Pullman WA versus Moscow ID for retirement? (Spokane, Walla Walla: real estate, apartment) - Washington - City-Data Forum

thehelferfamily · 07-20-2007, 08:45 PM

Hello all!

My husband will be retiring from the Coast Guard in about 18 months and we're researching "retirement" places. We have 3 young children (6, 5, and 2) so schools are important along with a strong economy for employment. That military retirement check just isn't gonna cut it for all of our expenses...we'll need to supplement our income. I plan to go back to school for nursing and I'm pretty sure both WSU and UI offer nursing schools (can anyone verify this?)
Can anyone offer a comparison of the 2 cities?? I know they are only 10 miles apart, but are there benefits to living in one state over the other (taxes, schools, community, etc)? Thanks in advance for your insight!!

Heather

PS....I'll post this in the Idaho forum too

photogoddess · 07-20-2007, 10:20 PM

Pullman seems to revolve around WSU, meaning the town exists to support the students and employees of WSU. The second biggest employer is switzer (sp). I can't attest to either school for nursing though. Moscow seems more self sufficient and in my opinion has a bit more for shops and things to do, although both are small. Check to make sure of residency for each school as I believe you have to live in the state to qualify for in state tuition, for example you wouldn't qualify for in-state tuition for WSU if you lived in Moscow. Pullman's schools are very good all the way through high school but I do not know about Moscow's school system. Even though both are college towns, it seems housing prices are better in Moscow. Rent in Pullman is crazy because they hike prices and rent out to college kids. Again, though I can't say what the rent is like in Moscow. Minimum wage is higher in WA, but I believe taxes are better in ID.
Each have pros and cons and you would have to decide what is the highest priority and whether there is enough of a difference to sway you one way or another. I hoped that helped a little and if you need any more info on Pullman email me-I just moved from there recently after finishing my degree. It was nice to have both towns so close, and what one didn't have, the other made up for. Good luck!

Prodigal Coug · 07-21-2007, 07:20 AM

As a WSU grad, if I were choosing, I'd probably choose Moscow. Go a little ways to the east and you get into some decent timber. I think Moscow's downtown area has a little nicer feel to it.

Washington does not have a state income tax.

As far as in-state tuition goes, back in the day my out of state friends told me that a child needed to live in Washington for a year to qualify. Thus, if you lived in Idaho, you would pay out of state tuition for one school year, rent an apartment for them to "live" in over the summer, and then they'd be a Washington resident.

I love Washington State (as you can tell by my screen name) but I consider Pullman and Moscow pretty much interchangable, except for the high school and tax situation. Find a home you like and you'll be happy in either one.

SeattleTaz · 07-21-2007, 03:55 PM

"I plan to go back to school for nursing and I'm pretty sure both WSU and UI offer nursing schools (can anyone verify this?) "

WSU's nursing program is 100 mi north in Spokane. Idaho doesn't have one.

Of the two states, Washington has the considerably bigger, more robust economy. Politically, Idaho is pretty reactionary and is notoriously home to a variety of skinheads and survivalist groups.

thehelferfamily · 07-21-2007, 07:57 PM

Thanks for the replies! I wasn't aware that WSU's nursing school was in Spokane so thanks for that info. We are toying with the idea of my husband doing 4 more years in the Coast Guard so I can get my degree at our next unit assignment. That way we can move to Pullman or Moscow area without the nursing school requirement still needed. Thanks again for the info!!

pw72 · 07-21-2007, 10:31 PM

I replied to this thread on the Idaho side....just in case you want another opinion....

jabm67 · 07-23-2007, 10:13 AM

Moscow certainly has the nicer "feel" to it, and a broader range of businesses and stores. But then, I was never in Moscow at 2 AM the week before classes started, trying to sleep while the students were in irrepressible party mode. I think Pullman has the best schools for perhaps a (literal) hundred miles; all the reports I've heard are that Moscow's are a step down, though they are the best in Idaho for some distance, too.

Although the students are part of what drives Pullman's house prices up, that's not the only factor, especially for family-size houses. That gets driven up because faculty coming from elsewhere (California in particular) to WSU usually have a chunk of money from selling their old place that they have to sink into a new home, or pay a slug of taxes on. When they come from high real estate price areas, the need to find a house in which to sink all that money drives up the family-home prices: very few people come to Pullman for any other reason.

You can get away from most of the student noise problem in Pullman, but it takes some doing. Our third try (the one we bought, as opposed to the two one-year rentals we did) we succeeded, on the "back side" of Military Hill past the high school. Other areas seem to do this too.

AzDreamer · 07-23-2007, 11:41 AM

Any reason why you aren't looking at Boise? There are plenty of jobs there, it's a good place for families, and the university has a nursing program.

Boise State University - Department of Nursing

StealthRabbit · 07-23-2007, 11:42 PM

Maybe you could get a Portland CG hitch and live in Camas (good Schools) and attend Concordia U in N. Portland (~20 min). Small classes, and a pretty good school.

cu-portland.edu
College of Health and Human Services - Concordia University

but... if you move to the Palouse (a favorite of mine); I vote for Moscow.

If you end up near Spokane, check out Fairfield. (SE ~ 15 miles)

thehelferfamily · 07-24-2007, 08:06 AM

We'll definately check out the other places mentioned (Boise, Camas, etc). We would prefer to stay in eastern WA or the central Idaho panhandle since it's centrally located to our families. On the WA side we are actually looking into the little town north of Pullman called Palouse. Everything we've read and researched about the town looks GREAT! Great school, close proximity to shopping, yet far enough away for that small town feel. My husband grew up on a wheat farm outside of Walla Walla and is a true Palouse country boy at heart. Thanks again for the suggestions!

Heather