Wenatchee--is there anything negative about it?? (Seattle, Chelan: real estate market, crime, house)

[racetra]

I am looking into moving from the sierra foothills of Ca. to Wenatchee area. I am hearing some not so good things about some parts and gang activity. Quite a few problems with the High School. Having kids that will be going there and the middle school does concern me. Any comments?

[NCWmark]

I have lived in a few different places in the Pacific Northwest and the schools here in Wenatchee are very comparable (I have one school age child) to other places I think. There are problems and yes there is word of gang activity now and then but it is 99% unnoticeable/avoidable for the most part. What makes Wenatchee "shine" for me is the proximity to so many activities. Mountains to one side, desert to the other, and cold blue water everywhere else.

Regarding the gang activity: I had a friend from a larger city visiting for a long stay with me not too long ago and he was amused by our "gang problem". His opinion was that the proof that our "gang problem" is not that big is the fact that people are worried about it because an incident happens and it makes the news. He said you know when your gang problems are bad because the incidents don't make the news anymore as they are more commonplace and part of life... but in Wenatchee they stick out. Makes some sense, I think.

I have a fun little site if you need to see pictures of Wenatchee.

[terry lee]

Hello,
I lived in Wenatchee for 16 years as an adult. We chose to move to western WA almost 10 years ago, because of the kids.
I'll start with the positives: medical care at the hospital is very good for a smaller city. There is a beautiful park that circles the Columbia River, with bike paths, etc. Apple Blossom Festival is fun! School system is good in most areas. Sports for kids is alive and well. Nice ski area close by.
Negatives: RACISM. There is a large hispanic population, and while there have been attempts to join forces, it is a huge problem. I mean, there is the "white" faction and the "mexican faction", and things can get ugly twixt the two. We thought, since our children are adopted and brown skinned, to just get them the heck out of there. Politics are VERY conservative, there's alot of "who you know will get you places" stuff. Can be very cliquey amongst the older families. I grew up in Yakima, just to the south, and it was very similar. It is tough to break through unless you have family, or enough money............I think you get my point.
We have found folks west of the mountains to be much more open minded, and less judgemental. Our 3 kids have thrived here, where I think they might have been pidgeon-holed in Wenatchee. It is a multi-cultural area here, where in Wenatchee my children might have been the only brown skinned kid in class, and we did encounter both subtle and outright raciscm. It was truly awful at times.
If you are a typical caucasian family, though, you probably won't have any trouble..........but your kids will certainly learn some poor values when it comes to tolerating/accepting others.

That's my 2 cents,

Terry Lee

[kittyhox]

I love Wenatchee. I have a whole bunch of aunts/uncles/cousins in Wenatchee, so I've visited a lot over the years.

One downside is that it gets quite hot in the summer. A lot of people have pools and there are nearby rivers (for boating or rafting) and lakes, so that helps a lot. Just something to keep in mind.

The hills around Wenatchee are kind of brown for a big chunk of the year. It isn't a major issue. Just something that if I could wave a magic wand to make more green, I would. But I still consider it a very pretty area and I like the way the hills make it feel kind of protected.

Hmm. What else.

Someone else mentioned the large Latino population. I definitely wouldn't consider that a negative, but it's just something important that you should know about the town and school system. There are a lot of Spanish speaking people in the area and good Mexican food!

That's all I can think of. I think Wenatchee is a great place to raise a family and I wouldn't hesitate to live there if ever a job in my husband's field opened up. There are a TON of recreational things to do, fun things like the Apple Blossom Festival, it's a great size. Four seasons, which I prefer, as well.

Oh, and the shopping used to be one of the major downsides of Wenatchee (ten years or so ago you'd have to leave town to do any). The little mall was so pathetic. Now there is a bigger mall on the East side and a Target and Macys. Pretty much everything you need. Might seem trivial, but you don't want to have to drive through a snowy pass to shop!

[NCWmark]

Personally, I view the multi-cultural aspects of Wenatchee as a plus... and most everyone I know agrees.

[pw72]

I believe as the Puget Sound area becomes more populated and expensive, Wenatchee will take advantage of that and grow. While it is close to Seattle as the crow flies, HWY 2 is no picnic...it actually is a mostly winding two lane highway that needs a major overhaul. It also has a high accident rate especially on the westside. Of course, there is an alternate, somewhat longer route over to I-90.

But, beyond all that, Wenatchee is pretty close to perfect. Yes, it is still a relatively small town, but growing, and that is the key. 100 degree days happen, but not that often. And yes, it is colder than the Puget Sound, but not extreme, like the midwest. You are close to almost everything. Need culture? A couple hours to Seattle. Need snowsports? Mission Ridge is 20 minutes away.

I would certainly live there under the right job conditions, and that kind of takes this thread back full circle. Not sure exactly what the job base is there, other than the usual agriculture and retail sector. If more retirees choose this area, a medical/adult living industry could result. Perhaps city officials need to be more aggressive in bringing this type of industry, and others, into the area. Because Wenatchee has SO much potential!

[Sandy Nelson]

I have encountered quite a few people recently, who have moved to Cashmere, which is right by Wenatchee. I guess people are catching on and are buying up the local real estate.

Sandy

[zzzion]

Really, this is one of the most beatifull places on earth. The social diversity mixes without notice. I dont live there any more as I took up in St. George Utah. Truth be told Wenatchee is every bit as beautiful. More importantly, Wenatchee has better shopping, better restaurants and better grocery stores than St. George.

Honestly, the Wenatchee Valley for some, is the best place on earth, there are purple pink skies at night and in the morning. There are major recreation areas all around, Lake Chelan, The Ardenvoir, and Leavenworth to name a few.

Wenatchee is a four season place so if winter dosn't set well with you ya might be caught off gaurd. However the Spring and Fall are long and the summer down right hot.

I'd say 99.89 percent of all folks who are fortunate enought to move here are glad they did.

Good Hunting.

[zzzion]

Wow,

Living there all your life and you havn't noticed anything but more houses? I lived ther for 15 years during the late 8O's to early 2000's. The infrastructure took off, especially in East Wenatchee. Sunnyslope didnt exist, the end of East Wenatchee was the bowling alley.

The Wenachee Valley is near explosive but it is right on track with a few other towns of intersest in it's size. I'd say people who are interested in Bozeman or Missoula Montana, Coeur D' Alene or Reno, St. George or Prescott in the SouthWest, or Boone North Carolina might find Wenatchee attractive.

Check it out for yourself!

[vanbao]

This is a very nice place to live and a lot of retiring people from Seattle and other big cities are moving out there to live. The main attraction for them is the cost of living (compare to Seattle) and they plan to have small small farms.

Temperature wise, it is very hot in the summer and very cold in the winder.

Job market, it is not that plentiful like that in Seattle and surrounding areas.