Would like some info on towns/cities in Okanogan county (Wenatchee: Home Depot, living)

[naphtali5725]

Hello all,

I am interested in moving to Washington from NC., and have looked at Okanogan county. Anyone here have any information on towns/cities in that area, and some descriptions of the surroundings? I love the snow, and the mountains, so the more I could see of them both would really be great. I am wanting to be in a secluded area, more so than I am now in the Appalachian mountains.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

[Count David]

Based on my trips up WA-155:

Coulee Dam - seems like a fairly middle class place, near the Grand Coulee Dam and the Columbia River. Desert.

Elmer City - middle class to poor. Desert.

Nespelem and the Colville Reservation seem like poorer Native American areas.

Between Nespelem and Omak, the landscape transitions from a desert river valley to a forested/mountainous area (very pretty). Descending into Omak, the landscape transitions back into desert.

Omak is a small town, and one of the first stops for visitors coming in from Canada. Omak is surrounded by mountains, but the town itself sits in a desert landscape. Omak has a Home Depot, Wal-Mart, fast food joints, and about 5,000 people.

[Hobbithug]

Also in Okanogan are smaller towns ~a few thousand per town or less. Up from Omak is Tonasket and further north on the Canadian border is Oroville. These are two small towns with the economies focused on agriculture. They have a small town feel. If you want isolation, find a place in the hills above these towns and you've got it.

[CrazyDonkey]

Winthrop, Twisp, and the Methow Valley have been discovered and, thus, are not cheap. Omak/Tonasket, as has been posted, is dry desert (google "Omak Stampede").

Alternatively, on the eastern side: Wenatchee/Leavenworth/Lake Chelan, Ellensburg/Cle Elum/Roslyn. NE Washington: Kettle Falls, Metaline Falls. Idaho: Cour d'Alene. NE Oregon: La Grande/Blue Mountains.

On the western (but wetter) side: Deming/Maple Falls, Concrete/Rockport, Darington, Verlot, Gold Bar, Enumclaw/Buckley/Mt. Rainier, Eatonville, Morton/Randle. Also, on the Olympic Peninsula: Hoodsport, Brinnon, Port Angeles.

[PS90]

Originally Posted by naphtali5725

Hello all,

I am interested in moving to Washington from NC., and have looked at Okanogan county. Anyone here have any information on towns/cities in that area, and some descriptions of the surroundings? I love the snow, and the mountains, so the more I could see of them both would really be great. I am wanting to be in a secluded area, more so than I am now in the Appalachian mountains.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

Okanogan County is definitely one of the most secluded counties in Washington, although, sadly, part of it - the Methow Valley has recently seen a massive influx of Western Washington retirees, resulting in both a very artificially-inflated cost-of-living, and a different "feel" of the Valley compared to other parts of the county. The Methow has become much more artsy-fartsy and liberal than back when it was a small farming community.

Omak/Okanogan, and to a lesser extent Tonasket, are agriculture communities, which fruit orchards being one of the biggest employers. The whole Okanogan Valley is high desert and has unlimited outdoor recreation possibilities. The largest Native Reservation in the state is right next to Omak, so the region has a diverse culture of white farmers, Natives, and Hispanic migrants.

Oroville is right up next to the Canadian border, and was just about set to be the next "up-and-coming" town, like the Methow Valley, but that all stopped when the economy tanked about 7-8 years ago. Now there's not a ton there.

I agree that, if you are really looking to be "off-the-grid" secluded, then the mountains in NE Okanogan County or Northern Ferry County are probably the best places in the state for that.

[Blitzmark]

Wildfires are very prominent in the Okanogan area. Be advised.