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This question has been probably asked multiple times seeing as the cities are so alike but I need some extra help. From my research I have only gotten more lost when it comes to the decision of where my boyfriend and I should move to. We;re not set on either city, but around them would be nice. Any suggestions are welcome!
Here's a little information that will hopefully help:
We are both hoping to return to school, me for either Early Childhood Education or some sort of teaching degree that is close to that and for the man, he is going to school to become a paramedic, so schools with those specific programs are a must.
We're not looking into being in the middle of the city, we both would rather be in the suburbs with a large city near by.
School systems are very important to us when it comes to our future children, so great schools are a must.
We would like somewhere where it would be a good idea to raise a family, safe, low crime/drug rates, lots of things to do for families etc.
Nature is a big thing for us and having access to nature trails is a must! But it doesn't have to be right in our backyard, a short drive is fine as well.
Public transit isn't a big issue, but walk-ability would be nice.
We won't be needing a house for a while, unless we can afford it, but apartments rates hopefully not over a thousand. We also love our animals so they are coming with!
If you need anymore information, please let me know!
just returned from a two-week trip to both (plus Tacoma, Olympia, and Salem). I'm in a similar position...both cities have so much to offer.
But to be honest, I preferred the people/social energy in Portland more. There was a certain distance to the folks in Seattle..not at all unfriendly, just more aloof. In Portland, I felt like everyone was my neighbor. If you want to be within striking distance of both metros, you might consider Olympia, very impressed with the vitality and size of its downtown. Not sure about schools in the area though.
As a student, Portland would be better because it's less expensive and as someone else mentioned, the people are less aloof. Seattle better for jobs and pay once you graduate. From your description, eastside suburbs such as Issaquah, Woodinville, Bothell, Kirkland would be ideal. Bellevue is the best imo if you want more of a city atmosphere but it's expensive.
Seattle's more corporate, expensive, dense. As you leave Portland city proper, housing becomes cheaper and it's pretty rural to be honest. Seattle's southern suburbs sort of have that, too, but in contrast, Seattle's eastern suburbs are very expensive and remind me a bit of South Orange County style suburbia, perhaps a bit denser. Culture in those suburbs are very snobbish and materialist (again, like South OC).
Portland's positive lies in the types of people; they seem more peppy and kind versus how serious and aloof Seattleites are.
Find out which schools have the programs you're looking for with a reputation you'll settle for at a price you can afford. Pick that city.
They're very similar cities. Seattle is larger, has more traffic, is more expensive, has slightly worse weather but has many more opportunities and big city amenities. The suburbs even out but Oregon is a bit more provincial that Washington and would like to keep it that way.
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