Public transit while good, isnt as accessible and in general nowhere as crowded. Might sound weird but during rush hour, people on a whole just move slower in DC compared to NY. Strangers are alot more personable/friendly, in NY everybody keeps their head down and goes about their business.
It was also harder to find good food in DC. Sometimes I just want some good jerk chicken or some good pizza, and don't want to have to go on a SpecOps mission to find it. But for argument's sake, lets just say that maybe I didn't know where to look.
DC traffic can be bad at times, but it doesn't compare to NYC rush hour. Plus I don't think I ever saw a car double parked in DC lol. Nightlife shuts down way earlier. After 2AM, the entire city is pretty much dead on weekends.
No disrespect to the District, the chill vibes is what actually makes it appealing. It's like a southern area masquerading as a big city, that has its own charm to it.