Western to Eastern Washington Suggestions? (Seattle, Spokane: employment, primary school, places to live)

[btrainbolt]

We live in Olympia, WA and are sick and tired of the rain(although it is not currently raining.....it soon will). I have nearly exhausted myself to death searching the internet for information on several WA cities. My husband and I don't know anything about Eastern WA and would like some good input before we consider such a drastic measure of moving. I hope someone who has lived in both Western and Eastern WA will respond. We would like to know......What is nice about Eastern Wa, Western vs. Eastern type things. We love the green-ness here and know it is because of the rain it is green, but is there any place green in Eastern Wa. without so much rain? 4 seasons would great. We have 2 young children.
Thanks!!!

[kena]

I've lived in both Western and Eastern Washington so I might have some insight on your question. Granted, speaking about Eastern and Western Washington in general is somewhat difficult as even in both areas there exists a pretty wide range of places to live. Generally speaking, Eastern Washington (not central washington e.g., Ellensburg, Yakima) will not be as green as Western Washington. You'll generally find that as you move east from the Columbia Plateau the level of green increases (if you're on I-90 this really doesn't start until about the Spokane County line and then things green noticeably as you head down the west plains into Spokane proper. I know Spokane has four distinct seasons and I would say the same is true for the Tri-Cities although it tends to be hotter there in the summer and probably has less snow in winter (then again, it is much less green). In Eastern Washington, there is generally less traffic and fewer people, more of an open feeling. You'll get more sunshine and less clouds. At the same time, Spokane has many urban amenities of any larger city but doesn't measure up to the offerings of the Seattle metro area in terms of art/culture/entertainment. In general, you'll also find things less diverse in terms of racial/ethnic population. The public schools in Eastern Washington are generally good though I can't say how they compare to Western Washington on a K-12 basis. You might want to consider a short trip through the Tri-Cities, Walla Walla, Pullman, Spokane, etc. to get a feel for the different regions and cities. Good Luck.

[AzDreamer]

There are places along the Columbia that have lots of green due to irrigation, places like Wenatchee. It's a pretty small place compared to Seattle but it's the hub for that county. There is lots of recreation, the river and mountains, but the job situitation might be difficult.

[xboxmas]

Just a fair warning to the topic starter-It DOES rain in Eastern washington-Just not as much. From the end of December until Februrary, it's pretty cloudy and rainy(Possibly snowy too) But then for the rest of the year it will rain 1-2 days a month, but usually not during the summer(except for the occasional thunderstorms)

[btrainbolt]

Thanks for the warning.......anything is better than 9 months of rain and the remaining 3 months still getting 3-5 days of rain. We are looking for a more balanced weather pattern.
Anybody else have any thoughts or input? All information is greatly appreciated.

[StealthRabbit]

I like Colville and Kettle Falls, tho it is greener on the east side of that range (Ione, Metaline Falls), BUT - mega snow and fog in winter along the Pend Oreille River (it is a gorgeous valley tho).
You'll still get a nice summer up this way. It gets pretty toasty in the summer in the south of WA. I'd also take a good look at Moscow and Sandpoint, ID.

Jobs will be a bit less pay, but I think it would be worth it to have a potentially better life for you, and especially the kids. Get them into 4-H and let them Bloom !

[prov131]

btrainbolt I am curious if you moved or not? My husband and I are in the same boat and have been considering moving for a while now. We live on the coast in Oregon and we need to get away from the rain and mold haha. Spokane or Sandpoint sound nice but what did you think?

[Sandy Nelson]

I have had two clients move away from Western Washington exactly for the same reasons. They want less rain. They moved to Wenatchee and Cashmere and love it there. The only somewhat critical feedback I received was that it was an adjustment for the more liberally minded Olympians to move to a more conservative part of the state.

Sandy

[springshades]

I think Spokane is probably a very good choice. It has an overall more moderate amount of rain. It has enough rain that most things are green, but it doesn't seem to have the non-stop cloudiness/drizzle as is prevalent in the west side of the state. The vegetation there is a bit more along the lines of the grassland/forest mixture of the midwest with a bit more weight towards the grassland side than there. It also has a more traditional 4 season climate along the lines of the midwest, but it has some additional benefits over that climate. Due to it being a bit drier overall, it has the same heat during the summer, but without a good chunk of the humidity that makes the midwest summers feel a bit sticky/soupy... it also doesn't have as many problems with the summer/fall overnight drops in temperature causing the relatively higher humidity to saturate in the form of regular thunderstorms.

[seismo07]

I am curious if there would be a need of regular employment. If so, Ione or Metaline/Metaline Falls has very little in that regard. If you are self employed or employment is not part of the equation, Ione/Metaline/Metaline Falls are options. I live in Ione and absolutely love it. Its beautiful, has very distinct seasons, not a huge amount of rain. I does get very cold in the winter and the snow hangs around from November to March or April. Its very small town with wide open spaces. There is a primary school with preschool-6th grade in Metaline Falls and the Jr High/High School is between Metaline and Ione. Let me know if you have any questions! P.S. I moved here from Southern California. Talk about culture shock!