Of course there&#x27;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&#x27;s one of the most dangerous cities in the world per capita.  Number 19 this year, in fact.<p>You might think that as a startup founder in a line of work other than pharmaceutical sales, you&#x27;d be insulated from this kind of violence.  That&#x27;s <i>mostly</i> correct, but not <i>entirely</i>, and the difference isn&#x27;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.<p>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.