Recommend me a city/town. (Seattle, Tacoma: home, colleges, living in)

[DocNorad]

This is my first post, and I'm thankful a community like this exists.

I'm 24 years old. I was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV, but it has never been a home to me. I have an idea of the type of community I would like to call home, but it's hard to know which areas fulfill the criteria without personally spending time in each one. For this reason, I'd like to get a few perspectives from Washington locals.

My Ideal Community

Weather:
- Near-permanent overcast (excessive rain is a plus)
- Cool weather, with the peak summer heat under 85 degress
- Snow, but not so much that makes SUV's and trucks an absolute necessity within the city

City:
- Smaller urban area, preferably with a population under 100,000
- Relaxed atmosphere, where time passes slowly

People:
- A younger community
- Open-minded and intellectual
- Strong emphasis on individuality
- Secular, with minimal religion (religious people are fine, just not a community ingrained with it)
- Relaxed and laid-back
- Night life, consisting of small bars and taverns with good rock music and good conversation (as opposed to superficial nightclubs with popular music so loud you can't hear yourself think)
- Marijuana-friendly
- Women that aren't fake, entitled, and superficial
- Health-conscious, good diet, and physically fit

Work
- I don't have an established career, nor do I have any college degrees. However, I am very intelligent and a life-long learner, and I excel in management-level positions, regardless of the type of work. I'm open to a lot of different work opportunities, except any job where I have to please the customer at the cost of my personal ethics (customer service, sales, etc.).

This is a rough list, but I think it's enough information to work with. Thanks in advance.

[poopskooper]

I'll take a stab. And I want to preface anything I say here as "it's only my opinion."

What you're describing is definitely somewhere in western Washington as it matches the climate you're describing and generally the social climate also.

I'll say that either Bellingham or Olympia would be good choices especially since you want to be in an area with a population of 100,000 or less and as you describe, "a smaller urban area." They are both known for being quite liberal and have state colleges within their boundaries.

Again, JMO and my opinion doesn't mean much.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by poopskooper

I'll take a stab. And I want to preface anything I say here as "it's only my opinion."

What you're describing is definitely somewhere in western Washington as it matches the climate you're describing and generally the social climate also.

I'll say that either Bellingham or Olympia would be good choices especially since you want to be in an area with a population of 100,000 or less and as you describe, "a smaller urban area." They are both known for being quite liberal and have state colleges within their boundaries.

Again, JMO and my opinion doesn't mean much.

I was going to make the same two suggestions.

[Harrier]

I thought of Olympia right away also, but the problem with it is while it is somewhat detached from the Seattle-Tacoma metropilis it is also very nearby.

However, Olympia does fit most of your criteria, so it may be the best fit.

I can think of some other places, but they may be too rural for your taste.

[Hemlock140]

I agree with both of the others, and would add Vancouver, just across the border from Portland OR.

[Harrier]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I agree with both of the others, and would add Vancouver, just across the border from Portland OR.

Vancouver was on my mind also, but I rejected it due to its proximity to Portland, when the OP wants a place that has a 100,000 or less population.

That is the same reason that I initially ruled out Olympia, but then reconsidered because it fits so much of the OP's other criteria.

I wonder if someplace in Oregon would be a good fit for the OP.

[Cinebar]

I'm not familiar with Bellingham, so I can't comment, but I am familiar with Vancouver (lived in the area for thirty years) and am somewhat familiar with Olympia.

And between Olympia and Vancouver, I would have to say Olympia......hands down.

I hated living in Clark County (Vancouver area). And while I have never lived in Olympia, I now live about fifty miles from there and have occasions to be in the area and I think it has a lot to offer in the way of not being a big city, diversity, closeness to recreational areas (ocean beaches and mountain resorts).

I also like how you can be in the city, but within a matter of minutes, be out in areas that would be considered "rural," such as Yelm.

[Harrier]

Originally Posted by Cinebar

I also like how you can be in the city, but within a matter of minutes, be out in areas that would be considered "rural," such as Yelm.

Or Roy and Tenino.

[ak-rev]

Juneau Alaska fits your description perfectly

[DocNorad]

Thank you all for the timely replies.

I just want to avoid living in a small enough town where everybody knows everybody and there's few new people to meet. More rural locations are fine, as long as I don't have to commute into a larger town on a daily basis. Too used to the convenience of a large city, I suppose.

I will also look into Juneau. Thanks for the suggestion.