Port Townsend, Friday Harbor, Hood River better than Methow? (Seattle: sales, homes)

[zendwa]

We are an artist and a writer, and we moved from too-fast-growing Colorado to the Methow Valley, WA a year ago. It’s beautiful and peaceful, but is far too conservative and too much of a closed society for us. We’re tired of snowmobiles and dirt bikes and (excuse me) rednecks, and want a sense of community and a little more liberal attitude. Also, someplace a little larger (not too large, 5-10,000 tops) with people who are truly friendly, not just superficially so. We’ve been researching Hood River, OR, Friday Harbor, WA, and the Port Townsend area. Any comments about the relative merits of those communities.

[Ira500]

I don't know Hood river, other than it attracting lots of windsurfers and growing good pears, but Port Townsend especially is full of artists and writers and other creative types, has great weather, is very pretty- full of cool Victorian homes, has great restaurants and hangout spots, and is very politically progressive. Subject to debate, but I find it nicer than Friday Harbor...Both Friday Harbor and PT get lots of tourists, but it seems that you can't get away from them in Friday Harbor, where in PT they don't make it uptown, up the hill.

[dachmom]

It’s beautiful and peaceful, but is far too conservative and too much of a closed society for us. We’re tired of snowmobiles and dirt bikes and (excuse me) rednecks, and want a sense of community and a little more liberal attitude.

I think that rules out Hood River. The Hood River Valley is still very much an agricultural area that tends to be conservative.

[cobolt]

I would opt for Port Townsend because although it does have tourisim, the city doesn't seem to roll up the sidewalks in the winter, whereas Friday Harbor can be pretty dead come October. Of course, if that is your cup of tea, then you might like that. I also think Port Townsend attracts a nice ecclectic group of people. They have neat coffee shops and such around. It's really my favorite town in Western WA. I get there whenever I can.

[mayfair]

I like Port Townsend, too. It's got a very different feel than Friday Harbor- you should visit and see which you like. Just beware of living in the wind patterns from the PT paper mill (stinky).

[allforcats]

I, too, feel that Port Townsend beats the other entries for your requirements. Hood River is quite beautiful, but there's not much there there, other than agriculture and conservativeness. Friday Harbor is the heaven where a friend of mine wants to go when he goes to spirit... and it's beautiful and bucolic, but I agree it could be a nightmare of tourists much of the year. In Port Townsend you can get away from the tourist roads and attractions, and Pt T is a happy place with an artistic, creative vibe, and you have the entire glorious, transcendent Olympic Peninsula available every day... and thus an astonishing variety of scenery, weather, wildlife and inspiration.

Speaking of Hood River, if you reside in WA you'll avoid individual income tax, whereas if you reside in OR you'll incur that. Just an interesting financial thought...

[zendwa]

Thanks for the responses. Have visited Hood River recently; Friday Harbor about 5 years ago; and almost moved to Port Townsend 20 years ago but haven't been there since. Will continue our research. And allforcats, the trade-off to Washington not having income tax is that Oregon has no sales tax.

[Kathleenh54]

What are the property taxes like in Port Townsend? We'd like to take a trip up there for possible consideration and like the idea of no income tax but don't want to get hit with astronomical property taxes. We are retired and presently living in OR. The no-income tax doesn't affect us too much since all our income is from pensions and social security anyway. We don't buy too much stuff so paying a sales tax wouldn't break the bank.

[LMB]

Zendwa--when you visit Port Townsend, check out Poulsbo (pop approx 7500) if you have time. We also considered Port Townsend when we were looking for a new community a few years ago, but we decided on Poulsbo and we're very happy here. We've found it to be a friendly, welcoming small town with strong community support. My husband and I are both artists too and although Poulsbo may not be known as an "artsy" town, there's certainly a healthy appreciation for the visual arts in this community. Northwest College of Art is located here, as well as several galleries, area art studios and a popular summer art fair. Maybe we haven't been paying close enough attention, but we haven't noticed a conservative or liberal slant--seems fairly "live & let live" in this town.

Good luck with your search!

Lynn

[zendwa]

LMB - Hadn't considered Poulsbo before, probably because we thought (maybe incorrectly) that it was a Seattle bedroom/commute area. The other aspect for any of these towns we're considering is that we don't really want to be IN town, but in a somewhat rural area reasonably close - 15-20 (or more) minutes from town/shopping/etc. is actually a benefit to us, not a drawback. Thanks for the lead.