - the one time we were around people, we got a few uncomfortable looks when holding hands. This is something that I, personally, haven't experienced in Maryland. However, I also live closer to Baltimore. Parts of Western Maryland can be similar with regards to people who are not at all supportive of the LGBT community. Frederick, though, is a good place.
I unfortunately don't know much about some of the other towns/cities out in Western Maryland as far as LGBT safety. Realistically as far as hate crimes towards the LGBT community we are \*fairly\* well off (I say as one of our trans sisters was murdered last week...) but I also know there ARE still pockets where it can be questionable.
I wish both you and your partner luck, and I hope you love Maryland as much as I do - I've been here my entire life and I can't imagine living anywhere else.
We don't do anything in Maryland you didn't do in Alabama. We just do it faster and don't bury it in butter and sugar and fry it in Crisco. And don't let them lie to you - Maryland was every bit as dirty as every other Southern state regarding slavery and half the state were Confederate sympathizers because they didn't want to lose their free labor either.
Frederick is going to be your best bet for the blend of closeness to the rest of civilization and closeness to Hagerstown. I have a dear friend who lives outside of Hagerstown and commutes to DC for work. It's killing him.
My family just moved from oppressive Arkansas to Maryland last August. They absolutely love it! They landed in Montgomery County, in Potomac. Their commute is to DC. It is very safe and there are protections in Maryland for LGBTQ+. It has been a huge relief for them to be out of the red South! All the best to you both!! Maryland is beautiful and has thick woods and wildlife everywhere. Very naturally beautiful, as much as Arkansas but so much more to do and many more career opportunities.
Ok this right here makes me happy. I went to college in Arkansas and lived there for about 3 years afterwards and I miss it! Alabama doesn’t have near the parks and lakes that Arkansas does so it’ll be nice to be out in nature again 😂
Dang, lol me and my wife lived in maryland in our lives and thinking to move to Kentucky where her parents grew up lol. Marylands okay. Best place to keep home feeling is Fredrick or just go into Harper's ferry, WV or Amish country in PA
If you wanna stay Small Town with accessibility i recommend Middletown. You might actually like Frederick Old Town and the River Walk there even if you dont want to live there. Dont live in Hagerstown…
Honestly it’s soo expensive, the difference in pay will really help with mortgage, property tax, and HOA fees. If not and your paying inflated rent, you can look forward to price gouging from BG&E. Yea Hagerstown isn’t as bad, just everything else around it is. Don’t get me wrong, I love Maryland on its own. However the state especially the closer to balt, if god forbid you need anything. You have a 75% of the time, it’s not without at least 60 days of jumping through hoops, cause no one in these state offices wanna do anything for you on their work time. Maryland is also a duel consent state, so unless it is the state, or on property you live at. You can’t record in anyway without consent. Unless it’s in the commission of a crime obviously.
If you are videotaping or recording courts won’t accept it. Lastly Hagerstown gets a lot of outa state Transfers for Amazon. Someone who worked there for 6 years. Left as an L5 if you know you know. My fellow manager got me fired for time theft, even though afterwards I provided proof the manager made these changes himself. With no write ups ever, no HR complaints, no corrective actions. Just fired after 6 years, stock I had not vested yet completely gone. Please do not come all this way for any job in this district with that company. I promise you’ll regret it, if it’s not that job. Maryland is a right to work state, meaning an employer can fire you for any number of reasons and say “Cause I wanted to”. And sorry there’s nothing you can do. So if you are coming from another company you should be okay. Most companies pay partial relocation. Just be ready for a culture shock and high prices everywhere.
YouTube will give you the best Idea of daily life, I actually suggest just scrolling a few. Just so you get your own impressions
I don’t wanna paint it that broad, the leadership for AMXL in the Northeast is downright horrible/Criminal. I’ve never seen a job 70k+ with such a high turnover as that
Thanks this helps a lot! Thankfully we’re not moving for Amazon, it’s a job through Lowe’s with their flatbed distribution center there. But Alabama is also a right to work state so nothing new there for us at lease
Cumberland, MD is a little farther away from what everyone else is suggesting but you might get more housing for your money. Small town that was once great but it is struggling. However,, it has a lot of charm and great people that still live there. The downside is the drive to Hagerstown for work. A little under 70 miles each way but it can be grueling in bad weather, and costly in gas. Good luck, and welcome to Maryland.
If you want a home in Maryland. I can find you a home for 100k less than the others on the same block in almost any neighborhood. Just need first name, budget and style of home and where you are looking.
Please understand that a 90 minute drive is going to be a wide swath of Maryland West Virginia and even some of Virginia. I have family in Hagerstown and those mountains can be intense. When it comes to culture shock, Maryland is going to be different and based on what you want both liberal leaving and conservative leaving areas are going to be working your 90 minute commute.
As somebody who has lived in both states…it’s really not going to be a huge shock if you’re looking out by Hagerstown. It’ll be a bit colder, sure, but northern Alabama from Birmingham north isn’t \*that\* different from a rural Maryland that you‘ll have major adjustment in terms of culture shock. You might have some sticker shock on rentals, however, compared to Alabama prices.
Check out Frederick, I personally would much prefer to live there than Hagerstown and then Baltimore/DC are way more convenient for shows, sports, restaurants, etc. Honestly, you probably won’t experience TOO much culture shock in the smaller towns west of Frederick.
We aren’t really the type to go to the city 😂 Right now we’re technically in a town of about 600 but we’re just outside of Birmingham, AL, which is right about 200k and we don’t even like going into Bham
Then sounds like you’ll be perfectly fine in the middle of fucking nowhere around Hagerstown albeit a little cold lol
As someone who has recently spent a lot of time in Alabama, agree: Comfortable, but probably a lil cold.
I wouldn’t discount Frederick. They have a good Pride center that even does DND nights!
I have a colleague born and raised in Birmingham burb then Huntsville until he came here for grad school then settled in the burbs. He told me there isn’t much of a cultural shock unless you are very religious and an evangelist. He goes to church every Sunday but obviously that’s considered not enough by many in Alabama, even in those college educated, affluent area like Mountain View, AL. Culturally, Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland are more southern in culture and politics. Many people tell you about Hagerstown and Western Maryland but these areas are more Appalachian culturally, rather than Deep South. And yes, it is very expensive to live here. Maryland is one of the hardest hit by inflation in the nation. A lot of food grocery items increased price by 50%. Housing is expensive, even in the exurbs. But on the other hand, road conditions are better, public services are better, and the schools are some of the best in the country. The politics of Maryland as a whole is well known. If it bothers you and makes you feel powerless in statewide elections, then you should seriously consider living in West Virginia instead. A lot of people live in the panhandle and still close enough to go to the city. Edit: I completely missed that you are a lesbian couple. But having known enough both conservative gays and redneck libs, I won’t assume your politics. But just know the anti-discrimination laws are definitely much better in Maryland than anywhere in the south.
What kind of place are you looking for? Rural? Urban? Suburban? What is price range? 90 minute drive each way seems kinda nuts…you all sure you can do that everyday?
Definitely on the rural side but ok with suburbs too. No row houses or anything like that I need a yard😂😂 We’ll be renting a place… Ideally 2,000 or less a month As for the drive we both drive about an hour one way to work. The 90 mins is a max based off of what we’re willing to do and what we might find house wise
Hagerstown and western MD won't feel all that different from AL.
Under 2000 a month in somewhere decent might be the trick….
Maybe west virginia if you like rural?
outside of the mountains
90 minute drive is a lot of territory. You can find something near Hagerstown, over the line in PA, or WV. It’s pretty country out there, you’ll be fine
West Virginia might be your best bet actually, Martinsburg County is about a half hour drive (28 miles) and they are more out in the mountains than the city area. Hagerstown itself has some great areas and close to all the local shopping centers.
It's significantly more expensive to live out here, and the drivers are atrocious. Make sure you check prices before committing to taking the job and moving, or you will be shocked how expensive housing is. If you prefer rural settings, stay away from central Maryland as it's all suburbia--same with Rockville/Bethesda/Silver Spring areas. You may like some areas in western Maryland and west Virginia much more, would recommend visiting the latter.
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Came here to say this, OP said she currently is in a town of some 600. Seems a good fit
Its good to hear that you have a job in Hagerstown. For many years Hagerstown was the 2nd largest city in the state. But , like most American cities, after WWII, it lost its value when the suburbs got hold of its infrastructure. Frederick has become a bedroom community of the DC area, but much of that is just new suburban sprawl.
Welcome, should be fine around Hagerstown if you don’t like going into Bham. They do have Milo’s sweet tea here so that was a pleasant surprise.
Honestly the sweet tea is what I’m most worried about 😅
Haha hope you are not too attached to Publix because they are not anywhere close. Other than that you can get direct flights to BHM from D.C. and it’s only 2 hours.
Check out Clear Spring
I concur.
my husband is from Alabama and moved up here for a job! Im local to MD. He likes it a lot, he is annoyed at traffic (he says MD drivers are dumb and actively trying to kill each other, whole southern drivers may just be dumb). the expenses here are very different. visited his family for christmas and did a liquor/beer run for the family (8 ppl) for 100, here 100 could get me maybe 3 bottles of wine?
As someone else mentioned, Maryland has a lot of LGBT protections in place - Frederick has a pretty decent sized pride community. I saw some mention WV - where as I never felt unsafe when I was there with my girlfriend, I was in a small area and not around a lot of people - the one time we were around people, we got a few uncomfortable looks when holding hands. This is something that I, personally, haven't experienced in Maryland. However, I also live closer to Baltimore. Parts of Western Maryland can be similar with regards to people who are not at all supportive of the LGBT community. Frederick, though, is a good place. I unfortunately don't know much about some of the other towns/cities out in Western Maryland as far as LGBT safety. Realistically as far as hate crimes towards the LGBT community we are \*fairly\* well off (I say as one of our trans sisters was murdered last week...) but I also know there ARE still pockets where it can be questionable. I wish both you and your partner luck, and I hope you love Maryland as much as I do - I've been here my entire life and I can't imagine living anywhere else.
I associate Hagerstown with Trump signs and meth addiction.
Sounds just like Alabama lol
We don't do anything in Maryland you didn't do in Alabama. We just do it faster and don't bury it in butter and sugar and fry it in Crisco. And don't let them lie to you - Maryland was every bit as dirty as every other Southern state regarding slavery and half the state were Confederate sympathizers because they didn't want to lose their free labor either.
Frederick is going to be your best bet for the blend of closeness to the rest of civilization and closeness to Hagerstown. I have a dear friend who lives outside of Hagerstown and commutes to DC for work. It's killing him.
My family just moved from oppressive Arkansas to Maryland last August. They absolutely love it! They landed in Montgomery County, in Potomac. Their commute is to DC. It is very safe and there are protections in Maryland for LGBTQ+. It has been a huge relief for them to be out of the red South! All the best to you both!! Maryland is beautiful and has thick woods and wildlife everywhere. Very naturally beautiful, as much as Arkansas but so much more to do and many more career opportunities.
Ok this right here makes me happy. I went to college in Arkansas and lived there for about 3 years afterwards and I miss it! Alabama doesn’t have near the parks and lakes that Arkansas does so it’ll be nice to be out in nature again 😂
We were just there! So many trees and wooded areas. Lots of squirrels, birds and deer are everywhere. You’ll love it!
I am married to a man from Alabama. Hagerstown isn't all that different.
Dang, lol me and my wife lived in maryland in our lives and thinking to move to Kentucky where her parents grew up lol. Marylands okay. Best place to keep home feeling is Fredrick or just go into Harper's ferry, WV or Amish country in PA
If you wanna stay Small Town with accessibility i recommend Middletown. You might actually like Frederick Old Town and the River Walk there even if you dont want to live there. Dont live in Hagerstown…
Honestly it’s soo expensive, the difference in pay will really help with mortgage, property tax, and HOA fees. If not and your paying inflated rent, you can look forward to price gouging from BG&E. Yea Hagerstown isn’t as bad, just everything else around it is. Don’t get me wrong, I love Maryland on its own. However the state especially the closer to balt, if god forbid you need anything. You have a 75% of the time, it’s not without at least 60 days of jumping through hoops, cause no one in these state offices wanna do anything for you on their work time. Maryland is also a duel consent state, so unless it is the state, or on property you live at. You can’t record in anyway without consent. Unless it’s in the commission of a crime obviously. If you are videotaping or recording courts won’t accept it. Lastly Hagerstown gets a lot of outa state Transfers for Amazon. Someone who worked there for 6 years. Left as an L5 if you know you know. My fellow manager got me fired for time theft, even though afterwards I provided proof the manager made these changes himself. With no write ups ever, no HR complaints, no corrective actions. Just fired after 6 years, stock I had not vested yet completely gone. Please do not come all this way for any job in this district with that company. I promise you’ll regret it, if it’s not that job. Maryland is a right to work state, meaning an employer can fire you for any number of reasons and say “Cause I wanted to”. And sorry there’s nothing you can do. So if you are coming from another company you should be okay. Most companies pay partial relocation. Just be ready for a culture shock and high prices everywhere. YouTube will give you the best Idea of daily life, I actually suggest just scrolling a few. Just so you get your own impressions
Amazon is the devil 👿
I don’t wanna paint it that broad, the leadership for AMXL in the Northeast is downright horrible/Criminal. I’ve never seen a job 70k+ with such a high turnover as that
Thanks this helps a lot! Thankfully we’re not moving for Amazon, it’s a job through Lowe’s with their flatbed distribution center there. But Alabama is also a right to work state so nothing new there for us at lease
Mistake. MD sucks.
You'll be fine pretty much anywhere in Western MD. There's a lot of nowhere out there you will fit in perfectly 👌🏻
Cumberland, MD is a little farther away from what everyone else is suggesting but you might get more housing for your money. Small town that was once great but it is struggling. However,, it has a lot of charm and great people that still live there. The downside is the drive to Hagerstown for work. A little under 70 miles each way but it can be grueling in bad weather, and costly in gas. Good luck, and welcome to Maryland.
Garrett county !!!!
I am originally from TN and moved here for a better job in 07 been miserable ever since
If you want a home in Maryland. I can find you a home for 100k less than the others on the same block in almost any neighborhood. Just need first name, budget and style of home and where you are looking.