Info on Everett! Help! (Seattle, Lakewood: 2009, rent, high crime)

[HERC44]

I am seriously considering taking a job at Boeing. I know nothing about the area. I am more concerned about the schools and the living area to raise kids. I have a 15yr Boy who loves baseball and football and a 11yr girl who is a social butterfly. I am from Dearborn Mi, just about 20-30 minutes west of Detroit. I paid 1100 a month rent on a 3 bedroom house with a main street for a front yard. But the schools are awesome! I am even considering coming out first and bringing in the family later. If there are any Boeing employees out there please let me know what you think of the area and the company. Thanks!

[Aquajox]

Originally Posted by HERC44

I am seriously considering taking a job at Boeing. I know nothing about the area. I am more concerned about the schools and the living area to raise kids. I have a 15yr Boy who loves baseball and football and a 11yr girl who is a social butterfly. I am from Dearborn Mi, just about 20-30 minutes west of Detroit. I paid 1100 a month rent on a 3 bedroom house with a main street for a front yard. But the schools are awesome! I am even considering coming out first and bringing in the family later. If there are any Boeing employees out there please let me know what you think of the area and the company. Thanks!

Boeing is a great company to work for. Everett is'nt all that great, but there are many decent pockets that are nice. The Pacific Northwest is very dense, so there are other nearby cities that might better fit your desires. Although traffic get's worst the further away you get. It has been repeated over and over that the schools are not that great in the Everett area, but I cannot say either way. The last time I looked, a 3 bedroom home in a not so nice area started at 240K.

[Mtn Viewwa]

Some questions you need to ask yourself -How long am I willing to stay on the road to work time is more the measurement rather than distance, how much yard space for the kids, and you seem to have mentioned the most important one education quality. I live about 40 min away from the Boeing plant to the north but it can take 90 min sometimes because of traffic (wreak or construction). One school district I would stay out of for now is Marysville which is north of Everett. I used to work for the district and I moved my daughter out and into Lakewood (not the one in the news or most have heard of it's the rural one to the north). Lakewood is good but small. Everett Dist. is a very large one and some good and some not so good schools. If you want close to Boeing and no need to be on the freeway to get to work I would look into the town of Mukilteo (great views) along Mukilteo Blvd not along Mukilteo Speedway. The speedway has some good areas but I just like the blvd better, a little homier place. You can find homes in all income brackets just have to look a little harder for the affordable ones. Part of the Blvd goes to Everett Schools and part of it goes to Mukilteo schools Kamiak High better than Mariner High. Stay away from Casino Rd high crime area and most of anything south of it for around 5 miles +/-. If you don't want to be close to work and want a place that might cost less go north. Arlington Lakewood, Lake Stevens, Snohomish
Good Luck! Have the kids try out for soccer it's the big thing around here.

[jimz]

Originally Posted by HERC44

I am seriously considering taking a job at Boeing. I know nothing about the area. I am more concerned about the schools and the living area to raise kids. I have a 15yr Boy who loves baseball and football and a 11yr girl who is a social butterfly. I am from Dearborn Mi, just about 20-30 minutes west of Detroit. I paid 1100 a month rent on a 3 bedroom house with a main street for a front yard. But the schools are awesome! I am even considering coming out first and bringing in the family later. If there are any Boeing employees out there please let me know what you think of the area and the company. Thanks!

I have worked for Boeing many years, a good job but.....
The hiring frenzy will end and the layoffs will begin. Even after the 787 is up and running with a huge back log of orders, many will be let go because the initial production requires extra people on a new program. I have seen this on new program launches. The company has a reputation for this and history will repeat again. Be forewarned. Boeing has multiple sites, the big factory at Everett 767 747 777 787 programs, then Seattle Boeing feild for delivery and military, Renton on the east side 737 program. Fredrickson farthest south and Auburn which are fabrication sites for major parts. Depending on your job skill, you can move around.
My kids attended Marysville public schools, and the prior poster is correct-AVOID MARYSVILLE SCHOOLS!! they are horrible. teacher strikes, a superintendent bought out for $300k (paid by me & the other tax payers) you can't find a more corupt school system. Consider private schools if you must live in Marysville. I would live closer to where you work, if that is Everett, live there.
My wife has lived here all her life and I have most of my life. This area has mild weather. We snowshoe in the winter, hike and beach comb in the summer. Avoid living near the rivers, it does flood most every year. A lot of rain. The growth in Snohomish county is projected at just below 1 million in the next 15 years, traffic and more taxes to follow.
Commuting can be stressful, give yourself time and you will be fine. Gas taxes are about the 5th from the top of highest. We don't have a state income tax(yet), most taxes are consumption based. Car tabs in King county are higher for transit, which is only usable if you live in the city. The area has park and ride lots for transit, but the people I know that have used them have had their cars stolen or vandalized.
Property taxes are getting out of hand and we plan to move in the next few years, maybe eastern WA when we retire in the next few years. My property taxes have changed from $1200 to $4500 a year in 15 years! Peirce, King & Snohomish are the big tax bites in this state-but that is where the job centers are located. Eastern WA is too remote to commute, the wines in eastern WA rival California, and are great.
Overall a good area to live, but it is getting expensive for property and taxes.
Good luck at your new job.

[theRain]

I wonder if you took the job? If you work at the Everett plant, live in Mukilteo! Excellent schools, easy commute! Nice community. Good luck.

[jdjcjbeck]

Did you move and work for Boeing? We are from Ne. and thinking of moving out. Im very scared about the possible pay-offs and the home prices. We need a place near Catholic schools...

D

[Modena04]

Stay away from everett. Mukilteo is ideal....a lilttle more pricier but worth it

[vanbao]

If your husband is going to work for Boeing, consider Mukilteo and Millcreek or even Lynnwood.

Mukilteo has one of the best school district in the state but the home prices there is quite expensive, especially in the Harbor Point area.

Mill Creek is near Boeign too but the drive to I-5 could be a drag.

Lynnwood used to have a bad rap but it is much better now. They are building a brand new high school which is set to open in 2009. The new houses in Lynnwood now go for an average of about $550k to $600k.

So any of those three cities are fine.