moving to Vancouver or Tacoma: advice? (Seattle, Olympia: best school, university, income)

[alabamagal]

We are planning a move to either the Vancouver or Tacoma area fairly soon. We're going to scout out both places to make a decision, but would love to hear input on the following if anyone has any.

-Where might be an easier place to land a teaching job (high school math/science)?
-Which might have more affordable housing (even off the beaten track or fixer uppers are great)?
-Where would be better/safer for raising children?
-Any thoughts on specific areas? We definitely don't mind driving, so will probably live out a ways if more affordable.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

[Inkpoe]

Vancouver, WA is a lot more depressed than Tacoma.

At least with Tacoma, you really have a lot of choices... you could go down and teach in Olympia SD, Steilacoom SD which have some of the best school ratings in WA. You can even go to Gig Harbor. Tacoma itself have some questionable areas, but away from those, is safe to raise children. People in Seattle like to put down Tacoma (simply because it's not Seattle). Steilacoom, Dupont are one of the nicer areas to Tacoma. Gig Harbor is beautiful as well.

However, I don't know which would easier to land a teaching job.

[rick8603]

Vancouver is a nice area and Portland has a lot colleges but you would be paying a about 10% of your earnings to the state of Oregon income tax if you work in Oregon and live in Washington.
Vancouver has a branch campus of Washington State University and community college.

Vancouver is nice but in parts of Tacoma you see Puget Sound, Mt. Rainiers and the Olympic Mountains.

Rick