Military spouse here. Homes are going for about $233,700 on average. Public transit needs a lot of work honestly. Has anyone dealt with this? Night life is decent if you know the right spots. Honestly, I think it's a great place if you know where to look. Downtown has improved a lot in recent years.
25 upvotes
13 Replies
Hailey Sanders
The food scene here is better than expected. Tons of great Asian places. it's improved dramatically in recent years.
36 upvotes
Jacob Turner
If you're remote, this place is great for cost of living. it's exactly what I was looking for. Internet is improving in most areas.
35 upvotes
Isabelle C.
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a sales manager, 38, moved here 9 years ago from Phoenix. I've lived in Maple Ridge and West, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Friendly community, easy to meet people
2. Affordable housing options
3. Good airport with direct flights
4. The people are generally tough - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Property taxes are high
2. Homeless population growing downtown
3. The school system situation is established and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Maple Ridge: Great for couples. solid vibes, walkable.
- West: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from Phoenix, everything felt surprisingly good. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are reasonable. Gas is reasonable. You can live comfortably on $80K-$130K here.
**Final verdict:**
Definitely worth checking out.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
29 upvotes
Kennedy
Bought a house here in 2017 and it exceeded my expectations. Property values have gone about the same since then.
22 upvotes
Weston Campbell
Moved here last year, no regrets.
19 upvotes
Brooklyn
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 13 years ago from Charlotte and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: Lots of new construction which should help. We're paying /mo for a 1-bed in Downtown. It's tough for what you get.
Jobs: The market is wild right now, especially in education. If you're in legal you might struggle.
People: Generally challenging. It took about 13 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: challenging. Tons of options if you like Korean.
Hope this helps!.
18 upvotes
Emmett Adams
following this thread
16 upvotes
lucy_mind
hard disagree but ok
9 upvotes
boston_noah
good to know, thanks
8 upvotes
Ethan Wright
it depends on the neighborhood
4 upvotes
Thomas Smith
couldn't agree more
4 upvotes
Eli Mitchell
accurate
2 upvotes
Everett Anderson
As someone who grew up here, I genuinely enjoy living here. A lot has changed in the past few years though. housing market used to be much manageable but now it's improving.
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