Do you have a budget in mind? This area is expensive compared to most places.
DC if you can find a decent place that's affordable. Apartments in the city are popular right now, and a lot of rental units were lost to condos and redevelopment in recent years. There are a lot of small buildings tucked all over the city.
Central Arlington thru Vienna has Metro Orange line and runs parallel to the W&OD and Custis bike trails. Also good road riding in the Virginia suburbs. Arlington's Wilson Blvd corridor has a lot of night life (which wasn't the case when I lived there 25 years ago) but apartment rents have gone up a lot. Rents out by Vienna are less, but there is less rental stock to choose from.
Some parts of south Arlington can be pretty rough, but others are nice. Check around Shirlington.
Pentagon City/Crystal City is close in and has good metro, but prices are high. Same true for most of Alexandria (although West End should still have some affordable things)
Some big rental complexes near Huntington, but parts of the Richmond Highway corridor are iffy.
DC area also has some good bus services - Metro, Ride-on, Dash. Metro buses all have bike racks on the front. That makes places like Fairfax City, Oakton and Springfield more accessible.
I'm less familiar with rentals in the MD suburbs. Maybe someone else can post.
PS Where is the job located? That will make a big difference on your commute and living choices.
Last edited by cc_rider; 07-21-08 at 07:21 AM.