I kinda wish I did the same, but at the end of the day there's no going back in time.

I find dating in general is kind of terrible anywhere you go, NYC is nice because for every bad date there's a million other people who might be a better fit (but it also means people are constantly running away after 1 light orange flag). I also noticed in DC I met a lot of people who were very smart and intelligent but a bit too plugged into national politics. Idk, it's just different vibes. I find people in NYC dating wise to be a little bit more well rounded but it's all totally subjective.

Also keep in mind that visiting NYC is not the same as living in it, and NYC is not lower Manhattan. There are many parts of NYC that are dead quiet and less dense than DC. There's really a spot for everyone. Having a quiet corner in a busy spot is also just a really fun and unique feeling