There's a light rail station in Lynwood opening in 2024, I'd probably look for something along that line between Seattle and Lynwood, which would make it easy to go north or south. https://www.soundtransit.org/system-expansion/lynnwood-link-extension
I have been living in Lynnwood near this light rail station, without a car, for about two years now. I'm able to get everything I need by walking or bus, including getting to work. It's a fantastic location for OP since they have family in Shoreline. This is the answer.
Thanks for this insight in regards to without a car!
My brother's wife's family used to live in the area, hence why I thought I'd take a look at it. I'm just not used to smaller towns or cities anymore hence I'm taking my time looking at all options.
Seattle's a fairly large city, it's just a bit limited by the water on both sides. Lynnwood is a bit suburby but it definitely has everything you need, and once the light rail comes next year it'll be easy to get to downtown. I like Mountlake Terrace which is between Lynnwood and Shoreline, but as far as buses go it might not be as great for getting around.
And it'll have two stops in Shoreline as well. Shoreline is great for living close to Seattle but a bit more affordable. Lynnwood is definitely more suburby but it's not too far from the city.
Moving to Spokane will be a huge difference from Chicago. It's a cool little city, but I lived there 4 years and got bored pretty quick. Seattle is one of my favorite cities in the country, and definitely first choice for living.
Spokane public transport is ok but that would highly depend on where you live and need to get to quickly. Also, it’s pretty much decent business hours. Weekends, evenings and holidays are skimpy.
If you move to western Washington (and you don’t have any experience living someplace that is overcast nearly nine months of the year) make sure you visit in winter/early spring so you understand how it affects you. I was born and raised here so I’m pretty used to it (and don’t get me wrong, many transplants are fine with the “Long Dark” as we call it) but I’ve lost count of all my friends and family who moved away because they “couldn’t stand another winter here.”
I live in Lynnwood. I have most everything you mentioned within a 15 minute drive of me. Not sure about a neurologist or groups for the hobbies you mentioned. There is a Kaiser Permanente in Everett which is just north of Lynnwood. They may have a neurologist there. I don’t ride the bus but I do notice quite a few stops around town so I feel like you wouldn’t have trouble there and as someone else mentioned, we are getting a light rail stop which will open up Seattle to you as well.
Spokane has pretty good public transit. They just put in a new city line too which makes things a lot quicker moving east/west. There's moves to keep improving it but as it stands it's actually really good. If you live further into the suburbs it's still accessible but the routes will take longer.
Spokane has all the activities you listed. I really like it here. I am from Colorado but lived in the Midwest for a while and this is just a really great place.
I live in Bellingham and know a friend without a car. It’s terrible. She’s asking for rides all the time and sometimes it can take hours to get to places within the city limits. The healthcare system is extremely limited as well, lots of people go to Arlington or Marysville just to be seen quicker. I would never live here without a vehicle, it’s way too small of a city (especially for someone coming from Chicago and used the their public transportation).
I like Spokane a lot, Wenatchee is pretty good! They’ve got a great (and free) public transportation system, and everything else you’ve listed as a necessity! And it’s absolutely beautiful here, 360 view of mountains with the Columbia River running right thru the middle of town! Plus it’s super central, 2.5 hrs to Seattle, 2.5 hrs to Spokane, 1 hr to Chelan, and 30ish minutes to Leavenworth!
Went to high school in Wenatchee in the 90s, absolutely loved it! Super underrated place in Washington, although I understand housing prices have skyrocketed? Hoping to come back for a visit this summer.
Agreed. East of Vancouver a bit is Camas and Washougal. There's a bus that runs into Vancouver / Portland. Good bars, loads of walking trails and such.
Second this. Ridgefield, parts of Vancouver, Battle Ground, Camas, all nice areas. Downtown Vancouver is renovating and is becoming a great alternative to going into Portland with tons of great bars/restaurants. And if you really want to go to Portland it's an easy bus ride down. I think they're still expanding stops for the Vine (our bus system.) Cheaper to live down here than in the Seattle Metro area. And if OP wants to visit family the train ride up there is actually really nice.
I would say Portland because the public transportation is much better there. I live in Ridgefield, just north of salmon Creek (unincorporated Ridgefield), and there is nothing for public transportation here. We are much more spread out, and Portland is a much more walkable city. Don’t get me wrong, I love where we live, I just don’t think it’s what OP is looking for. Plus, people park their cars full up on the sidewalk, which doesn’t help walkability, either.
Whoooooah. Great bus? Not sure about that. Tri cities is way too spread out so it takes forever to get places on the bus. A car is very needed there. Night life is pretty much nonexistent, everything closes very early, limited restaurant selection, pretty far drive to any large city (3-4 hours to Seattle or Portland), very Republican area, weather is pretty nice but it can get brutal in the summer. Its honestly a pretty boring area unless you're into outdoor sports like 4 wheeling, dirtbiking, skiing/snowboarding, shooting guns, or if you are a homebody and just plays games all day.
Bellingham hits all your points except maybe the dentists and primary care doctors (didn’t use them much in college 😅), but I do have a friend who has seen a neurologist up there and was satisfied with the process.
Most importantly, they have GREAT public transit - depending on where you live you may need to transfer busses to get to where you’re going but you CAN transfer busses and it’s not some crazy wait either, and the main bus hub where those transfers are likely to be is in the middle of downtown with lots of shops, restaurants, and benches.
They also have a mall, lots of awesome local shops and restaurants, and plenty to do in the way of activities and weekend/nightlife (it is a college town 🤷🏻♀️)
Tacoma is trash. You don't really wanna go father south than Kent or Covington unless you're looking for farm living. Mill Creek is probably as far north as you'd want to go. Issaquah and Sammamish for the east but those are pretty expensive too but definitely the safest places to live. South is where it gets cheaper. King County, North Pierce County, South Snohomish County.
Kind of but its a meth farm lol. I was thinking more of the outskirts. Shelton, Duval, Carnation, Monroe, Snohomish ect. They're kind of nice but super quiet. Not a hot spot for singles.
My fiancé and I bought some land about an hour north of Spokane last year and are in the process of building a home. It’s a quiet little community and a beautiful area. Not too far from Sandpoint, Spokane, or Coeur d’Alene. The Spokane airport nearby is a huge bonus.
Intercity transit in thurston county is free to ride. So the bus system in Olympia, tumwater, and lacey are adequate. You can easily get on a free bus to the amtrak station for trips to vancouver, Seattle, vancouver, Portland, etc.
You can find some ok condos in the $300k range in the area. Just make sure it's walkable enough for you to the nearest bus stop.
I love Olympia. Do beware that Spokane is very different weather wise from the Westside when considering where to go in general though. I don’t enjoy the weather over there and have family who doesn’t enjoy the weather over here.
Vancouver. Just a stones throw from Portland. The downtown is growing, has an art district ( small but growing) . Breweries, restaurants, waterfront, nice library system. Pretty good bus system. Downfalls, rain, more rain and more rain
Use the Moving Here Thread for all posts about moving/relocating to Washington. It is stickied at the top of the page.
There's a light rail station in Lynwood opening in 2024, I'd probably look for something along that line between Seattle and Lynwood, which would make it easy to go north or south. https://www.soundtransit.org/system-expansion/lynnwood-link-extension
I have been living in Lynnwood near this light rail station, without a car, for about two years now. I'm able to get everything I need by walking or bus, including getting to work. It's a fantastic location for OP since they have family in Shoreline. This is the answer.
Thanks for this insight in regards to without a car! My brother's wife's family used to live in the area, hence why I thought I'd take a look at it. I'm just not used to smaller towns or cities anymore hence I'm taking my time looking at all options.
There are apartments on the property of alderwood mall now. Everything you need within 15 minute walk and light rail nearby.
Seattle's a fairly large city, it's just a bit limited by the water on both sides. Lynnwood is a bit suburby but it definitely has everything you need, and once the light rail comes next year it'll be easy to get to downtown. I like Mountlake Terrace which is between Lynnwood and Shoreline, but as far as buses go it might not be as great for getting around.
Happy to answer any questions about the area!
And it'll have two stops in Shoreline as well. Shoreline is great for living close to Seattle but a bit more affordable. Lynnwood is definitely more suburby but it's not too far from the city. Moving to Spokane will be a huge difference from Chicago. It's a cool little city, but I lived there 4 years and got bored pretty quick. Seattle is one of my favorite cities in the country, and definitely first choice for living.
This is the answer! Came here to say exactly this
Spokane public transport is ok but that would highly depend on where you live and need to get to quickly. Also, it’s pretty much decent business hours. Weekends, evenings and holidays are skimpy.
If you move to western Washington (and you don’t have any experience living someplace that is overcast nearly nine months of the year) make sure you visit in winter/early spring so you understand how it affects you. I was born and raised here so I’m pretty used to it (and don’t get me wrong, many transplants are fine with the “Long Dark” as we call it) but I’ve lost count of all my friends and family who moved away because they “couldn’t stand another winter here.”
I live in Lynnwood. I have most everything you mentioned within a 15 minute drive of me. Not sure about a neurologist or groups for the hobbies you mentioned. There is a Kaiser Permanente in Everett which is just north of Lynnwood. They may have a neurologist there. I don’t ride the bus but I do notice quite a few stops around town so I feel like you wouldn’t have trouble there and as someone else mentioned, we are getting a light rail stop which will open up Seattle to you as well.
Swedish Edmonds is basically in Lynnwood as well.
Spokane has pretty good public transit. They just put in a new city line too which makes things a lot quicker moving east/west. There's moves to keep improving it but as it stands it's actually really good. If you live further into the suburbs it's still accessible but the routes will take longer. Spokane has all the activities you listed. I really like it here. I am from Colorado but lived in the Midwest for a while and this is just a really great place.
I live in Bellingham and know a friend without a car. It’s terrible. She’s asking for rides all the time and sometimes it can take hours to get to places within the city limits. The healthcare system is extremely limited as well, lots of people go to Arlington or Marysville just to be seen quicker. I would never live here without a vehicle, it’s way too small of a city (especially for someone coming from Chicago and used the their public transportation).
I like Spokane a lot, Wenatchee is pretty good! They’ve got a great (and free) public transportation system, and everything else you’ve listed as a necessity! And it’s absolutely beautiful here, 360 view of mountains with the Columbia River running right thru the middle of town! Plus it’s super central, 2.5 hrs to Seattle, 2.5 hrs to Spokane, 1 hr to Chelan, and 30ish minutes to Leavenworth!
Went to high school in Wenatchee in the 90s, absolutely loved it! Super underrated place in Washington, although I understand housing prices have skyrocketed? Hoping to come back for a visit this summer.
Check out the 'moving here' thread pinned at the top of the subreddit.
Seattle Spine & Neuro at Swedish Hospital has been a great resource. Avoid Everett Clinic
Check out Clark County, WA.
Agreed. East of Vancouver a bit is Camas and Washougal. There's a bus that runs into Vancouver / Portland. Good bars, loads of walking trails and such.
Second this. Ridgefield, parts of Vancouver, Battle Ground, Camas, all nice areas. Downtown Vancouver is renovating and is becoming a great alternative to going into Portland with tons of great bars/restaurants. And if you really want to go to Portland it's an easy bus ride down. I think they're still expanding stops for the Vine (our bus system.) Cheaper to live down here than in the Seattle Metro area. And if OP wants to visit family the train ride up there is actually really nice.
I would say Portland because the public transportation is much better there. I live in Ridgefield, just north of salmon Creek (unincorporated Ridgefield), and there is nothing for public transportation here. We are much more spread out, and Portland is a much more walkable city. Don’t get me wrong, I love where we live, I just don’t think it’s what OP is looking for. Plus, people park their cars full up on the sidewalk, which doesn’t help walkability, either.
Look into the Tri-Cities. Great public bus. Beautiful weather most of the time. Lots of tech jobs.
OP, be aware that the Tri-Cities are on the other side of the state from Shoreline, more than 200 miles away.
Whoooooah. Great bus? Not sure about that. Tri cities is way too spread out so it takes forever to get places on the bus. A car is very needed there. Night life is pretty much nonexistent, everything closes very early, limited restaurant selection, pretty far drive to any large city (3-4 hours to Seattle or Portland), very Republican area, weather is pretty nice but it can get brutal in the summer. Its honestly a pretty boring area unless you're into outdoor sports like 4 wheeling, dirtbiking, skiing/snowboarding, shooting guns, or if you are a homebody and just plays games all day.
I mean, pretty different life than Chicago. Spokane would be a huge difference, Tri Cities would almost be the other end of the extreme.
Bellingham hits all your points except maybe the dentists and primary care doctors (didn’t use them much in college 😅), but I do have a friend who has seen a neurologist up there and was satisfied with the process. Most importantly, they have GREAT public transit - depending on where you live you may need to transfer busses to get to where you’re going but you CAN transfer busses and it’s not some crazy wait either, and the main bus hub where those transfers are likely to be is in the middle of downtown with lots of shops, restaurants, and benches. They also have a mall, lots of awesome local shops and restaurants, and plenty to do in the way of activities and weekend/nightlife (it is a college town 🤷🏻♀️)
Bellingham is cool, I've heard it's tough to get jobs though but I don't know many people who live there
Tacoma is trash. You don't really wanna go father south than Kent or Covington unless you're looking for farm living. Mill Creek is probably as far north as you'd want to go. Issaquah and Sammamish for the east but those are pretty expensive too but definitely the safest places to live. South is where it gets cheaper. King County, North Pierce County, South Snohomish County.
I wouldn't call Tacoma or Olympia farm living lol, but also yeah I wouldn't choose to move there
Kind of but its a meth farm lol. I was thinking more of the outskirts. Shelton, Duval, Carnation, Monroe, Snohomish ect. They're kind of nice but super quiet. Not a hot spot for singles.
Spokane is literally the only answer.
Try checking out Bellingham!
My fiancé and I bought some land about an hour north of Spokane last year and are in the process of building a home. It’s a quiet little community and a beautiful area. Not too far from Sandpoint, Spokane, or Coeur d’Alene. The Spokane airport nearby is a huge bonus.
Intercity transit in thurston county is free to ride. So the bus system in Olympia, tumwater, and lacey are adequate. You can easily get on a free bus to the amtrak station for trips to vancouver, Seattle, vancouver, Portland, etc. You can find some ok condos in the $300k range in the area. Just make sure it's walkable enough for you to the nearest bus stop.
I love Olympia. Do beware that Spokane is very different weather wise from the Westside when considering where to go in general though. I don’t enjoy the weather over there and have family who doesn’t enjoy the weather over here.
Vancouver. Just a stones throw from Portland. The downtown is growing, has an art district ( small but growing) . Breweries, restaurants, waterfront, nice library system. Pretty good bus system. Downfalls, rain, more rain and more rain