[iron]

this question is many years out for me, but still out there nonetheless. i don't like seattle. it has little to offer me other than a nice job market (generally). now that i'm married and all, and kids are surely around the 5-year-corner, i'm starting to think of places to live that better suite my desires for a family setting. this includes, but is not limited to: - smaller community (under, oh, 100,000, prefer <20,000) - decent schools - decent neighborhoods - low traffic / noise - close to outdoor activity (backyard preferred) - still able to buy more than an acre of land without costing an arm and a leg i grew up in a small community in wisconsin (unincorporated when i was there, maybe 2000 people). we lived on an acre of land and there was a forest behind the house that we'd run around in all year long. i could ride my bike anywhere within the community (probably 10 mi radius) as an 8 year old and never worry about a thing. maybe i'm romanticizing the past, like people do as they age (31 now...), but being in seattle is a far far cry from that kind of lifestyle. i'm also not completely naive and realize that i will be working for a long time. i also believe it will become more and more expensive to get to/from work if you're driving (i bike 98% of the time). so, somewhere semi close to a decent job market would be good too. i'm happy to take a pay cut if the cost of living decreases likewise, but quality of life goes up (i.e. living somewhere i like). part of me appreciates the year long bikeability of the W side of the state. but another part of me really wants some sun every now and again and wouldn't mind putting on the XC skis at the doorstep like one could on the E side of the state. similarly, N seems more appealing because of the cascades. areas that i think i would like include the following areas: - snohomish - mt. vernon/b-ham - mazama - NE WA (colville) --- i seem to be quite drawn to the NE corner of the state... anyway, thoughts are appreciated. personal insight on the schools, quality of life, and all the other little things are going to be most helpful. ETA: i'm a civil/structural engineer and hotpantz is a physical therapist.

[mike]

[DIYSteve]

[iron]

[treeswarper]

I hear California is nice..

[Malachai Constant]

North Dakota or Alberta

[Scrooge]

Wenatchee is great for families. Good schools with active parents. Good for both atheletics (school) and 'culture' (city-wide). All mainline city stores. As you've seen in Wenatchee TR's, definitely hiking out the back door, plus it's within an hour of both the Chants and the coulees. It's not cheap. Housing, in particular, is expensive. Lots of job opportunities for Hotpantz; I'm not so sure about the engineering. It's a growing area, but medicine is still the biggest business.

[Randy]

Olympic Hillz or North Bend....?

[Allison]

Bham if you are a Dem and Wenatchee if you are a Repub. Both of those places lean hard in their respective directions.

[DIYSteve]

Whoa bro, that's Olympik Hillz

[33teeth]

Snoqualmie and North Bend aren't perfect, but they offer a lot of what you're describing. I walk to work (Mechanical Engineer) and the area meets the criteria you described. Maybe not on cost, but it's not so bad.

[Riverside Laker]

Are you willing to change professions?

[iron]

i would prefer to, but now's not the greatest time to do so. i picture hanging on to what i have for at least 5 years, and then making the move to a less-populated, more low-key area, making less $ of course.

[onemoremile]

Have you looked at the Olympic Peninsula? It seems to me that some of the categories you mentioned are attainable. Price of acreage is still 'reasonable'. They are subdividing lots of the farms near Sequim into 1-5 acre places. Towns have decent community atmosphere. The schools seem fine, plus Peninsula College has the program for the last few years of high school so that the kid get the HS diploma and an Associates at the same time. Not sure about city/county projects for civil/structural engineering, but the indian tribes seem to have lots of projects. Close to many outdoor activities. For physical therapy, there are so many old people and medical centers in the area that it might have plenty of opportunities. The downsides are it might be too quiet/small, lots of old people, lots of Californians (the kind that irritate me), long drive/ferry ride/Hood Canal Bridge mercy from Seattle.

[Brian Curtis]

Kitsap County is worth a look. Schools in the Central Kitsap SD are excellent, especially the high school. I'm not sure about housing prices. You want to be in Central Kitsap, not Bremerton. It is close enough to Seattle to make a night out in the big city possible but far enough away to make life less city like. Outdoor activities abound, but the Cascades are a bit farther away then you are probably used to. We really enjoy it here on the west side of the Sound.