mount vernon, wa

[LadyLara]

thanks for the good input, cutedeedle!

[nwff]

Hello, I am usually not a negative person, but I would say live in Oak Harbor or Anacortes. In my miserable year of experience living in Mount Vernon, I found it to be a, well for the lack of a better term, ****hole. Plus if you are commuting to Oak Harbor you will have to drive on Highway 20 which is a NIGHTMARE and should be avoided AT ALL COSTS, during the rush hours that is. It will take you forever to get anywhere in that gridlock. Oak Harbor and Anacortes both are not bad towns, and a LOT nicer than the Mount Vernon area. Hope this post helps.

[LadyLara]

thanks for your input... but can i ask you for some specifics?

why do you think mount vernon is a place to stay away from, specifically? examples? besides highway 20 - which we have been told is the way to go.

we have only driven through the cities - so some specifics would help.

thanks in advance.

[ouch]

we just moved to oak harbor from bremerton this summer and we absolutely love it. our kids might be a little younger than yours (2,4,6) but there has been tons of stuff for them to do and we've actually enjoyed it more than bremerton/silverdale area.

we thought we'd be making trips to burlington and mt. vernon for shopping but haven't had a need to go yet.

in my opinion mt. vernon and burlington are very ugly compared to whidbey island.

noise, schmoise. if you've ever been on an air station before the noise is unnoticeable. we live in town and it's not that big of a deal. cutedeedle must have bought a house next to an airstrip.

i've met some people that commute but i wouldn't wish commuting on anyone when you can live and play in the same neighborhoods with people from your work. seems like a more balanced wholistic lifestyle to me.

[Taranis17]

Are we living on the same island??

Mt. Vernon/Burlington to the base is at LEAST 50 minutes in light traffic. Try that when it rains (frequently), and with morning traffic and you're at over an hour, easily.

I've lived here and been stationed here for the last 10 years, and the jet noise is barely noticeable.

As for housing prices, right now they're about the same between Burlington/Mt Vernon and Oak Harbor - and I dare say you'd get more for your buying dollar on the island than off, especially with the crime rate in the Mt. Vernon/Burlington area vs here. It's a night and day difference, and yes, I've lived both on and off the island for extended periods.

And Anacortes gets very little, if any jet noise... I've spent the last 4 years working there and unless they don't fly anymore during the day, I don't notice them.

[Desdinova]

Interesting read.

I just moved to Mount Vernon this spring. I came from Maryland and around Washington DC... so lets get something clear... THERE IS NO TRAFFIC IN WASHINGTON STATE. Ok.. there is, but when we lived on the the east coast a 50 mile distance could easily be a 4 hour commute. On local roads, A trip to the grocery store a couple of miles away took a half hour. There was no "going to the post office and grabbing a bite to eat" on a lunch hour break. You could "maybe" do one, but not both. Too many people, too many idiots, too much traffic. Not like that here. We are still purposely leaving the house with lists of things to do to see how much can get done in an hour.

I looked all over Anacortes, Oak Harbor, Mount Vernon before deciding on Mount Vernon, and I'm glad I did. I can't imagine living anywhere else. Having said this, I have a few comments...

- I have heard the Deception Pass commute can be a bear. I agree. But considering the area that you would be "stuck" in, I'd do it. I would avoid it on weekends more than anything else. During the week, even rush hour is not bad...

- If you live in Mt Vernon, you can take some back roads that are quick to put you further down 20 but still, I think 50 minutes to Oak Harbor is more realistic than 30.

- The main thing I like about Mount Vernon, is that it is close to I-5, 9 and 20 and the Train. Seattle (Everett, Lynwood etc.., Vancouver BC Canada, Bellingham, are all easy close trips. With Anacortes or Oak Harbor, I didn't like the idea of having to take a small trip (off the island) to first start my trip.

Your mileage may vary, but we feel like we moved to Camelot.

[uzibear]

take this for what you will, but when i was roadtripping through WA from socal, the skagit valley stole my heart as a place i'd want to live; all the green from the rain, the ocean, the cascades nearby, and the train that goes down to eugene through seattle, or up to vancouever

anyway, mt.vernon area was lovely to me; a little small and hokey, but all small towns area; burlingham (sp?) i didn't like much; it felt more suburban and redneck-y; it's farther from seattle; i stayed the night there and i didn't dig the town; felt rather blah...

of course none of this means much of anything because i was only in the area for a few days, but i'll tell ya this, burlingham didn't do it for me, and i'm trying to figure a way down the road to buy a farm house outside of mt.vernon, take the train to seattle to work; at least that's my vision, don't know if it would work

[uzibear]

ps: ditto on the "WA doesn't have traffic" i'm from southern california so I KNOW of course seattle is death by gridlock, but only near and in the city, so take the train/bus! i was in seattle for a O-state/WA game and i've now got my hopes on UW for med school; few years left of undergrad; it will be dang tough to get in, i hope i can swing it

[racechick73]

Having lived in Mt. Vernon for a -LONG- three months, I would encourage you to live elsewhere. My girlfriend used to be a 911 dispatcher in Skagit County, so she kept me up to date on the crime situation. There are a ton of car break-ins and theft in MV, thanks to all the gang activity. "Upriver" as the dispatchers call it (Sedro Woolley and East), are absolutely full of sex offenders. If I was going to live in that area, I'd choose Alger or Bow Hill and drive the 15 minutes to town every day. I agree with the person who said MV is a "&*$#? Hole". It's a beautiful place to visit, especially around tulip season, but you couldn't pay me to ever move back there! Good luck to you and your family in making your decision. (Oak Harbor, Oak Harbor, Oak Harbor!)

[cinalaska]

I have been on the island for 1+ years now we live on the north end. I do not recomed that but I can tell you the drive through "Deseption Pass" lets just say it is called that for a reason. 20 in under construction in 4 places btween here and MV and very slow moving right now. there seem to be a lot of bad accidents! Yes MV has more shoping, but the island in awsome. I can usually find what I need in OH!!!! The city beach is great and I still can not believe how much the wifes stick together out here! S. O.H. is quiet. My girl friends on that end very really have jet noice! Not as far S as Coopville thou. I know what you mean about naps. I have a 9, 1 & 2 year old. We live right next to base and they DO NOT ever wake up to the jets. Most of the houses here are buildt to block out the noice so don't worry about that. If you do not have a dog I would go into the brand new base housing until you can come and stay for a while. I know what you mean about a bigger town. I myself am from Anchorage and they have everything!!!! I thought I would feel traped being on the island but I have learned if I want to go off the island I leave at 10 am and leave MV/B by 3 or 7pm then it is only 30 min for me w/ the construction. Keep in mind I am less then 3 miles from the bridge. I hope this helps!!
One more thing me being from a city the hadest thing for me was the slow a** speed limits and the even slowe drivers! My hubby had to tell me for about a month, "It's island driving honey" I did get used to it and have to say island living is much more laid back then anywhere we have been, I LOVE IT!!!
cinalaska

Good point on the crime! I have never even heard of a break in on the island and a girl friens husband is a cerection officer and he did a search there are no sex affenders on the island that he could find anyway.