Forks, WA details (Port Angeles, Aberdeen, Port Townsend: real estate, rent, credit)

[spearmint_roland]

Lately, I've been hearing a lot of commotion about Forks, WA. Most of the talking started because of the Twilight movie. Before that though, I didn't even know Forks, Washington existed, and I know it is nothing like it is showed in the movie.
I love the outdoors and especially forests, and I hear Forks and the surrounding area has a lot of that near it! This really interests me as a place to live, but I've heard there's not that many jobs out there, is there? Are the people friendly? What kind of jobs would be good to look for in this delightful town, if I do move? What's the average cost for a pretty nice house around there (Forks and near the Olympic National Park)?
My wife is a physical therapist and I currently have an MS in Plant Biology and a BS in Ecology, any opportunities for that?
One final question: How are the schools?

Any info you kind Forks residents would really help us! Thank you for your time

[allforcats]

"Will the spearmint lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?" -- an ancient jingle my mother apparently heard as a child and deranged my mind with...

I'm a big fan of Forks -- to drive through, and not as a life destination. It used to be a timber town. Now there's very limited timber work. Population is 3,000 plus a bit, and except for the gas station and supermarket employees they all work somewhere else, such as the Park Service, the correctional facility, the fishing industry, or Port Angeles. Forks is pretty isolated and resource-less, which is not as appealing as 'rural'. The town of Forks has become an idea, based on somewhat inaccurate fiction for teenagers.

Although Forks is pretty much surrounded by RAIN FOREST, which is not the same as a forest because it rains almost 365 days a year, as you can see there is not much 'there' there. Not jobs, not real estate.

If you want more information, I strongly recommend that you click on 'Search' near the top right of any City-Data page, and look for Forks threads. There are many. Or you can just scroll down the pages of the WA forum to find them.

Also, in the upper left corner of every page here, click on city-data.com. Then click on Washington. Then look for the small towns and read the data for Forks.

When you've seen that Forks is a place to gas up when you visit the rain forest, if you want lots of forests within an hour's drive of home, you might consider Port Angeles and Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula some 55 to 75 miles from Forks, or on the mainland any location fairly close to the mountains on the west side of the Cascades. That can give you choices of houses and schools, as well as job possibilities. A map of WA is your friend

The best idea in WA, especially in the national recession, is usually to find out where you might be able to be employed, and then choose a living location based on where you can earn a living. Your wife may be employable in any of the many, many hospitals in western WA or as a consultant to the vast numbers of medical offices. Your background certainly would be welcome here in the University of Washington and the mny other academic institutions, the Park Services (national, state and local), and many other ecology- and plant-biology-oriented agencies, institutions and companies that abound in WA, which is rich in natural resources and constantly attempting to care for them.

Have fun researching!

[nwcountrygal]

Timber company or park would be your only hope for a job in your field.
Your wife can work at hopitals, resthomes but as said they are far from Forks.
If you do decide to move to another city or she wants to drive allot...DM me My girlfriend owns a Physical Thearpist Temp Contract Company that is all over WA... Good Luck!

[eponabri]

Also, please remember that the Twilight movie was not filmed anywhere near Forks... it was filmed in Oregon, which is it looks nothing like Forks. However, the logging truck in the movie was a nice touch...

[spearmint_roland]

Originally Posted by allforcats

"Will the spearmint lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?" -- an ancient jingle my mother apparently heard as a child and deranged my mind with...

I'm a big fan of Forks -- to drive through, and not as a life destination. It used to be a timber town. Now there's very limited timber work. Population is 3,000 plus a bit, and except for the gas station and supermarket employees they all work somewhere else, such as the Park Service, the correctional facility, the fishing industry, or Port Angeles. Forks is pretty isolated and resource-less, which is not as appealing as 'rural'. The town of Forks has become an idea, based on somewhat inaccurate fiction for teenagers.

Although Forks is pretty much surrounded by RAIN FOREST, which is not the same as a forest because it rains almost 365 days a year, as you can see there is not much 'there' there. Not jobs, not real estate.

If you want more information, I strongly recommend that you click on 'Search' near the top right of any City-Data page, and look for Forks threads. There are many. Or you can just scroll down the pages of the WA forum to find them.

Also, in the upper left corner of every page here, click on city-data.com. Then click on Washington. Then look for the small towns and read the data for Forks.

When you've seen that Forks is a place to gas up when you visit the rain forest, if you want lots of forests within an hour's drive of home, you might consider Port Angeles and Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula some 55 to 75 miles from Forks, or on the mainland any location fairly close to the mountains on the west side of the Cascades. That can give you choices of houses and schools, as well as job possibilities. A map of WA is your friend

The best idea in WA, especially in the national recession, is usually to find out where you might be able to be employed, and then choose a living location based on where you can earn a living. Your wife may be employable in any of the many, many hospitals in western WA or as a consultant to the vast numbers of medical offices. Your background certainly would be welcome here in the University of Washington and the mny other academic institutions, the Park Services (national, state and local), and many other ecology- and plant-biology-oriented agencies, institutions and companies that abound in WA, which is rich in natural resources and constantly attempting to care for them.

Have fun researching!

How much would we make, though? That's also something I'd like to look at..

[Dendrite]

Originally Posted by spearmint_roland

How much would we make, though? That's also something I'd like to look at..

Ummm, nothing if you can't find a job... The point that a.cats was diplomatically trying to make was that the job market in the Forks region is slim to non-existent.

The best answer to this question is: it will vary drastically depending on who/where you are hired.

If you have your heart set on Forks: 1) Go visit and see it for yourself, don't take my/our word for it. It's truly a "a picture is worth a 1000 words" place. Once you actually see how small, struggling and remote Forks is, I believe the previous posts in this thread will make more sense to you. 2) On your way out to Forks, stop by OMC (Olympic Medical Center) in Port Angeles and talk to the HR dept. See if they have or know of openings for PT positions in the area. You could also check in with the Forest Service park headquarters while there and see what positions they might have (or know of) for biology/ecology. It's probably posted online at their website as well.

On second thought, as vast sections of forest around Forks have been clear-cut from logging, they might be able to use a little ecology out there, who knows? Good Luck!

[nwcountrygal]

Again "if" you can find any job.... I would research the National Park System for Olympics your best bet- You can try Forest Service or DNR but the way economy is these days I am guessing nothing. I am trying to remember timber companies in area due to since I left the Timber Companies years ago. I know Simpson is in the area. Menasha? Campbell group? Weyerhauser? Maybe a title as yours is open vrs the slowing down of everything else. Don't know if the tribes ever higher someone with your credits.

You wife if lucky get some work out of the medical center otherwise she maybe able to find work in Aberdeen or Port Angeles... that is a long drive....

Other than that? You can try to create another Twilight tour! Even the bartenders I talk to in town - rent a cabin from one every time I go there has had her job for the last 14 years. I am going that way tomarrow I will try to post what Timber companies in the area next week.

[spearmint_roland]

Thank you to all who replied, I appreciate it.
Just a few more questions, though:

Is there a NatParkService unit stationed nearby? I heard about a Hoh River Unit, but I'm not too sure.

How are the schools in Forks? If you're going to have kids soon, one has to know where they going to get educated, right?

If not Forks, then is there a town nearby that gets the same climate, same proximity to the forest and olympic national park, but better economic opportunities?

[Dendrite]

Originally Posted by spearmint_roland

Thank you to all who replied, I appreciate it.
Just a few more questions, though:

Is there a NatParkService unit stationed nearby? I heard about a Hoh River Unit, but I'm not too sure.

Oly Nat'l Park headquarters are in Port Angeles. There are smaller stations scattered throughout the park.

Originally Posted by spearmint_roland

How are the schools in Forks?

Small, very small...

Originally Posted by spearmint_roland

If not Forks, then is there a town nearby that gets the same climate, same proximity to the forest and olympic national park, but better economic opportunities?

Climate? I don't know, Aberdeen is almost as gray and dreary in the winter for months on end if that's really what you're looking for... Proximity to the park? Port Angeles. Better economic opportunities? Same answer- PA (Port Angeles). I'd go with 2/3 on this one! Honestly, there won't be oodles of job options in PA but at least you'll have some chance of finding employment there (as long as you're not too picky about what type of work you'll take) versus (very likely) close to zero odds of finding work of just about any type in Forks. Why? One more time: Forks is a very small, isolated and economically struggling timber town. Most of the people that I know who do work in Forks got a job there because they knew the person (either directly or indirectly) that was hiring. Almost always, those jobs are snatched up quickly by local word of mouth. It's simply the way it is in small, out of the way places with limited financial resources.

Seriously, take a trip to PA, stop in to the Park headquarters there, talk to the Forest Svc. folks and see what they have to say. Have a look around PA while you're there. I think you'll like what you see. Then drive the 70ish miles over to Forks and compare. I'll wager PA has more of what you're searching for!

I like Forks but for the same reasons that Freddy mentioned earlier- it's where I stop for gas and a Pepsi on my way over to one of the beaches (Ruby, Beach 4, etc.). Live there? No thanks... Easy enough to drive over to Forks any time I want to from Port Angeles.

Good luck!

[sean98125]

Why don't you both find jobs, see where they are, and then decide on where you want to move based on that? You could always get settled out here and look for a way to move on to Forks in a couple of years.