Anyone move from California to WA, if so what are your thoughts? (Seattle: transplants, insurance)

[1animalfan]

Some friends want me to move to Washington state (Lacey to be specific). I am sick of the high taxes and insurance costs in California, as well as the high cost of everything else. However, I'm a native Californian and I'm afraid I would miss California too much if I were to move. It has its downsides but it is also home. I can get a much nicer house in WA, even though the prices are going up there as well, but I also feel I will be stuck in the house with the rain half of the year and it could get gloomy. I have fallen in love with a house I looked at up there while visiting friends. I wonder if anyone has had the experience of moving from California to Washington and what are your thoughts, good and bad. I would be ever so grateful to hear about your experience. I don't really care if people are unfriendly because I have moved from the California area because I think that says more about them than about me. People that are judgy about where you lived before you came there are not people I want to hang around with anyway.

[guessingtherules]

I have never lived in California or Washington, but I have traveled through both places.

What comes to mind for me if it means anything is that you need to be ready for the cold winters.

I remember living in Portland Oregon and I remember the resentment I had when I woke up in the morning to drive to my job and had to deal with fresh snow. I think if I had a problem with snow and cold weather in Portland, I would have even more resentment over it in Washington.

[Diana Holbrook]

There are so many people here from California, you could form your own exclusive club if you wanted! Lots of company. But I don't think you'll need to.

I think meeting and getting close to anyone is a challenge these days with COVID, and you may hear some reports about "Seattle Freeze" in this area, but I think most people are as easy going and accepting as you are.


My hubby and I are both originally from Arizona, and we are completely acclimated here now. We don't mind the grey because we love the green. About this time of year it's so dry we can't wait for it to start raining! But we will get it.... soon. And it does rain a lot in winter, and some snow.... but there are plenty of surprisingly blue and bright winter days if you stop and appreciate them, and our Mays and Junes are glorious!

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by guessingtherules

I have never lived in California or Washington, but I have traveled through both places.

What comes to mind for me if it means anything is that you need to be ready for the cold winters.

I remember living in Portland Oregon and I remember the resentment I had when I woke up in the morning to drive to my job and had to deal with fresh snow. I think if I had a problem with snow and cold weather in Portland, I would have even more resentment over it in Washington.

The Puget Sound area rarely gets snow, and when it does, it even more rarely amounts to more than an inch and sticks around more than a couple of days. Portland and the Willamette Valley have much colder weather than the Seattle and Olympia areas.

OP, I moved from CA to WA a long time ago, and stayed for decades. I may move back, we'll see. I looked forward to the rain, because the constant sunshine in CA eventually felt boring to me. I still love the rain, except for the El Nino years, when it really pours. I really never noticed the overcast skies. Mere overcast doesn't prevent you from going outdoors and being active.

My concern about CA is about the dwindling water supply, which not only will affect agriculture (the food supply), but also the electricity generating capabilities. WA's water supply will last longer than California's. WA might be a little better off fire-risk-wise, too....

[xPlorer48]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

The Puget Sound area rarely gets snow, and when it does, it even more rarely amounts to more than an inch and sticks around more than a couple of days. Portland and the Willamette Valley have much colder weather than the Seattle and Olympia areas.

OP, I moved from CA to WA a long time ago, and stayed for decades. I may move back, we'll see. I looked forward to the rain, because the constant sunshine in CA eventually felt boring to me. I still love the rain, except for the El Nino years, when it really pours. I really never noticed the overcast skies. Mere overcast doesn't prevent you from going outdoors and being active.

My concern about CA is about the dwindling water supply, which not only will affect agriculture (the food supply), but also the electricity generating capabilities. WA's water supply will last longer than California's. WA might be a little better off fire-risk-wise, too....

Apparently you weren’t here in 1997 where in NW Washington we received 4’! Or, a few years ago when Seattle stopped cold stranding our daughter at the Greyhound bus station as people were petrified to drive on I5 so abandoned their vehicles thus blocking ramps. No taxis so I had to reach my sister stranded at a downtown office to meet her at night. Most of us natives or Midwest/Back East folks know how to drive in the snow so it must have been the Californian transplants.

[Diana Holbrook]

It hardly ever snows.... until it does!

Some years, it doesn't snow at all. Some years, we get two feet and an ice storm, and we're socked in for two weeks. Snowpocalypse!

Just part of the fun.

[1animalfan]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

The Puget Sound area rarely gets snow, and when it does, it even more rarely amounts to more than an inch and sticks around more than a couple of days. Portland and the Willamette Valley have much colder weather than the Seattle and Olympia areas.

OP, I moved from CA to WA a long time ago, and stayed for decades. I may move back, we'll see. I looked forward to the rain, because the constant sunshine in CA eventually felt boring to me. I still love the rain, except for the El Nino years, when it really pours. I really never noticed the overcast skies. Mere overcast doesn't prevent you from going outdoors and being active.

My concern about CA is about the dwindling water supply, which not only will affect agriculture (the food supply), but also the electricity generating capabilities. WA's water supply will last longer than California's. WA might be a little better off fire-risk-wise, too....

Hi there. Thanks so much for responding. Fires are a real concern here as I'm in the Santa Cruz mountains and just a year ago, there was a major fire that burned a lot of areas here. The famous Big Basin Park had to be closed and people traveled to it from everywhere. Very, very sad. It came close to where I live and that scares me. Water is scarce and we pray for rain (but no lightning as that is what caused our fire last year). Getting home insurance here is not only very expensive, but many companies also will not insure us. PG&E regularly shuts down the power to save resources and that is no fun at all. You are correct, gray skies don't force you to be indoors. I recently visited the area and it is absolutely beautiful up there. I want to be smart about my decision and realistic. So, any feedback really helps.

[1animalfan]

Originally Posted by xPlorer48

Apparently you weren’t here in 1997 where in NW Washington we received 4’! Or, a few years ago when Seattle stopped cold stranding our daughter at the Greyhound bus station as people were petrified to drive on I5 so abandoned their vehicles thus blocking ramps. No taxis so I had to reach my sister stranded at a downtown office to meet her at night. Most of us natives or Midwest/Back East folks know how to drive in the snow so it must have been the Californian transplants.

Our snow-driving skills are dismal. If someone is going 20 miles an hour in the snow, they are probably from California.

[1animalfan]

Originally Posted by guessingtherules

I have never lived in California or Washington, but I have traveled through both places.

What comes to mind for me if it means anything is that you need to be ready for the cold winters.

I remember living in Portland Oregon and I remember the resentment I had when I woke up in the morning to drive to my job and had to deal with fresh snow. I think if I had a problem with snow and cold weather in Portland, I would have even more resentment over it in Washington.

Well, if it gets to 65 degrees here, we are freezing to death with the heater on pretty high. It's a good thing I work from home because I would really be a danger on the road trying to drive in snow.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by 1animalfan

Our snow-driving skills are dismal. If someone is going 20 miles an hour in the snow, they are probably from California.

You can learn.