Tacoma...Where to live (Seattle, Puyallup: university, military, shop)

[fracpilot]

Quick question for you Seattle area forum friends. My wife is looking at a 13 week travel nursing assignment at St Joesph's hospital in Tacoma. I am not terribly familiar with the area but I don't recall Tacoma being the nicest. What areas would one suggest within a 20 to 30 min drive to downtown Tacoma. Just trying to figure out where we should set up shop. I am used to suburbia more so than the downtown experience if that helps.

[Prple]

Some suburban areas that come to mind are University Place, Browns Point or Puyallup (Puyallup is probably the cheapest, but furtherest out). Du Pont could also work, its a newer planned community close to the military base. FYI, I also like North Tacoma, Proctor area, but it is more urban.
Good luck.

[cobolt]

Steilacoom is also very nice. About a 15 minute drive and you don't need to use I-5 if you're smart abuot side streets. And it's on the water. I wouldn't do Puyallup. That 512 commute isn't worth it. It bottlenecks pretty bad eastbound where 512 meets hwy 7 (Pacific Ave). Univerisity Place and Fircrest would also be good.

[jjthomas]

I used to commute Tacoma to Sumner. I worked the night shift so I was with the flow of traffic. Is seems to get clogged up around the bridge across the Puyallup River at 66th Ave. i agree that 512 was not a good option many times. Too many accidents.

-JJ

[mthomson]

I'd agree with the posts above. UP, Fircrest, and Steilacoom would be great options. If you like more rural, I'd look at Gig Harbor. It is a much smaller town feeling, a bit more removed from the city than the other places.