Advice please- Are Bellingham, Bainbridge, or Anacortes better for a family move?

[dubdpt]

I lived in Anacortes for nearly four years, but am now in the Lake Tahoe area closer to family in CA. We enjoyed Anacortes but it definitely felt like a retirement town, as we are in our 30's and the majority there are retirees. Bellingham always felt more to our liking but my job was in Anacortes. I know plenty of people that loved the school system and the experienced their kids had in Anacortes.

We in fact may eventually move back to WA and it will be Bellingham as we have 4 year old twin boys to raise and the city better suits our family. But I surely see myself loving to Anacortes to retire!

[c2cperkins]

Congrats on your decision to move to the Great North Wet! I have lived in NE and SE, and still work for an East coast company. My family moved out to Bainbridge 4 yrs ago. My kids are 10, 13 and 15 now and I cannot say enough good things about this community and school system. There are 3 elementary schools, a middle and intermediate schools and the high school. I can attest for the excellence of all but one of the elementary schools (as my kids did not attend). The teachers are dedicated, the administration is amazing and the town just voted for a 50 M upgrade to keep the schools top notch. There is also a generous school foundation in town, so people really care about the schools and kids. I can tell you I would be sending my kids to private schools back east to get this quality.
The town itself is pretty diverse, as many from other places in the US. It may not be funky as in the past, but most are extremely kind and considerate. There are rich folks, but most are not and work for a living. We have met many nice folks, and while the character of the town is changing, there is nowhere in the US where this is not the case.
Real estate is getting ridiculous in the area (thanks Amazon!), but cheaper than Seattle and renting before you buy is an option (I wish I had done, to get to know the island better before buying). If you are worried about the rain, it is overblown (although first yr is tough). Check out the island and hopefully we can add your to our list of friends!