Neighboords for a 30's couple no kids? 120k combined salary

[benleis]

Originally Posted by eskercurve

I should be more clear. Near 55th and 65th are kinda sketchy. Between 25th and 35th ave and 55th and 65th st is what I would consider car prowl heaven. There's also been assaults and stuff along the major avenues. But if you stay in the neighborhoods, it should be OK.

North of 65th is better. Near the park is OK, but I dunno, they discover dead people in the park 3-4 times a year, usually from drug overdoses. Just sorta "eh" neighborhood for me.

And when I think "upper class" I think folks who can afford multimillion dollar homes, maintain them, and the lifestyle of going out. I just wanted to smash the assertion right there that 120k affords an "upper class" lifestyle. And median incomes are misleading ... you can have a population with a large bulge of folks who make a lot of money (i.e. the folks that have homes on the shores) and a whole lotta people who don't make close to it and still get a median of 60k.

I believe Car prowls are Seattle's most common crime and they are high all through the north east part of town. There's nothing special about the rate in Ravenna vs anywhere else around it. Likewise, the general crime rate is normal viz a viz assaults. Finally having lived here for over 11 years I can assure you that there are not 3-4 bodies found in the park a year either. Not to say its crime-free, there was a particularly upsetting murder of a homeless man this spring but that was highly unusual. You will also see occasional transient populations at the Cowen Park end abutting the U-District from time to time. In contrast, my wife commonly goes out for a jog by herself at night and has never had a problem. Overall when you're walking around (and technically Ravenna starts North of the park - the southern neighborhood around 55th is University Heights) the area reads as middle class not sketchy. I find the housing stock to be somewhat more consistent than say Wallingford in the sense that most of the original structures are still in place and maintained.

What makes the neighborhood nice, is that its conveniently located, has good transit connections, a fairly complete retail strip on 65th and is full of families with kids.

Ben

[Hemlock140]

Don't park your car in the lot or street on Western Ave under the 99 Viaduct. I swear almost every day when I walk along there headed through the Market to the bus tunnel there is a car with a smash/grab broken window. I'd actually suggest going a little farther east from Ravenna to Maple Leaf. Almost all of Seattle is safe compared to many other big cities, but
there are going to be a few problems now and then. I would recommend Ballard, Queen Anne and Magnolia, Madison Park and Laurelhurst as the quietest and safest but still with shops to walk to. Next tier would be Greenlake, Greenwood, Capital Hill, and Maple Leaf, then Ravenna.

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

Don't park your car in the lot or street on Western Ave under the 99 Viaduct. I swear almost every day when I walk along there headed through the Market to the bus tunnel there is a car with a smash/grab broken window. I'd actually suggest going a little farther east from Ravenna to Maple Leaf. Almost all of Seattle is safe compared to many other big cities, but
there are going to be a few problems now and then. I would recommend Ballard, Queen Anne and Magnolia, Madison Park and Laurelhurst as the quietest and safest but still with shops to walk to. Next tier would be Greenlake, Greenwood, Capital Hill, and Maple Leaf, then Ravenna.

I'd rather live in Ravenna than Maple Leaf. Maple Leaf is too clsoe to I-5, and Roosevelt's a very busy street. Sure the southern part of Ravanna leaves a little bit to be desired, and 25th is really noisy, but the best parts of Ravenna are nicer( and more expensive) than the best parts of Maple Leaf.

[angelenogirl]

You guys are really starting to freak me out about Ravenna! I thought it was a safe, upscale neighborhood. Maple Leaf looked somewhat rundown. Between potential houses in Montlake, Wallingford, West Seattle and Ravenna, we chose Ravenna based on its beauty, schools, community feel, and access to great pubs, cafes and shopping. I mean, we can walk to Sephora and the Apple Store. Are we really going to get mugged or raped doing so? Help me out here!

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by angelenogirl

You guys are really starting to freak me out about Ravenna! I thought it was a safe, upscale neighborhood. Maple Leaf looked somewhat rundown. Between potential houses in Montlake, Wallingford, West Seattle and Ravenna, we chose Ravenna based on its beauty, schools, community feel, and access to great pubs, cafes and shopping. I mean, we can walk to Sephora and the Apple Store. Are we really going to get mugged or raped doing so? Help me out here!

Ravanna IS a safe upscale neighborhood. You'll be fine. It is extremely unlikely that you'll get raped walking to the Apple store, and I haven't heard about muggers lying in wait to grab makeup palettes from people returning home from the Sephora store. You'll be fine. There are far worse neighborhoods all over Seattle and Los Angeles. Crime does happen. People get shot in Bellevue, people get robbed on Queen Anne. Doesn't happen much, but it happens. Don't let a couple of people who you've never met scare you.
The University District has a fairly high crime rate. And it's not far from Ravenna. But so what? Aren't there some very nice neighborhoods in LA that are near some neighborhoods that are less nice?

[angelenogirl]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Ravanna IS a safe upscale neighborhood. You'll be fine. It is extremely unlikely that you'll get raped walking to the Apple store, and I haven't heard about muggers lying in wait to grab makeup palettes from people returning home from the Sephora store. You'll be fine. There are far worse neighborhoods all over Seattle and Los Angeles. Crime does happen. People get shot in Bellevue, people get robbed on Queen Anne. Doesn't happen much, but it happens. Don't let a couple of people who you've never met scare you.
The University District has a fairly high crime rate. And it's not far from Ravenna. But so what? Aren't there some very nice neighborhoods in LA that are near some neighborhoods that are less nice?

I'm just so in the dark, and it's not easy to find inside info on neighborhoods in a new town without asking a few people I don't know who might know. And the level of fear mongering is a little crazy. Still, I hope you caught the levity behind my Apple/Sephora schtick. And you have very good info to share, so thanks!

And yes, in L.A. I've lived in Sherman Oaks and Encino - both adjacent to Van Nuys, which is not a place that looks anything like Ravenna.