Northridge, Glenn Dale, Bowie (Submitted by SG)
Northridge is a wonderful neighborhood--I think it'd be hard to find a better one in PG County. While it's peaceful, quiet, and relatively uneventful, it's also not too far outside of DC (it's only about a 30-minute drive without traffic) so you have fun, nightlife options nearby. Don't count on Bowie itself for a nightlife though--it's one of those almost-everything's-closed-by-10:00pm towns, and much earlier on Sundays.
Northridge is much more family-oriented. I'd say about half the residents have kids, and the other half are mostly older couples whose kids are grown. We don't have a lot of singles or even young couples without kids, perhaps because the single family homes are all pretty large with the average being 6-bedrooms.
The neighborhood offers great racial diversity, and from what I've witnessed, everyone tends to get along well with each other. Neighbors are highly interactive, stopping by to welcome and introduce themselves to those who have just moved in and inviting each other to attend whatever barbecues, get togethers, or parties they throw. We also have some community events, such as collective yard sales and a 4th of July party.
Most neighbors in the immediate vicinity know each other well enough to watch each other's back and do favors for each other as needed. For example, I once hired a contractor to do some work during the day while I was out, and I was surprised to get a call at the office from an ever-vigilant neighbor who was worried that my home was being robbed. (Better safe than sorry, right?) There is the occasional borrowing and repaying of cooking ingredients and gardening tools, plus sharing of treasured recipes, local resources, and helpful tips.
Northridge also offers to its residents a pool, tennis courts, playgrounds, a recreation center, a lake, plenty of bike paths through the woods and around the lake, and an exercise trail. We're also just down the road from the Glenn Dale Fire Department, so response times are short, should you ever need emergency services. Last I checked, the crime rate in our neighborhood was considerably lower than the rest of PG County.
The only downside I've noticed is that Northridge has a rather involved Home Owners' Association (HOA), which can have good sides too, but is largely a pain. It's one of those deals where you have to get permission before you do any kind of construction or even something small, such as change the color of your door or add stone steps across your lawn. Other than an HOA that needs to lighten up a bit, it's a fabulous community to call home.
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