Elizabeth Ellis

Character
North Bend is a small community in eastern King County. It is nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Range 31 miles east of Seattle.  It has a small mountain community feel and is known for its rugged beauty. Hikers frequent the area trails and it’s close to some of the best skiing in Washington.
In recent years, it has become a bedroom community for Seattle and the eastside suburbs. Shoppers and tourist also flock to the North Bend Premium Outlet Mall and to the Snoqualmie Casino.

Cost of Living
North Bend is significantly cheaper than many of the eastside suburbs. It feels like you are well outside the city, but it’s just a quick drive up I-5. Housing prices have come up a lot in the last 10 years or so. The median house price used to be under $300,000, now it’s just over $400,000.  Utilities are also much cheaper. But like many small communities, food, healthcare and transportation are more expensive.

Traffic and Parking
North Bend is small and doesn’t suffer from the same traffic and parking congestion as most of the burbs. But, as the town grows so does the traffic. Traffic can be heavy around the mall and the casino. I-90 isn’t bad this far East of Seattle (except during holiday weekends) but the freeway gets crowded quickly as you travel East.

Commuting
Commuting to Bellevue, Issaquah, or Redmond from North Bend wouldn’t be too bad (as Seattle commutes go).  It’s about 20 minutes down I-90 to Issaquah and 30 minutes to Bellevue. Redmond is a bit longer, it’s about a 40-minute drive down I-90 and West Lake Sammamish Parkway. There is also frequent bus service to Issaquah and a handful of vanpools and rideshares to the east side burbs.  If you are considering commuting to Seattle, just don’t. It looks ok on the map, but traffic from Bellevue to Seattle down I-90 is a real nightmare.

Shopping and Restaurants
North Bend is small. There aren’t a ton of choices outside the outlet mall or the casino. There are a few American-style cafes and grills, Mexican restaurants and a handful of Asian eateries. The outlet mall features 50 clothing and sportswear shops including Gap Outlet, Nike, Under Armor, Coach, and more. The casino is a great place to gamble and eat and there are frequent shows.

Weather
North Bend is a slightly higher elevation than Seattle so it does see some snow along with the usual winter rains. Western Washington is known for it’s gray skies in the winter and short mild summers. It’s certainly true. The gloom and rain are too much for some folks, but most adjust. North Bend is close to skiing where you can get above the rain in the winter. It's also a short drive over the pass to Eastern Washington where it is much drier.

Ballard is a popular neighborhood just north of downtown Seattle with deep historic maritime roots. It used to be its own city and its waterfront supported fishers, boat builders, and millworks—many of Scandinavian decent. It has since grown to one of the city’s most desirable neighborhoods. It still has a working waterfront, but most blue-collar workers have been priced out of the area and live elsewhere.

Despite the recent growth, Ballard has preserved its historic feel. Ballard Avenue is a historic district lined with two and three story Italianate brick stores, saloons, hotels and banks. There are also a lot of new condominiums. The central area is surrounded by a neighborhood of cute houses, parks, and apartment buildings.

Housing

I lived in Ballard for years and it is still one of my favorite neighborhoods but it is getting quite expensive. There are a ton of single-family homes, but the prices are well out of my reach. As of 2015, the median home price is $471,000. A two-bedroom apartment rents for more than $2000 per month and they are typically less than 1000 square feet. Prices fall quite a bit if you move north of Ballard. You’ll save $400 a month on rent in Greenwood or Crown Hill and still be within a mile or two of central Ballard.

Restaurants and Shopping

Ballard has an eclectic mix of shops, bars, and restaurants as well as a bustling nightlife. You can get everything from American to Oaxacan food. Some of my favorites include La Isla, which serves up tasty Puerto Rican food, and the Hi-Life, which features Pacific Northwest and American favorites.

Parks

There are tons of good parks in Ballard where you can go for a stroll or take the kids to play. Golden Gardens has a big sandy beach (rare in Washington State where most beaches are rocky) and never gets crowded. Joggers, bikers, and walkers stroll down the Burke-Gilman trail, which runs through Ballard and connects to neighborhoods near and far. There are also a ton of small parks scattered throughout the neighborhood that include playing fields, playgrounds, skateboard bowls, and kid-friendly water features.

Driving and Parking

Commuting from Ballard to downtown Seattle is an easy commute. Traffic can be bad during rush hour so most folks bus or bike downtown. It is very pedestrian friendly and parking is tight. When I lived in the area, I found I could get to Ballard Avenue faster by hopping on the bus or walking than I could by driving and parking. Getting from Ballard to I-5 isn’t very convenient and I-5 is chronically congested, so it’s not a great place to live if you need to commute along I-5.

Character
Issaquah is nestled against the Cascade foothills just south of Lake Sammamish. It was once a small town on the outskirts of Seattle where traffic signals defaulted to flashing red at night. In recent years, it has grown into a bedroom community for commuters who work in Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond.

It is a great area, but it does have some growing pains. The downtown area is becoming congested and many city services are at their capacity. In recent years, the only elementary school in the Highlands area has been filled to capacity and new elementary school kids end up commuting to different areas or attending private schools.

Cost of Living
Like many of Seattle’s eastside neighborhoods, Issaquah is an upper-income area. In 2014, the median household income was just over $88,000. A middle-class family would struggle to make ends meet but it is less expensive than Bellevue or Redmond. The median home price is around $445,000, which is significantly lower than that in Bellevue or Redmond.

Like anyplace else, prices outside the town center are lower. There do seem to be more condos, apartments, and townhomes in Issaquah then there are in Sammamish or Redmond so you may have better luck here if you are looking to rent or buy something smaller than the average 3-bedroom house.

Traffic and Parking
Issaquah is growing quickly and traffic is becoming more and more congested especially in the central area. It’s a car-centered suburb so with plenty of parking overall. You won't have any trouble finding parking near homes and businesses.

Commuting
Issaquah is right off of I-90 about 17 miles southeast of Seattle, but don’t let the short distance fool you. I-90 is one of two routes across Lake Washington into downtown Seattle and it gets congested. The other route across the SR 520 bridge has tolls both ways so most folks crowd onto I-90. A Seattle to Issaquah commute, on average, will take about 40 minutes each way. When traffic is bad, the drive is over a mile. There are lots of bus options so a lot of Seattle commuters take express buses downtown instead of driving.

Commuting to Bellevue from Issaquah is more doable, it’s just a quick 15-minute drive down I-90.

Issaquah to Redmond is also doable, but you will have to choose between the slow route along West Lake Sammamish Pkwy which will take around 30 minutes or the potentially-faster-but-never-faster route along I-90, I-405 and SR 520. I-90 and I-405 are major choke points and I-405 can be a nightmare in rush hour. Most folks say SR 520 eastbound from Bellevue to Redmond isn't bad.

Shopping and Restaurants
There is a wide selection of shops and restaurants to choose from in Issaquah. The Grand Ridge Plaza in the Issaquah Highlands is a popular place to stroll and shop. It’s an ever-expanding open-air, pedestrian-friendly shopping center with lots of shops, restaurants and a movie theater. There’s plenty of parking and it’s a short distance from parking to your favorite shops.

Weather
What can I say about the weather in Western Washington other than it’s cloudy and raining in the winter and less cloudy and rainy in the summer? Yes, it's true that the amount of rain is less than in some places, but the character of the rain is downright dreary. If you move here from nearly anywhere else in the U.S. it will seem gloomy most of the time. You’ll get used to it. Invest in a solid pair of waterproof shoes and a hooded rain coat. It really only rains about 3 days of the week, but in the winter, it stays cloudy even when it’s not raining. Summers are short and pleasant.

Culture
Sammamish is a moderately sized city with a friendly reputation. The majority of people living in Sammamish are families. It’s full of quiet neighborhoods with solid schools. Like many east side suburbs, Sammamish has a high white population; Asians dominate the non-white minorities. It is an affluent area, but much cheaper than Seattle or Bellevue. It’s also a beautiful place with excellent recreation nearby. There are lots of scenic trails and woods around the neighborhoods.

Cost of Living
The cost of living in Sammamish is slightly above the U.S. average and a little higher than in Redmond. The costs of food, utilities, and transportation are roughly equal, but housing is much more expensive--perhaps because there are more large homes in Sammamish than in Redmond. The median home price in Sammamish is over 600,000 and growing. There are few apartments and condos.

Weather
Everything people say about the weather in Western Washington is true. It is dark, gray and rainy through the winter and the summer months are short and sweet. It doesn’t get as cold here as it does in many parts of the northern U.S., but the wet and cloudy weather makes it feel colder. It might take some time to get used to it, but most people adjust.

The key is to get outside even if it’s raining and to plan a few escapes in the winter. There’s excellent skiing and snowshoeing just a short hop from Sammamish. Lots of folks plan short winter trips to sunnier areas to break it up a bit.

Traffic and Parking
Sammamish is a car-centered suburb, but it isn’t crowded so parking on city streets and at businesses is plentiful. In recent years, the city passed an ordinance that limits where and how long vehicles can park, so you may not be able to leave a used car you’re selling or an RV on the street.

Commuting
Sammamish has a growing population of commuters to Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, and Issaquah. It is located between SR520 and I-90 on the east side of Lake Sammamish with Redmond to the northwest and Issaquah to the south. Commuting to Redmond or Issaquah takes around 20 minutes by car. In peak hours, it can take around half an hour. Bellevue is a little farther and takes longer to reach. Commuting by car from the eastside to Seattle is a terrible idea. Lots of folks commute by bike, bus or company shuttle.

Like many Seattle areas, Sammamish has excellent biking and walking trails. There are plenty of designated bike lanes all over the city. The East Lake Sammamish trail links to the Burke-Gilman trail which goes all the way to Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. The trails are popular. Bike commuters roll through in the mornings and evenings and strollers flock to the trails on sunny days. Even in the rain, you’ll find a few folks out walking their dogs or taking a short jog.

Restaurants and Shopping
Sammamish is a small bedroom community. You’ll find the usual assortment of fast food restaurants and strip malls. Most big box stores and restaurants are in Issaquah or Redmond a short drive away. There is plenty of shopping nearby in the Bellevue and Crossroads areas.

Kirkland is a lovely town. It has a cute lakeside downtown area with lots of small shops, galleries, restaurants, and bars. There are also a lot of small parks, paths, and trails that make great places to jog, walk, and bike. In the winter months, it is a quaint and quiet suburb. It the summer, it is buzzing with visitors. It is a beautiful place to live.

Culture
Kirkland is growing, like many cities on the east side of Lake Washington. Large tech companies in Redmond and Bellevue are attracting talent from all over the world. Affluent immigrants from Asia and the Pacific Islands make up a large part of that growth. So, the city is becoming much more diverse and more expensive. Unlike many of Seattle’s eastside suburbs, which blur together, Kirkland has a lively downtown area—which historically served as a ferry hub across the lake to Seattle.

Cost of Living
It’s much cheaper to live in Kirkland than it is to live in Bellevue or in Seattle, but the cost of living in all Seattle metro areas is much higher (47.4% greater) than the national average. A middle-class family will struggle to make ends meet here. Most Kirkland households bring in over $60,000 and own their homes. Typical salaries are handsome, but your money won’t stretch as far as it will in most parts of the U.S. Unless you are moving from San Francisco or New York, it will seem expensive.

Weather
The weather in Kirkland is typical western Washington weather. It is rainy and wet in the winter with highs in the 40’s and lows in the 30’s and warm and mild in the summer with average daytime temperatures in the 70’s. The summer is beautiful, but it will seem short if you’re new to the area. I moved here from Denver and I miss the snow and the sun. It took several years for me to acclimate, but I eventually did. Now I find Denver weather to harsh. I like to travel to sunnier places in the winter to break up the gray a bit. Skiing is another great way to get out of the rain.

Traffic and Parking
Traffic and Parking in Settle are always a challenge, but the east side of Lake Washington is better than the west side. Many Seattle metro residents commute by bus or bike instead of driving everywhere so you will find it easy to get an express bus or hop on a bike trail. Most employers offer public transportation passes. Some even provide a free shuttle service from popular neighborhoods to their offices. Using these options instead of driving everywhere is faster, cheaper and better for the environment.

Commuting
Commuting to Seattle means taking the SR 520 bridge (tolled) or the I-90 bridge. The I-90 bridge is free, but to get on it, you have to travel a few miles south on I-405 with all the other cars trying to avoid the toll bridge. The SR 520 bridge has less traffic, but it’s tolled in both directions. A daily commute to Seattle across SR 520 will cost you between $4.00 and $8.00 depending on what time you are traveling. It doesn’t seem like a lot but it does add up. The bridge uses WSDOT’s Good To Go Pass so paying the toll is easy. You just get the pass and display it on your windshield. The pass links to a pre-paid account that you can add funds to from a credit, debit or checking account.

Commuting to Bellevue or Redmond from Kirkland is a little easier, but traffic can be bad. During rush hour, it will take about 25-30 minutes to get to Bellevue from Kirkland and it’s a quick ten-minute hop during off-peak times. Kirkland to Redmond is around 20 minutes down Redmond way. A lot of folks work flex schedules in Seattle so the congestion is spread out over 3-4 hours in the mornings and again in the afternoon. On the east side, morning traffic starts to build as early as 5 AM and lasts to around 10 AM and roads are congested from 2-8 PM in the afternoons--mostly with commuters trying to beat the traffic.

Character
Redmond is a small Seattle suburb that’s North East of Bellevue. Some would say it’s a Bellevue suburb since it’s closer to Bellevue than Seattle. It’s home to Microsoft and Nintendo of America who both hire top talent from all over the world making Redmond an affluent and vibrant cross-cultural city.

Shopping and Restaurants
Redmond has a good selection of shopping and restaurants. Like any Seattle suburb, you’ll find the usual assortment of stores and eateries. Redmond town center has hundreds of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues. If you’re looking for high-end shopping, Bellevue (the shopping capital of Washington state) is just a ten-minute hop away.

There are a ton of restaurants in Redmond, but I haven’t eaten out there. Recently, La Isla, Seattle’s first, and best, Puerto Rican restaurant opened a Redmond location. I’ve eaten at the Ballard location probably hundreds of times. It’s delicious. I also hear good things about Tropea Ristorante Italian, which serves up traditional Italian cuisine and Bai Tong, which makes some of the best Thai in the Seattle metro area.

Housing
Redmond is an affluent area. Many residents have well-paying jobs at Microsoft, Terex or Nintendo of America and own their home. There are a lot of single-family homes with sizable yards and quiet streets with a median home price of around $550,00 in 2015. To accommodate singles and lower-income families, a lot of condo’s and townhomes have been built in and near downtown in the past ten years or so. There are also a lot of homes, condo’s and apartments for rent. Rentals are generally cheaper than in Seattle or Bellevue and you’ll get a lot more space.

Traffic
Traffic in and around Redmond and Bellevue isn’t too bad, but traffic between Seattle and Redmond is terrible. Most everyone I know who lives on the east side of Lake Washington spends most of their time in Redmond, Kirkland, and Bellevue. On an average day, it can take up to two hours to make the 18-mile trip. Redmond to Bellevue is a short 7.5-mile hop which usually takes about 10 minutes unless SR 520 or I-405 are backed up.

Seattle has been taking steps to improve traffic in and around Seattle, but construction seems to cause as much congestion as the traffic. The fastest way between the two cities is the SR 520 bridge, which is tolled in both directions. Seattle’s light rail will eventually go to Redmond, but scheduled completion isn’t until 2023.

Bicycling
Redmond is a bike friendly community are there are tons of off-street bike trails, on-street bike lanes that provide easy access to downtown, neighborhoods, parks and businesses. It is also home to one of the few Velodromes on the west coast.


Parking
Redmond is a typical suburb, so parking is available pretty much everywhere. There are so many bikes in Redmond, the city produces a map of downtown bike parking. There seems to be plenty of places to park your bike near businesses and shops downtown.

Weather
If you haven’t lived in Western Washington, the first winter can be a bit dreary. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to the rain. In November through March, it's chilly and wet with average low temperatures between 35 and 42 degrees Fahrenheit and around 4-5 inches of rain per month. The rain mostly falls slowly and steadily so it’s wet and butty on most days. The summers are pleasant and mild with highs between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and less rain.

I’ve lived in a lot of places in western Washington, but I haven’t lived in Bellevue. The city is prosperous, expensive and simply out of my reach. It’s a great place to live if you can afford it and I do have a few friends who have lived in Bellevue for brief periods. Most folks I know, though, have since moved to Seattle or to nearby Redmond. I do visit Bellevue often. It’s a great place to go shopping, especially around the holiday’s.

Character
Bellevue is much newer than Seattle so it has less historic charm and a much more modern feel. It is separated from Seattle by Lake Washington. It grew from a farming community to a quiet suburb following completion of the Lake Washington Floating Bridge in 1940. The city was incorporated in 1950 and has since evolved into a large city with a jumble of mega office complexes. It is a high-tech hub with a shiny corporate feel. Today, it is home some of the largest and fastest growing companies in Washington State.

Bellevue is a prosperous city and has attracted a large number of immigrants, with Asian’s accounting for nearly ¾ of the non-white population. The city’s strong job market, low crime rate, and high-ranking schools have attracted a lot of immigrants from both abroad and from other parts of the U.S.. It is growing fast but doesn’t show the same signs of strain as other cities. It isn’t just keeping up with the growth. It’s improving.

Cost of Living
Bellevue is more expensive than Seattle. In 2011, Coldwell Banker ranked it as the second most expensive housing market in Washington State (second to Mercer Island) and prices have continued to climb over the past several years. The median home value is slightly over $650, 000. Rents are like those in downtown Seattle. An average two bedroom, two bath apartment downtown will cost around $2500 a month. Neighborhoods to the east of the downtown core are much cheaper than living downtown, but they are still quite expensive.

Traffic and Parking
Getting around Bellevue isn’t any easier than getting around Seattle. The city was born in the early years of the American suburban sprawl and has always been auto-centered. The Recent development of mixed residential, office and shopping centers are transforming it into a more pedestrian friendly place. But it is still a sea of sedans and SUVs and it’s not nearly as bike and pedestrian friendly as Seattle. The city is newer, though, so there is more parking than in Seattle.

Most folks work and live in Bellevue. It’s close to Seattle, but commuting east to west is not a good idea. The cities are linked by two bridges the SR520 bridge and the I-90 bridge. Traffic across both of them is terrible. WSDOT has been working on expanding and improving the SR 520 and I-90 bridges, but construction is slow-going and only adds to the congestion. To fund construction, tolls are collected in both directions of the SR 520 bridge so a lot of traffic crowds onto the I-90 bridge.

Shopping and Restaurants
Bellevue does have some good restaurants, but nothing compared to Seattle’s robust foodie scene. Still, you’ll find a good mix of cuisines including the usual burgers, pizza, Thai, Mexican and BBQ and a plethora of Indian and Chinese restaurants. Aside from stopping for lunch while shopping, I haven’t eaten out in Bellevue. But I hear great things about Din Tai Fung, a Taiwanese restaurant specializing in soup dumplings and noodles, and Hokkaido Ramen Santouka which serves up hot bowls of delicious Japanese ramen.

Bellevue is known for it’s shopping and there’s plenty of it. It has thrived as a shopping destination since the late 1940’s. There are three main shopping areas downtown: Bellevue Square, Lincoln Square, and Bellevue Place. Combined, they boast hundreds of retail and specialty stores combined with luxury hotels and apartments, restaurants, entertainment and office space. Just east of downtown is Crossroads, an enormous indoor mall, and cross-cultural hub. To the south is Factoria, a mixed-used neighborhood and one of the city’s best commercial districts.

Weather
Everything you’ve heard about the rain in Western Washington is true. In the winter, it is dark, wet and gloomy most of the time. But, Bellevue is close to some of the best skiing in the state. The summers are pleasant and mild, and Lake Washington is beautiful in any season.

I lived in Tacoma for several years just after I graduated from college. It was way cheaper than Seattle (and still is) so I lived there instead. The city used to be quite rough, especially in the mid 90’s, and suffered from high crime rates, and drug and gang activity. That is no longer the case.
Over the past 15 years, the city has undergone a dramatic revitalization. Parts of downtown, such as the 6th Ave. District and Theater District, have transformed from crime-ridden areas to vibrant neighborhoods. Some areas are still rough, especially the Southeast, east side, and Lakewood areas.

While revitalization has improved many neighborhoods, it has also pushed out the poorer population. When I lived there, it was a mixed race city, but these days, it’s primarily white. It still retains a scrappy, blue-collar feel, though, which I love.

Cost of Living
The cost of living in Tacoma is much lower than in Seattle but still slightly above the U.S. average. Food, transportation, health and utilities cost about the same as they do in Seattle, but housing costs are far lower; around 58% cheaper than Seattle. So, a lot of people are choosing to live in Tacoma instead of Seattle.

Commuting to Seattle
Housing prices in Seattle continue to rise and a lot of people are moving to nearby cities and commuting in. Tacoma is a good city to commute from if you are willing to take the bus or commute by rail. Driving from Tacoma to Seattle would be a nightmare. During peak times, the drive takes one and a half to one and three-quarters hours to travel 31 miles. By bus, the trip takes far less time, about 40 minutes, and there are many express buses, especially at rush hour. There is train service from Tacoma, but it takes about an hour so most folks ride the bus.

Traffic
Getting around Tacoma is easy. In general, the city doesn’t have as many traffic problems as Seattle, but traffic on I-5 and SR 16 can get backed up, especially during rush hour. There is a light rail line that runs through downtown, connecting the Tacoma Dome Station (a hub for commuters) to the Theater District. There are also a lot of buses and bike routes.

Shopping
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban city and there are plenty of malls and shops. The 6th Ave Business District is a vibrant hub of local art, boutiques, gift shops and thrift shops mixed in with great restaurants, cafes, bars, and pubs. There is also a solid selection of  shops and galleries in the Theater District.

Culture
Tacoma is a busy port city. It has a contemporary feel, but it also values its history. The city has a strong historic preservation program and there are plenty of amazing historic gems including the US Federal Courthouse which originally the Union Train Station; the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which many know as “Galloping Gertie”; and the Java Jive, a kitschy coffee pot-shaped building that now serves up beer and karaoke.

This city also has a vibrant theater and art scene. It is home to an opera company, classical music groups, and a theater. It is also home to the Chihuly Bridge of Glass which links the glass museum to downtown and was built in partnership between the city of Tacoma and world renown studio glass artist Dale Chihuly.

Weather
Like most of Western Washington, Tacoma has a generally mild climate. It does rain a lot and gets dark early in the winter, but snow is rare and summer months are pleasant. If you are moving from somewhere else in the U.S., it will probably feel like a lot of rain to you. The precipitation is slightly above the U.S. average, but the rain falls lightly for long periods of time with occasional downpours. In the winter, most residents rely on hooded jackets instead of umbrellas since the rain is generally light and steady.

It’s been awhile since I’ve lived in Olympia, but it is still as lovely and as funky as I remember it. I earned my B.S. at The Evergreen State College and lived there for about three years. It is a clean, mid-sized capital city with a distinctive character and a groovy, small-town Pacific Northwest feel. Since I lived there, the city has undergone a lot of revitalization, especially downtown, and it has grown considerably.

Weather
If you are new to the pacific northwest, the amount of rain will be a bit jarring. It’s true that the annual amount of rain in Western Washington isn’t that impressive compared to some place in the U.S., but the character of the rain here is different. Many places with high precipitation experience occasional or frequent heavy downpours. We get that too, but for the most part, the rain falls slowly and for long periods of time. It can, and does, rain for weeks. The winter months are mostly cloudy and gray. Temperatures are generally mild all year round though thanks to the marine air. It gets dark early in the winter (Olympia is at 47 degrees north latitude), so prepare for wet and dark conditions all winter long.

Traffic and Parking
Traffic in and around Olympia isn’t too bad compared to Seattle, but there are a lot of cars. Getting north of Olympia is a big challenge. There is a huge choke point on I-5 through Joint Base Lewis-McChord and no way around it. This is not a good place to live if you work on base or need to commute to Tacoma.
Parking is metered downtown, but surprisingly cheap and easy to find. Parking on campus can be a challenge and passes are costly, but TESC parking services also help students with lockouts and jumpstarts. They even manage a commute trip reduction program to help folks find alternatives to driving.

Shopping
Olympia is the state’s capital, but it’s not as large as Tacoma or Seattle. There are a few good shopping malls, all the usual big box stores, and several great shops downtown. For high-end boutiques and designers, you’ll need to travel to Seattle or Bellevue.

Character
Olympia “Oly” has a small town feel with a distinctive character. It is an intersection of three radically different sub-cultures: northwest hippy/artist, underground music scenesters, and politicians/state workers.
It is definitely a liberal city and there is a sizeable hippy population.

You won't have any problem finding vegan choices in the local restaurants and clothing boutiques. There is a ton of local, organic food everywhere. It has been a major center for independent and underground music and since the 80’s. It is home to many record labels including K Records (Beck, Modest Mouse, The Microphones), and Kill Rock Stars (Mid 90’s center for riot grrrl bands, Sleater-Kinney, Elliott Smith). Since it’s the state capital, policy makers, state workers and politicians are peppered into the mix.

Things to Do
During the day, there's plenty to do downtown. There are lots of great local restaurants, independent stores, historical markers, and monuments. The public artesian well was recently converted into a small city park. There are tons of public murals and art, and an open-air farmer's market. Most shops downtown keep small-town hours and close at 5 or 7 PM.

Housing Cost
Housing is noticeably cheaper in Olympia than it is in Seattle, but like many Western Washington towns, its comparatively more expensive to other cities in the U.S..  For instance, housing is about 20% lower in Olympia than in Seattle, but about 20% higher in Olympia than in Denver. If you are moving here from another region, your cash probably won’t stretch as far. Prices do drop a short way outside of Olympia in Tumwater and Lacey so a lot of folks commute.

I’ve been back in Bellingham for a little over a year now. After earning my M.A. at Western Washington University, I took a job in my field in Seattle. I lived there for the past ten years or so before coming back to Bellingham. I don’t regret moving back, but I do occasionally second-guess the decision. It essentially amounted to abandoning my career in favor of a happier life. Do I miss my career? Maybe, but so far the awesomeness of the city has more than filled the gap.

So far, Bellingham has delivered. I’m rediscovering a place that is rich in many ways. Bellingham has great restaurants, excellent beer, cool museums, and amazing local and organic produce. I am surrounded by water and forests, and close to the mountains. The people I've met are engaged in their community and take part in local events and civic matters.

The cost of living in Bellingham is much lower than Seattle, but I wouldn’t call it a cheap city. If you’re on a budget (or would rather spend your cash on lift tickets), there are plenty of low-cost restaurants, consignment shops, discount outlets, and thrift stores. You can get pretty much anything you need second-hand or at deep discounts. Housing costs are higher in trendy neighborhoods such as Sunnyland, Fairhaven, and Letter Streets. But cheaper housing is available within a short drive of Bellingham.

So far, there has been only one major drawback for me in Bellingham. The job market is challenging, at best. There aren't a lot of industries here, so most of the good jobs are at the hospital, the university, or the school district. There are also a lot of service and retail jobs, but a ton of students who are looking for service and retail jobs. Students also gobble up most of the entry-level career positions. While I don’t regret my decision to reboot my life in Bellingham. Career-wise, it’s a poor choice, and my mid-career change plan is not working out as I had planned.

I am pleasantly surprised with the city. The Bellingham I knew as a student is different from the city I now know. I’m sure a few things have changed over the years, but I also realize I spent all my time in Bellingham on campus (or decompressing from thesis research and writing at the local watering hole). I’ve discovered a side of the city that few students ever experience.

There is a wider variety of things to do than I expected and I had no idea most of the amazing parks and trails even existed. I am still discovering them and have only explored a few, including the Railroad Trail, Whatcom Falls Park, Cornwall Park, Boulevard Park, Sehome Hill Arboretum and Fragrance Lake Trail.

Whether you’re into hiking, running, walking, biking, kayaking or skiing, there are plenty of places to go. Most everyone I’ve met since I’ve moved back spends most their time outdoors. Even in the winter. Which I suppose is why I didn’t meet many locals while I was working on my degree.

If you've been offered a position here and are deciding if you want to relocate. Take it! Bellingham is a great city. If you are relocating and still job hunting, you might need to get creative about earning a living rather than expecting to find a full-time position in a specific field. There just aren’t a lot of jobs here. It helps if you can work remotely, don’t need a high income to maintain your lifestyle, or don't need to rely on working to pay the bills.

I have met people who have carved out a living here by selling handmade items at the farmer’s market, launching vending carts, and freelancing. I know a handful of people who have landed good jobs and are raising their family on a modest income.

For me, the key to living in Bellingham has been to think outside the box. I am building a comfortable life here as a freelance writer. My clients are in Seattle and overseas. I spend my free time enjoying the great outdoors instead of dining out. My new friends love getting together to play tabletop games over a bag of chips and a take-n-bake pizza instead of hitting the bars. Life in Bellingham is simple and sweet.

I spent the last ten years living in Seattle and have lived there off and on through the mid-late ‘90s. It’s a great community and hands down one of my favorite places in the Pacific northwest. It is a city surrounded by water with dozens of national and state parks and recreation lands nearby. It has a healthy economy, a thriving music and film scene, and a strong job market.

A decade ago, it was a prime place to nurture a career in almost any field. In some ways, it still is. But in recent years, Seattle has grown a lot and the city has changed. This change has been both good and bad.

The Good

Meeting new people is easy. Population growth means there are always new people to meet and making friends is a breeze. Seattle neighborhoods are tight communities and finding the right one is key. Each neighborhood has a different vibe. If you’re on the same wavelength, you’ll bump into a lot of folks with similar interests around town. If not, you'll find yourself spending more time in another neighborhood.

Music, film, and literature are thriving. Seattle has a robust music, film and literature scene. The Seattle International Film Festival fosters a rich community of filmmakers and film lovers. The city incubates indie music. A large number of indie groups have roots in Seattle including recent greats such as the Fleet Foxes and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. Seattle authors are prolific in every genre, especially Sci-Fi and Fantasy.

The city is reinventing digital media. Seattle is at the cutting edge of online and mobile technology. The tech sector employs thousands of bright minds at tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and Hulu and tons of startups that are at the forefront of wearable tech, artificial intelligence, and mobile tech.

The Bad

Traffic is terrible. It was never easy to get around Seattle in a car. The city has always been more pedestrian and bike friendly than car friendly. But the traffic has gone from bad, to worse, to absolutely terrible. The city has taken some steps to ease traffic with public transportation improvements, but they all seem to be too little and too late.

Recent changes to the bus services combined multiple routes into a handful of mainline buses called “Rapid Ride”. Don’t let the name fool you. They are not fast by any stretch of the imagination. For instance, my commute time downtown from Ballard doubled since the arrival of Rapid Ride D line. The new line weaves through Ballard then Queen Ann instead of heading straight downtown like the express buses did.

The light rail is a similar story. It is taking years to construct and is bypassing some of the most congested areas of the city. The first line to open goes from downtown to the airport, but it takes 45 minutes to make the trip. Why? So it can weave through South Seattle and stop in some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods. You would think this would be a good thing, but in reality, many of the residents can’t afford the steep fare and get around town on the buses instead. The next line slated to open will serve some neighborhoods north of the city, but only those east of I-5, leaving half of North Seattle out of the loop.

The art scene is dwindling. All the growth that Seattle has experienced has been a boon for developers, but growing housing prices and higher living expenses have pushed out many of the artists and musicians who made the city’s neighborhoods as cool as they are.

Twenty years ago, I rented an efficiency apartment in an old house on Capital Hill. My rent was less than $500.00 a month. At the time, my barely-over-minimum-wage job was enough to cover rent, bills, and groceries. I ate well, supported an expensive coffee habit, and went out for a show and some drinks a couple times a month. Today, that would be impossible. A studio on Capital Hill will cost you $1,200 a month, if you’re lucky, and while minimum wage has gone up, living expenses have outpaced it.

Diversity is falling. Seattle is a community that embraces people of all races, genders, sexes and orientations. It is a liberal place that tolerates more than most cities in the United States, but the higher cost of living has pushed out the city’s poorer populations. Gentrification of Seattle neighborhoods has transformed many of them from funky mixed communities to wealthy white communities.