Wanting to move to Washington but what's a good city that is not too big or small? (Seattle: apartment, to rent)

[Corina681]

I'm a single mom 35 I want to start over in a couple of years what's a good city though? I've grown up in Fresno CA, it's too big and hot in the summer. Way too much crime, but I guess I'm used tho I don't like it. I've lived in San Antonio, Texas is even bigger and hotter but very beautiful. I want a smaller city that is beautiful but has everything you need there any suggestions please?

[StealthRabbit]

Vancouver, WA (37 yrs there / nearby PDX conveinience for WA tax benefit (OK during earning yrs) LOTS to do, nice (but not overly friendly) People) + Colorado (i miss bike riding, lap swimming and SUN) San Antonio - keep home there (cabin in Hill Country for the 280 days / yr I do not like PNW) It is very nice as I am 1/2 way from SAT or AUS so can fly to either (and I do every month)

other great WA destinations;
we_tside,
Bellingham / Ferndale
Poulsbo / Silverdale
Metro Olympia

East Side (climate advantage?)
Walla Walla
Wenatchee
Liberty Lake or Sprague

Single mom...
I would get a place / home / apartment within Ft Vancouver Historical trust. It is beautiful (living within a National Reserve!) kid(s) can attend Hudson Bay, School of Arts, or Clark College (FREE instead of HS) (walking distance) also walking to library, downtown transit (to Portland), Farmer's Market https://www.vancouverfarmersmarket.com/

EZ bus / train to Seattle / BC / points between
Best Airport in USA (PDX) 5x voted.

CHEAP getaways !

Columbia Gorge scenic area 15 min east
Mtn 1 hr east
coast 1 hr west

[Ruth4Truth]

What's your definition of "too small"? Poulsbo might be "too small", but people love it. Great for kids.

Olympia. Bellingham. Aside for the freak heat waves that are becoming more common, you won't have to deal with excessive heat in Western WA. There will be rain, however. Also bear in mind that it gets dark earlier in winter, than in CA or TX. You'll be going to work in the dark, and coming home in the dark. That can be something for people to get used to, as well as frequent grey skies. You might find it a welcome change, though. I did, coming from CA.

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

What's your definition of "too small"? Poulsbo might be "too small", but people love it. Great for kids.

Olympia. Bellingham. Aside for the freak heat waves that are becoming more common, you won't have to deal with excessive heat in Western WA. There will be rain, however. Also bear in mind that it gets dark earlier in winter, than in CA or TX. You'll be going to work in the dark, and coming home in the dark. That can be something for people to get used to, as well as frequent grey skies. You might find it a welcome change, though. I did, coming from CA.

Bellingham's housing costs are going to be a hard pill to swallow for a single mom. Welcome to the 60 hour work week-to-pay-rent-treadmill you will never escape. South of Olympia to the outskirts of the Portland area would probably serve you much better. Something to the tune of 100+ people a day are moving to Washington, and it's driving up housing costs and making the job market tougher in some area's, so best look at what's available for work and then look at housing in that area. Bellingham lures a lot of people in with it's jobs, but sadly most of them don't pay a living wage due to the price of housing and that's why the jobs are open in the first place.

[ScottStielow]

Originally Posted by Corina681

I'm a single mom 35 I want to start over in a couple of years what's a good city though? I've grown up in Fresno CA, it's too big and hot in the summer. Way too much crime, but I guess I'm used tho I don't like it. I've lived in San Antonio, Texas is even bigger and hotter but very beautiful. I want a smaller city that is beautiful but has everything you need there any suggestions please?

Try looking into Snohomish county, north of Seattle. Little less crowded but I like it. I was stationed at the Naval Base in Everett Washington, the county seat, back in 1998-2000. Like it then and still do. But the Prices are going up. But it is worth a look.
Do you have work you will be looking for or look after you move?


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everett,_Washington


Marysville Washington is real nice. I will be looking to retire to maybe, still looking at other possibilities, but will be on the list? What I listed, I visited last September.




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marysville,_Washington


Lynnwood is another possibility, but check into the area.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynnwood,_Washington

[homesinseattle]

Everett, in Snohomish County. It's underrated, right on Puget Sound.

[CrazyDonkey]

Please more explicitly spell out what you mean by "a smaller city that is beautiful but has everything you need." What are your income expectations and housing budget. What field do you work in? Will you be looking to rent or buy?

You might consider Spokane - it probably has the best mix of job availability, pay scale, and housing affordability. Spokane is less hot in summer, but colder in winter, than Fresno. Spokane's population is 209k, compared to 495k for Fresno.

Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

Bellingham's housing costs are going to be a hard pill to swallow for a single mom. Welcome to the 60 hour work week-to-pay-rent-treadmill you will never escape. South of Olympia to the outskirts of the Portland area would probably serve you much better. Something to the tune of 100+ people a day are moving to Washington, and it's driving up housing costs and making the job market tougher in some area's, so best look at what's available for work and then look at housing in that area. Bellingham lures a lot of people in with it's jobs, but sadly most of them don't pay a living wage due to the price of housing and that's why the jobs are open in the first place.

I was thinking that, but we don't know anything about her income source. She may have a lucrative job that she can do online, from any location. She may have child support coming in, at least, and works as a nurse or in some other well-paying field. We know nothing, so I didn't want to assume anything. Just going by what she asked for in her post, Bellingham fits. It certainly is in a beautiful setting, which was one of the qualities on her list.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

Everett, in Snohomish County. It's underrated, right on Puget Sound.

Well, and there's also Edmonds, if the OP would be OK with being adjacent to a huge urban area. I had the impression she was looking for something away from that, but hopefully she'll give us more info and clarification.

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

I was thinking that, but we don't know anything about her income source. She may have a lucrative job that she can do online, from any location. She may have child support coming in, at least, and works as a nurse or in some other well-paying field. We know nothing, so I didn't want to assume anything. Just going by what she asked for in her post, Bellingham fits. It certainly is in a beautiful setting, which was one of the qualities on her list.

You seem to really be selling Bellingham, are you a realtor?
As I told a relative yesterday, this beautiful setting doesn't put extra money in anyone's pocket to help afford the cost of housing.
As to the rest, we'll leave it to the OP to provide more info regarding her budget and profession.