Moving to SeaTac area. Looking for local advice.

[Markor]

[Alan]

[Markor]

[pumpkin]

[Ubersalad]

Vancouver is a great place to live if you want better access to meth labs or meth in general.

Good call!

[Geode]

[Markor]

According to Wikipedia, "As of 2006, 38% of the methamphetamine labs (138 sites) cleaned up by the Washington Department of Ecology were in Pierce County." That's where Bonney Lake is. Not Vancouver.

Just make sure you don't get too close to Orting, about 5 miles south of Bonney Lake, where a lahar from Mt. Rainier could wipe out the place (the schools do lahar drills there).

My suggestion is that you spend some serious time here before you commit to anything. Pierce County is like a dangerous Ozarks from a King County (Seattle) perspective. I've often read that Pierce County has the highest crime rate in WA. Surely there are some nice areas (it's a big county), but do the homework. where I found this tidbit: "Pierce County has more potential death penalty cases pending than the rest of the state combined, and more could be on the way."

[Nell Plotts]

To buy a home in any neighborhood you do not know is not wise.

Were I to screen communities I would first look at SAT or school test results. It is very unusual for problem communities to have great schools.

Once I put together a short list I would look at crime statistics, and the nature of the crimes.

All the rest is BS!!

Better to buy a modest home in a strong community that a fancy home that doesn't mesh with your values. I appreciate great libraries, others may not care a fig. Each to their own.

[Ubersalad]

Didn't know people still quote Wikipedia...

http://www.atg.wa.gov/page.aspx?id=11704

"Eighty percent of contacts made by police officers in Vancouver are related to methamphetamine, according to Police Chief Brian Martinek (The Columbian 2/28/2006)."

There you go.

Btw, your lazy google search turned out nothing concrete about Pierce County. Not that I support 253, but for this matter I'll stand by 253 while I continue to trample Vancouver.

[Ubersalad]

Nell Plotts, just say it, you meant "Bellevue".

[Markor]

[Nell Plotts]

[Markor]

What if they gave you a McMansion? They're not as pretentious.

Speaking of libraries, Bellevue kicks butt on Seattle. After building that "architectural masterpiece" in downtown Seattle, they apparently had no money left over for decent books.

[deejayoh]

[carlislematthew]