Tacoma, Washington

Puget Sound without the cost and the hassle. The Puget Sound area has the nicest summers in the country. Mild winters and warm, but not-humid, summers when it stays light until after 10PM make this the place people wish they were in the summertime.

Here's a transplant on what it's like in Tacoma:
I moved to Tacoma in 2018 and bought a house in the South End neighborhood. I love Tacoma, but I am not into "night life" so I cannot speak to that. I could not afford to buy a home in North Tacoma, and the right house didn't appear in Central or Lincoln areas. I have a strong preference for houses built after 1950, and mine is an ideal "Mid Century Modest" ranch house built in 1957.

I love my neighborhood which is right by Wapato Lake Park. It's not that walkable, maybe a half hour walk over to grocery shopping. But a really pleasant residential area, and the park is super nice. There's a dog park there as well, divided into big and little dog areas. One additional benefit of the park is it blocks quite a bit of the noise coming off I-5.

For more reviews of what living in Tacoma is like from locals check out: The Buzz

Traffic on I-5 from Seattle in any direction is among the nation’s most challenging. Expect 90 minutes at least if you are going in and out of Seattle during peak times. The only real commonality with Seattle is the geography and the weather. This issue may be moot for persistent wfh’ers but if we all end up back in the office then beware.

Here's the point of view of a local on the commute and the city:
Tacoma is traditionally a blue collar worker city; most of the neighborhoods are a bit more run down. I like to joke that Tacoma is stuck in the 90s. Getting to Seattle from Tacoma is an average of an hour commute each way, but its getting easier as they finish up construction along the i5 corridor.

I do actually prefer Tacoma over Seattle. Its more low key laid back. The same neighborhoods are getting "nicer" as it gentrifies, but that's mostly people like me coming in and renovating homes. Many of the shops need renovating, it seems most people will travel up to Federal Way instead.

In the North End. The North and West End and Ruston have long been considered the “good” neighborhoods. They are considered safer and real estate prices reflect that perception. There are older homes located in the North End of Tacoma with historic architecture styles. Housing gets less expensive (and less nice) as you move south. Northeast Tacoma has a lot of spacious homes and is a good place for families with quite a few schools in the area. Many of these homes are located in housing developments, and are fairly new. West End is similar and it’s near a small zoo and aquarium.

Tacoma has been changing and areas that were once no-go are becoming safer and more sought after (Hillside and Hilltop have great views) but in the meantime, people like University Place (West Tacoma) Investors are looking at anywhere the light rail will be going, so south end properties and neighborhoods around the Tacoma Mall (previously considered unsafe) are gentrifying. The lack of affordable housing for young professionals and service workers in Seattle has caused a big influx into Tacoma so that will change the dynamic in downtown Tacoma where workers can hop on the bus or train and head to work in Seattle.

Eatonville is a good value. Small town, nice schools, great community.