Best choice town (Vancouver, Bellingham, Olympia: low crime, theater, public schools)

[juliegarr]

My friend and I are thinking of moving to Washington as her family lives here. We are trying to decide what area we would be happiest in. We come from a small town in NE and would like to find the area that has the mellowest climate year round. We also need an area with a good school system and a college available, plus a hospital for me to work in. Of course we prefer a low crime rate.

[StealthRabbit]

I would look to Bellingham.

I do like the hospital at Bremerton (Harrison), but it is not the safest town, tho plenty safe I am sure, once you know where not to go.

For another optioin, consider Vancouver, WA and Camas (next to Portland, OR) Plenty of hospitals AND BSN programs in the area (WSU-V / Clark College, Linfield, Concordia, PCC, CCC, MHCC, UP...). I have several friends who work at Adventist Medical Center in Portland, and they really like the environment.

Portland schools and hospitals are a very ez commute from Vancouver (10 min to 25 min)

[Sandy Nelson]

Have you considered Olympia, Washington's capital city? It offers great public schools, a community college and a state college, a mild climate (located on the southern tip of Puget Sound), two hospitals, low crime (ranked safest mid-size city in US 2 years in a row) and lots of cultural venues (galleries, theaters, festivals). I live in Olympia and love that no matter where I go, I get incredible views of either Mt. Rainier, the Sound, Capitol Lake, or the Olympic Mountains.