Have you thought about Frederick, MD? I am really just suggesting that out of self interest since it's sort of close to me, but here is my pitch:
-One hour train ride/drive to dc--lots of people work in dc and take the train in
-Super charming main street with lots of coffee shops/art galleries/public art walk/gardens/small museums/unique gyms
-Attractive river/canal/creek/not-sure-what-it-is running through town
-Beautiful and surrounded by nature--tons of hiking trails all around without getting in car. An easy drive to sugarloaf mountain, harpers ferry/the Appalachian trail etc.
-Low cost housing stock
-Relatively relaxed about zoning (more true to the county than the city, but both are pretty relaxed relative to most places)
-Very LGBTQ friendly--see for example the city-sponsored pride festival
-Politically diverse/moderate and tolerant
-Easy to connect with DC/Montgomery County rationalists and also extend reach to more rural areas
Edited to add: Also lots of job opportunities if an hour commute on the train is too much for you--plenty of biotech firms up and down the adjacent highway that hire people with all sorts of skill sets (marketed as the "I-270 technology corridor") as well as some option in Frederick proper.
ETA2: Also, Maryland in general has a pretty consistent record of electing relatively sensible, moderate governors. Although we are a liberal state, we have a super popular pro-business republican governor.
Have you thought about Frederick, MD? I am really just suggesting that out of self interest since it's sort of close to me, but here is my pitch:
-One hour train ride/drive to dc--lots of people work in dc and take the train in
-Super charming main street with lots of coffee shops/art galleries/public art walk/gardens/small museums/unique gyms
-Attractive river/canal/creek/not-sure-what-it-is running through town
-Beautiful and surrounded by nature--tons of hiking trails all around without getting in car. An easy drive to sugarloaf mountain, harpers ferry/the Appalachian trail etc.
-Low cost housing stock
-Relatively relaxed about zoning (more true to the county than the city, but both are pretty relaxed relative to most places)
-Very LGBTQ friendly--see for example the city-sponsored pride festival
-Politically diverse/moderate and tolerant
-Easy to connect with DC/Montgomery County rationalists and also extend reach to more rural areas
Edited to add: Also lots of job opportunities if an hour commute on the train is too much for you--plenty of biotech firms up and down the adjacent highway that hire people with all sorts of skill sets (marketed as the "I-270 technology corridor") as well as some option in Frederick proper.
ETA2: Also, Maryland in general has a pretty consistent record of electing relatively sensible, moderate governors. Although we are a liberal state, we have a super popular pro-business republican governor.