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Old 10-19-2015, 11:18 AM
 
Location: Phoenix
29,791 posts, read 18,652,422 times
Reputation: 25777

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Quote:
Originally Posted by 509 View Post
Tri-Cities is less than an hour away. Tri-Ciities in the past, had the best educated and best paid workforce in the state.

As a former economist, one trick to determining incomes and wealth in small towns in to look in the yellow pages. Way before, the wineries became big business I did that for Walla Walla.

Walla Walla is a wealthy community. It was so before the wineries were established. Most people confuse consumption with wealth. In many rural communities, the wealth is not out there to see. Well, maybe but most people do not notice the 70,000 dollar diesel pickups, air strips on farms, and of course, miss all the farmers at their winter digs in Palm Springs.

In Walla Walla's case I was stunned with the number of investment firms and travel agencies for such a small city.

Wealth is poorly correlated with jobs. It is highly correlated with owning your own business.
I've heard before that there is a lot of wealth in Wall Walla for some reason (farming?). But if you're not wealthy and need a job, the average income there is pretty low compared to Seattle Metro as well as Tri Cities.

I like Walla Walla and would even consider it as a possible retirement option but I wouldn't go there for job opportunities.
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Old 10-19-2015, 01:09 PM
 
88 posts, read 193,844 times
Reputation: 53
What about Spokane? I read on salary.com and indeed.com that, for firefighters and EMTs they pay above the national average. When I coupled that information with the rent prices in Spokane, I found it to be incredibly affordable. I didn't realize that austin was so unaffordable until I looked at the rent prices in Spokane- I've seen many SFH for under $1100 a month. Is there any reason for this? I've been told to steer clear of anything east of Seattle, but we aren't trying to live in the city. Something small with a country feel is ideal- but I'm not sure what to expect from Spokane. The prices seem right- both for pay and housing, though.

Again- thank you all for your input. This has been so helpful, if just because it gives me an idea of what I'm looking at when looking at a map of Washington.
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Old 10-19-2015, 01:17 PM
 
Location: Puyallup
90 posts, read 99,395 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nerda View Post
What about Spokane? I read on salary.com and indeed.com that, for firefighters and EMTs they pay above the national average. When I coupled that information with the rent prices in Spokane, I found it to be incredibly affordable. I didn't realize that austin was so unaffordable until I looked at the rent prices in Spokane- I've seen many SFH for under $1100 a month. Is there any reason for this? I've been told to steer clear of anything east of Seattle, but we aren't trying to live in the city. Something small with a country feel is ideal- but I'm not sure what to expect from Spokane. The prices seem right- both for pay and housing, though.

Again- thank you all for your input. This has been so helpful, if just because it gives me an idea of what I'm looking at when looking at a map of Washington.
Before you get to excited make sure that the job openings exist. Even though it pays above national average firefighting jobs tend to have stiff competition. I have 3 friends that become firefighters all relocated out of state for work.
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Old 10-19-2015, 01:18 PM
 
Location: Phoenix
29,791 posts, read 18,652,422 times
Reputation: 25777
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nerda View Post
What about Spokane? I read on salary.com and indeed.com that, for firefighters and EMTs they pay above the national average. When I coupled that information with the rent prices in Spokane, I found it to be incredibly affordable. I didn't realize that austin was so unaffordable until I looked at the rent prices in Spokane- I've seen many SFH for under $1100 a month. Is there any reason for this? I've been told to steer clear of anything east of Seattle, but we aren't trying to live in the city. Something small with a country feel is ideal- but I'm not sure what to expect from Spokane. The prices seem right- both for pay and housing, though.

Again- thank you all for your input. This has been so helpful, if just because it gives me an idea of what I'm looking at when looking at a map of Washington.
Spokane is a decent sized city and is pretty. There is a substantial meth and crime culture in certain areas of Spokane so you just need to do your research on where you shouldn't go. It's also pretty cold and snowy in the winter so if you don't mind that, it's nice.
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Old 10-19-2015, 02:55 PM
 
88 posts, read 193,844 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TacTown View Post
Before you get to excited make sure that the job openings exist. Even though it pays above national average firefighting jobs tend to have stiff competition. I have 3 friends that become firefighters all relocated out of state for work.
I'm sorry to hear that- was it because there were no positions open in the state or because the departments themselves were very selective? Were they EMTs, as well? I'm sorry for asking so many questions- just trying to cover our bases since my boyfriend would be starting the academy in January, in austin it is a 28 week program. He's been an EMT for the past two years, one of which was spent in the only living level one trauma center in the hill country. He'll have spent over a year in their ER by the time he is done with the academy and by the time we move. Just trying to figure out what he can do to make his chances of being hired a bit less bleak. Also, we wouldn't be going anywhere until one of us secured a job first. He will also be applying for jobs within hospitals and not just for the fire departments. It's just a matter of which one he can get a job within first.
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Old 10-19-2015, 03:26 PM
 
Location: Nashville
3,533 posts, read 5,793,798 times
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Cheap and Washington are an oxy-moron. If you want cheap you may want to consider Central Washington, like the Okanagan area or Northeastern Washington. Moses Lake is also cheap and rural, but the scenery leaves a lot to be desired.

If you want cheap and rural and seriously don't mind being all alone or living in very small towns, then you should seriously consider Central Washington or some very remote parts of Northeastern Washington, like Metaline Falls or Colville. We are talking VERY RURAL and not even high speed internet is available there. Yeah, I know, WHAT NO HIGH SPEED INTERNET?? You want rural, you got it in central or northeast Washington! You can really get a lot for your money in Colville. If it wasn't for my business relying on high speed internet, I would have easily moved out to that area. It is still within an hour or two commuting distance to Spokane if you need to stock up on big town supplies.

I seriously do not know why anyone would live in Walla Walla. There is no nice scenery and the town is very old money with a majority of the wealth sourced from rich land owners/farmers. Also, there are no jobs to accommodate the high rents or property values. If this was Aspen, Colorado or even Leavenworth, I could understand, but paying top dollar to live around wheat and lentil fields?? If you are in the onion industry, then maybe the higher prices of Walla Walla would not bother you. You might as well spend that money to live in White Salmon instead and have a view of Mount Hood or Mount Adams from your window.
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Old 10-19-2015, 03:38 PM
 
88 posts, read 193,844 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RotseCherut View Post
Cheap and Washington are an oxy-moron. If you want cheap you may want to consider Central Washington, like the Okanagan area or Northeastern Washington. Moses Lake is also cheap and rural, but the scenery leaves a lot to be desired.

If you want cheap and rural and seriously don't mind being all alone or living in very small towns, then you should seriously consider Central Washington or some very remote parts of Northeastern Washington, like Metaline Falls or Colville. We are talking VERY RURAL and not even high speed internet is available there. Yeah, I know, WHAT NO HIGH SPEED INTERNET?? You want rural, you got it in central or northeast Washington! You can really get a lot for your money in Colville. If it wasn't for my business relying on high speed internet, I would have easily moved out to that area. It is still within an hour or two commuting distance to Spokane if you need to stock up on big town supplies.

I seriously do not know why anyone would live in Walla Walla. There is no nice scenery and the town is very old money with a majority of the wealth sourced from rich land owners/farmers. Also, there are no jobs to accommodate the high rents or property values. If this was Aspen, Colorado or even Leavenworth, I could understand, but paying top dollar to live around wheat and lentil fields?? If you are in the onion industry, then maybe the higher prices of Walla Walla would not bother you. You might as well spend that money to live in White Salmon instead and have a view of Mount Hood or Mount Adams from your window.

Yes, this seems to be the general consensus on walla walla.

I've begun to peruse the available houses all throughout the state within our price range and I HAVE to ask- if just out of sheer curiosity... Are any of you familiar with anacortes? Or oak harbor? I can't understand how there are any places within our budget considering how beautiful it looks.
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Old 10-19-2015, 03:38 PM
 
Location: Washington State. Not Seattle.
2,251 posts, read 3,247,975 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nerda View Post
I guess when I was checking out rentals on hotpads and craigslist it was where most of the houses in my price range were, so it just kind of seemed affordable? Obviously I wouldn't know, though haha.

Any more rural areas around there you could recommend?

Thanks so much for the response. I checked and it says that Spokane actually pays above the national average for fire fighters and EMTs. So I'm really happy to hear that it could potentially be a better fit.

Also- does it snow much up there?
Spokane is in Eastern Washington, which is much drier, hotter in summer, and colder in winter than the Western part of the state. It is beautiful around there, and generally has most of the amenities of a mid- to large-sized city. There is an issue with property crime and supposedly with drug issues (mostly meth), but I'm not entirely sure that there is any more of those problems than other parts of Washington - they just get publicized more in Spokane, for some reason. Spokane ranked poorly in a recent national property crime poll of large cities, but Seattle and Tacoma were right up next to Spokane as just as bad (sorry, I forgot the source - I will look it up if you want).

Winters can be long and gray there sometimes, and can get a few feet of snow at a time. But then, last year for example, we had no more than 6 inches of snow, and that only lasted about 2 months.

Spokane has tons of outdoor recreation very close by, and you can easily live 20 minutes away and be completely rural - unlike anywhere in Western WA, in which "rural" is much less "rural".


Quote:
Originally Posted by sll3454 View Post
Most of Skagit County (where Mount Vernon is) is rural, but it is not reasonable driving distance to Seattle. (We do know someone who works there - he leaves at 3:30 a.m. to beat the traffic.) Seattle is almost a different world - maybe just a word to put in front of "Seahawks." Snohomish County also has rural areas and is closer (but not necessarily close) to Seattle. King County, which includes Seattle, is the least rural of the three and the most expensive. Look into areas south of Seattle, too, in case the job is in the southern part of Seattle.

I don't think any of the areas will have rents as low as what you want, but you will have more money available for rent if you live closer. The difference between living 15 miles from work and living 85 miles from work will probably mean over $300/month.
Defining the Rural Population

Obviously, "rural" is an ambiguous, relative term. But according to the second and third sources in the citation above, there is no county on the Sound that is considered "rural".
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Old 10-19-2015, 03:50 PM
 
Location: Nashville
3,533 posts, read 5,793,798 times
Reputation: 4707
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nerda View Post
Yes, this seems to be the general consensus on walla walla.

I've begun to peruse the available houses all throughout the state within our price range and I HAVE to ask- if just out of sheer curiosity... Are any of you familiar with anacortes? Or oak harbor? I can't understand how there are any places within our budget considering how beautiful it looks.
Anacortes is nice, but not cheap at all. If you want more rural and cheap on Whidbey you may consider Coupeville or somewhere on the central or southern part of the island. Oak Harbor is a decent enough town and cheaper and every bit as rural as Anacortes. You will just have to put up with some nice from the Naval Air Base jets flying around. One reason why you get a lot for your money in Oak Harbor is the noise of the jets. Literally, million dollar Sound views go for pennies (relatively speaking) in Oak Harbor. Living about 15 miles out of Oak Harbor you can get away from some of the noise.


By the way, if you want a more rural Western Washington town, you may also consider Sedro-Woolley, but the prices have skyrocketed in this once, backwoodsy logger town. Skagit county can be quite rural outside of Mount Vernon and still has a rural feel the farther you get away from the I-5.
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Old 10-19-2015, 03:59 PM
 
Location: Puyallup
90 posts, read 99,395 times
Reputation: 93
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nerda View Post
I'm sorry to hear that- was it because there were no positions open in the state or because the departments themselves were very selective? Were they EMTs, as well? I'm sorry for asking so many questions- just trying to cover our bases since my boyfriend would be starting the academy in January, in austin it is a 28 week program. He's been an EMT for the past two years, one of which was spent in the only living level one trauma center in the hill country. He'll have spent over a year in their ER by the time he is done with the academy and by the time we move. Just trying to figure out what he can do to make his chances of being hired a bit less bleak. Also, we wouldn't be going anywhere until one of us secured a job first. He will also be applying for jobs within hospitals and not just for the fire departments. It's just a matter of which one he can get a job within first.
Yes they were EMT's and former military medics. Sounds like you two need to figure out the job situation first before trying to find a location. Opportunities you find today may not be here tomorrow. You don't want to get your heart set on a place and not be able to move there.
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