what are some good washington towns? (Seattle, Spokane: good schools, university, living)

[gammerus]

I'm thinking of moving to Washington after graduation (couple years) and I was wondering where I should start looking. I am majoring in graphic design and my boyfriend is an actuarial student so we would like somewhere kinda city-esque, but safe and moderately priced. We were thinking of somewhere near seattle, but again, I'm not sure where to start looking.

Edit: I should also add that we are from AZ, and would like somewhere with reasonablee warm weather maybe somewhere around 45-80?

[Sobefobik]

If you are looking for moderately priced, you aren't going to find it in Seattle. Maybe you should try Spokane, the east side of the mountains.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by gammerus

I'm thinking of moving to Washington after graduation (couple years) and I was wondering where I should start looking. I am majoring in graphic design and my boyfriend is an actuarial student so we would like somewhere kinda city-esque, but safe and moderately priced. We were thinking of somewhere near seattle, but again, I'm not sure where to start looking.

Edit: I should also add that we are from AZ, and would like somewhere with reasonablee warm weather maybe somewhere around 45-80?

We have a part that gets almost as hot as Phoenix in the summer, but in the winter it is an icy, windblown place with freezing temperatures normal. We have a part that never gets as hot as that, but in winter it rains a lot and sometimes freezes. And we have a part that is somewhat hot in summer but has some fairly serious winters. Nowhere in Washington can you anticipate a winter that is neither cold nor wet. Your only option is to choose between snow, icy wind and chilly rain.

[StealthRabbit]

I wouldn't mind seeing 45F... I'm on the temperate side (west side of cascades), and been freezing my tail since mid Dec. It is currently 36F and 87% humidity, and snowed today for the upteenth time.

We see 100+ for about 5 days in summer, but nights are cool. We have AC but never use it, as we have a basement for those 'hot' days.

[KAILANI]

I am no weather expert, but: I'm pretty sure we only get 45-80 degree weather in the summer, which is May to September, then it's usually 50's or below...

Spokane seems to be the most extreme. It will get into the 90's in the summer and super cold in the winter. I heard they even have snow still hanging on.

I live west of the mountains, it seems to be the most moderate.
Tacoma seems to be where the most rain hits.

What about living on the Peninsula, like bainbridge island, and commute to seattle by ferry, like so many people do.

You definitely have to be able to withstand long MONTHS of gray wet weather.....but the payoff is worth it (cool sunny days!)

*like many others have said-first find the job then look for a place, jobs are hard to find right now...

[509]

Originally Posted by KAILANI

I live west of the mountains, it seems to be the most moderate.
Tacoma seems to be where the most rain hits.

Your mileage will vary, but the best weather in Washington is between Walla Walla and Clarkston. Minor snowfall. Summer temps in the 90's.

The perfect temperature east of the Cascades is 85 degrees. Though anything between 55 and 95 is pretty good in the sunshine due to low humidity.

[Prple]

I would suggest Bellingham, Olympia or Spokane (eastern Wa).

Olympia and Bellingham are sort of simillar in many ways; both have a university, both medium sized towns, good schools and more affordable than Seattle. Olympia is about 60 miles south of Seattle and 30 miles south of Tacoma. Bellingham is around an hour and a half away from Seattle.

[Dendrite]

Originally Posted by kailani

*like many others have said-first find the job then look for a place, jobs are hard to find right now...

+1

[gammerus]

well I was thinking wet weather most of the time, but around the 45-80 range. I'm still working on my last year of college so I have a long job hunt ahead of me, and I am trying to narrow down a section of washington.

Olympia is starting to sound really nice tho.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by gammerus

well I was thinking wet weather most of the time, but around the 45-80 range. I'm still working on my last year of college so I have a long job hunt ahead of me, and I am trying to narrow down a section of washington.

The places that get wet, when they are wet, will tend to hover between 30 and 50. The western Washington rainy cold is a penetrating thing that lasts a very long, dark winter. Hoping for a nice moist 80 degree day in Washington will rarely happen; I'm thinking you'd like the climate better in the South.