Walla Walla or Longview?

[NWbyNW]

It depends.

LONGVIEW -

Longview is cooler, more wet, and has warm to hot dry summers. Jobs are hard to come by in this mostly economically depressed county. Jobs are mainly blue color and in the port industry. There are nice areas in Longview, as the city was the first western city to be completely planned with avenues and parks.

Shopping for years had been very lackluster in Longview/Kelso, but new developments have allowed new big box stores into Longview such as Walmart. Kelso has a indoor mall with Target, some other shops, as well as other staples like grocery stores, Fred Meyers, and Costco. Healthcare is below average in Longview.

Crime is a continued problem for Longview, and there is a lot of poverty and drug use in the area. Most of the city is underfunded and it isn't uncommon to see grass growing through sidewalks and torn up streets. Most of the city is fairly old, run down, and weathered. That isn't to say there isn't nice area, such as the numerous parks, and the dream of what downtown Longview could have been.

Downtown Longview at one time held promise, but today is mostly wide tree lined avenues with "all the same" buildings blocks. Many are empty and abandoned or for lease. Downtown has suffered greatly.

You are close to outdoor activities in Longview, being within an hour to the Washington and Oregon Coast! Mountains abound, as do various lakes and trails to explore.



WALLA WALLA -

A gem located in the heart of agriculture country. Walla Walla is a mid-sized town with small town flare, a downtown that is like a walk back down classic Americana. There are very few big box stores in Walla Walla, as the town has made numerous efforts and have shown they don't want that kind of business, even having an indoor mall built for them close down and be torn down. Shopping is more limited, though there is a Walmart south of town. For bigger shopping, you are just about an hour from the Tri-Cities. Numerous events and a farmers market occur in Walla Walla.

Walla Walla has many fine parks and oak lined residential streets, as well as a storied past and proud history. Numerous college institutions call Walla Walla/College Place their home. Walla Walla has good schools and healthcare.

Recreation is in the Blue Mountains or nearby Columbia River. Outside of the greenery of Walla Walla, it is mostly farm fields or scrubland which becomes gray and dark in winter. Summers are hot and dry, with occasional dust storms. Winters are cool to cold, with snow at times.

[elkotronics]

NWbyNW - wow, you deserve a city-data medal for your descriptions of both Longview and Walla Walla. Excellent information, I have read about Walla Walla quite a bit as a job there interests me but the information about Longview was most appreciated. One of the best things about Longview is its relatively short distance to the Washington and Oregon coasts.