Of course there's a reason for the low cost of living, namely that few other people want to live here. Few other people want to live here because it's one of t

Of course there's a reason for the low cost of living, namely that few other people want to live here. Few other people want to live here because it's one of the most dangerous cities in the world per capita. Number 19 this year, in fact. You might think that as a startup founder in a line of work other than pharmaceutical sales, you'd be insulated from this kind of violence. That's mostly correct, but not entirely, and the difference isn't negligible. More than half of my family, for example, has been victimized in some way, often repeatedly. Even if nothing happens to you--and I hope nothing ever does--you find yourself thinking about risk and public space in a way that is barely intelligible to outsiders. As a lifelong resident of Baltimore who is leaving at the first opportunity, I would strongly advise against moving in. Anyone so tempted should take a careful look at the fundamentals.