Single mom of 3 wants to move to Washington from Indiana and needs some ideas (Seattle: apartment)

[timetogo2010]

I am single mom of 3 kids ages 7,6,and 1 and we currently live in Indianapolis, IN. We are biracial with white and black. I would like to move to Washington within the next year. I am currently working from home and will be able to continue to do this in Washington as well.

My problem right now is narrowing a place down. I want a small town with a population under 6,000. I want to live close to one of the national forest there. Rain doesn't bother us (I understand you have a lot of it). I want isolation but I don't want to be more than 2 hours from a more populated city. Low crime rates is a major as well as the schools. I would prefer to rent an apartment or house first until I'm sure that we can settle well then I would look into buying a home. I like the idea of the Northwest part of the state more than anything.

I have done as much research online as I can right now and I plan to make a trip to at least 3 different towns by the end of the summer to help me decide and I really would appreciate any suggestions as to where would be a good area for me and my children.

[sofia76]

Can I ask what is special about the number of 6,000?

First places that come to mind for me are Port Orchard (tho it is not terribly isolated) and Leavenworth. But I can't say what these places are like for kids in terms of schools and having other kids to be with, socialization, stuff to do, etc.

[timetogo2010]

Can I ask what is special about the number of 6,000?

The smaller the better but no there is nothing special about that number. I said 6,000 because that's the number a lot of the websites used when putting small towns into catagories verses the bigger ones (or cities). I really don't want to go much higher than that though.

Thank you for the suggestions

[Sobefobik]

It sounds to me like a town around the Olympic National Forest would fit the bill. Try Forks, Sequim, and Port Townsend I think would be best picks. What do you do for work? Anacortes is another great small town!

[bribri56]

Anderson Island WA 98303 has a population of about 1,000 year round - double or triple that in the summer. It is a 20 minute ferry ride from the historic little town of Steilacoom, just outside the big city of Tacoma. Most kids love the ferry ride, but you'd probably only need/want to go 'off island' with them once a week or so. There is a very nice elementary school on the island, and the older kids go to school on the mainland via bus and ferry. There are two good sized lakes, one for fishing and rowing, and the other for power boating and water skiing. The island is heavily wooded, with lots of deer, and there are no traffic lights, just a couple of stop signs. There are a lot of retired folks and young families on Anderson Island, and there is no need for police - there's just a volunteer citizens' patrol. The fire station and its paramedics are the main public service, along with a bookmobile library. The Island General Store and the Riviera Restaurant are the two major businesses, aside from the Riviera 'Country Club' which manages the 9 hole golf course and homeowners' association. Home prices are reasonable, and the Riviera dues pay for water, too. Not everyone lives in the Riviera community, but it has most of the middle-range houses. Outside the Riviera are the bigger properties and the isolated vacation homes. Aside from the different community clubs and groups like PTA, there are several churches. There is no place to buy hard liquor, just beer and wine at the general store and the Lakeshore restaurant. A lot of people work from their homes, often with internet based businesses, handicrafts, or housekeeping/handyman/yardwork type jobs. Most people work 'off island' if they have a traditional job. Every now and again, bored teenagers do some vandalism, but there aren't any gangs or even tagging - its pretty boring for a wild child. There was an attempted car theft a few years ago, but he missed the ferry and got caught! Because you mentioned it first, there are several mixed race families and single parents on the island - probably no more or less than other 'country' communities in Washington. A nice thing about AI is that there are many vacant wooded lots owned by individual Californians who seldom come by to visit - the same kind of folks who buy vacant land in the Ozarks or in Mexico. That keeps the big developers away, as does the impracticality of building a bridge! When they doubled the width of the Tacoma Narrows bridge, the pretty little town of Gig Harbor (on the 'far' side of the bridge) grew really quickly and is turning into just another yuppie suburb. Not possible on Anderson Island. BTW, I'm not a realtor, just a happy AIer.

[timetogo2010]

Wow thanks. You've given me some great ideas.

I was thinking of the Olympia area. I don't know about Forks right now with the whole "Twilight" tourism going on right now but I am giving the other towns around there some serious thought.

Anderson Island sounds pretty close to what I was think of too. I'm definitely going to look into it.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

[lotr1967]

Hi, I am a single Mom who is from Indiana. We just moved to Renton. You are SO very wise to not move to the Seattle area. It WILL be a culture shock for you moving the Midwest, though. My experience living in Seattle has not been that good as far as trying to make friends. People here just don't want that. We, from the Midwest, are outgoing and those in Seattle are not. I was told that it was only Seattle and to check out the outlying areas. WHAT a difference that made. We haven't traveled to Olympia but have gone through Enumclaw to Mt. Rainier National Park. The people are so much more friendly. It is beautiful, too. I have heard the Olympia area is gorgeous as well but the cost of living is higher. I would make sure that you check out the cost of living in all of these areas. There are very few of us Hoosiers here. But, look me up if you move here. I moved here and found out that one of my classmates from high school is here. So, there will at least be three of us if you move here. God bless you and your children as you weigh out this very important decision.

[AhFacts]

Hi, depending on what you do for a living,cash in the bank,SSI or whatever,
here's some considerations:
Access to Internet services..local supermarkets, lots of safe play areas for kids
Makeup of neighbors..police calls...weather..
If you want to be nearer Seattle or Olympia?
Immediate other side of Cascades offers choices too, look at these also
Moses Lake area,Ellensburg,lots of small burgs around these and
rural beauty at its finest

Okay,here is a rating system and info on some selected places
We looked for this info back in 2007,little if any was directly helpful
So, we flew out to Seattle and spent many days looking,asking and writing down lots of info
Our priorities were slightly different,but we wanted low crime stats,good schools,and doable housing costs.

0 means zero,some are real zeros!!
1-4 stars for rest

000/Much of the South and SE areas including Renton,Kent,Federal Way,
Puyallup,Rainier,Yelm,.etc.. not recommended! School closures for gangs,drugs and illegal firearms
Stay away from any Towns near Ft Lewis.

**PT Orchard is nice, we were told in 2007 by locals that the schools were great but severely overcrowded
Rural feel without much of the Freeway buzz, very steeply hilled and treed heavily
Lots of waterway views
we stayed there for a brief time and overall good exp.
Suoermarkets,bistros and everything over a spread out area
Olympic range easily viewable,
Rents are well below Seattle,and we thought very private settings
By ferry or road

***Silverdale,Poulsbo, both highly scenic and rural feel
Vacation style towns,especially Poulsbo
Lots of money out this way,retirees,therefore extremely safe living!
Instant access to recreational activities
Submarine base is out this way,but these people are the elite and actually are an asset to these towns/ferry or by road

***Vashon Island is doable, meets your rural requirements,yet has most good basic amenities and is considered safe, lots of old hippies settled here back in the day,some operating farms out here also
Compare to Pt Orchard and other area Islands for topography
Immediate access to Seattle by ferry

000/Bremerton is a high crime area

***Carnation,WA and area/This is a great place,scenic,rural and still has amenities for everyday life
Not really for the commuter,but ideal for stay at home,do check this out,recommended!!

**Maple Valley,WA and area Great place but kind of buzzy from all the commuters/and freeway/district schools rank highly

**Monroe,WA 2 stars only because of winter snow conditions
Once you get up in elevation,icing especially is a constant in a WA Winter
Reasonably safe,plenty of rural towns around to look at

****PT Townsend,WA Look at this place close, very artsy,small and beautifully scenic,one of our fave places ever

Checklist: Higher elevations=ice and snow
Military bases mean almost always high crime,drugs and prositution
Look for end of road areas,no freeway or multiple 4 lanes buzzing with 24hr traffic,
Medical care
School ratings

Every place recommended has smaller towns nearby for you to consider

PT Townsend area including Dungeness might be your place to settle
****Sequim, WA is a bit farther west but with significantly less rainfall and is definitely rural and purely scenic!!

Any other questions,ask, I work with regional transportation services,know the NW fairly well

Best of luck!

[amberlina26]

Originally Posted by lotr1967

Hi, I am a single Mom who is from Indiana. We just moved to Renton. You are SO very wise to not move to the Seattle area. It WILL be a culture shock for you moving the Midwest, though. My experience living in Seattle has not been that good as far as trying to make friends. People here just don't want that. We, from the Midwest, are outgoing and those in Seattle are not. I was told that it was only Seattle and to check out the outlying areas. WHAT a difference that made. We haven't traveled to Olympia but have gone through Enumclaw to Mt. Rainier National Park. The people are so much more friendly. It is beautiful, too. I have heard the Olympia area is gorgeous as well but the cost of living is higher. I would make sure that you check out the cost of living in all of these areas. There are very few of us Hoosiers here. But, look me up if you move here. I moved here and found out that one of my classmates from high school is here. So, there will at least be three of us if you move here. God bless you and your children as you weigh out this very important decision.

I'm another Hoosier that will be moving to WA! Goal is October! So sick of Indiana. Haven't made up my mind yet exactly where but will be somewhere on the west side of WA.

[jertheber]

Try coming out to the west side of Olympia, spend some time in what is the last of the truly underpopulated areas of W Washington. Go to Google earth and look at the Elma, Montesano, areas and you will see the vast amount of forest land that surrounds these areas. Rent is very affordable and home prices are dropping right now.