Best and worst places to live in WA (Seattle, Yakima: new home, buying)

[GameHog9]

Ask people in TC on their ancestry and many, many will say they have Germans in their background.

Hence, Germanic (Aryan).

As for Russians, they are fairly new to the area, and I know a few. I am learning to speak Russian, and there is about 2,000+. Once you become friends with them, you get to see common physical traits that will let you identify a person of Russian descendance more easily (pale white skin, blue eyes are common, the face, etc.)

Other than this, there is an occasional Asian, but no too many.

[JarheadPinoy]

Bremerton/Silverdale area might be a good place to look into. As the crow flies, it is only 15 miles from Seattle but it takes 1 hour by auto, 1 hr by ferry, to get to the big city.
Entertainment options are readily available and if normal suburb fare is not for you, just head to the ferry dock where there is an inkling of big city life waiting to be eaten and endured whie you wait for the real deal. One hour and you are right there in the middle of the big city of Seattle. What I like about this area is that it is close yet far and the culture is definitely different enough to appreciate. There are many cultures that exist, creating the framework for a good American experience on both sides.

[AJWazzu07]

Pullman is a college town, home of Washington State University. The vast majority of the town is aged 18-25; there's one science lab (Scheweitzer Engineering Laboratories) and lots of little shops, but no real "shopping" to speak of. The airport flies to Seattle, Boise and I think one other place; but it's mostly students. Went to school there and love it, but I'd never go back as an adult.

Spokane is a big city with crime and drug problems. Moses Lake, Yakima or Wenatchee might be for you.

[GameHog9]

Spokane is big for Eastern WA, but in the Big city category it doesn't rank very high. I think Yakima has bigger crime ratio for its size.

[Seaglass]

What's Anacortes like to live in?

[kanhawk]

Originally Posted by rams

Yakima is full of illegal migrant workers. (I have nothing against them).
It's hot and nasty..hell hole!!!

I have to agree. I wouldn't recommend Yakima to someone thinking of relocating to Washington. It's just not a very nice place IMO. Too many problems. You'll actually see migrant workers camped along the river there almost like it's a third world country. Mid sized towns like Walla Walla, Bellingham, Wenatchee, Olympia, even Clarkston, are superior I think.

[Beenaroundabit]

I would second the non-reccommendation of Yakima for someone new to WA. I say that because when I first came to WA, I expected green trees and mountains to be everywhere - my pre-conceived notion of the Pacific NW. But Yakima is "high desert" and didn't fit the mold or meet my expectations. It has rolling hills and some mountains, lots of sand, scrub grass and small trees, howling winds, and brutal (for WA) summertime temperatures. Nothing at all like Eastern WA, with the green trees everywhere, temperate climate, rain, etc.

There also IS a major hispanic population in Yakima because that's part of the agricultural breadbasket of WA (same with Wenatchee, though to a lesser extent). Immigrant communities do not, in my experience, "create" crime in and of themselves, but if someone is not fond of immigrants, I wouldn't move to Yakima.

That said, Yakima has grown on me over time. Now that I no longer have it pigeon-holed in my mind as being in conflict with how WA 'should' be and have given it its own space, I kind of like it. There IS a certain beauty to the desert, if you give it a chance. Yes, there are some seedy parts of the city, but that's to be said of any community in WA. It is definitely cheaper than Eastern WA, especially regarding real estate. There are a number of wineries in the Yakima valley and the area seems to be trying very hard to spruce up. There is nearly every available store you need in the area.

If you are into the outdoors, there are many things to do here. Fishing and boating in the Columbia, waterfowl and big game hunting in the fall, etc. You are also not far from a weekend in Seattle, OR, or Spokane/Northern ID if you feel like getting out of dodge and seeing some different sights.

This is all just my perception, of course.

[Greensleeves]

I'd recommend Mount Vernon.

Beautiful scenery everywhere, close to Seattle and the Canadian border, housing is not terribly expensive and I know the Mayor and city employees personally, after having worked at City Hall for a few years. Great folks, all of them.

I moved to Idaho to get married, and while I like the weather here much better (no rain!!), I miss the people a lot. I also miss the shopping, the restaurants, the dinner train to Seattle...Oh, and the Farmer's Market. Shoot...I miss everything but the weather!

[momof3-04050612312005]

i'm looking for a small town with basic stuff like a store and maybe a 30 min. to 1 hour drive from a bigger city. Any suggestions?

[Seacove]

^^^Arlington?