Baltimore - what's it like?

[mucky123]

Hi all wondered if I could borrow your wisdom. My husband's company is having a reorganisation which will conclude in about 1.5 years time and he either moves his position mainly to the US or will need to find another job.

It's all a bit vague at the moment. He's not sure where in the US they will be headquartered but will be likely to be Baltimore. We have 3 kids. In 2 years time two of them will be finishing their GCSE's and one of them will be moving to secondary school. We are just mulling over whether a relocation might be even a vague possibility for all of us at that stage.

At the moment I am trying to envisage living in Baltimore. I've never been. I mainly know it through the wire. Does anyone know it? What is it like? What is the crime like? Are there nice surburbian areas commutable to city centre? We'd love to live near water/have a boat. Any international schools that are any good? Or private schools? The weather sounds nice: like here but a bit warmer. Is it friendly/lots of things to do etc?

I'd prefer New York (fancied living in Long Island) but I'm not sure I'll get much say in the where they locate bit and I'm not living somewhere DH can't easily commute to (otherwise I might as well stay here - which is a definite possibility but the kids and I would miss him a lot).

I think finance should be alright but I don't know what the package would be (to be negotiated) but if we do indicate any interest in moving it would be useful to have an idea of where any hidden costs that we don't have in the UK are likely to be.

Many thanks

I'm generally all in favour of trying stuff out and think travel is nearly always life enhancing but at this point in your kids lives it would be a no for me. Massively disruptive and potentially hugely expensive.

I've been to Baltimore a few times, not enough to really know it but it is one of the most polarised cities in the US (and that's saying something). Wealth in the centre and huge, almost third world levels of deprivation on the outskirts. It's not a city I'd choose to relocate to. If it were San Francisco or NYC it might be worth the upheaval but Baltimore, no.

I live in Baltimore, in a gorgeous area -beautiful old houses, wonderful neighbors. Our neighborhood is called Bolton Hill. It is lovely, and 5 minutes walk from the railways station (easy travel to DC,Philadelphia, New York), 5 minutes from the concert hall and theatre. If you would like somewhere still in the city but more suburban, look at Roland Park or Gilford. Again, gorgeous affordable houses.
Like many US cities, Baltimore has some areas of real deprivation. Public schools are varied, but there are good schools and a lot of excellent private provision (See The Park School, Gilman, Bryn Mawr, Greenmount, The St. Paul's Schools).
We are near to the coast. If you preferred somewhere with fewer "rough edges", you could live in Annapolis, a gorgeous small city on the coast with the beautiful historical buildings of the Naval Academy.
I would be delighted to chat if you would like. I am originally from the UK but have lived all over in the US. Message me if it would be helpful.

@Pinchofnom

I’d swerve Baltimore. I have friends there and they are looking to relocate because of the increasing crime rates.

Have you thought about Maryland, specifically Bethesda? That’s close to Baltimore, has great schools and lots to do. Then there’s Dc but a pretty hefty commute to Baltimore as the DC traffic is insane!

Bethesda is right next to DC so not sure what you're on about.

Nice to see some positive things from @Ruthietuthie! Agree that Annapolis is really lovely.

OP,

Most of the negative comments about Baltimore appear to come from people who have spent little if any time there. It is a city and not affluent overall. Of course it has problems.

But I have visited a lot and I love it. To @Ruthietuthie ‘s comments I would add the good weather, the beautiful harbour, excellent restaurants (especially seafood), good cultural scene, one world class university (Johns Hopkins) and good proximity to another (U of Maryland). I would happily live there.

But about those uni fees…..in theory it depends whether the move is temporary or permanent. Eg, if your husband is on a temporary contract in America and you retain property ownership in the UK, you should be able to make a case that the move is temporary and your children eligible for Home fees. However each University makes its own judgment and there is no guarantee.

Source: I was an Admissions Tutor and lecturer in a large Russell Group university until fairly recently.

One option a number of our applicants used in this situation was boarding school. I am not recommending for or against it but I have heard of cases where companies have subsidised fees for employees’ children. Of course America has its share of excellent universities. Fees at U Maryland should be modest for state residents although Hopkins is private and expensive (but offers a lot of need based financial aid)

I completely agree with @poetryandwine's comments.
Yes, Baltimore has problems. But many of the problems are those faced by cities across the US (problems of violence, gun-crime, homelessness, racial inequity) are US problems, not Baltimore only. And, of course, they are very serious, but they also have little impact on day-to-day life for a lot of the people who live here (not saying this is a good thing - it's complicated, linked to decades of inequality, red-lining etc., but just to stress that it is highly unlikely I am going to walk out the door of my lovely neighborhood and get shot).
And yes, Baltimore has the gorgeous harbor area, world-class restaurants (Cinghiale, Woodberry Kitchen, La Cuchara are some of mine), short drives to gorgeous nature, 15 minutes to well-linked international airport, plus superb health-care (Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland -all would be covered by your husband's healthcare package).
And Johns Hopkins University, and the amazing Peabody Institute (world-class music school). And yes, as the poster above says, US Universities come with generous financial aid or, for state schools, lower prices for in-state residents. It isn't as expensive as it might look from the outside.
There's a car-sticker people have here. It reads, "Baltimore. Actually, I like it." That sums it up really.

@fairylightsandwaxmelts

It might be worth reading these:

www.expatandoffshore.com/expat-living/university-fees-expats
ukstudyoptions.com/ukeu-expats-dont-lose-eligibility-home-fees/

It appears to be the case tat you have to have been "ordinarily resident" in the UK for three years to qualify for UK fees status.

I think the only exceptions are if you lived abroad because your parent is in the forces or in government.

No, not quite. If you are abroad because your parents are in the forces or diplomats then it's totally clear cut that you can get home fees. For others, you need to prove that the absence was temporary. This would depend on visa type for example (so a 'J' visa which is a non-immigrant one is a good thing) as is keeping your family property in the UK, ensuring extended visits home, keeping bank accounts etc. If you were ordinarily resident in the UK and then temporarily left for parent's work or similar, you can still get home status. But you have to prove that the move was temporary and the plan was always to come back to live in the UK. It's doable but good to plan what's needed.

Thank you for these later replies. It's good to see people have different points of view on Baltimore - I'll look up the areas suggested. I thought there must be something more to it just on the basis of the number of financially comfortable people I know moving over there. I think I need to go and see for myself - which I will do whether I move or not as it is going to be part of my husbands future in some way even if he commutes over regularly (the area he works in, not just this company but the whole industry seems to be focused on Baltimore).

If we moved the kids for the two older ones it would be to an international school to do the IB (I had been thinking about moving them anyway to do this but in the UK). They are of an age that if we think its even a possibility we would talk to them and see what they want to do. I have one that would thrive on a move, she will definitely say yes and will be on the first plane out (tbf she'd also do well at boarding school but I'd prefer to have her near me). The other one would be a lot more cautious but then her life here isn't great either (hates school, no real friends - I'm not sure why as she is lovely but just a real home bod - definitely no boarding school for her ). For me its my 9 year old I am more worried about as he won't just be going there for 2 years into a college type environment and possibly to Uni -he will be going for a longer haul and we may move back so it seems more life-defining/disrupting for him. He's probably the reason we won't do it.
DH is going to ask some more questions.

You haven't mentioned your own work OP. Being financially dependent and isolated overseas does not sound like a happy existence. Hopefully you are independently wealthy. Good luck anyways

Ex Boyfriend was from Baltimore and I spent quite a bot of time there.

It's a bit of a shithole really. I wouldn't relocate there with teenagers.

Washington DC is lovely, and close by, but I would give Baltimore a miss if I were you OP. Sorry.

Look into Annapolis! It's gorgeous and only 30 minute commute.

American here. Baltimore is not that safe. It’s actually kind of dangerous. And by that I mean pretty dangerous. I wouldn’t consider going, myself.

I'm OK on the work situation thanks. Not financially dependent and quite happy in my own company, - make friends fairly easily if I want them but probably wouldn't get lonely. I woild personally love to try out a new place although not sure about Baltimore - gets mixed reviews here. I'm only really worried about the kids, particularly the little one, growing up and forming his personality there. If he can't walk home from school and stop at his mates house, walk freely around town etc he is going to grow up with so much less than I had or my older ones have.

My only knowledge of Baltimore is from cop shows like Homicide: Life on the Streets and The Wire, which would NOT entice me to live there! Might not be a fair reflection...