Progressive areas of Washington

[melody]

I hope this is acceptable to post here. My husband and I are going to retire to Washington (yes, we're evil Californians invading Washington lol). We would love to move to Vacounver, WA since the area is progressive and Portland/Vancouver is one of my favorite areas in the world. With the economy in the tank, we've decided to move to a less populous, more economical area. We're considering the rural area around Spokane. That said, it's near Idaho which leans a hard right and I've heard Spokane is conservative. Would we be moving up into a red zone? I'd appreciate any input.

[pnwmom]

1. Have you thought about the Bellingham area?

It's progressive (at least around the University) , and cheaper than Seattle. Unfortunately, I don't know how it compares to Spokane and Vancouver in terms of cost.

[melody]

2. Bellingham is about in the same price range as Vancouver

We're considering Grays Harbor though, which is also coastal.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[The empressof all]

3. You do know that the Grays Harbor area is pretty much in the middle of nowhere

My SO and I are looking for retirement areas as well. We're already in WA and want to relocate to a less pricey area in a few years. Spokane is in the Red area of WA but is not "that bad". The Couer d'laine area of Idaho although the former home of white supremicist is actually in the more liberal area of the state. We are thinking of going there.


You may think about the Olympia area. Close enough to drive to Seattle for a day trip and a wonderful place.

[BobS]

4. and Couer d'laine isn't middle of nowhere?

Personally, I think of Grays Harbor as being pretty central to the Olympics, rain forests, and beaches. But it's also the epitome of a dying log town, pretty conservative and kind of uptight. Vancouver's a great place, but if you work in Oregon, you still have to pay OR taxes and the bridge traffic into Portland can be a nightmare. Bellingham and maybe tied with Olympia are the most progressive feeling of the towns mentioned so far. I'd look at the towns in Kisap Peninsula too, and if you don't have to work, the northeastern areas of Olympic Peninsula. Hood Canal is very scenic and feels amazingly remote for its proximity to Seattle.

[BobS]

5. oh and Mt Vernon area too

love their co-op.

[melody]

6. Thanks! I'll check into those areas.

Sorry to hear Grays Harbor is right-leaning. :(

[The empressof all]

10. I don't see it as remote I guess.

I judge remoteness by accessability to a decent hospital and a Costco and an airport that has decent links to major hubs. Spokane is just a hop and skip and the main shopping area of Post Falls has everything I need.

[melody]

7. I'll take all these into considerations -- thanks

I actually don't mind "middle of nowhere" as it's only a couple of hours from Portland. I live in a similar juxtaposition now to Los Angeles and it works out well.

But we're considering anywhere fairly progressive and it doesn't sound like Grays Harbor is that so ... on we look.

[Quantess]

8. I was recently in Port Townsend.

I haven't spent much time there, but I picked up a distinct slightly-upscale-sensitive-hippy vibe, similar to some places in Northern California.

[Patriot Abroad]

9. Port Townsend is very blue .. . . how about Sequim?

PT very expensive. Go further out on the Olympic Peninsula, and it turns red . ..

Sequim, a bit west of Port Townsend, is an excellent retirement community as it is in the Olympic rain shadow (and gets about half the rain of anywhere else in western Washington).

Houses have gotten more expensive there as it's been discovered but it's still Olympic Peninsula prices and not Seattle prices.

Sequim is fairly mixed, politically, but leans conservative due to large retired community. It's just big enough to have all the major shops you'd expect (large Costco, evil WalMart, cinemas etc) where Port Townsend is, as I recall, lacking in these areas. Port Townsend is on a peninsula, so there isn't space to grow there . . .

If you move to Sequim, you get the added bonus of being near the ferry for a quick trip up to Victoria/Vancouver Island.

Avoid Eastern Washington. It's a desert. Too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter. Tumbleweeds blowing along and across the highways. No trees till you get close to Idaho.

[The empressof all]

11. I love Sequim too

It's gotten more expensive over the years since it was named one of the best places to retire in one of those magazines. It's gotten really built up compared to what it was a few years ago.

[XOEnterprises]

12. The rural areas outside Spokane are pretty conservative.

I grew up around that area, so I know a little about it. Spokane itself is fairly patchwork; it tends toward the moderate/slightly right leaning, but it depends on where in Spokane you live. I do remember taking my trip back to Tacoma and seeing rows of Ron Paul :rofl: signs, if that's any indication of what it's like. It is quite a bit cheaper, housing wise, than Seattle and the coast.

Vancouver/Portland is gorgeous! Not as pretty as Seattle, but...still nice.

[uppityperson]

13. City: Bellingham, town:Port Townsend area.

If anyone visits PT, drop me a line and we can meet for coffee or whatever.

My take on these places.

Bellingham has a lot going for it if you want to be by a bigger city. It is a college town with all that offers. It's by the ocean, midway between Seattle and Vancouver Canada. It's near Mt Baker for snow stuff. It is cooler due to wind and cold being funneled down from Canada through the Fraser River valley, but also gets warm in summer if you're away from the water a bit.

Port Townsend is smaller, but there are outlying communities and woods to live in also. It's gotten expensive here, but there are places to live in. We are quite blue, though there are some staunch conservatives, esp out in the county in places. Lots of music and arts going on, but it is a small town, with all that goes with that. We are in the rain shadow of the Olympic mts (and by the ocean), have Wooden Boat Foundation and wood boat festival in the fall.

Sequim is a bit further west, still in rain shadow, lots of crops are grown over there. It is a bit more conservative, but that is changing as people are moving into that fast growing area. North Olympic VFP is based over there.

I lived in Vancouver, WA many yrs ago and it has grown dramatically in the last 20 yrs. Portland is a very nice city, lots going on there. People live in Vancouver because WA doesn't have state income tax, while Portland does. They live there for other reasons too of course, but that is a big draw.

Eastern WA is more conservative than western.

[maxsolomon]

14. Cle Elum/Roslyn/Ellensburg

beautiful area between the mountains & steppe, and close to amazing hiking, fishing, skiing, Wine Country, Seattle. Colder in winter than west of the Cascades, but MUCH sunnier than Gray's Harbor, & still cheapish i think. although its getting more popular - new golf community, and lots of 2nd home development on the road to Salmon La Sac.

[Patriot Abroad]

15. Fairly conservative though?

Ellensburg's a college town, and they all have a bit of blue spilling in from Seattle, but once you're over that pass it's gun racks and cowboy hats all the way . . .