Move to Bellingham? (Seattle, Vancouver, Everett: appointed, crime, how much)

[wannamove]

Hi everyone,
I have lived in Southern California almost my entire life, and can't stand it anymore! Want to move somewhere that is green and clean. I recently took a trip to Canada just outside Vancouver and couldn't believe how clean the air is there! It's like I could breathe for the first time! I know Bellingham is close to the Canadian border, and it is known for the great air quality, but I have two problems. First, from the stats it looks like it is very humid all the time there. Can anyone describe the humidity in Bellingham for me? Second, it's population is about 70,000, and I am looking to get away from the crowding and congestion. But I still want suburban amenities. Can anyone tackle that one for me?
I don't mind grey days; I like it when it's cool and overcast. But how much rain and cold would I be in for (I'm a native to warm weather)? Thank you so much in advance for any help or advice!

[Andy]

Bellingham isn't that humid. The summers are dry. We don't get the sticky summers like others parts of the country. As for rain, expect a bunch in the winter months and occasional snowfall. By California standards, the winters are probably cold but compared to most of the rest of the country, it is warm. It is usually above 40 in the daytime during the winter. Bellingham has most major amenities. Whatcom County is home to over 180,000 people and Bellingham is its hub. It is also home to the state's thrid largest university, so it has the service base to provide for that too.

[compltlyme]

Bellingham is 81 miles N of Seattle, Washington in Whatcom County.

July is the average warmest month. With an average of mid 70's
On average, the coolest month is December. With an average of mid 30's
November is the average wettest month. With an average of just under 6 in.

And Bellingham is Beautiful, HOWEVER... traffic on the 5 which is the main freeway...seems busy. People heading to and from Canada on the weekends and if any event is going on to the south... It is bumper to bumper.. BUT not like in LA and OC. Or even San Diego. But since it is the only main way in and out of the area it does get crowded.

If you are looking for small... have you considered some of the smaller towns just south east of Bellingham?

[Screenial]

Funny, I moved from Bellingham three years ago to Southern Calif. I lived in Bellingham 20 years. The traffic there had got terrible. Yes, it's a great climate to garden and you will never need to water your lawn. I found the job potential was low, but the cost of living high. Outer towns, such as Ferndale and Deming are less expensive, but commuting can be a pain. I lived in Gooseberry Point for 5 years. It is quite a bit cheaper to live out there, and the view of the Puget Sound is amazing, but it was a 25-30 minute commute into town.
It isn't that humid in the summer, but the pollen count can be very high. I suffered from terrible allergies year round.
In my view, Bellingham was developing a serious crime problem due to an over-population in the county jail.By the time I left, you had to have a felony warrant for the jail to keep you, other-wise you are free until your hearing.
I miss gardening, but I definately don't miss the day-in-day-out rain. We are talking months of dark and cold. You must remember that it is fairly northern, and it gets dark very early in the winter. The great thing is it stays light up until 9-10pm in the summer.
With all the lakes and mountains, there is never a shortage of outdoor sports, but be prepared to get wet and dress warm.
My ideal set up would be to live in Bellingham in the summer, but get the heck out of there by October.

[E Roy Slade]

the rents seem to go up with few good jobs unless youre a cop or firemen etc

sometimes things seem to work out so well other times people seem to make life intolrable because theyre stupid or mean

what do you want out of live?hippies?theyre in bellingham..yuppies? not so much maybe

too much rain

[Fairhaven]

Just keep in mind what made that CA air so dirty. If you move up here where it is cleaner, but expect the same "amenities", you will be disappointed and probably not get along very well with the population.

In Bellingham the SUV drivers are not friends with the non-SUV drivers. It is pretty polarized that way.

[sattui]

There is no humidity here - Eastern Washington yes but not here. I am originally from Boston (where humidity is constant) and before I moved here all I heard about is the rain. Interestingly enough, it rains more in Mass than it does in Seattle....You have plenty of suburban amenities as well as ample parking. Traffic - well as long as you don't have to drive through Everett you should be all set.

Yes it does rain and occassionally they get a little snow. The snow is not the problem, it is that the municipalities are not prepared and everyone freaks out over 3 inches of snow. They leave their cars on the side of the roads and bridges. In essence, it only snows once or twice a year. Call in sick those days or get a 4 wheel drive vehicle.

Originally Posted by wannamove

Hi everyone,
I have lived in Southern California almost my entire life, and can't stand it anymore! Want to move somewhere that is green and clean. I recently took a trip to Canada just outside Vancouver and couldn't believe how clean the air is there! It's like I could breathe for the first time! I know Bellingham is close to the Canadian border, and it is known for the great air quality, but I have two problems. First, from the stats it looks like it is very humid all the time there. Can anyone describe the humidity in Bellingham for me? Second, it's population is about 70,000, and I am looking to get away from the crowding and congestion. But I still want suburban amenities. Can anyone tackle that one for me?
I don't mind grey days; I like it when it's cool and overcast. But how much rain and cold would I be in for (I'm a native to warm weather)? Thank you so much in advance for any help or advice!

[E Roy Slade]

no humidity? i think there may be but not sure
in summer i find it hard to feel comfortable possibly

http://www.weather.com/outlook/recre...om=search_vert

54°F
Feels Like
54°F
Wind: S at 10 mph
Humidity: 93%
Golf Index: 6 Good

that says there is humidity

[Screenial]

Originally Posted by sattui

Interestingly enough, it rains more in Mass than it does in Seattle....

The actual numbers of total rainfall can be deceiving.

It may rain more in mass total, but the Pacific Northwest is known for its constant cloud cover and drizzle. An all day misting in Bellingham may not account for much rain, but it still feels like a dark rainy day.

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by sattui

There is no humidity here - Eastern Washington yes but not here. I am originally from Boston (where humidity is constant) and before I moved here all I heard about is the rain. Interestingly enough, it rains more in Mass than it does in Seattle....You have plenty of suburban amenities as well as ample parking. Traffic - well as long as you don't have to drive through Everett you should be all set.

Yes it does rain and occassionally they get a little snow. The snow is not the problem, it is that the municipalities are not prepared and everyone freaks out over 3 inches of snow. They leave their cars on the side of the roads and bridges. In essence, it only snows once or twice a year. Call in sick those days or get a 4 wheel drive vehicle.

Are you living in Bellingham, sattui? I don't know exactly what you are referring to but humidity indexes in all of western Washington are relatively high because of the marine influence. Sure, the summers aren't as uncomfortable as you'd experience on the east coast or in the south east but still, when you say that Bellingham is not humid but eastern Washington is, it doesn't make sense. A lot of eastern Washington is considered to have an arid climate.

So I'm confused with your post.

Screenial has stated it in a very concise way. I agree.


Thanks.

--'rocco