Tacoma & Seattle: It's Tough Being a Little Brother (Bellevue: rent, houses)

[ABQ1]

It's frustrating to be always overshadowed by the big brother - Oakland vs. San Francisco, Newark vs. New York, Aurora vs. Denver or Tacoma vs. Seattle - that getting specific information about the little One is like pulling tooth.

With relocation-specific information, the online result is usually based on the big brother even though we know that there are some differences. Secondly, there's nothing like real people on the ground sharing their knowhows.

I am hoping that there are people here who know about Tacoma better to kindly help, and here are my questions:

- For a family of 4 (2 kids - 6 & 1) with a job prospect with St. Joseph Medical Center (S J Street) in Tacoma, where will be adequately ok to live with reasonable commute (<30 min), a decent elementary school and diverse neighborhood?

- We'll rent for the first year, so what would be reasonable for a 3 br/2bth with W/D?

- Anything else to know about Tacoma to share?

Thanks so much in advance!

[Inkpoe]

Well, for starters, there's lots and lots of Tacoma threads. They just won't all be in the Seattle forum because the Seattle forum covers... Seattle... and King County suburbs. Tacoma is not part of King County... it is part of Pierce County (so therefor would be mostly delegated to the Washington forum).

1- Tacoma's an awesome town. However, public schooling isn't its strong point. For that, you'd look over to University Place, which is right next to Tacoma. UP has a very good school district. A bit further away and not as as good as UP (but very decent at least) you also have Steilacoom, Puyallup and Sumner. Steilacoom and Sumner might feel too small for you, I don't know. Puyallup is very sprawly. Definitely would experience more traffic with Puyallup/Sumner. I'd also throw in Bonney Lake/Lake Tapps, but it's a little further away and more rural... schools are very good though. Gig Harbor also has good schools, but its small town covering a big area and isn't racially diverse.

2- Pierce County is much more affordable than King County. I'd say for a 3bdrm and a 2bth-- a good bench should be starting @ $1050/mo. Obviously the more amenities and the more desirability, it would cost more.

3- Tacoma's pretty much has everything that you wouldn't necessarily have to go over to the Seattle area. Zoo, museums, restaurants, nature, food markets, shopping (though, Seattle/Bellevue will have more high-end shopping). Tacoma is also a bit more diverse than Seattle but more blue-collar. Do check out the other Tacoma threads, lots of trendy neighborhood mentions. Tacoma does have bad spots, and generally the South/Southeast areas and the area bordering Lakewood are the bad ones.

[Ira500]

Tacoma is awesome, and underrated. And like Inkpoe said, Tacoma is not known for their great public schools. But you asked about good elementary schools, and Tacoma does have some of those.
I really like the Proctor District of North Tacoma. Quaint, tree lined streets, cool old houses, a nice neighborhoody feeling, nice farmer's market, and a good elementary school, Washington-Hoyt.

[hamellr]

Don't forget that Downtown Tacoma has drastically changed in the past decade. In 2000 it was a place you avoided, it was infested with prostitutes and drug dealers. Now that a lot of the old buildings have been torn down and rebuilt it's a totally different city. It still needs a lot more help to get business down there after 5pm, but it's going in the right direction.

[ABQ1]

Thank you all - Inkpoe, Ira500 & Hamellr - very much!

I think that I have a better general idea now about Tacoma. I am sure that if the position pans out, I will be inquiring on specific issues about the city.

It sounds to me listening to you all that Tacoma seems to be heading in the right direction in terms of the image. Unlike many who are unjustly extreme in portraying some cities as either uninhabitable or too rosy, you guys were balanced in your analysis - saying the good and the not so good about Tacoma.

If I relocate to Pacific NW, it'll be the 5th city I have lived in the four corners of the country and my experience has been the same. All cities share the same things - there are the good and the not so good.

[Bill Loney]

You want to see the ultimate slap in the face? Google Tacoma and then check Google Images.

[Count David]

lol

[pw72]

Hey, there is one picture of Tacoma amidst all the Toyotas.

[MaikeerinWA]

Tucson only gets about half vehicles. I guess Hyundais aren't quite as popular as Toyotas.

tucson - Google Search

[Jake840]

The Tacoma "Image" problem on google used to not be like that. They changed something recently and now you get all trucks.