Hey folks, I'm retired and The unemployment rate is 4.0%, which is pretty low. It's a a mid-size city city with about 186K people. Homes are going for about $421,900 on average. Median household income is $77,643, which feels about average for the area. Rent is about $1,623/month for a decent place. I'd say it's better for families than young singles. It's a very car-dependent city, for better or worse. People here are genuinely friendly, not just surface-level. The parks and outdoor areas are a huge plus.
Pros:
- Friendly people
- Good schools
- Close to nature
- Diverse community
- Easy commute
Cons:
- Traffic can be terrible
- Rising rent prices
- Not very walkable
- Boring for young people
- Not enough green space
Anyone in a similar situation? I'd say it's better for families than young singles. Cost of living is definitely rising, but still manageable. Property taxes are high but you get good services. The food scene here is surprisingly good. It's not perfect, but the community is solid. It's changing fast — some good, some not so much. Cost of living is definitely rising, but still manageable. It's not perfect, but the community is solid. Honestly, I think it's a great place if you know where to look.
54 upvotes
13 Replies
Miles Mitchell
Gonna give a different perspective here since most replies seem average.
I've been here 11 years and I genuinely enjoy living here. The thing nobody mentions is job market. It's developing and it affects daily life more than you'd think.
That said, the weather is legit. And if you're into kayaking, this place is pretty good.
Neighborhood matters A LOT here. The West side vs the Maple Ridge side are basically different cities. Make sure you visit both before deciding.
Would recommend to anyone considering it..
37 upvotes
Samuel Moore
Saving this thread
37 upvotes
Gabriella Hernandez
Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want healthcare, then yeah this place is great. But if weather matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.
35 upvotes
Nova Sanchez
Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want food scene, then yeah this place is great. But if weather matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.
32 upvotes
Kayden B.
glad someone said it
30 upvotes
Ian C.
If you're remote, this place is great for cost of living. I love the pace of life here. Internet is pretty good in most areas.
28 upvotes
Henry J.
I've been living here for 1 years and I'd say it's been a really good experience overall. The food scene is decent compared to other places I've lived. Overall Your mileage may vary depending on what you're looking for..
24 upvotes
Pamela W.
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 2 years ago from Portland and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: Buying is tough right now, renting is more reasonable. We're paying /mo for a 3-bed in South. It's solid for what you get.
Jobs: The market is competitive right now, especially in education. If you're in government you might struggle.
People: Generally surprisingly good. It took about 9 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: surprisingly good. Tons of options if you like Vietnamese.
Would recommend to anyone considering it..
14 upvotes
Edward C.
We moved here with our family and it was the best decision I ever made. Schools in Greenfield area are better than expected. Kids love it here.
9 upvotes
kennedy_local
+1
3 upvotes
dc_jose
The food scene here is solid. Tons of great Vietnamese places. it was the best decision I ever made.
3 upvotes
Claire Castillo
I'm a software engineer and I've found I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now. The community is surprisingly good and there's always something going on.
3 upvotes
Savannah R.
Depends on what you're looking for honestly. If you want traffic, then yeah this place is great. But if job market matters to you, might want to look elsewhere.
All Countries
