Is the Northwest turning into California? (real estate, crime rates, costs)
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Maybe a pointless thread to soothe my boredom, but I think there is also truth in this. California is shriveling up into a raisin, the Northwest is getting hotter, trendier, materialistic, and having a population boom. Of course there will always be major differences, but honestly, there are so many more similarities. Palm trees and other exotic foliage are casually being planted, col is skyrocketing, higher crime rates as well, I could go on. Thoughts?
The murder rate in all three west coast state is on a clear downward trend. CA murder rate is halved compred to the 90s. OR murder rate of 2 homicides per 100 000 people is very low compared to other states and much lower than the historical average over the past 20 years.
Seattle gets better every year. We're getting bigger, denser, and more diverse with better transit and air connections. While real estate costs more than it used to, we're still half of San Francisco and will stay lower because we're not so nimby-dominated.
The Pacific Northwest has always had cool winters, springs and falls and warm to hot summers. Only the hardy windmill palm will grow there, you can't grow the tall palms that thrive in California and you'll probably never be able to.
I can see Seattle turning into a NorCal-lite area but Portland I think will always be its own, unique thing. Portland in fact may capitalize itself over Seattle for the people who do not want a San Francisco type of lifestyle.
Being a CA native, my first trip to Seattle was in 1998. It was refreshingly nice and different back then (little "riff raff" or graffiti). In the last 10 years, I've visited a lot and definitely see a change. The locals do also and blame Californians.
The Pacific Northwest has always had cool winters, springs and falls and warm to hot summers. Only the hardy windmill palm will grow there, you can't grow the tall palms that thrive in California and you'll probably never be able to.
You're right, the Northwest's climate is less mild but in addition to the windmill I have seen the pindo palm grow here. Also not just talking about palms but several exotics such as yucca, exotic grasses, cacti, eucalyptus, banana tree, bamboo, magnolia, and strawberry tree are all becoming common place (Maybe not eucalyptus and cacti but I see them occasionally).
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