WA city similar to Eugene OR? (Seattle, Bellingham: fit in, Home Depot, neighborhood)

[elcapitan]

I am curious what city (if any) is similar to Eugene, Oregon. I went to college in Eugene, and really liked the city, but it seems like the Washington economy might be a little more healthy. Seattle proper (within city limits) is definitely too congested and expensive though. Any ideas?

BTW, it isn't necessarily the hippy/crunchiness of Eugene that I'm attracted too. Politically, I am a moderate and I can appreciate a place where people from the entire political spectrum can all live together peacefully. This is characteristic of Eugene. I really appreciate a city that strongly values education, environment, AND economic vitality.

Any ideas?

[Leap of Belief]

I vote for Centralia. We have lived in Bellinghm for 5 years and I just posted a long comment about what we thought of it and why we are moving. Centralia is a town of about 15,000 that is right next to Chehalis which is about 20,000 people. It is located 1/2 way between Portland and Seattle - but just 25 minutes south of Olympia. We have found the city governing bodies to be very progressive for a town of that size. They REALLY seem to have the economic development of the city as #1 on their list. The whole historic downtown is under redevelopment and some very kewl shops have opened there recently. mod cut: link deleted. The city council seems to be really devoted to the downtown revitalization. Prolly' best of all is the cost of living. You can still buy a 4 bed 2 bath home there for $200,000 or less in a good neighborhood. The resources of the area are growing with a bunch of new box stores that have located along the freeway including Wal Mart, Big 5, Michaels, Dollar Tree, Home Depot, Starbucks and a bunch of others. The people are small town friendly and the community is very family oriented. Worth a look see - - I think compared to Eugene - you might find what you are looking for in Centralia... :-)

[Sandy Nelson]

I've visited friends in Eugene and if Eugene had a sister, it would be Olympia. The Farmer's market is very similar, we also have a Center for the Performing Arts and many theaters and galleries. The schools in Olympia are excellent and there is a lively and diverse populace. Olympia has about 50,000 inhabitants and lies directly on the southern tip of Puget Sound, with views of the Olympics and Mt. Rainier. You should check it out.

Sandy

[chris]

Your two choices will be mainly Bellingham and Olympia.

Economic vitality may similarly be the issue, although if you are younger (30 or under), you'll probably find Bellingham to be of more interest than Olympia.

A place (with little or no economic vitality) that might be similar is Ellensburg, although it's smaller than both Bellingham and Olympia in terms of population. Maybe even WallaWalla could fit into that category.