Moving to Tacoma Area Good places to live? (Seattle, Spokane: apartment complexes, how much)

[JRittle123]

I'm originally from Harrisburg Pennsylvania and my significant other and I will be moving to WA this august and we are looking around for some apartments in and around Tacoma. Anyone from the area have any suggestions on what areas to avoid and what areas are might be a nice place for a post-college young mid twenties couple? I'm not very picky but safety is my main concern and I have heard Tacoma has a bad reputation for being "ghetto." I don't want to live anywhere I have to be afraid my car will be broken into. Is Tacoma really that bad?

I've checked numerous apartments all over the area and I don't know what areas I should avoid.

[RotseCherut]

Tacoma isn't bad at all. In many ways, I like it better than Seattle, when I want to be in place that is more breathable and don't feel like putting up with traffic, hard to find parking and cold, more robotic people. Tacoma has beautiful scenery and many nice areas. The people in Tacoma are also friendlier in general than the rest of the state. Strangely enough, I found Tacoma has friendliest people in Washington. I know that isn't saying much, considering Washington is probably one of the more unfriendly/reserved states in the country. However, people in Tacoma overall seem fairly friendly. It really feels more like a smaller Pacific Northwest city versus Seattle, which feels like it's more its own entity.

If you are from Pennsylvania, then chances are , you have seen some real nasty ghettos. Tacoma has a few of them on the Eastside, but you will have no reason to go there.

North Tacoma is the nice part of Tacoma and I would seriously consider that area. It is more expensive, but still cheaper than Seattle. You could also consider Puyallup or Federal Way which are cheaper, scenic and not far from Tacoma or Seattle.

T-Town has been renovated and is much better than it was years ago. The ghetto areas are decreasing and concentrating in areas far from the city center. There are also some real nice apartment complexes overlooking the Sound near the downtown area.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by RotseCherut

Tacoma isn't bad at all. In many ways, I like it better than Seattle, when I want to be in place that is more breathable and don't feel like putting up with traffic, hard to find parking and cold, more robotic people. Tacoma has beautiful scenery and many nice areas. The people in Tacoma are also friendlier in general than the rest of the state. Strangely enough, I found Tacoma has friendliest people in Washington. I know that isn't saying much, considering Washington is probably one of the more unfriendly/reserved states in the country. However, people in Tacoma overall seem fairly friendly. It really feels more like a smaller Pacific Northwest city versus Seattle, which feels like it's more its own entity.

That statement is entirely untrue! How many places besides Seattle have you been? My dad used to own a house in Napavine when he lived in WA and I still have some family there and in Centralia. I found the people almost disgustingly friendly. My cousin lives in Spokane and while I've not yet been there, he said the same thing. Another friend of mine lives in Bellingham where she moved after leaving China. She wanted to moved back to CA but she said the people in WA really won her over.

[RotseCherut]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

That statement is entirely untrue! How many places besides Seattle have you been? My dad used to own a house in Napavine when he lived in WA and I still have some family there and in Centralia. I found the people almost disgustingly friendly. My cousin lives in Spokane and while I've not yet been there, he said the same thing. Another friend of mine lives in Bellingham where she moved after leaving China. She wanted to moved back to CA but she said the people in WA really won her over.

We agree to disagree.

How many places besides Seattle have I been? Hmm... I have been to seven countries (excluding the USA) and in every state in the West Coast, including Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Montana and Idaho.

I have lived in or near every city in the West Coast (except San Francisco/Sacramento).

I'm originally from Oregon and found people in general quite a bit friendlier there. I've lived in almost every town/city in Oregon. It is not like people in Seattle are mean or anything, they are just cold and reserved. I've never found anybody in Washington disgustedly friendly, but more like the opposite. None of my neighbors wave or say hello. They walk by me and just turn their face like I don't exist, so I usually will sometimes be the one to wave and say hello and they reluctantly reply. People seem to just hide in their houses, blinds closed and mind their own business. There is no neighbors greetings neighbors or anything. There is some good to this. I never have to worry about loud parties or huge gatherings. It seems most people here don't even have that many friends, except for their spouses/immediate family.

How long have you lived in Washington (or Pacific Northwest) for that matter? I lived here for many, many years. Things aren't what they use to be either. Oregon, actually use to be quite a bit friendlier, before the California/East Coast mass migration, which totally warped the entire demographics of the state. It isn't just the outsiders who changed. A lot of the locals became more unfriendly due to what they perceived as the invasion of their state by outsiders.


However, I will say people in Tacoma seem fairly friendly. They are still reserved, but you can actually strike up a conversation with them. I think the grittiness of Grit City (Tacoma) makes people a bit more cheery, social and less barricaded. In Seattle, everybody seems to have some sort of wall around them. For some people, it appears they are a bit stuck-up, whereas others they are just reserved and shy. I'm not sure how to psychoanalyze or assess the behavior, but there is a major RESERVE among Seattlites. As I said in previous threads, its much more prevalent in the women, but also in the men.

The city that I lived that perhaps had the most barricaded and unfriendly people I ever lived was Bellingham, WA. I never lived in a town where people were so unfriendly and anti-social. Literally, when you walk down the street people turn their head other direction as they walk by to avoid making any contact or look at you. It was very strange phenomenon for me at first. I had to get use to it. It's one thing for it to be a one or two people who do this, but it was every person.

Also, people around here don't smile. They walk around with a permanent frown or straight-face. People appear to be very serious here. Sometimes when I have a conversation with people in Seattle, it is like I am at risk of offending their deepest and darkest emotions and sending them to a state of oblivion. You just cannot sit back, chat and BS. Everything is so d*mn serious. That's why I like going into a bar in Tacoma.. Lot of blue collar fellows and they just sit around BS and talk and have good time. Not so much drama.

I always said Tacoma makes me think of a Midwest city transplanted to the Northwest, but has a ruggedly , old-fashion 1990 something Northwest feel.

[Inkpoe]

RotseCherut... You could've followed that particular statement with a "In my experience" or whatever instead of trying to act like it's a fact. I personally disagree with your statement that people in OR are friendlier-- but you don't see me making it into a statement that the whole state is unfriendly or making other bizarre generalizations. Your reality isn't everyone's experience.


Anyways, back to the thread:

I'm not very picky but safety is my main concern and I have heard Tacoma has a bad reputation for being "ghetto." I don't want to live anywhere I have to be afraid my car will be broken into. Is Tacoma really that bad?

Your odds for a car breaking is exponentially higher in West Coast. So not necessarily an indicator of anything. With that said, there's also been threads after threads of people saying Tacoma isn't that bad and that there are nice areas within.

[RotseCherut]

Originally Posted by Inkpoe

RotseCherut... You could've followed that particular statement with a "In my experience" or whatever instead of trying to act like it's a fact. I personally disagree with your statement that people in OR are friendlier-- but you don't see me making it into a statement that the whole state is unfriendly or making other bizarre generalizations. Your reality isn't everyone's experience.

My apologies.. Yes, this is, "IN MY EXPERIENCE". Take what I and everyone else says with a grain of salt.

I didn't say the whole state is unfriendly.. As I was saying, Tacoma seems like a fairly friendly place.

[Ira500]

The Proctor District in Tacoma is absolutely awesome. Stadium's nice, Old Town is nice, the Hilltop has improved a lot, Ruston/Pt Defiance is pretty. Lots more people are living close to downtown, just up the hill from UW Tacoma.
As far as friendliness, I think how friendly people are depends on the neighborhood. I've lived in a bunch of Seattle neighborhoods, and they weren't all equally friendly. The people of Capitol Hill and Ravenna weren't too friendly to me when I lived there, but neighbors were very friendly when I lived in Fremont, and they've been very friendly since I've lived in Renton.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by RotseCherut

We agree to disagree.

How many places besides Seattle have I been? Hmm... I have been to seven countries (excluding the USA) and in every state in the West Coast, including Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Montana and Idaho.

I have lived in or near every city in the West Coast (except San Francisco/Sacramento).

I meant where have you been in WA since that's what your statement was about.

[Gentoo]

Also back to the thread, I am glad jrittle that you asked about Tacoma and thanks inkpoe and ira for the responses. lately I've considered Tacoma as well for a place to relocate.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by Inkpoe

RotseCherut... You could've followed that particular statement with a "In my experience" or whatever instead of trying to act like it's a fact. I personally disagree with your statement that people in OR are friendlier-- but you don't see me making it into a statement that the whole state is unfriendly or making other bizarre generalizations. Your reality isn't everyone's experience.


Anyways, back to the thread:



Your odds for a car breaking is exponentially higher in West Coast. So not necessarily an indicator of anything. With that said, there's also been threads after threads of people saying Tacoma isn't that bad and that there are nice areas within.

This is a good response. "Ghetto" doesn't necessarily equal car break ins either. I live in Richmond, CA., GHETTO AS HELL but there are virtually no car or home break ins here.

Inkpoe, how much of Tacoma would you say is bad and what does bad mean for Tacoma?