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Old 11-27-2013, 04:43 PM
 
1,167 posts, read 2,384,343 times
Reputation: 1165

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I currently live in Akron, Ohio. I have really tired of the winters here, and, as a liberal atheist vegetarian, am looking for an area with less snow, a progressive environment, and a decent cost of living. I am semi-retired (I may go back if I find something decent) from the large custom-made machinery industry. Here in Ohio, I pay $915 a month for an average 2-bedroom apartment.

I am also considering Portland/Vancouver, which I visited in July. I plan on a visit to Tacoma in January or February.

My questions are these:

1. I've come to the conclusion that Tacoma has a lower cost of living than Seattle. Is this correct? I'm looking to stay under $1200 a month for housing. What is the housing cost like in Tacoma (and Seattle, if my assumption is incorrect).

2. What are the winters like? Do you normally get snow in the wintertime?

3. What do you like/dislike about the area?

4. What parts of the area do I want to avoid?

The last two can apply to Tacoma or Seattle.

Thanks in advance for the input.
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Old 11-27-2013, 05:20 PM
 
104 posts, read 196,380 times
Reputation: 141
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimdc58 View Post
I currently live in Akron, Ohio. I have really tired of the winters here, and, as a liberal atheist vegetarian, am looking for an area with less snow, a progressive environment, and a decent cost of living. I am semi-retired (I may go back if I find something decent) from the large custom-made machinery industry. Here in Ohio, I pay $915 a month for an average 2-bedroom apartment.

I am also considering Portland/Vancouver, which I visited in July. I plan on a visit to Tacoma in January or February.

My questions are these:

1. I've come to the conclusion that Tacoma has a lower cost of living than Seattle. Is this correct? I'm looking to stay under $1200 a month for housing. What is the housing cost like in Tacoma (and Seattle, if my assumption is incorrect).

2. What are the winters like? Do you normally get snow in the wintertime?

3. What do you like/dislike about the area?

4. What parts of the area do I want to avoid?

The last two can apply to Tacoma or Seattle.

Thanks in advance for the input.
I moved to WA from Pennsylvania and currently live in Tacoma. I pay $695 a month for a 1 bedroom apartment that includes washer/dryer in the apartment. I only pay electric which is alot cheaper than the midwest/eastcoast because it doesn't get that cold in the winter over here so I don't always run my heater. Same thing with summers. It doesn't get that hot here compared to other places and most houses and apartments don't have AC. (You don't need it most of the time).

Tacoma get's a bad rep from locals (usually those in Seattle) saying it's such a crime filled ghetto. I beg to differ. It's really not as bad as people say it is. There are a few ugly places but FAR from what I would consider ghetto.

The only thing I don't like about living here is the whole passive-aggressive culture that predominates the PNW. People are pretty cold and unfriendly and seem to have this sense of entitlement that can get under your skin sometimes. But other than that, it's a decent place to live.

Don't listen to those who make tacoma out like it's the next Detroit or Camden NJ. I find that extremely exaggerated in my opinion. I call it a smaller, more down-to-earth, blue collar version of Seattle.
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Old 11-28-2013, 07:48 AM
 
1,167 posts, read 2,384,343 times
Reputation: 1165
Thanks JRittle. That's the kind of info I'm after.

Did you live in areas other than Tacoma when you moved to WA?

Also, when I visit, what are the desirable areas and undesirable areas (both to see and for housing)?
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