Topic: West Virginia is the newest DC suburb

[Flat Tire 2]

The below link is about the growth in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties in WV Eastern Panhandle. You have only a 50-65 mile commute to DC and MARC has three morning trains from Martinsburg to Union Station in DC.


https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/feat-west-virginia-is-the-newest-dc-suburb

[marshallmark]

For now.  It was a big debate in the legislature a couple of years ago as to whether the state should continue to subsidize the train.  I fully expect that to be pulled when the state, inevitably, falls on hard financial times.

[Flat Tire 2]

I use to cover the Fredrick and Gaithersburg area and a lot of people were moving over to WV for the lower taxes/cheaper housing before I retired. It is only about a 45-60 minute drive from WV to the those areas. I have spent more than 45-60 minutes on the Capital Beltway trying to drive 10 miles. You haven't lived until you have experience the Mixing Bowl.  There are a ton of high paying jobs and government workers who work outside the Beltway and never go into DC.

I think the  eastern panhandle area will continue to grow as people look for for more affordable housing and lower income taxes. Housing/real estate taxes are a big motivation factor for the moving to WV. Maryland and and NOVA has some expensive property and high taxes. Leesburg, VA has grown over the years due to the lower costs, but is becoming over populated and expensive. JMO.

[herdfan429]

I mean this isn?t something that just happened over night.  It?s been a suburb of dc for ever