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I have job offers in the places listed in the title of the thread.
As you can see from my prior posts, I am rather keen on the PNW and enjoy both Portland and Seattle quite a bit. I prefer a big city to a small/not so happening place. I currently live downtown Portland and very much enjoy the amenities of the city.
We enjoy what nature has to offer. We enjoy biking, walking, and outdoor activities.
My current job situation has spoiled me quite a bit as we do not commute to work - we walk and take public transport to work that takes a total of about 20 minutes.
All the job offers are in the suburbs/outlying areas of the two cities. Pay is comparable, but I do note that there is a significant state tax difference between the areas.
Portland ---> Hillsboro
Complicated by the heavy traffic between Portland and Hillsboro on Hwy 26 - congested. If one was to live in the Goose Hollow area of Portland, one could conceivably take the Max line for a 45 minute ride to the hospital in Hillsboro where I will be working. If not, it seems like a 1.25-1.5 hr commute from Portland (especially east side) to Hillsboro via car.
Portland ---> Vancouver
Complicated again by heavy traffic. One solution is to live in Vancouver, where I could take advantage of no taxes, but it would be in Vancouver which is much less lively than Portland.
Seattle ---> Bremerton
I would have to live downtown Seattle, right by the Ferry to take an hour ride into Bremerton and then one hour back to Seattle. 2 hour total commute every day.
I do not think I would like to live in Bremerton, Silverdale, Poulsbo, or even BI - they seem very slow.
Seattle ---> Puyallup
Incredible commute of 1.5 hours during rush hour. I did not like the Puyallup area that much at all. I do not know much about Tacoma, but someone suggested living in Gig Harbor for an easier commute. I very much like Bellvue and its proximity to Seattle. I like the city itself and the proximity to nature.
I appreciate all the feedback and am willing to take everything into consideration.
I used to work for a company that had offices in Bremerton and Tacoma, so I often had to ferry out to Bremerton. It's actually a very relaxing commute with some beautiful views. I live in Capitol Hill, so I easily was able to bike to the ferry terminal and given that Bremerton is small enough, it was easy to get around Bremerton by bike as well.
Downtown Seattle is going to be very expensive to live in. I'd consider living in Cap Hill and bike to the ferry terminal.
This is definitely the better commute than to Puyallup. Gig Harbor to Puyallup would be an irritating drive. Tacoma might be a place to consider. Tacoma has some nice neighborhoods that I would consider if I were you, as well as having a nice downtown.
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