[AlpineRose]

I always thought Olympia or Spokane would be nice places to raise a family, yet be close to lots of outdoor stuff. Noticed these weren't on your list. Looking at your requirements list, Bellingham comes pretty darn close to "having it all". Man, if I were you, I'd be giving Canada some serious thought. You know all the reasons why.

[Abert]

When I moved last year I found Zillow to be a really useful site. Much better than trying to judge housing costs by an index. Anacortes is considerably more expensive (and nicer) than Mt Vernon but does have a lot more overflights from NAS Whidbey. You probably aren't looking for more towns but Flagstaff has always seemed like a nice place to me. I'd also say try to have a realistic understanding of what tradeoffs you might have to make in living in some of those locations and getting to any place else. A long trip out won't seem any shorter as the years go by.

[coldrain108]

I would avoid all subdivision house farms at all costs. The definition of suburban blight. Look to North SEA neighborhoods. I can't imagine living anywhere but Seattle while I'm here in Washington. I bought my 1947 built house in 1994, paid it off by 2000. The 9000sqft of land is all I want to deal with - I have raised beds, had chickens and a coyote roaming through. Neighborhood is crawling with kids of all ages and ethnicities - riding bikes and playing street football. My neighborhood (Pinehurst) is more neighborly feeling than the subdivision hells I grew up in across the USA. We get trick or treaters every year. We trade phone #'s & keys with the folks next door. Give emergency rides to the neighbor's kids when their car craps out. Everybody works different time schedules so there are always people home and about at all hours looking out for each other. Very international - the most attractive element. When I lived in the Cul-de-Sac nightmare everybody stayed away from each other and protected their privacy at all costs, were in constant competition with each other and generally not friendly at all...especially the ones who don't believe in public sanitation programs and burn their garbage in the backyard and had a huge collection of everybody else's bicycles in their garage. 23 years here in SEA and I have never been threatened or in any way intimidated while out and about - even at 1am downtown after a concert. I hung out in NYC and SF for a while so I have perspective on what a big city really looks like. The only time I have seen someone shoot a gun at another person was in suburban Connecticut as the store clerk shot down the street trying off the teen shoplifter. Not likely to have a crack kitchen pop-up next door in Pinehurst...can't say that for even Woodinville. I'm <20 minutes from: Downtown 4 Hospitals - including Children's 100's of Grocery Stores (Seattle is weird that way) 2 Home Depots and a Costco 2 REI's and a couple of other outdoor equipment shops (FF and Marmot) Many Schools (they are building a new one 5 blocks from my house) Safeco & Clink 6 Music Stores Several Museums innumerable Churches of every persuasion My Job My Wife's Job Last time I lived in a subdivision it was an hours drive to any form of civilized life - including work and school. Today I only have to drive when I'm heading to the mountains. Plus, think about all the habitat loss due to ever encroaching subdivision-itis. If I decide to move away from the big city I am going all the way away -like Montana. Not Snohomish for god's sake!

[like2thruhike]

The NW corner sets you up for easier commutes to choice mountains in the states and Canada.

[mike]

[tigermn]

This is almost like asking who makes the best spouse. If you avoid obvious bad places where safety might be a concern it is different for everyone Heck some people love Seattle. I lived in Seattle when I was growing up. As an adult I'd never live in Seattle for various reasons but for some it is the nirvana.