I'm am seriously thinking about moving. I'm a gay female in my mid twenties. I'm looking at the following cities:

San Francisco
Philadelphia
Washington DC
Baltimore MD

any suggestions and which part of the city would you live in. I wouldn't mind getting my bang for my buck.

In order:

San Fran
DC
Philly
Baltimore

I'd have the same rankings as Jim although it should be noted that they are reverse order as far as "bang for the buck." Baltimore would be most affordable, SF the least.

While I'm not a gay woman, I do notice that there are a number of gay women whenever I'm visiting in Portland, Oregon. It's a growing city that would give you the most bang for your buck. I'd suggest that you look into this city when trying to make your decision.

All things considered -- cost, social oportunities, manageability -- I'd sa Philly is your best bet.

Neighborhoods for a gay woman: Germantown, Chestnut Hill, Manayunk.

(BTW, I'm straight but do know a little about Philly's gay environs. It's a long story.)

SF is by far the most expensive, but would most likely offer you the best experience due to the sheer numbers of people who share your sexual orientation, plus the city itself is so beautiful, fun and interesting.

DC offers much more affordable living, but it's still relatively pricey. I think it would offer the second best experience for you out of the 4 cities.

Philly is even more affordable. I have spent a ton of time there, but much prefer NYC or Boston if I'm going to be in the Northeast.

I wouldn't go to Baltimore. Lots of other places for me anyway.

NYC probably has the most to offer. I'm sure that you've at least considered it but you probably thought it was too expensive. Find a room mate and check it out - everyone should try to live in NYC at least once in their lives.

I've considered NYC, but I've always thought it was a bit too expensive. I've thought about Boston as well, but I'm not too particular fond of heavy winter months. How much would I be looking to spend for rent within those cities that I've listed, and NYC?

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Why not Boston or Northampton? Both have thriving lesbian communities, and Boston's weather isn't that different from Phillys.

Boston will be more expensive than all but San Francisco though.

One of my former co-workers is a lesbian and moved up to Portland a few years ago. She loves it up there and says that she's so happy, since she feels well accepted in this progressive city. Apparently the gay community is pretty strong. It might be a place for you to consider.

Beth, you really should add Portland to your list. It has a thriving gay community and is a great place to live, gay or straight. Check out Willamette Week, the weekly newspaper, lots of stories about gay life. www.willametteweek.com

If you check out Boston you'd probably like living in the South End neighborhood. It's the traditional "gay neighborhood" with a hip reputation and all the great restaurants and cultural activities that you'd ever find. It also is considered one of the choicest places to live in the city and rents will be high. Unlike cities like SF and NYC, you probably wouldn't want to live in a dumpy neighborhood in Boston.

If you move to NYC I'd recommend downtown Manhattan - Lower East side is pretty "affordable", Alphabet City even more so, I hear that they are having a tough time renting apartments in the WTC area - Battery Park City etc. Tribeca, SoHo, the Village (West Village), and Chelsea have very pricey rents but are really fun. You could possibly find something in the Nolita (north of little italy) section for slightly cheaper and still be in the heart of the downtown scene.

In SF you could of course live in the Castro, or if you wanted to save some $$ you could check out the Mission District.

In SF and NYC, hipsters live in traditionally poorer neighborhoods while in Boston the poorer neighborhoods seemingly do not attract people such as yourself.

Really I think it all depends what you want and what you're looking for.

Bang for your buck: If you're concerned about money and the cost of living in NYC, San Fran is about as expensive.

I know the three east coast cities quite well (lived in DC and Baltimore) and what their options are; never been to San Fran. Ultimately, Philly, Balto and Washington are all quite progressive cities toward Gays and Lesbians, with liaisons to the mayor in all.

Baltimore is by far the best bang for your buck of the 4 cities you mention; I think on a working class salary (social work, school teacher included), you'll want to look long and hard at Baltimore. The Gay/Lesbian scene is low-key and less unpretentious than in other cities. Large working class, but a sizeable funk element. Mount Vernon is the center of the community (an urban-feel neighborhood) and is affordable even with a 30K salary. Other neighborhoods to consider are Federal Hill (pricier), Charles Village, Fell's Point (pricier). Hampden (reasonable price) is a mixed artist/working class area that you may want to check out. If you don't mind that things get quiet sometimes, you might really like Baltimore.

DC of the 3 east coast cities, I find has the most "conservative"-looking Gay scene. More khakis and loafers crowd, 3-piece suits, governmental types. Of the three on the east coast, Gay/Lesbian nightlife options are most extensive in this city. Dupont Circle is an epicenter, but for my money, I'd live in more affordable Capitol Hill.

Philly I would say is the most "New York"ish in feel of the cities. It's definitely got a greater sense of hip, urban fashion and has a more visible alternative scene than Balto/DC. Nightlife options I think are adequate for all but the pickiest; it's less pretentious than other large cities I've been to. Adding to neighborhoods others mentioned, you may want to look at Mt. Airy and Center City (the latter if you want to be in the center of the excitement).

Each has its selling points. If you're curious, if I had to rank them (for me):

1. Philly
2. Baltimore
3. DC
4. San Fran

Just a note of dissent from one other poster. I've lived in Boston, and I've lived in Philly. The weather is not the same.

Without researching weather.com, I'd guess that the average winter temps differ by 5-8 degrees. Result: When it's 25 and snowing in Boston, it's 33 and raining in Philly. What it amounts to is that in Boston, you get a real New England winter; in Philly, you get a sort-of "fake" winter: lots of chilly rain.

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Northhampton, MA
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Portland is not a bad idea. It's been ranked as the #1 most livable city in recent surveys. The housing prices are still relatively low and there are a number of hip neighborhoods catering to a younger crowd. And from what I've heard, the city has one of biggest lesbian populations in the nation.

Yes, I also agree that Boston and Philly weather are NOT the same. You'll get a real spring in Philly unlike Boston.

Also, Philly has swelteringly hot summers. Boston summers are typically not exceedlingly hot.

My main concern is safety. I understand that there will be unsafe areas wherever I decide to move to. I'm a computer professional, therefore a job market in that field would be great. Metro accessibility would also be a plus, including a visible lesbian community. Am I asking for too much?

What exactly is a "visible lesbian community"?

Portland would have been perfect for you a few years ago, but the job market for IT types (and everybody else except health care workers) has tanked. You don't say what your skills are, though, perhaps they're in a specialized area still somewhat in demand. Make sure you look into it, because Portland is a GREAT place to live. Some good apartment complexes in the Park Blocks, Pearl District and close-in suburbs (Vancouver, WA, is booming and has a bigger gay community than you'd think, although most go to Portland for nightlife).