What is Bellingham like? (Seattle: live, prices, stores)

[rzoe714]

i just moved to Burlington from Seattle, and go to school in Bellingham.I went to a grocery store in Burlington and it was so expensive.

Is there anyplace between my house and school that has really good prices,maybe even a farmers market??Thanks

[lookingforpease]

Originally Posted by djdawg321

OP...you haven't told us much so it's hard to help you too much at this point. It sounds like you don't have a job yet? What do you do? Or want to do? How old are you? Family...kids? Looking to rent or buy? A quick check on Craigslist shows that you can get a 1 bed apt for $600 and up. If you rent a room you can pay less.

I grew up in Bellingham and have been back numerous times. I will be moving back there in the next few months. My reasons for loving that city probably won't apply to you. It just feels like home to me...I feel it when I arrive and it's hard to leave. I'll try and break down what I think of Bellingham into different catagories....

Outdoor recreation - Aside from the personal connections I have I have always thought of Bham like a mini Seattle...you have decent shopping...a skiing paradise close by....3 HUGE lakes in town that are amazing...and my favorite - Whatcom Falls Park. The natural beauty of that park is out of this world and the fact that it's smack dab in the city is a huge plus for me. I've been swimming in those falls (or about 4 different falls to be exact) for 40 yrs now and have taken my kids swimming there. So for outdoor recreation - you'd be hard pressed to find a better place. A quick nod to Larabee St. Park that is south of town just a bit...when you climb out onto the rocks and look over the ocean you feel like you're on the edge of the world.

Economy - some have already mentioned this. It can be tricky...I don't think it's the college kids that keep prices up, I think it's more of the influx of Canadians that cross over for shopping. If someone has a decent paying job I think they can do quite well in Bellingham. If you're not setting your sites on anything more than delivering pizzas then expect to rent a room and go that route. It really is an All American city in many ways...many people there are either attending college or have businesses of their own. There are still jobs to be had there - you just have to search. (and of course it depends on your career path as there are more of some jobs than others) The employment rate (as of July 2012) is at 7.4...slightly less than the US average at 7.7 and significantly lower than the 8.4 Washington state average.

Political climate - not sure if this is important to you but I'll include it for anyone else...I believe that Bham has a nice mix of liberal/conservative folk although I believe the leadership that has been elected has been mostly liberal. (don't take my word on this because I haven't voted in that county for years) I would say that no matter what side you lean to you would most likely feel comfortable. I myself am fairly conservative as most of my friends that live there are...but there are more liberal pockets in the town most notably the Fairhaven district and of course WWU.

Vibe - a corny word but the most appropriate I think. There are some towns that have an "alive" feeling to them...and some towns that just feel kind of dead...you know it when you see it or live there. Bellingham has an "alive" feeling to it. I think a lot of that is because of the college campus. There is something to be said for college towns and the young vibe/input that the town receives from it and Bham is no different. It's kind of cool because in the summer - when a lot of locals do their recreation thing - the town's population drops by 10k or so because the college kids go home for the summer so places aren't as packed. (obviously they can be from time to time but it's hard to find any city where it isn't during the summer) And the neighborhoods....I grew up on top of the fairly vanilla Alabama Hill but the before mentioned Fairhaven district at the south end of town is your artsy/fartsy/liberal neighborhood and it's awesome...even for a conservative like me! ha ha Every neighborhood is unique and there is a place for everyone.

Churches - There are many houses of worship in Bellingham and those that have no interest in church will be equally as comfortable there. One that I have enjoyed going to in the past is Christ the King on Meridian.

Other stuff - I could go on for days and I haven't even scratched the surface but hopefully this helps some folks out. The Ski to Sea race is - I think - the biggest annual event in Bellingham and is capped off with celebrations in Fairhaven. It's just like it sounds...teams start out on Mt. Baker and race down to finish in Fairhaven. (I think..someone else might be able to chime in here) Nearby towns - Lynden has a reputation as a strong Christian community (and it gets knocked for that although I'm puzzled why) but it also has a cute dutch heritage which is reflected in some of it's buildings, etc. It's about as close to Mayberry as you can get. Ferndale is similar to Lynden in some ways but feels more "dead" than Lyn or Bham....I lived in Ferndale for about a year or so.

If you have any other questions OP, fire away...I'll do my best to answer them...good luck!

Hi. I'm considering a move to Bellingham (I lived in Seattle eons ago). Essentially I've lived in a lot of places, including the UK (which I prefer). But I'm hearing a lot about homelessness and pan-handling going on in B'ham, and the continued mention of the "transience" word. This does concern me. It sounds more like Berkeley CA - which is okay for an afternoon visit, but you tend to get seriously fed up with being hassled for money or having to witness public urination. So I'm really wondering now if a single female (me) will feel secure living in this city. I hear people raving about it, but maybe their either really young or live out of town? How is it really?

[Lamplight]

Originally Posted by lookingforpease

Hi. I'm considering a move to Bellingham (I lived in Seattle eons ago). Essentially I've lived in a lot of places, including the UK (which I prefer). But I'm hearing a lot about homelessness and pan-handling going on in B'ham, and the continued mention of the "transience" word. This does concern me. It sounds more like Berkeley CA - which is okay for an afternoon visit, but you tend to get seriously fed up with being hassled for money or having to witness public urination. So I'm really wondering now if a single female (me) will feel secure living in this city. I hear people raving about it, but maybe their either really young or live out of town? How is it really?

There are definitely a lot of homeless people here, and in the two years I've been here I've been asked for money fairly regularly. I've never felt in danger or anything, but keep in mind I'm not a woman so it could be completely different for you.

[louisa alexandra]

I am looking to move out of Seattle after having lived here for many years. Years ago I spent alot of time in and around Bellingham and appreciate the continued natural beauty of the NW. I am retired and would appreciate information about rental housing prices. What is the bus transportation like in Bellingham and how convenient is access to grocery stores etc. for walking - I prefer walking and going without a car. Thank for feedback.

[perigee]

Louisa, probably best to start a new thread, but Bellingham, like Seattle is going through a boom period so housing prices which are always high, are growing. Now, they aren't Seattle crazy, but they are up there, remember there are three colleges up there. Some neighborhoods are going to be more walk able then others. With tight supply, it's best to look for housing in your budget and then look on google maps how close it is to shopping. There is a senior trailer park that is next doors to Whole Foods and across the street from a Fred Myers, it's also on a bus route, I don't know if that is something that would interest you, but it might be worth looking into.

The bus system is pretty good, from my understanding for a city of this size and I think they offer senior discounts.

Coming from Seattle, you shouldn't be too shocked by housing costs, traffic isn't as bad and Bellingham has always ranked up with retirees, so I am sure there are senior centered activities.

[iambucket]

nature is quintessential northwest

has great amenities and busing for any city, let alone one of its size

feels isolated from the rest of the country

walking around it feels like you're an ant walking in a model railroad town

beautiful

quiet

[west seattle gal]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

That's the problem, while it's good in that respect it's grown to a Hawaii-ish type place to live(certainly not relating to the weather!) You want to move here for what is has to offer but end up working 1-1/2 jobs and have to vie for position on the slopes..the boat launch..a parking spot at the grovery store....or the picnic spot in the park, when you do have time off. Average family income around here(about par with the US average) is just over the poverty level, but the cost of living fluctuates between 110-120% of average depending upon your exact location.

The average income is skewed by retirees and students. The typical worker makes a typical salary. However, most of our jobs are service related, in healthcare, skilled trade, small business, or education. Very little tech or science, unfortunately.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by louisa alexandra

I am looking to move out of Seattle after having lived here for many years. Years ago I spent alot of time in and around Bellingham and appreciate the continued natural beauty of the NW. I am retired and would appreciate information about rental housing prices. What is the bus transportation like in Bellingham and how convenient is access to grocery stores etc. for walking - I prefer walking and going without a car. Thank for feedback.

It depends on what you're looking for. I found apartments to be pretty cheap compared to Seattle and some other West Coast cities, and they're plentiful. Take a look at Craigslist.com.

[xiaodoupi]

I have been here over 3 years. I believe it's the best part of this country. Without much weather change, time just goes by... But my GF doesn't like here much. She comes from Tokyo, still too young to take this kind of life, prefer Seattle or NYC. Big city is not my type. I spent over 20 years in multi millions population city in China, 1 year in NYC (no offence, it's a truly ****hole, filled with few rich posers and millions 3rd world servants in hundred ethenic enclaves), 1 year in Sydney(nice place to live, but everything is double priced as US), and really tired of it. (in china, people dont have much options, big cities are very crowded, small cities or rural's infrastracture and social order are barely ****) Anyway, with mountains, sea, trees, not too expensive living cost and easy life for most people, what else you expect?

[laurabf]

Depending on your activity level and needed amenities, walkability is relative. My husband and I lived in the Maplewood area while I was in school. This was one of the 'bad' areas. We never had problems and really liked our neighbors and landlord (Maplewood Apts). We could walk to a few restaurants, grocery, and corner store easily. However, we did walk downtown at least 1x week and it took about 45 min. If I could find a good job I would love to go back and preferably live in/near the letter streets. Also I knew many people than mainly used bikes to get around town. We really didn't use the bus much, drove to work and walked almost everywhere else.