Pro's & Con's (Seattle, Olympia, Marysville: low crime, home, school districts)

[djg]

Hello! I posted a thread a couple of days ago about relocating and I've (sort of) narrowed it down. I would like any and all info (good & bad) about the following areas:

-North of Seattle (Marysville, Arlington, & etc).
-Port Townsend, Port Angeles, & etc.
-Olympia

There are 6 people in my family, including 4 kids under the age of 7 so we'd like to be near lots of activities, as well as good shopping (lots of 'neat' little stores - ie. not just a walmart, target, & etc), good school districts, & low crime! Traffic is not a concern because my husband will be working from home & traveling all over WA & OR. I will be a SAHM....at least for a while.
Thanks for you help!!!

Djg

[jwb123]

I have heard a lot of positive, family-friendly things about Olympia - though, I have no personal experience there, other than stories from friends who have moved.

I would think it would be a good "middle" if your husband is commuting/traveling into Oregon frequently.

[citydatauser]

Port Angeles is a very beautiful area with lots of stuff to do and sights to see. shopping downtown is ok but theres not very many big Big-box stores in town yet. just a walmart, as of now, but expecting more in the future. the closest area with some good shops is Silverdale, which is 1.5 hours away from port angeles.

school in port angeles are good but most are old. the port angeles school district has closed some of its schools in the last couple of years because of declining enrollment, so it is nothing to be alarmed out. due to declining enrollment, they closed 2 elementary schools and 1 of its middle schools; however, they transformed the middle school into an elementary school. students from the closing middle school will be moved to the other middle school in town. also, 6th grade will be taken out of middle school and put into the elementary schools, so 6th graders will go to elementary school instead of middle school. Again, it is nothing to worry about. port angeles high school offers one of the largest variety of classes in western washington.