Possible relocation to tri-city. Would love insight (Seattle, Kennewick: sale, low crime)

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by Moon Waffle

jkk is dead on in his response. He is not being racist, rather, he is highlighting a very real fact about the unspoken racism that exists in the TC among many residents. I've lived here for nearly 30 years....it's very embarrassing, but it is real.

It isn't that surprising given that until, what, the mid-1960s, Kennewick was a sundown town. There are still restrictive covenants technically in place here and there (I got hold of a copy of one), though in fairness, not very many people would want to enforce them even if they were enforceable. Richland was a different sort of sundown town; to live there, you had to work at the site, and the contractor hired very few blacks, thus that kept most of them out. I assume that ended when they sold off the townsite.

I think most of the lily-white McMansion crew would say: "I'm not racist. I would just rather live around people like me." And they wouldn't see how the statement shows that denial ain't just da river in da Egypt. One won't find a bunch of stereotypical gap-toothed Cletuses slinging racial slurs around the Tri (though one does see Confederate flag stickers on trucks, here and there). Segregation is handled more through the real estate office than through the bedsheet. Happens here in Boise too--our agent dogwhistled us to let us know which areas were more 'rough' (had Hispanics).

[NCDavid]

How one thinks of TC depends on your baseline attitudes. It's isolated. As noted previously, it's a three-hour drive to a big city. In fact, it's a relatively long drive to anywhere else, including Yakima, Walla Walla, Spokane. A lot of the surrounding area is desolate, semi-desert terrain with rattlesnakes and tumbleweeds. Also as noted, the wind blows a lot. It's very dry, with minimal annual rainfall. It's politically conservative. It's downwind from the Hanford atomic works, home of the first atomic bomb and one of the most radioactively polluted sites in the world. I'm not judging; those things could be positives or negatives, depending on your outlook.

[oregonchickfan]

The drive from Pasco to Walla Walla, during the summer, is only an hour. It's not a long drive. Kennewick to Umatilla is 30-45 minutes. To Pendleton is about 67 miles, so it's a jaunt.

I made a short visit to the area this summer and, if you like small areas with lots of water and outside activities, you should like the Tri-Cities area. If you like big cities, you may not like the area.

I found the people to be nice. Since it was a short visit, I can't give too much of an opinion. To me, sales tax isn't that big of a deal. I've lived in Oregon, and currently live in a state with sales tax, and I'd much rather have the sales tax as I feel tax is more equal than it is with state tax.

I would suggest a visit to the area, even if it's just a weekend visit.

[NCDavid]

Originally Posted by oregonchickfan

The drive from Pasco to Walla Walla, during the summer, is only an hour. It's not a long drive. Kennewick to Umatilla is 30-45 minutes. To Pendleton is about 67 miles, so it's a jaunt.

I made a short visit to the area this summer and, if you like small areas with lots of water and outside activities, you should like the Tri-Cities area. If you like big cities, you may not like the area.

I found the people to be nice. Since it was a short visit, I can't give too much of an opinion. To me, sales tax isn't that big of a deal. I've lived in Oregon, and currently live in a state with sales tax, and I'd much rather have the sales tax as I feel tax is more equal than it is with state tax.

I would suggest a visit to the area, even if it's just a weekend visit.

Those are interesting insights from a short visit. Aside from the Columbia River, where is there lots of water? TC is surrounded by miles and miles of farmland, arid land, and semi-desert.
Yes, Walla Walla is an hour or so away, to a town of 32,000. Umatilla has 7,000 in the middle of nowhere. Pendleton is an hour an a half to a town of 16,000 in the middle of nowhere.
TC has some charms, especially if one likes a very dry climate and plenty of sun and heat in the summer, but it is very isolated.

[oregonchickfan]

Originally Posted by NCDavid

Those are interesting insights from a short visit. Aside from the Columbia River, where is there lots of water? TC is surrounded by miles and miles of farmland, arid land, and semi-desert.
Yes, Walla Walla is an hour or so away, to a town of 32,000. Umatilla has 7,000 in the middle of nowhere. Pendleton is an hour an a half to a town of 16,000 in the middle of nowhere.
TC has some charms, especially if one likes a very dry climate and plenty of sun and heat in the summer, but it is very isolated.

It's all a matter of perspective. I've lived in Central Oregon and now live in Nevada. In comparison to Nevada, the Columbia River surrounding the area is probably more water than the whole state of Nevada has with the few lakes and rivers.

Yes, it's fairly isolated, but not nearly as much as many parts of Nevada.

[NCDavid]

Originally Posted by oregonchickfan

It's all a matter of perspective. I've lived in Central Oregon and now live in Nevada. In comparison to Nevada, the Columbia River surrounding the area is probably more water than the whole state of Nevada has with the few lakes and rivers.

Yes, it's fairly isolated, but not nearly as much as many parts of Nevada.

My condolences. Anything that makes the TC area seem less isolated and more water bound must be a desolate area indeed.

[dd94595]

I am from the bay area so I could give you a comparison of this area to there. I also did not really like the big city life and we ended up here and have been here 7 years last month. It sounds like you have a lot in common with us except we have 2 kids, but we didnt when we first moved here.

I like West Richland the best. Its quiet, has everything you need within a short drive and it feels very safe. People are friendly. For upscale suburb type I would stick with South Richland, West Richland. If you want some land around your home West Richland has very nice homes with around an acre that sound like what you would be looking for. Lots of new homes in these areas too. West Richland Elementary schools are Tapteal and Wiley and are rated good. White Bluffs Elementary is in South Richland and is rated very high. The house you referenced on Crab Apple is very close to where I live. I own a home built by that developer actually. Wiley would be the school for that neighborhood.

Coming from the Bay Area, I would say there is no traffic here. My husband works near the Oregon border, his drive takes 45 minutes and has no traffic. He heads toward Walla Walla. Are you heading to Hermiston? I dont think you will have any traffic that way.

Lots of wineries here if you like that. Boating, fishing, biking. You can go so many beautiful places without driving too far like the Cascade Mountain. Walla Walla is nice too if you are interested in a smaller community check that area out. We have a new museum here called the Hanford Reach but its not something like a bigger city would have. I would consider it more like a class field trip museum to learn about our area.

For fine dining we have a few places, but there are so many neat and unique little mom and pop places that you will find awesome food. Richland has several. Cedars is in Kennewick and is as close to upscale dining as we have I think. Or Anthonys in Richland.

For doctors I highly recommend Three Rivers Family Medicine. They are awesome!! I don't care for Kadlec since they dont even pay attention to you in my opinion, but Three Rivers has been great. For a vet I love Pet Medical Center of Pasco. They have been great with our dog and he is a handful.

Not humid here. Roads are terrible in winter, we get ice and its sloshy and slippery and I hate it, but its not all winter so I deal with it. We get some snow, I would prefer more. City does a terrible job keeping up with the snow. Summer here is hot, spring and fall are very nice and winter gets pretty cold. We have all four seasons and I prefer it to CA.

[ChappyWhiteGuy]

The Tri Cities is full of trash, pretty much like the rest of the USA. It's an isolated area populated by California, Seattle, and Portland refugees. Mostly low income meth-heads, but also retirees looking to escape to a conservative area. It has advantages though, despite being a zombie wasteland. It has little traffic, wide open spaces, and relatively relaxed people. If you travel the area and get to know it well, you'll see that it is mixed. Tattoo-headed gangbangers moving meth, to wealthy retirees from Seattle looking to escape the traffic and miserable weather. All in all a miserable wasteland, but not the worst that the country has to offer. Oh, and it is a very transient population. People are always moving in and out of the area, with little commitment to the community. Oh, and the wind, did I mention the wind?

[dianemjames]

fatitaly6--

My hubby and I have done a lot of research on the area and have friends who live there. We are planning on moving there to retire in 2016. I sent you a friend request. Feel free to private message me and I can share what I have learned as another out-of-stater if you'd like.

[Yeledaf]

And this is just over the hill, for the next ten thousand years or so...

Sick Hanford workers speak out for first time
Apr 9, 2014 - Exposure to potentially harmful chemical vapors sent 26 workers at the Hanford Site to a Richland hospital or an on-site medical clinic in the ...