Which areas of Olympia/Tumwater known for crime? (Seattle, Tacoma: apartment, rent)

[RMSL]

We are wanting to move to Olympia, WA and would appreciate any tips on areas/boundaries that are known to be less safe and where the best areas are. Some areas we are looking into as possibilities are West Olympia, near the large mall as well as South Capitol. Thanks! Renee

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by RMSL

We are wanting to move to Olympia, WA and would appreciate any tips on areas/boundaries that are known to be less safe and where the best areas are. Some areas we are looking into as possibilities are West Olympia, near the large mall as well as South Capitol. Thanks! Renee

The West Side and out Boston Harbor way are known to be very safe...

As with anything, it is all relative to what you are accustom to and what finances will allow.

Old Downtown Olympia does have Homeless on the streets... I have never been bothered but I have had visitors that felt uneasy...

[jertheber]

I live just west of Olympia and have frequented the downtown area over the last two years. If you are from the burbs you might not want to live in town or near it as half the populace in those areas are primarily young college kids of the goth persuasion, of course these middle class kids are trying hard to look as hip and detached as one could/should expect, but they are harmless. The other half of human content is the upper middle types that generally work for the state, all in all a great little town.

if you are a seasoned traveler you probably already know that most towns and cities in our country are suffering their own homegrown crop of fools that live in the world of meth induced tweekouts and worse, Olympia is not immune from this element. The areas around east Oly are worth looking at but keep in mind it is closer to I-5 and more susceptible to the low rent type of neighborhoods.

The west end is leaning farther into the rural reaches of Oly, here you have a college campus that borders on the beginning of some nice treed hills, and creeks that look like raging mini rivers. It is a very nice area and deserves some credit for its beauty that wasn't destroyed by over development. People who are familiar with the Olympia region are aware of the little secret that this place is, most people want to go to Seattle or Tacoma when they move to the NW, Olympia is hardly ever considered unless they are going to work for the state.

I have found the downtown to be a good place to get some decent food or hear live music, go to an art gallery opening, or just walking the town and admiring the great architecture of some of the old buildings. I hope the city stays small, it is unique, it has a good flavor, just the right mix of humans, and a lot of natural beauty thrown in the bargain.

[Sandy Nelson]

Renee,

Olympia really doesn't have a "wrong side of the tracks" neighborhood. I've lived in the South Capitol neighborhood for the past 8 years. It's a neighborhood with historic homes, a great neighborhood association and low home turnover, meaning once people move there, they stay there for a long time. Two weeks ago someone was shot on Capitol Way and 17th Ave., just two blocks from where I live. Olympia has a very low murder rate. Although I'm very saddened by the crime, I'm not alarmed or feel unsafe.
Boston Harbor, by virtue of its size and rural location will most likely be safer than living in the city of Olympia, or by the mall.

Good luck with your decission.

Sandy

[RMSL]

Great input! With regards to the meth, would you say there are certain areas where it's of notable use? We're more focused on possibly living in the area near Harrison and Cooper Point Rd in some of the new developments there. Is that an area known for low-income/governmental assistance housing? I've got a 14 year old daughter to consider who would be out walking about alone at times. I know she would want to walk up to the big mall and I just want to be sure the areas not known as having hubs of crime.

[jertheber]

I was out at the mall today, I was thinking about your inquiry and realized as another poster stated, Olympia really doesn't have the real bad areas of the kind that people are fleeing from all over the nation. I think you gotta get a feeling for an area, however, like most of the country Olympia does have the shady elements living in our midst.

The area around the mall can be a typical scene from any other town you'd choose, kid's hanging out, panhandlers on the traffic corners, lots of cars but all in all not too bad. If you go out north on Cooper point road you'll find the neighborhoods to be pretty typical of a middle class American city, west, out Harrison toward Mud Bay you'll find a number of newer housing developments and as I said in my first post, you would be living on the outer limits of any development as you get into the Black Hills with very little population to the west from there, until you hit the coast.

With regard to Meth, Washington state has some very rural areas, these have been the meth making areas just for the fact of less police presence and the ability to find remote areas from hundreds of logging roads in the county. That said, I'd think that description fits most of the western states, where as we all know, a lot of Meth is being manufactured. Olympia, to my knowledge, has no ghetto to speak of, poverty is spread around, most folk's know a bad area by it's more prominent features and I'm sure you'll be able to size up the various neighborhoods. Unfortunately, the kind of crime that Sandy was describing in her post is all to common in all of our mid to large cities, I'm like most people, I'm always aware of my surroundings but never paranoid, I think you're gonna like Olympia.

[Fat Freddy]

Most crime in Olympia takes place in the Capitol building.

[RMSL]

haha. Thanks, I've been spending a lot of time on this decision process, so I appreciate the humor thrown in with the advice. Unfortunately, it's probably true....

[Marilynnanne]

I live in the South Capitol neighborhood and have three duplexes that I rent furnished to people in some sort of transition, or just vacationing. I really love Olympia. I have one furnished home in SE Olympia that is in a really great area close to a trail. Olympia is so full of parks and fun happenings. Today Santa Clause will be taking a trip through town on an electric trolley and the whole city will be alive with Christmas happenings. Next Saturday will be the toy run (thousands of motorcycles rolling through town throwing candy and delivering toys). Our Farmer's Market is the pride of Olympia, and you will certainly go broke trying out all of our great restaurants. My absolute favorite place in all of Olympia is, of course, the Historic South Capitol neighborhood with it's museum, Frog Pond Deli/Market, wonderful mix of architecture in the vintage and antique homes, and the best place to walk your dog (as is demonstrated by the many people who DRIVE to South Capitol to walk their dogs). One family, relocating from Alaska, lived in one of my furnished homes just long enough to fall in love with the neighborhood, and bought a wonderful large historic home just a few blocks away. Their plans changed so dramatically just from the experience of living in this coveted neighborhood.

[pomona]

My husband and I are considering moving to Olympia (I used to live in Seattle in the 1980s and it's probably changed too much) and are most interested in maybe that South Capitol neighborhood - any area where you can live off a "main drag' and walk to coffee shops, bookstores, a hardware store, or a food co-op. We do NOT want gentrified boutique areas, developer subdivisions, McMansions, or gated communities. We are a young minded middle age who prefer a mixed age location, and renting a small house or apartment in a safe area. Is there a rehab hospital in Olympia? My hubby is a physical rehabilitation aide and I do secretarial work, how is the economy? Any comparisons to Seattle would great. Also does it get a lot of rain like Seattle? I hope so!