Transplant Looking for a Place to Live! (Seattle, Tacoma: home, neighborhood)

[mhsmith131]

Hello-

I have applied for a job over at Lake Devereaux near Bremerton, WA. I am trying to look at potential areas to live in but I am REALLY unfamiliar with the area.

My partner and I are looking for somewhere that is preferably:

-gay friendly
-artsy, eclectic
-inexpensive (If I get this job, I will only be making 31,000/year)

We like a nice balance between urban and suburban, if its possible. Oh and also a neighborhood that is dog friendly!

I know that we can't afford to live in Seattle proper, but I want to try to find a town or neighborhood that would be relatively close (an hour drive is ok, I'll be working from home most days).

Any help?

[Ira500]

Lake Deveraux is kind of in the middle of nowhere. Very pretty, but if you wanted any semblance of a reasonable commute, and still wanted a bit of urban, your choices would probably be limited to Bremerton, Shelton, or Gig Harbor.
Bremerton would be the most urban of the three, and has a reputation of being run down. It's also the place that has more artists, and would be the most gay friendly of the three. There are parts of Bremerton to avoid, but the Manette area is nice. Bremerton's kind of cool, in a funky old kind of way.
Shelton is rainier, and has the best seafood restaurant I've ever eaten in.
Gig Harbor is very pretty, very nice, friendly, and more expensive than either Bremerton or Shelton.
Pushing the commute limits would be North Tacoma. North Tacoma is great. Doesn't feel like a big city. Gay friendly, artsy, fun, closer than Seattle, farmer's markets, lovely views.

[deckard9080]

I don't know where you ended up. But don't move to SHELTON as the earlier person suggests. It's not gay friendly and it's barely a town. It's full of rednecks and everyone there thinks that the Walmart is "the mall." Gig Harbor or Port Orchard are your best bests.

Please let us know where you landed.

[Ira500]

But don't move to SHELTON as the earlier person suggests

Please tell me where an " earlier person" suggested that anybody move to Shelton? it wasn't I, and it wasn't anyone else. The original poster mentioned Shelton. I didn't steer them away from Shelton,because I don't know the place real well, but there was never a suggestion of any kind that anybody should move there.
All I said was that it was rainy and had a good seafood restaurant.