There's a very clear divide between the have and have not areas. For reference, my buddy and his wife bought a place there about 5 years ago. For the same money, they could have bought 5 houses on the other end of town, but wife wasn't willing to live in what she considered a shithole. For the money they spent, they could have lived in a better overall city and commuted. It's had a drug problem for quite some time, in large part due to the fact that outside of outdoorsy stuff and redneck bars there isn't shit all to do.

Lived in CT my whole life until moving here one year ago. Washington is slower paced and higher appreciation for the outdoors. CT and Washington are pretty similar politically. However, people in CT tend to be a little more closed minded in my experience, as it comes to things like interracial relationships, the lgbtq community, and how people choose to live their lives in general. I live in Seattle and in general people here are nicer, however have run into my fair share of people who are snobby as you’d imagine people from CT are, so similar in that way too lol. A huge plus for me is that Washington does not have state income tax and CT does, although NeW Hampshire also doesn’t have state income tax if that peaks your interest

Worth every penny to not live in Longview/Kelso.

Is the hike really worth it when you can still see civilization? IMO, no. It isn’t.

State Constitution drives a lot of the differences. Washington entered the Union in the “Progressive Era” so features the will of the people more directly than original States. This is why there are initiatives & referendums every election cycle. If elected politicians are to frightened to act, the people take things into their own hands. See for example how Washington banned indoor smoking when politicians were afraid of the restaurant lobby. Also a minute percentage of Mass-holes out here

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Thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you!

I have pondered those flats many times. Obviously they aren't the bottom of the glacier valley, so they must be moraines. I haven't figured out why they are so flat, but obviously again, it was done somehow during the glaciation :):). OR, maybe they were the flat bottom of the glacier valley, and the rivers further eroded around them. Would love to have been a geologist in another lifetime, what stories they have to tell :).

I'm 35, grew up just north of Longview. Went to school in Seattle and then lived in Vancouver for a few years, back in Longview now working at one of the paper mills. Some people complain about the mill smells. I don't notice them on the west side of town where I live, because it's furthest from the smelliest mill.

Can't beat the location. An hour to the coast, an hour to the mountains. Seattle 2 hours to the north, Portland 45 minutes south.

The downtown are has been coming back over the last 5 years. Lots of new little shops, restaurants, etc. Quite a few new tap rooms and breweries opening up lately as well.

Lake Sacajawea is the crown jewel of the town. Pretty neat and unique to have a lake and park like that right in the middle of town. Willow Grove Park is great, lots of trails, a great boat launch, and sandy beach. Squirrel Fest and Squatch Fest are fun and popular events, as is the Go Fourth Festival, the fireworks at the lake on the 4th are outstanding.

Outdoor activities are popular here. Lots of people who hike, ski or snowboard, fish, or hunt.

Mixed bag on politics. The county leans right, probably by a 60/40 ratio. Keep in mind this is Reddit, everyone is going to complain about the white supremacists and MAGA whether it's true or not.

If you're working in Longview, you can also consider living to the north in Castle Rock, Toledo, Centralia or Chehalis, south in Kalama, Woodland, La Center, or northern Vancouver. To the north is more rural, south is more developed with more to do, but also higher housing prices.

I love how flat the upper valley is from this view. Glaciers we're incomprehensibly giant.

I know this was a dis. But hey when I go see a Blockbuster, I fully expect it to be packed.

People are far more direct back east, less patient, and generally more rude in general. People over here get started later in the day, are far less formal at work, seem to never be in a hurry, are overly kind, and will let you merge into traffic when you turn your signal on. Those are just off the top of my head. Born in CT, lived in ME, NH, and MA. Been here since 2019.

I moved from CT where I had been all of my 56 years. Colonial New England lol can be slow to change. CT passed the first gmo labeling law, but it went into effect only after 4 other NE states enacted same. WA just constantly keeps passing new progressive laws.

Well you got Boston which is go go go or Maine that king of does it’s own thing. In general people of Maine want your money but not you. NH is a bit weird as well ( mostly basing it on the sub Reddit). Even WA is pretty different depending what side you are talking

But then you're losing 9% of your pay to income tax.

It seems kind of mediocre . No decent grocery stores even. What’s the rent? Might be the only thing to make it worth it.

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Crazy to see such a clean break like that

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Examples?

it’s cold near seattle but clear still, it’ll be sunny tomorrow during the day and cold but not expecting rain

Extremely different

WOW!