Looking for smaller towns to move to... (Seattle, Tacoma: apartments, home)

[Reject]

Hi everyone.

My hubby and I currently live in the Portland area (I was born and raised here) but we are looking to move out of Oregon and try something else. The expansion of the Sillicon Forest is becoming too much for us.

We are young, in our mid to late 20s, no children and don't plan on any soon. My hubby is very outdoorsy-- backpacking, bird watching-- and is an Army Veteran (which may require him to see the VA from time to time). We are looking for a smaller town (currently living in a population of 100k+ in the Hillsboro/Beaverton area), one that is quiet where we can find a place where the neighbors won't aggravate him with unexpected loud noises and the like. We like to be left to our privacy. We don't mind snow and being Portlanders, rain isn't an issue either.

As for me, I am a wedding planner with my own business so it would be great for me to be in a place where I can assist couples in their plans. Otherwise, employment isn't a huge concern as far as finding a job in a small place.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I know I might have a lot of expectations but we are flexible, so long as its the right place. Also, we plan to take road trips to these places to get a better feel for it.

[prosin]

I would recommend a look at the Key/Kitsap/Olympic peninsula towns. On a map, draw an approximate rectangle from Sequim to Port Townsend at the north end down to Gig Harbor and Shelton at the south end. The farthest reaches of this range is a one- to one 1/2-hour drive to the VA facility in Bremerton Bremerton - VA Puget Sound Health Care System and a max three hours drive/ferry to Seattle or Tacoma to the larger VA hospitals.

It just depends on how small a town you are looking for--the west side of the Hood Canal has the lowest population towns (Hoodsport, Brinnon, Lilliwaup have less than 1,000 residents each). Bremerton/Silverdale and Port Orchard have the highest populations (10,000 to 30,000) and offer more shopping and services. Belfair, Sequim, Shelton, Gig Harbor, and Poulsbo fall in the middle (5,000-10,000). Other areas are 1,000- 5,000: Port Townsend, Kingston, Port Hadlock/Chimicum/Port Ludlow, and Union. All of those probably still sound pretty small to someone coming from a larger population center. Fortunately, all of these towns and cities are pretty well spread out, giving a more rural feel to the area.

Urban sprawl is unlikely in these areas. Commuting to Seattle daily from the west side of Puget Sound is getting prohibitively expensive so commuters are less likely to move here.

Others on this forum may recommend smaller towns around the Olympia area, too, but I'm not as familiar with that area. Olympia doesn't have a VA facility that I know of but it is fairly close to Tacoma.

[Hemlock140]

I agree with those areas, especially Poulsbo and Seabeck. Small towns don't have many people that can afford a wedding planner nor that many weddings, but you would be near Bremerton and Silverdale where you could get more work.

[poopskooper]

I'll take a stab at recommending the Walla Walla area. Your mentioning the negative consequences of being in a technology corridor prompts me to throw out such an area like Walla Walla as it is not a "burb" of a larger metro area. You will also be experiencing a different climate than what you are accustomed to in Portland as opposed to moving somewhere in western Washington which will be more of the same.

Walla Walla is rich in outdoor opportunities with less rain than you'd experience in the western side of Oregon and Washington. Four distinct seasons also give you something different to look forward to. There's a multitude of outdoor activities in the nearby Blue Mountains, and Snake and Columbia rivers. Close winter skiing also exist. There are excellent bird watching opportunities in these areas as well. I believe there are close to 300 species in the McNary Wildlife Refuge and Walla Walla River Delta. The annual spring and fall migrations are something to marvel. There's a good Audubon Society there also.

Walla Walla has a very good veterans hospital too; the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center --click here

I'm not too sure about the demand for wedding planners as the area is rather isolated (not attached to a huge metroplex) and, I believe, still under 100,000 in population. It is about an hour away from the Tri-Cities and 45-minutes or so from Pendleton in the other direction, however.

[StealthRabbit]

I second Kitsap, look to Port Orchard and he can probably take the Daily WA Vet Home shuttle to VA if needed.

If he needs fulltime care (ever) get him really broke till he qualifies for FREE housing at Retsil. It is TERRIFIC with a great view of the shipyard and a bus every hour to get to ferry. (They had apartments for couples !! (Poor couples who need care)).

Also consider Silverdale and Poulsbo. Your Business should be BIG there (many great wedding venues in the region).

Next option for an outdoorsy guy is Sheridan, WY or Sturgis / Spearfish S.D. VA places in NICE areas. ALL income tax free states!!! Much fewer weddings, as MUCH much fewer people.

(Walla Walla is on my top 2 places of Eastside, WA, Wenatchee as well) Nice day trips from Portland. Spend the night using Casacasa.org and meet some new friends.

[Reject]

These are all great suggestions. Thank you! We will take drives to all these areas to get to know the area. Now I have a better idea. We were considering Aberdeen at first, lol.

[StealthRabbit]

Don't forget to FIRST check out the Columbia Gorge. Stevenson VERY rainy but close and frequent CHEAP public trandit that gets you to PDX bus routes.

Lots of Wedding venues

Hood River / White Salmon, BEST weather, kinda yuppie / expensive, but very nice (bit of competition for wedding planning)

The Wineries in the Gorge have a great collaboration / planning group, (And a few wedding planners, BUT... worth checking out for a free education of serving a rural area.) Home : Columbia Gorge Wine : Award winning Oregon and Washington Wine

Being 1 hr from PDX is NICE if you fly much, and WORKING living in WA is MUCH better than working / living in OR (for quite a few reasons, including political / fiscal responsibility. (WY, ND, AK are the states that seem to have their act together that way)