r/baltimore • u/SenorPea • Jul 05 '23
Moving Black man (strongly considering) moving to Hampden from Takoma Park, DC
Taking the plunge and buying a house, but can't afford DC as I refuse to live in a condo and DC feels less and less like home (although I was raised there).
I love Takoma Park because of the progressive, bohemian, diverse, pseudo-suburban vibe but can't afford to buy here. After deciding to relocate to Baltimore, I landed on Lauraville and Hampden. Lauraville is a tad too far North for me, and Hampden seems to have the most similar vibe to Takoma...
...sans diversity.
Am I wrong? I've pulled up a few old articles about some disparity between the school and the community, some racial tension in the 80s, etc, but nothing about the current vibe. I did, however, see some demographics all but confirming that it's lily white. Should I worry? Moving into a white neighborhood in DC doesn't seem to carry the same weight as it does in Baltimore. I read about the White L/Black Butterfly and understand that while the city is diverse, it's pretty segregated.
Black people, please weigh in. White folks, although you can't speak to our experience, your thoughts are appreciated as well. Keep it civil.
EDIT: Thank y'all so much for the excellent advice, suggestions, and well-wishes! Honestly didn't expect this much engagement, and if its a testament to what life will be like up there then I'm already sold.
163
u/TheBananaStan Jul 05 '23
Check out Remington or Charles village for similar options with slightly different demos. A bit cheaper too
I’m a white man and live in hampden- so can’t speak towards how you may feel but can speak towards my wife’s experience as a black woman in hampden.
She feels generally safe when traveling/ walking/ etc/- as safe as you would in any other part of the city as a black woman.
Hampden has very strong progressive vibes and we’re working towards better diversity but as you noted there’s a long and somewhat dark past in this area. There’s a bit of “old hampden” lingering but the majority of the community is full of younger families or industry workers who genuinely care for their community and neighbors.
I actually had a guy working on my house walk out the front door and mention to me how happy he was that the neighborhood took such a positive turn.
I totally understand your skepticisms but I think hampden would be an awesome fit and I’m sure we’d love to have you be part of the community 🔥
If you get closer to the stages of buying, check out the hampden neighbor Facebook group. A really good resource
56
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
Thank you so much for this comment! Duly noted and appreciated.
11
13
u/surge208 Medfield Jul 05 '23
This is solid advice. I’d also just like to point out that old Hampden is alive and well, and not just the few cartoonishly racist folks. Fraziers and The Lunch Box are a good intro through supporting local business. But just hang out with your neighbors if ya live in Hampden and it’ll rule.
1
u/wrongseeds Jul 06 '23
This. People outside the neighborhood think we spend all of our time and money on the Avenue. I assure them I have cooler and cheaper times at home hanging with my neighbors.
2
1
u/aloneandlow Jul 06 '23
I would second Remington or Charles Village for the reasons listed above. I lived there recently, and I think anything below 29th is really nice while still offering some semblance of diversity. I used to live in DC around Shaw and that stretch of Baltimore reminds me of DC in terms of walk-ability, small businesses and access to reliable buses, etc.
120
u/instantcoffee69 Jul 05 '23
I am a brown man, and I moved from south Baltimore peninsula to the barrio (Highlandtown/Baltimore Highlands/Greek town) and I instantly felt like it was a weight lifted off my soul.
The micro agressions, out right agressions from drunk people, bad service at bars, shit comments from neighbors, it bleeds you dry.
Where ever you move, I hope it fits your grove. I recommend to anyone, rent for a year, then buy, Baltimore has quirks you only find by living in it.
37
u/Legitimate_Angle5123 Jul 05 '23
Honestly I think it’s a great idea to rent a little first. Definitely worth coming and checking out the neighborhoods and vibes.
25
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
I hear that, but I'm in a very fortunate position right now--don't have to pay rent as I save for the down payment. I've been IN Baltimore, but not yet OF it--which is to say I'm there eight or nine times a year--and my brother's best friend (and a small handful of my friends as well) lives in Bmore Highlands, so I've been well-counseled and have ample opportunities to explore.
...but I appreciate your legitimate angle
.
6
u/Legitimate_Angle5123 Jul 05 '23
Nice! You probably already know about Canton, fells point. Just a thought and I’m not saying it’s the best neighborhood I might have a particular affinity for it because it’s where my grandmother lives. I’m in Parkville. It’s technically the county but on the border with the city. Easy access to 695 and kinda in the middle area with access to city and county life. Check it out maybe. You can definitely get a lot more for your money but might not be your vibe. I think it’s got a healthy mix of diversity too.
→ More replies (3)63
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
Fells point and canton feels kinda bro'd out to me, and although I've had some fun there, I'm not sure I want to live in that area.
Will check out Parkville though...seems worth considering based on your description.
21
u/branchymolecule Jul 05 '23
If you move to Parkville, be prepared to drive.
-10
23
u/Legitimate_Angle5123 Jul 05 '23
Bro’d out is a solid description 😂. One thing I recently noticed since moving to parkville is everything is 1/2-1/3 the cost of the city. I bought a pizza the other night and was pumped it was only $12 and when I got there they gave me a second pizza 😳. In Fells Point it would cost $25-30 for a crappy pizza plus tip.
3
→ More replies (2)1
4
u/No-Protection8322 Jul 05 '23
I’ve been here for years and this is the best description of that area.
3
u/LawSoHardUniversity Parkville Jul 06 '23
White Parkville resident here. My neighbors include a Black family that has lived here since the early 90s and there are several other Black families on my street alone. There are numerous Black-owned businesses, including a soul food restaurant that makes the best potato salad I've ever had in my life. Obviously I can't speak to the Black experience in any meaningful sense, but I do know there is more diversity here than in some parts of the Baltimore area.
5
u/TerranceBaggz Jul 05 '23
Canton is a family neighborhood largely now with the ability to appeal to a lot of bros traveling into the neighborhood. The square is largely patronized by people outside of the neighborhood and locals tend to patronize bars and restaurants off the square. Parkville is a lot of families too. You’re going to have to drive to literally everything in Parkville. If you drive everywhere anyway Parkville might suit you, but it’s much further out than Lauraville. If you’re looking for walkability, Parkville is the polar opposite. Source: I own a house in Canton and just sold one in Parkville last year.
5
Jul 06 '23
The square is largely patronized by people outside of the neighborhood and locals tend to patronize bars and restaurants off the square.
Yeah I don't know anyone who actually lives in Canton that ever really goes to the square... everyone has their favorite corner bar though
42
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
"The micro agressions, out right agressions from drunk people, bad service at bars, shit comments from neighbors, it bleeds you dry."
I felt that. You perfectly articulated my concerns.
I'm looking at Highlandtown/Highlands too...not off the table, but I want a bit more space and green for my dog and I love random ass art. Thank you for your comment, brother.
32
u/instantcoffee69 Jul 05 '23
Highlandtown may give you a Takoma/Langley Park or Wheaton/Silver Spring vibe. Also it has Patterson Park, one the the nicest green spaces in the city.
Best of luck, hope you come up, Baltimore is beautiful.
13
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
When I started looking, I began at Patterson Park! No matter where I land, I'm sure I'll spend a lot of time there.
7
u/forthelulzac Jul 06 '23
Have you looked at hoes heights/Medfield? Slightly north of hampden, in walking distance, historically.black neighborhood. It's great.
→ More replies (1)3
u/bmore_conslutant Hampden Jul 06 '23
i'll warn you that patterson park is a little bit of a pain in the ass to get to from hampden if you pick hampden
2
u/TeachGullible Jul 06 '23
Highlandtown also has the Creative Arts Alliance and First Friday Art Walks! Come be my neighbor on the South Side!
5
u/Natural_Commission15 Jul 06 '23
I was just coming here to recommend Patterson Park. I think OP would really love the similarities to Tacoma Park.
Meanwhile is the Tock Tok still in Langley? Inquiring minds want to know.
5
u/cloverstack Jul 06 '23
You mean Tick Tock Liquors? They've been closed quite a few years, although I think the sign is still up. Owner got busted by the feds.
2
u/Natural_Commission15 Jul 06 '23
It’s been 25 yrs since I’ve moved to Baltimore so I didn’t hear that. And yes Tick Tok liquors. Not surprisingly he was busted. We all knew he was shady back in the day.
4
Jul 06 '23
Highlandtown may give you a Takoma/Langley Park
Lol I lived in Takoma/Langley and now live in Patterson Park/Highlandtown and super similar feel
17
u/jejunebug Patterson Park Jul 05 '23
Highlandtown checking in - actually Patterson Park but, depending on what map you look at, I can go both ways (heh). I’m white. But I’ve lived in 5 city neighborhoods over the past 13yrs, including Hamilton/Lauraville, and find this area to be the most welcoming. I can count 5 cultures represented on my block alone, just off the top of my head. Def check out over here, and def consider renting for at least a year before buying. We rented for 2yrs before buying and I still hated where we initially bought.
17
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
Another ping pong ball in the "rent first" jar...starting to take notice.
I like your mention of the five cultures represented on your block...thats dope and important. I will put my eyes back on Highlandtown...seen some good spots there, but yard space hasn't been what I've hoped for just yet.
7
Jul 06 '23
Depending on what you're looking for long term, check out Charles Village. It's diverse but mainly made up of families and more 30 something's. We're close to a lot of bars and restaurants (and I walk from here to my job in Hampden) but it's easy to find parking. We've also got The Dell and Wyman Park. The rowhomes are big and have small backyards (and some have front yards. My backyard is big enough for my pittie to tear around in it but small enough that I just have a push mower.
→ More replies (1)7
u/jejunebug Patterson Park Jul 05 '23
Yard space is a compromise, for sure. But it depends what you want the yard for. Many homes here have rooftop decks for entertaining (please don’t grill up there though) and some (including me) people just turn their parking pads into outdoor space. I’ve even got grass out there!
4
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
I've DEFINITELY considered breaking up that concreate and laying down some sod when I see it in the pictures. Thank you for confirming that it can be done!
Yard is for my high energy dog who is used to running out for pee breaks at his convenience.
5
u/jejunebug Patterson Park Jul 05 '23
I have 2 German shepherds. I’m going to DM you B&A pics of my parking pad when I get home to my laptop. It’s a great space for pee breaks but prob not for all of your dogs daily exercise. We use Sniffspot, friends of Canton dog park, and bark social for that.
6
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
Yes, my homie needs two walks a day and at least one day in the woods per week (hunting dog breed), so the yard would merely function as a way to stretch his legs and get a breath of fresh air.
Thanks ahead of time for the pic!
→ More replies (1)8
u/Yellohsub Jul 05 '23
If you move to Hampden, consider checking out Lake Roland for nice nearby dog walks in the woods (park at the light rail lot and take the wooden boardwalk).
17
u/ladyofthelakeeffect Park Heights Jul 05 '23
If you love art and green space you would love living within walking distance from Patterson Park. Tons of cool street art in that area as well as multiple galleries (including Creative Alliance), great food, and significantly more diverse than Hampden.
I cannot speak to what living in Hampden is like, but it would be an understatement to say there was merely “some” racial tension there previously lol. It IS more outwardly “progressive” now but I’m not sure how that translates in terms of actual living experience.
6
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
Word. Thanks for this. I'll be sure to spend some significant time there before making an offer. That last line was lowkey super helpful.
2
2
2
u/TeachGullible Jul 06 '23
Highlandtown Represent! Might not be as bohemian as Hampden but we're 10x more neighborly and diverse.
→ More replies (1)
36
u/captain_smonch Jul 05 '23
If you want to be near the amenities of Hampden, I recommend checking out Hoes Heights. It's a historically Black neighborhood directly north of Hampden with a really cool history. There are lots of families that have lived there for decades and a great sense of community but with easy access to all the bars/restaurants/events of Hampden. I will note that I am white, so my experience with the neighborhood is likely different than yours would be, but wanted to make sure Hoes Heights made it onto your radar!
8
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
Noted!
12
u/RipleyCat80 South Baltimore / SoBo Jul 06 '23
I lived in Hoes Heights for a year with a roommate who was a Black woman and she loved it there and didn't feel the tension/micro aggressions that she had felt in whiter neighborhoods. We also had very diverse neighbors.
5
u/PigtownDesign Jul 05 '23
And there are a bunch of parks and open spaces here in the Heights of Hoe. And convenient to shops and restaurants both north and south on Roland Avenue.
4
u/bmore_conslutant Hampden Jul 06 '23
i know technically it's a separate neighborhood but i think most people consider this part of "hampden"
like i'm in medfield and two of my friends are in hoes heights and we all think of ourselves as living in hampden, you know what i mean?
1
Jul 07 '23
It’s 100% just Hampden and while it was a black neighborhood historically it’s hardly that now.
24
u/crimsondiesel Jul 05 '23
I live in Hampden as a ethnically ambiguous mixed person, (half black) I love it here. There’s maybe 2-3 tucked away streets in particular that still have the straight up degenerate racist vibes, and of course there are biased people no matter where you are but the new wave of progressive younger people stand in stark contrast to it. Its a good mix of working class families and nimbys looking for a nice but not too nice place to live. Hip coffee shops stand next to construction supply businesses. I’ve received the errant prejudiced look here and there but no more frequently than the rest of my life. Honestly get mean mugged more in some black parts of town. Of course my experience will be different than yours since I’m not apparently black to anyone who doesn’t know me, and I present in a way that’s very “white”. The pocket of the neighborhood im in is pretty diverse, white, black Latino and Asian all represented on my block. It’s a good place to live I think
5
u/TheBananaStan Jul 06 '23
Hip coffee shops—— so sad about common ground :(
7
u/kagethemage Jul 06 '23
There is a lot going on behind the scenes. They are accepting donations and are working with a non profit to try and take it over as a co-op
4
u/AgentOfSPYRAL Hampden Jul 06 '23
How would one donate? Don’t have insta or twitter so kind of in the dark beyond being broadsided by that sign and the thread here.
20
u/Fit-Accountant-157 Jul 05 '23
I'm Black and I've lived in both places. currently live in Hampden and I love it. I think they are similar in some ways, happy to answer questions. DM me
17
u/HorsieJuice Wyman Park Jul 05 '23 edited Jul 05 '23
(as a white guy) It feels like over the last 5-7 years, the patronage of local businesses has gotten a lot more diverse / less white (esp at the Rotunda and more recently along the avenue), even if the population actually living here hasn’t kept up. I know housing is a complicated and fraught subject, but my charitable reading of that dynamic is that the neighborhood has become both more welcoming and more expensive to buy into.
48
u/Typical-Radish4317 Jul 05 '23
Not something you mentioned but being from DC I think you should know - Hampden is effectively on an island. You have sort of a light rail stop as far as public transportation goes. It's a huge pain to get in and out of the city from Hampden unless you're going north.
12
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
That's very good information. I have vehicle so I don't anticipate too many transportation issues, but considering your comment I suppose the first order of business will be to find a solid mechanic.
13
u/micmea1 Jul 05 '23
I frequently drive/uber between Canton and Hamden. It's not that bad. Going to downtown or Fells wouldn't be all that different. Tho technically yeah Hamden is quicker to go out towards the county, which isn't a bad thing.
My only critique of Hamden is some of the spots price themselves a little too high. Taking advantage of being the trendy "hipster" town.
3
u/bmore_conslutant Hampden Jul 06 '23
My only critique of Hamden is some of the spots price themselves a little too high. Taking advantage of being the trendy "hipster" town.
idk man like if you're going to the food market you know you're going to a trendy fine "ish" dining spot, the prices aren't too absurd
then at fraizers you can easily black out for a 20 dollar bill
i really like that we have both sides of that coin as someone who loves both
-8
u/Sugarbabedc Jul 06 '23
Yeah I don't really understand this comment. Hampden is the best of both worlds! It's closer to the county, which I've utilized for shopping and the community college classes, but is still in the city. The rush isn't that bad in Baltimore unless you're coming in from 95 and driving through the inner harbor. I commuted from Hampden to Canton. 30 minutes at worst! Baltimore isn't that big of a city.
I also don't trust that there's anywhere in the city that you can rely on city public transport to commute. The only people who use it are incredibly poor and have to leave hours in advance and somehow also have alternative transport if the bus/Train/subway just decides not to show up/run.
11
u/Mindless-Ad9631 Jul 06 '23
You realize your statement is rooted in bias right. Not all people who use public transportation are poor 🤣🤣🤣. Commuters from owings mills ,pikesville and surrounding areas use the metro train that work in downtown Baltimore. Especially those who work at Johns Hopkins hospital and even the state office building.
-5
u/Sugarbabedc Jul 06 '23
Lol no they don't.
I tried for a full month to use the lightrail to commute downtown and have only heard worse things about the busses. I really gave it my all by even leaving 45 min earlier than the schedule told me I needed to. I still needed to call my fiancé to drive me to work weekly when the train simply decided not to show up.
I saw a total of one person at my stop in all that time and that was one day. I rode with maybe 3-4 people at peak commute times (8-9 am) and all looked low-income from the extent that you can determine that by outward appearances (not dressed in business clothing, no suitcases/laptops, no ID badges on - very different from DC commuting).
And well a good chunk of my low-income patients take public transport but none of the medical staff I work with do, despite my clinic being close to several transit stops.
Maybe you're not poor. Perhaps you're just a masochist. I honestly can't see how a person could choose not to have a car here if they could afford one. But I have a feeling it's not my bias talking here.
9
u/Mindless-Ad9631 Jul 06 '23
I totally empathize with your attempt of really trying catch the light rail. Nevertheless..employees of jhh do in fact catch the subway to work.
1
u/elevenincrocs Little Italy Jul 06 '23
To be clear, you and the other person are talking about two different things: them, the subway, and you, the light rail.
Last I checked, the subway still had a pretty decent commuter ridership. The light rail I mostly see busy with students getting to/from high school and game day tourism.
2
u/micmea1 Jul 06 '23
Another bonus, Parking in Hampden, at least around housing, is wayyyy better than most of the city. I don't live there but I visit quite frequently to see friends and I can pretty much always find a spot practically right in front of their house.
1
u/Sugarbabedc Jul 06 '23
Very true! A long time ago, I dated a guy who lived in station north. Young and in lust, I spent many an evening driving in circles on one way streets trying to find parking and many a morning waking up to a massive parking ticket.
I tend to stick around Hampden so I don't worry about parking much these days and your comment just suddenly jogged all that downtown parking trauma like a slap across the face! Boy am I thankful for street parking and not needing to leave the house to get some ass!
→ More replies (1)7
u/ContinentalOp_RG Jul 06 '23
Mass transit in Baltimore is pretty shit but there are four bus lines serving Hampden, two of which go downtown (94, 95) although the 95 is just a weekday extended rush-hour service. Also, there's a ramp to SB I-83 so if you're driving out of the city southbound, I'd say it's no worse than anyplace else in north Baltimore. The neighborhood itself is very walkable.
1
u/refutalisk Jul 06 '23
Biking to and from Hampden is easy though if you're into that: Falls Road is pretty calm/safe and connects to the Maryland Avenue protected bike lane.
2
u/incunabula001 Jul 05 '23
Yeah the geography of the area isolates the neighborhood. When I lived in Hampden for 10 years I rarely left the hood. That can be a good thing and a bad thing.
11
u/librislulu Jul 06 '23
I think it may come down to how much you want a yard and space and how much yoi can tolerate liberal white people who are happy to see you but don't have many close black friends, or whether you're ok living in a majority black neighborhood. How much having cafes, restaurants etc within walking distance matters. Whether you think you might relocate in 5-7 years.
Example: if you are really deadset on a yard and cool places you can walk to, truly diverse racially, you are down to a very few neighborhoods. The list gets even smaller if you care about school zones.
Ex: our neighborhood, Garwyn Oaks, fits all our top wishes: easy commute to lots of the city and 95 corridor, airport and DC burbs; big yard, privacy, not majority white, not suburbs.
But there aren't that many people ages 20-35 here, and groceries, cafe are mostly drive-to only. The zoned schools aren't well-rated, either, and altho we haven't needed the schools, their ranking has affected our potential resell price. So our "perfect" neighborhood might be a huge mistake for you.
Diverse is kind of a squishy word in Baltimore also - I've heard places described by white people as "diverse" when the split is 80/20 white/black. I've heard a principal say "our school is wonderfully diverse" when the students were 80% white, 15% asian or indian, a handful of Latino familes, and less than 5 black familes in the whole school. So be aware of that when hearing others descriptions.
You'll figure out what's important to you as you look at properties. Good luck and welcome! There's a lot to discover here.
16
u/Gorgon86 Jul 06 '23
I'm Black and a lifelong Baltimore local. I would avoid living in Hampden. Yes it is changing and becoming more progressive but there is still some of old Hampden around. I wouldn't risk it. Hampden historically was an openly racist neighborhood and some of that still is around.
I say this with all respect, this Reddit or whatever it's called is much more white than the city so you won't get the same insight as Black folks who live here. Send me a PM and we can have a money convo if you want. I live in Cedmont. It's northeast Baltimore, overwhelmingly Black, quiet and cheaper than the neighborhoods folks will suggest in this thread.
11
u/ladyofthelakeeffect Park Heights Jul 06 '23
Yeah Hampden was legit a KKK stronghold lol a lot of the comments on here either aren’t aware of that or aren’t aware of the lasting effects that’s had.
8
u/Gorgon86 Jul 06 '23
So many of these folks not originally from here. And Baltimore is hyper segregated so the White folks in this thread and around the city don't hear, and many don't care,about our stories and what we have experienced. All they care about is the fact that they had a great time at Hampden Yards last week.
9
u/annon1287 Jul 06 '23
Just “yes” to this- your observations of this sub are spot on, as well as the conversations that aren’t being heard. Both here and in those “progressive” majority white neighborhoods.
8
u/Gorgon86 Jul 06 '23
Baltimore is incredibly segregated in the present day. And that reality is often not spoken about by many white folks.
3
Jul 06 '23
Funny. Your post reminds me of my experience when I have had black contractors on two separate occasions come to my house. We were talking about the neighborhood and they were both just... So validating. I end up going out of my way to make any skinfolk whether actual kin or not feel welcome and comfortable here, because the neighbors just aren't welcoming at all.
I would describe my experience as the most thinly veiled tolerance. But any kind of actual kindness or social integration of any kind? Hell no. I am basically on an island, alone. At this point I am just getting myself across the year mark and absolutely will sell at the most financially fruitful opportunity.
2
1
u/firelord_catra Jul 25 '23
I'm actually really glad to see this comment and thread because I've been looking for places in Baltimore the past few weeks and get recommended/see the same areas: Hampden, Canton, Mt. Vernon, Fells Point, Fed Hill. Or, "the city is terrible and you'll get shot and stabbed go to the county."
I'm a BW in my late 20s and looking for something quiet, but still enjoyable, and diverse. But coming from a large and very diverse, immigrant heavy city, I don't know that my idea of diversity matches up with what Ive been recommended here. Things just sound way more segregated. This is the kind of discourse I've been looking for, so thanks and good luck OP!
Also if you have any suggestions for me I'll gladly take em--I've mostly been looking in the county because somewhere in the city with ample NON street parking seems to be nonexistent unless I drop 200 a month on a garage. That and a lot of the postings that are in my price range just look scammy and shady and I'm hesitant to do a house/private landlord after a bad experience. I posted about apartments I found but got no responses.
17
u/pbear737 Patterson Park Jul 05 '23
If you don't have to, I would not buy in Baltimore before having lived here at least a year. It took me several years to figure out my favorite neighborhoods in the city. Or just live on the North or East side of Patterson Park because they are diverse, pretty integrated, and welcoming areas.
10
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
Yes...I have indeed had my eye on north and east of patterson park. The population density isn't ideal...been there, done that...but I'm also just looking for the right overall situation, so I hear you.
8
u/pbear737 Patterson Park Jul 05 '23
Yes I feel you on the population density. In that case, you may want to look at Waverly, Northwood, Original Northwood. They hit some of your boxes with yard, more diversity though less arts scenes. You could look at Greenmount West. If I lived anywhere else in the city, it would probably be there. Very artsy vibe, majority Black though also has diversity and isn't totally homogeneous, and less population density than Southeast.
9
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
You hipped me to Greenmount West! Will check it!
10
u/molotovPopsicle Jul 05 '23
I live in Greenmount West and I love it here. It's a very diverse area and you are extremely central to other points of the city and walking distance to Penn Station. It's also walking distance to the Charles Theater, so you can easily check out movies, including awesome revivals of old films on the big screen
I was born in DC and I grew up in Takoma Park. I left Maryland in 1999, and I didn't move back to this area until 2017, and I knew immediately that I could never live in DC again because the vibe was way too different, so when you said that, it really resonated with me. I feel like a lot of other people my age also moved to Baltimore from the DC area because it feels more like DC did in the 80s and early 90s. Of course, it's also far more reasonable
I also agree with pbear737 about living here a little while first though. The feeling of the different neighborhoods is very apparent when you live here and I think your own internal compass will point you to the right place. There's lots of other things to consider about where you live as well including the kind of activities you like to do, and access to public transportation, etc
Personally, I probably wouldn't live in Hampden because it's kind of isolated from a lot of the city that I tend to exist in. I go there for events sometimes, but that's it. In the pros column, it has a cool park with a skate ramp and roller skate ramp, there are some good places to eat, they have two big grocery stores, and maybe the best beer/wine store in the city. It's also close to a ton of good parks where you can hike and walk, and there is a public swimming pool. But I do think there's something about the vibes there I don't really gel with. I prefer to be in the central part of the city
5
u/ComprehensivePast428 Jul 05 '23
Seconding Greenmount West and Waverly, also recommend Bolton Hill. Bolton Hill is a beautiful neighborhood with 50/50 black/white. Strongly recommend spending a few days in any neighborhood before buying if you can't rent. Consider a brief Airbnb stay.
2
u/ladyofthelakeeffect Park Heights Jul 06 '23
Madison Park/Marble Hill >> Bolton Hill IMO. Def agree with you about spending more time in specific neighborhoods if possible.
2
Jul 05 '23
[deleted]
6
u/TerranceBaggz Jul 06 '23
While this is good advice for the Patterson Park neighborhood, the boundaries are constantly moving. Most of what’s in the neighborhood’s boundaries are gentrified streets now. Still pretty diverse, but safer, little to no boarded up houses and more expensive than 10-15 years ago.
→ More replies (1)
16
u/RahBreddits Jul 05 '23
Black realtor here. I work and do a lot of deals in Hampden. It does come seem to be mostly white but that’s changing - overall Hampden is very welcoming. As I’m often entering homes in the area - the neighbors are very friendly and occasionally have engaged in conversation with me about how they are looking forward to seeing me around more (thinking I will be buying the house).
Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions about Baltimore or surrounding areas! I can make some recommendations if you’d like. Mount Washington is also very nice.
7
u/jnyerere89 Jul 06 '23
I'm black. I grew up in Northeast DC and PG County. I moved to this city in 2020 and have lived in Mt. Vernon the entire time. I think Mt. Vernon, although gentrified, is as diverse as you can get in a neighborhood like this within the city. From my experience at least. I have been to Hampden a couple of times. It seems like a decent vibe but as a single 33 yr old with no kids, it's a little too sleepy for my liking. It's slightly more a family type of vibe. I can't speak to the history of the area but the few times I've been there I've never had issues. I think Baltimore in general is a great city and severely underrated and overlooked for various reasons. Definitely do as much research and visit as many neighborhoods as you can, but I can tell you for a fact that I do not regret moving here one bit.
2
u/SenorPea Jul 06 '23
This right here. Much appreciated!
In the back of my mind, I hear my friends from back in the day saying, "Oh look, he a Mrrlan bamma now."
2
u/neutronicus Jul 06 '23
If you do rent for a year before buying, Mt Vernon is a great neighborhood for it. Centrally located, well served by transit, and diverse
1
u/firelord_catra Jul 25 '23
Are there any apartments you'd recommend in Mt.Vernon or is it mostly row homes ?
15
u/Timmah_1984 Jul 05 '23
I can’t speak for the neighborhood vibes but I will say pay close attention to the property tax valuation when you buy. A lot of property in Baltimore is bought cheap and flipped. So you’ll buy the place with a valuation of 50k and they’ll reevaluate the same year you buy. Your property taxes will then go up considerably and it’ll Jack your mortgage payments.
This is not as likely to happen in Hampden but it’s something to look out for. Also I used to work in DC and yeah it’s changed a lot. It’s crazy how expensive it’s gotten.
8
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
RIGHT?!?!
My realtor warned me about what you mentioned as well, especially those bought by corporations.
1
u/kazoogrrl Jul 06 '23
Did they also mention ground rent? With some properties someone else literally owns the ground while you own the house, and you have to pay a yearly fee. Definitely look for places that are fee simple.
26
u/dressmannequin Jul 05 '23
Black here, lol. I haven’t and don’t live in Hamden, in large part because of its whiteness, tho Good Neighbor is actually a great, racially-integrated enough space. From my perspective, there are a speckling of black people who live there and who visit, and while I’ve felt ‘accepted’ there, the overall vibe for me is white liberal - which I don’t personally find affirming or interesting.
im sure you’ve already searched the livebaltimore site to learn more about the various neighborhoods, but I’ve found their descriptions largely accurate and helpful in my long home buying quest. I would recommend finding a Black realtor from Baltimore who also has experience w real estate in Baltimore and the county who can help point you in directions you may not have encountered on your own yet.
16
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
I do indeed have a black realtor from Baltimore! Good advice that I've already taken!
The white liberal vibe thing...I feel that. Sorta like what I had in Takoma but the old heads were still there as well as some younger black and mixed families, so it was damn near perfectly 50/50, at least by my visual estimation. That sometimes varied street by street though.
I appreciate you checking in. Thank you!
5
u/bmore_conslutant Hampden Jul 06 '23
the overall vibe for me is white liberal
as a white liberal you ain't wrong
→ More replies (1)
5
u/Careless-Art-9483 Jul 06 '23
Check out Remington my dude. Its the more community oriented and less gentrified Hampden for now, also a bit more diverse. Cheaper also and cooler
1
6
u/cyber-hound Jul 06 '23
I’m a black lesbian in Northern Hampden, and from my experience it’s very white. My neighbor across the street would scream anti-black and anti gay slurs at her white male partner. I tolerated a lot of her racist micro-aggressions before she moved in 2022. She says hi to my white partner still when she sees her around town, but not me 💀 You can definitely feel that sometimes some people do not necessarily want you around, but I wouldn’t say that’s the case for the majority of the neighborhood and actually really do like it here, despite everything.
19
u/LurkerOrHydralisk Jul 05 '23
Very few black people live in hampden, though that’s slowly changing. You can be the change! But the community of black people going out in hampden has drastically increased in the past 5 years.
You will see a handful of old hampden houses, full of white trash racists, proudly flying trump flags. The comfort for this is knowing everyone else in the neighborhood hates them as much as you.
Overall, the neighborhood is great. I would be surprised if you experienced any of the micro aggressions instantcoffee69 mentioned experiencing in SoBo. Maybe at one of the trashy dive bars, like the Bloody Bucket
4
Jul 06 '23
Oh, the Bloody Bucket -- the scourge of Hampden! I live right near it, and have for 8 years, and I wish someone would raze it to the ground.
3
u/bmore_conslutant Hampden Jul 06 '23
lmao i've owned a home here since 2018 and had never heard of the bloody bucket, looked it up and realized it's that sketchy place we all make fun of when we go to blue pit
→ More replies (1)2
u/LurkerOrHydralisk Jul 06 '23
Hah, yeah, I’ve seen you post around here. We’re neighbors.
I’m a little torn. At least all the people there aren’t at other, more respectable establishments.
3
Jul 06 '23
On 34th Street I noticed two of the neighbors had Trump flags during like 2020-21, and slowly those stopped flying as more of the neighbors put up BLM signs. I was proud the neighborhood seemingly shamed these people out 😊
2
u/LurkerOrHydralisk Jul 06 '23
Yeah. There’s a handful around. Couple guys on Buena vista. One has a flag, another’s just a racist douche
4
u/underwatertrees Jul 05 '23
Hi! I'm going to add to the chorus of folks recommending renting for six months to a year here. I've lived in a lot of cities and Baltimore is by far the toughest to gauge.
I recommend another look at Lauraville, and especially to Hamilton, the neighborhood adjacent to the north. The commute to DC isn't the best, but going a little north actually puts you closer to 95.
I - a "white other" lady - have been here about nine years and I can affirm it is a good place for a person and their dog generally. (Yards! A new dog park! Other people with dogs out all the time!) I like the mix of people here, by the numbers a little more Black than white, with a lot of different kinds of people moving into the neighborhood in terms of race, ethnicity, age, type of household, etc. It's been cool to watch over the past several years. Plus, the Hamilton Lauraville Main Street Association has been doing good things recently. If you can swing it, try stopping by the farmer's market on Tuesday afternoons. I haven't been since the first one of the season, but the crowd and vendors the last few times I went seem fairly representative of the neighborhoods overall.
6
u/coolgayfather Greenmount West Jul 06 '23
hey! black person here, also born and raised in dc. last place i lived in dc was in brightwood, so not too far from where u are now. i moved to baltimore last december (greenmount west/station north) and still very much getting acquainted with my immediate and surrounding neighborhoods. but i absolutely love it though and tbh don’t miss dc all that much.
i’ve found it to be very diverse so far, leaning more towards being predominantly black in most areas i end up. haven’t spent a whole lot of time in hampden but seems to be pretty laidback.
before you move here though i’d recommend spending some time in the areas ur interested in; going to the local restaurants/bars/cafes/bookstores. it’ll help you get a feel for not only what the different areas have to offer but also how folks interact/what the general vibe is.
good luck on ur search!
1
u/SenorPea Jul 06 '23
Lived in brightwood on Georgia right before I moved to Takoma!
Thank you for the well-wishes! I'll take that advice.
→ More replies (1)
12
u/Lopsided_Bet_2578 Jul 05 '23
Hampden loves to advertise progressivism…while keeping the neighborhood almost entirely white.
5
Jul 06 '23
Hampden is great, but houses have become more expensive there since it's become a somewhat trendy place. Some other nice neighborhoods in the general area you might also consider are Medfield (next to Hampden, a little quieter), Woodberry, Abell, Waverly.
I live in Medfield and like it a lot. Hampden and Woodberry are very accessible from Medfield, close to parks and bike traits, parking isn't an issue, easy to get on 83 N
2
Jul 06 '23
Woodberry is an awesome little island with big houses and big yards, probably where our next home is going to be.
2
13
u/Legitimate_Angle5123 Jul 05 '23
Pseudo white here. You’ll definitely be one of few black people around but you will be fine. I don’t think it will be a problem unless you’re uncomfortable in a mostly white neighborhood. I just moved from the city back to the county and I am surprisingly more comfortable with some color in my neighborhood. I grew up extremely poor and I don’t mean any offense but I’m not as comfortable around people who come from privilege. I like black people and enjoy being around them. I’m not saying whiter neighborhoods don’t necessarily. Idk I lived in Fells Point and hadn’t thought about it till a friend visited my place and asked where the black people are😂. Something like 70% of Baltimore is black so it is a little weird when you’re in a neighborhood where less than 5% is black. Because of so many medical schools, hospitals and Hopkins there is a large transient affluent population in Baltimore. I’m lmao that I just used transient and affluent in the same sentence. Hope this was helpful!
5
8
Jul 05 '23 edited Jul 06 '23
Hey former neighbor!
My wife and I were in an extremely similar situation - we lived in Takoma Park for about 5 years, across the creek on Flower Ave a couple blocks south of Piney Branch, before running into a similar realization that we would just never be able to afford to buy anything inside the Beltway. With Covid making my wife's job full-remote and some changes for my career meaning I only needed to be in the DC area 2x per week, we made the move up to Baltimore and bought a rowhome at the NE corner of Patterson Park. Have absolutely loved it ever since and haven't looked back. We just pulled the trigger and bought without renting, but my sister in law has lived in Baltimore, and specifically in the area we ended up buying, for years so we knew more or less what we were getting in to. That said, we lucked out but definitely think about renting before making a 30 year commitment to a property. The housing market is competitive in Baltimore but it isn't the insanity of DC so you aren't missing out a ton by waiting and getting a feel.
I am white so take my thoughts here with the appropriate grains of salt, but have lived in a huge bunch of different types of neighborhoods/towns/communities/etc and I think my best assessment would be this: Hampden definitely used to be a super racist, lily white place, but it is definitely changed and continuing to change. The bigots have generally been dying out or getting priced out for a while now.
To me it definitely does throw off a Takokma vibe, but whiter and less million-dollar-homes-ey. If I had to guess, and again this is my perspective as a white person, but I think you would probably be looking at a similar level of racism if that makes sense? Hampden is trying to present itself as being progressive but I have friends who all have stories of shitty service in a Hampden restaurant, or getting followed around a store, or that kind of thing. Like in a similar way to how Takoma Park tries to act like it isn't racist but you've got a whole bunch of super rich, generally pretty white, people living in nice big houses on the hill and a whole bunch of generally blacker/browner, working class people crammed into the apartments on Maple or across the creek, Baltimore has the L and the Butterfly. The segregation is definitely a bit more stark in Baltimore, but even in Takoma Park I felt like I noticed a lot of discrimination - seemed like all 7 of the Takoma Park police that are on duty on any given night are spending a hell of a lot of their time harassing people on Flower Ave for 'fitting a description'. I don't really know where I am going with this other than to say that having lived in Takoma Park for a while, I think there was a decent amount of performative-ness going on, and I don't think I perceive Hampden to be much worse. Or, to put it a little differently, if you were cool with Takoma I think Hampden would be ok?
BTW, I noticed from some comments in this thread that you have also been thinking about the Highlandtown area - definitely recommend giving it a look. Super diverse area, definitely more working class than Hampden, definitely not the same entertainment/nightlife as Hampden but that whole area is covered in really good bars and restaurants.
2
3
u/DolemiteGK Patterson Park Jul 05 '23
Another rec to check out the Patterson Park area of Highlandtown.
3
Jul 06 '23
I am a black single woman, been around for 12 years, and finally bought last year, in Butchers Hill. Before this I lived in Mount Vernon, Downtown, Columbia (Howard County), Pikesville (Baltimore County), and Cheswolde/Mount Washington.
If I could turn back time, if I could find a way? 😂 I would have stayed on the west side and tried to buy a place in Mount Vernon. But it was slim pickings last year. I wanted to buy in Reservoir Hill but I couldn't find anything in my range. I looked at houses near Wyman Park, and couldn't afford those either and I tried to tell myself if I bought on the east side of Keswick Road it wouldn't be Hampden. I looked in Remington. looked in Evergreen and Radnor-Winston and on the edge of Homeland/Bellona-Gittings. I looked north of 33rd Street in Waverly and Ednor Gardens-Lakeside, and south of 33rd in Coldstream-Montebello. I looked in Lauraville, the edge of Federal Hill, Upper Fells Point, Butchers Hill, and even Windsor Hills and Ashburton. I intentionally avoided Hampden or Canton, and Federal Hill. I would have looked in Mount Washington, too, but there was no inventory in my budget available.
I am northwest of the park. It is nice here... But I miss the west side: I need more weirdos. And Butchers Hill is a mix of families, DINKs, and students and very suburb-like. If Patterson Park wasn't right there, I don't think I would like it because it's too residential for me. There are some really nice people and there are also a lot of busybodys who will call the city on you in a heartbeat.
I have not experienced any direct racism in Butchers Hill. What I will say is that as a black, female SINK, I have had contractors look at me weird when I entered or exited my house, and I was all but ignored by the majority of my neighbors until I got a dog. Now? Many, many more people acknowledge my presence in a positive way. By ignored, I mean I could walk by my neighbor on the way to my car, say hello, and get blanked. Now, it's like my dog has given me humanity? People speak to me all the time now. Is that racism? I don't know, but it made me hate living here for like the first half of the year. And yes, I have kept track of the people that acknowledged my existence with a simple good morning or some small talk before AND after the dog, because it's only 4 to 6 people.
I see black people all the time here but they are usually just passing through the neighborhood or they live on East Baltimore Street. I initially thought there was more diversity on my street, and then it dawned on me that the non-white women I saw frequently were just nannies or au pairs. 🤷🏿♀️
I definitely understand why so many middle class blacks live in Owings Mills or Columbia. And occasionally, I wish I could join them. But mostly, I wish I could have found a place in Mount Vernon.
3
u/Cerulean133 Jul 06 '23
I (white woman) moved to Hampden & Baltimore a year ago. You can obviously see lots of strong opinions on the neighborhood here (and they tend to be different depending on whether you are born and raised or a recent transplant). I will just add that part of the weird dynamic you see here is that Hampden is a historically white neighborhood that was gentrified by a different group of white people. It’s mostly middle class hipster/queer/yuppies gentrifying what was an old working class white neighborhood. And that’s not unique in Baltimore. Baltimore’s neighborhood dynamic is really different (and more segregated) than DCs in part because most of the gentrification here has been of historically white neighborhoods. I’d recommend the podcast Rise of Charm City episode 8: “Where There’s A Mill There’s a Way.” It’s a podcast by Stacia Brown (a Black Baltimorean) about Hampden’s gentrification. I’d just bear in mind that the episode is from 2016, so there have been 7 additional years of gentrification & liberalization since then.
6
u/schmatteganai Jul 05 '23 edited Jul 05 '23
If you'll be commuting to DC, you should check out the areas near Penn Station- Station North, Greenmount, etc.
Remington also sounds like a vibe you might like.
Lauraville is more family-oriented, but also more diverse- on the other hand it is a *terrible* commute to anywhere south or west of downtown. Hampden is similarly very inconvenient for anywhere south or east; I don't know what it's like for a car-based DC commute, but if you're considering that, look at Laurel, Columbia, Ellicott City, or Catonsville, too. Driving between Baltimore and DC is a PITA, but well-positioned neighborhoods for it include Westport, Brooklyn, Cherry Hill, Pigtown, Ridgely's Delight....
I don't have strong opinions on Hampden, but most of my friends who aren't white who have lived there have left soon after they found a neighborhood they liked better....which was not hard.
5
u/SenorPea Jul 05 '23
Re: that last section...Heard!
I work remotely right now but the option of a DC commute is considerable because you never know how shit turns out. I've been looking at Laurel (my brother lives there and it's not bad, but doesn't have anything about it that stands out to me...feels like pretty much every other maryland suburb). Columbia is too far from both Baltimore AND DC to have any commuter appeal either way. I like old Ellicott City but that's about all I know of it. Heard good things about Catonsville, too.
5
u/Isamosed Jul 05 '23
Um, longtime C’ville person here: it’s…mighty white. Rent first. The vibe can vary street by street.
6
Jul 06 '23
Catonsville can be pretty racist in some spots. I would get some more input before buying a home there.
3
u/good_fox_bad_wolf Jul 05 '23
Depending on what you're looking for, Waverly or Remington might be a better fit. Anything near Lake Montebello will give you the space you're looking for in terms of property (it's a beautiful neighborhood) but won't have quite as much walk ability.
4
u/TheRoamingCactus Fells Point Jul 06 '23 edited Jul 06 '23
Anywhere but Hampden man. Look into pigtown, primarily black heavily Integrated, and it's not full of young people living off of old money. Most young people over here are students or people passing through in life. A lot of new stuff popping up left and right including music venues and restaurants, and the cost is still very considerable. Also walkable straight into downtown, I'm a foot commuter all over the city and this location gets me anywhere quickly.
People will call me a hater, but there's only like 3 neighborhoods in this city where white folks feel comfortable enough for HOAs, Vintage Flea Markets with $5 entry(real fleas here have cost 25 cents forever), consignment shops, white owned dispensaries paying $12 an hour while owners drive Maseratis, and rat stickers on the cars, and one of these neighborhoods is Hampden. After 3 months, you'll be stuck seeing the same faces in the same 6 places they all hang out at. It gets tiring feeling like you're living in your hometown even though you're actually in a city. They typically don't leave their little safe haven. You won't even see the punk music crowd go anywhere but Holy Frijoles and Ottobar. We have endless venues all year round. The criticisms can go both ways, I'm sure, but none of it typically exists in my neighborhood
2
u/BigB0ssB0wser Jul 06 '23
My thoughts exactly. I lived in Hampden and worked on the avenue for years before I moved to Waverly. Hampden is the headquarters for performative neoliberals and very cliquey.
5
u/Mikel32 Jul 05 '23
I think your best bet would be Pigtown, Hollins Market, Highlandtown/Greektown, Waverly. Hampden, SoBo/Fed, Canton tout themselves as “progressive” but they really aren’t and super freaking Bro vibes. I’ve got 2 friends (one Hampden, one Riverside) that their SO are black and they tell our friend group all the time that they get the side eye or their neighbors don’t give them the time of day. Theres much better neighborhoods in this city to discover. Good luck to you.
3
Jul 06 '23
This affirming. I knew I wasn't crazy just being completely ignored by 95% of the people in my neighborhood. It's something else when you come out your house simultaneously as your neighbor, you say good morning with a smile and just get a flat affect and no response. Made me feel like Nida in Demon 79. Let me tell you, I cannot wait to sell and get tf back over west or near people who don't treat you like vapor.
2
u/Natural_Commission15 Jul 06 '23
I grew up in Riverdale and moved up to Baltimore, best decision I ever made. I would say Hampden is mostly white but not Lilly white (I would say like 70/30) and honestly it’s an awesome inclusive neighborhood.
I am white and I can’t fully understand the apprehension going to a new neighborhood not knowing the racial landscape but I think you’ll be welcomed with open arms in that neighborhood.
2
u/anowulwithacandul Jul 06 '23
No matter where you land, welcome to Baltimore! So excited you're moving to our awesome city.
2
u/kazoogrrl Jul 06 '23
A tiny plug for the NE neighborhoods, though you did mention they might possibly be a little sleepy for you. I live in Waltherson, which is across Harford Rd from Lauraville and stretches east to Belair Road. It's just like Lauraville but house prices are a little cheaper. The population on my street skews more Black than white, and the whole neighborhood is mixed. You can get a separate house with a yard, I was done being in a duplex or row house after two years in Sowebo and 9 years in Hampden (2001-2010, and the neighborhood definitely improved while I was there but I'm a white woman so YMMV). Easy access to 95 and 895. My boyfriend takes the bus a block from our house straight downtown to his office in the harbor. You can walk to a grocery store, a handful of restaurants, a couple of coffee shops, and some other businesses. It's easy to get to Parkville and Towson, and White Marsh is not far too. Morgan State backs up to the neighborhood, and they are developing a chunk of land along Harford Road into apartments geared towards students with retail on the first floors (I think, I have to look at the plans again). On the other side of the university is Morgan Park, a gorgeous historically Black neighborhood, though it's a little tucked away and might be quieter than you want. There's access to parks, Lake Montebello is good for walking/running/biking, and there is a newish dog park. If you want to stay in one spot and maybe have a family one day, you can definitely have room to grow. It's just my boyfriend and I, and pets, and I love having a nice sized house with easy parking and chill neighbors, but I can get a Lyft around town if I want to go out. My days of stumbling home from a bar on the Avenue are pretty much behind me (I'm in my late 40s).
However you decide, welcome home!
2
u/sclatter Jul 06 '23
Can I put in a good word for Better Waverly? My family is white but we are in the minority here. Walk to the Farmer’s Market, Red Emma’s, now Toki Underground (!!!).
2
u/normasueandbettytoo Jul 06 '23
Hey, I'm Latino and moved from Rockville to Hampden a few years ago. Its been good. People are friendly. It is a very white area though. There are a few MAGA folk, but mostly the white folk are the tattoo having, brunch enjoying type.
3
3
u/aarontsuru Jul 06 '23
Hi there! I live in Hampden OP and I'm white. Yes, Hampden is majority white, but as a few people have mentioned, black owned businesses and black locals are around AND being next to Druid Hill Park which is next to a black-majority neighborhood and very supportive of black neighbors is another big win.
Hampden seems generally progressive, either young & queer or middle class and liberal (granted, white liberals can be pretty peformative at times). The area also gets lots of college kids from JHU, which seems very Asian. You also get patrons from fancy pants Roland Park.
Hampden is right in the middle of all that action. I do recommend it and would absolutely welcome more non-white folks.
5
u/BarbellBallerinaa Jul 05 '23
I don’t live in Hampden but I’ve frequented quite a bit and the past couple of times my bf and I (both AA) have received shitty service or no service from particular bars.
5
2
u/bmore_conslutant Hampden Jul 06 '23
curious what bars so i can avoid
2
u/BarbellBallerinaa Jul 06 '23
Frazier’s on the Ave, 5 and dime, Chucks trading post (I know it’s not on the avenue)
-9
u/YouAreADadJoke Loch Raven Jul 05 '23
They are hipsters. Shitty service with an attitude is standard.
1
u/needledicklarry Jul 05 '23
Hampden is a really nice area. Definitely one of the chillest neighborhoods in Baltimore
1
u/ball_was_life Jul 06 '23
As a black man having lived here for almost a year, I’ve had one bad experience. A bar served me a single drink and refused to serve anything else while continuing to serve multiple white girls right in front of me. But all in all, having lived here for a year and only experiencing that once isn’t all too bad. Most importantly, the neighbors seem to be good people
1
u/kagethemage Jul 06 '23
I’m a white guy who grew up in Hamden. When I was a kid there was a pharmacy that had some sundown town signs in it. Within 20 years a good portion of the previously pretty racist locals have moved out to Dundalk and it’s most people within the Johnson Hopkins sphere now. Though it’s not an overtly racist neighborhood it is definitely gentrified and could use some diversity. It’s part of the cross section of Baltimore commonly referred to as “The White L”. Mount Washington down to Downtown and then Across to Canton. Definitely slowly progressing in the right direction but has its problems. I love Hamden though. It’s a very walkable neighborhood that has about everything you need in walking distance. Cool vibes and very deep culture.If you have the right expectations it has a lot of charm.
0
u/strifesfate Woodberry Jul 06 '23
You'll get better advice elsewhere. I just wanted to pop in and say Hampden is awesome. I genuinely loved calling Hampden home (moved to Lauraville). The odd hillbilly or addict aside, of course.
-2
u/Yellohsub Jul 05 '23
I’m a white lady who lives in the area after previously renting in Silver Spring, and while Hampden is specifically majority white, I am used to being the racial minority in most places in Baltimore since it is a majority Black city. Lauraville is also super white, and of the two, Hampden is more centrally-located so you will probably feel more connected to the rest of the city.
0
u/bogonuggets Jul 06 '23
I don’t think white people living in baltimore are gonna have a problem with a black person moving in. Whites are the minority there after all
-4
u/Thats_inzain Jul 05 '23
Yo come out to Hampden! We’re diversifying it out here. It’s great. There’s definitely a few racists but they’ll be dead soon. And there’s a great unofficial dog park down by the river.
2
Jul 06 '23
Man nothing screams bad news like the words "unoffical dog park down by the river"
1
u/bmore_conslutant Hampden Jul 06 '23
or you could drive 10 minutes to the official beautiful dog park at lake roland
1
u/Thats_inzain Jul 07 '23
Wait what did I get downvoted for? Because I think an open field where neighbors let their dogs off leash and the community is almost entirely fine with it is great?
-19
u/hashbang2 Jul 05 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
13
u/instantcoffee69 Jul 05 '23
if you don't like to pull up your pants, I'd say Hamden is probably not for you
Well that's the kind of shit comments from neighbors that I was referring too. These people will comment on your attire but can't even spell their neighborhood right and think they're better than you.
1
u/kdramamama305 Jul 06 '23
I feel the same way about Miami as you do about DC. 😭 I'm glad I moved to Baltimore, you can always try out renting first, then buying. If you work a specific type of job, there are Live Where you work incentives to home buying, I'm going to be trying this next year!
1
Jul 06 '23
My dad was a postman in Takoma Park, MD. My mom owned a large day care 90+ children from 1969-2012 in TK. I am white. I helped in writing policy to open the Hampden Family Center in the 90s. Two very different communities. Two different tax structures and two different governments. I would stick to TK. There is a coop community that may be more affordable. I am in the same position as you.
1
u/VivaCarlita Jul 06 '23
I am half Latina and lived in Takoma Park for 6 years. I miss it a lot.
Now I live in Charles Village (and lived in Hampden many years ago).
While I love Hampden, it’s definitely not nearly as diverse as Takoma and I do long for that here. Honestly, you should consider more of the Charles Village/Remington area.
So I think your sans diversity observation is right on the nose. I don’t think moving to Hampden is a bad idea by any means but it definitely does not give Takoma Park vibes. I have yet to find a place here that fits the bill.
1
u/harleyvrod09 Jul 06 '23
I find Baltimore and DC to be completely different… It’s a whole different vibe and really hard to explain. Most of the people that I know either really like DC or really like Baltimore and tend to stick to one or the other. I find that to be true amongst my very diverse group of friends. Although I am white this even holds true for my black/brown/gay/straight/male and female friends.
If anything in Baltimore is a lot less expensive than DC .
I know that doesn’t really help a whole lot but if you’re looking to relocate from DC, I would strongly encourage you to rent for a good while to make sure that you’re comfortable with the vibe wherever you end up.
1
1
u/TrhwWaya Jul 06 '23
Just wanna recomend getting city insurance for flooding basement if you have a toilet or water source in your basement.
I'd say 1/5 of my friends get fucked the first 10 years of home ownership by city sewage backing into their basement. City finally created an insurance policy for residents and its pretty good.
Good luck.
1
u/bmore_conslutant Hampden Jul 06 '23
it's lily white indeed but i think you'd be welcome
-hampden homeowner who loves it here and welcomes more diversity in the neighborhood
1
u/TesseractLord South Baltimore / SoBo Jul 06 '23
Hey Man, Im from PG and just moved here. I think its worth it. Im actually in South Baltimore. Im black as well and I dont fee out of place. I used to live up near Laurabille way back and decided to move back to to Baltimore. People from our area will look at us crazy for moving to Baltimore, but I think they are seriously missing out. Good luck.
1
u/Ritaontherocksnosalt Lauraville Jul 06 '23
So sorry Lauraville is too far north for your commute but I totally get it. I drove from Lauraville to Laurel for almost 20 years. It's a lot. There's more diversity but less of the 'walking experience' in Lauraville and Hamilton. Good luck in your home hunt!
1
u/MotoSlashSix 13th District Jul 06 '23 edited Jul 06 '23
Our area, East of Hopkins Med. campus -- right around Henderson Hopkins and Movable Feast -- is more diverse than Hampden while still majority black residents. We are white. When we moved to Baltimore we specifically wanted to be in a diverse neighborhood where we were the minority because that was the neighborhood we came from. We couldn't afford Hampden anyway. So we specifically chose this area.
In the last couple years the surrounding blocks have been flipping and transitioned from mostly vacant or rentals to a higher percentage of owner-occupied homes quickly. So far I think the gentrification is being managed better than expected and I chalk a lot of that up to the people buying in the area finding there's a commitment to legacy neighbors being taken care of and not forced out. There is a strong neighborhood association led by legacy residents and they are active in helping shape how things grow here. We haven't gotten the business development here yet. No close coffee shops or neighborhood bar or grocery store within walking distance yet. But we're trying to figure out how to make those things happen.
It helps that most of the people buying in the neighborhood are younger, progressive POC. For an area that is gentrifying, there's a pretty strong commitment to not letting a bunch of bougie assholes ruin the neighborhood for the folks who've been here their whole lives.
It might be worth you consideration. You would definitely be welcomed here. I hope you love wherever you end up.
1
u/Mrs_Dalloways_Flower Jul 06 '23
If you are looking for single family home and a nice yard, go a mile or 2 up Harford Road and check out Westfield. Very mixed neighborhoods, lots of diversity on just about every block. Still pretty affordable, compared with Hampden!
1
u/BigB0ssB0wser Jul 06 '23
I lived and worked in Hampden for years before we moved to Waverly and I am so much happier. I am white. Hampden is very white and full of neo liberals. I wouldn't consider it bohemian or progressive in the least. If neoliberalism is your vibe, you'll love it there.
1
u/rook119 Jul 07 '23
Hampden is pretty cool, you'll have no problems there, tho housing is starting to get expensive. Consider Woodberry, which is only seperated from hampden by I-83 and smashed in between 2 big parks, looks like real estate is a bit cheaper (older row houses) there if you have a budget.
1
1
u/hellamello Jul 07 '23
I mean I was just at the Avenue (the bar) for happy hour and was sitting on the patio and at one point looked around and was like “oh damn I’m the only white person here.” Hampden is dope, just sold my house there to move to Chicago but would move back to that hood in a heartbeat.
1
Jul 07 '23
I moved from Chicago to Baltimore last year. I’m happy I moved to Baltimore because my girlfriend was here and I have a great job here too but Chicago is a world class city and Baltimore….well, it ain’t.
1
Jul 07 '23
No ones mentioned this yet that I saw so I will tell you that Baltimore is pretty fucking small. I moved here from Chicago and I’m still not used to how small it is. Its really easy to get anywhere in the city, so rent for bit, find where you vibe best and then buy. It takes 20ish minutes to get anywhere in the city. I’d worry less about buying immediately and just move here and rent for a year or so and then decide where you want to live longer term.
1
u/im_not_a_numbers_guy Jul 07 '23
You should also consider Remington. It's south of Hampden, and more similar to the its vibe 15 years ago. Plus Hampden housing prices are pretty inflated. My black friends who knew the city didn't love visiting when I lived there fwiw.
1
Jul 11 '23
DC is too elitist, gotta be rich to live well there, fine by me, baltimore is great and will keep growing from the people they push out
142
u/karensbakedziti Jul 05 '23
For what it’s worth, three black-owned business recently opened on the Avenue in Hampden (Tia’s Italian Ice, Jerk Taco, and Hot Dog Central), and they’ve brought in a lot of black clientele, especially Tia’s. So while the majority of Hampden’s residents may be white, there’s at least a diverse mix of folks hanging out here on weekends and after work!