No worries, all views and opinions need to be welcome for op to make an informed decision for themselves. 2 things I will say is the drug problem has gotten better, there was a point like 15 or 20 years ago that Longview was called the meth capital of the world. It's still not good, but that moniker hasn't been used in quite a while. And you're correct that the homeless issue is all over the pnw, however Longview decided roughly 8-10 years ago to shut down their only homeless shelter, which made the problem become much more in-your-face a few years before it became like that with the rest of the pnw, and then made park camping illegal. My understanding is that it's gotten a bit better, but for a couple years the park around lake sac turned into Portlands Delta Park every night, and I'm betting a lot of the people bringing up the homeless have that stuck in their mind

You'll be fine. I grew up in Missouri and Longview reminds me a lot of the place (culturally). When we moved here I liked to call it Kentucky by the Sea. It's also fairly industrialized which if you're from the Rust Belt you'll be used to. Just don't make your belongings too attractive to property thievery. I consider it one of our bigger problems. I have been lucky and it hasn't been much of an issue but there's always someone on NextDoor surprised that the thing they left in their yard was stolen.

I've lived in Longview for a few years now. We even live in what people would call one of the worst areas. I will say, I've never had anyone steal anything from my porch. They're all too busy going to the nice side to steal! As for other commenters speaking about the homeless, that's all over the PNW. There's no way to avoid it if you want to live here. As for the mill smell, I won't say you get used to it but I can deal since my mortgage is cheap for the area.

As far as things to do, that may be true that there isn't much, but it isn't all too different from other small cities across the country. So I am left to wonder what sort of stimulation people are expecting from their towns. There are social organizations to join, churches, board game shops where people actually go to play with each other. My neighborhood has a community center and a garden. There's plenty to do for a small area. It isn't Portland but maybe OP is from a place like I am. We lived surrounded by cow pasture so Longview is fairly activity heavy for me.

Just another opinion. Not trying to criticize anyone.

Theres too many people on drugs or some other level of tripping. Was asked if i sold meth at age 15, and ten years later it is as casual as asking for a light. It is quite awful even after you get used to it. They are some very nice people, but most are rather impolite or worse. I've had two knives pulled on me in the last three years and received numerous death-threats on my way to work. The rent used to be affordable but most places are too much for those earning under ~50k annually. That and there is no good takeout, maybe Pho if it is your dig but that is it. If you can, commute.

Good luck!

Bleached by the sun too

Familiar with longview/kelso Wouldnt recommend it. Olympia may be more your speed

If you can live far enough away from the paper mill, and avoid the lower end neighborhoods, it’s not a terrible place to live. I might suggest getting a one month apartment and explore the area to figure out what you are comfortable with. I believe there’s some monthly places due to shutdown work, and your employer may have a great rate for a local hotel as another option.

There’s fishing, hiking, and other outdoor activities in the area.

Remember that some estimates take into account traffic. Cayuse pass and Highway 410 can have traffic being a heavily driven two lane windy highway

I'm one of the "have nots." My worst fear in life was ending up in Longview or something like it. It's so depressing. You are surrounded by cut down trees, not trees. Logs. Lots of logs. Logs that used to be trees. Longview is where trees die. Take that whatever way you want.

Thank you! You’re awesome

Just read American Nations by Colin Woodard

Go visit in person to get a feel for the area. Talk with the locals and find out where the good areas are and what the place is like during the winter.

I had neighbors in Port Townsend who came to visit during the summer and fell in love. Moved there and didn’t like how dark, gray, rainy, and damp it is during the winter time.

Don't. Extremely run down in most parts. The layout is based on the shape of a wagon wheel and I absolutely hate driving there. Go closer to either olympia/tacoma or Portland, just for the simplest aspect of having more to do. The only really outdoorsy part is the lake, and that lake is disgusting.

If you have street smarts youre fine.

I say no unless you love rural life. Move closer to the city if you can.

Come to renton. Check the underpasses. They're there. I pass through three and each night I smell weed at each one. it starts with tough love poeple. Stop giving them cash as they'll just turn it into drugs. Break the damn cycle.

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Shelton - Mason Lake = Crackhead Central. That's why the crime is so high. That and everyone lives out in the sticks, so it's not like there's anyone around to watch your back anyway.

Too bad. Mason Lake used to be good a mushroom picking spot. Lots of Chantrelle and Matsutake out there. Not so much anymore.

The history of Europeans is not as long as it is in New England 300 years longer.

Don't move to tocoma my cousins thought buying a home in a 500k area would avoid the theft. They've been near robbed three times now and one at gun point on a walk.

Please avoid auburn. I volunteered there for a year and saw how shitty it was. Crime rates super high. Homelessness out of control and the city is really run down and dirty.

Renton is okay but not great. It too has it's issues. Homelessness is a huge issue but swept under the rug. There's a lot of scummy areas but some of the higher income areas aren't bad. The city tends to focus on it's down town area and screws over the rural areas. I'd highly avoid cascade fairwood area. It has a lot of issues. Fairwood it self is a run down area that has a ton of issues. Renton highlands is decent but you def want a newer developed area.

Newcastle is okay. Prices are high and the city doesn't have a ton of money to manage it self.

Bellevue is a wonderful area if you can afford the insane house prices. I'd avoid neighborhoods that look run down or a little on the older side. If they are well managed then that's a good sign.

Redmond is amazing. We lived there once upon a time. Higher prices drove us down to renton/kent area.

Issaquah. It's a nice area but most of the homes will be on mountain hills. You will encounter more snow in these areas. It's a town with $$$ so you will have to deal with that attitude as well. I worked at a grocer out there and was harassed left and right by rich snobs. After 8 yrs I left because the harassment got so bad I was crying three nights a week. Management didn't give two shits about it and said it was part of the job to have douche bags. Really? to what degree. The day crowd wasn't bad and decent folk. The evening crowd is when the hidden element of the city came out. Druggies and low income people. issaquah doesn't have much of a middle class because they're not building middle income housing out there. It's either poor or rich out there. I was literally judged by the job out there. Let me juts say "health insurance job" Maybe people shouldn't judge people by the job they have. Yet society does. So they lost another worker. The store became super dirty because I was the only decent cleaner and sco was pushed more heavily because they lost me the glue to the staff that was holding it together.

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I saw it today for the first time. Omg so damn cute. A bridge. For squirrels. Omg so cute!

Its one of the few places the prisons let people be released to. Theres lots of factories and mills so it has a more industrial feel to majority of it. Leans heavy to the right. Im in the forest often in that area but i hate going into town. At the rate the area is growing its going to be an ‘up and coming’ place in the next 5 years i bet.

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There is nothing happening in Longview. Why are you choosing that place?!? You are 20 something yo. Go to a place where you meet people your age, it’s your time. There is plenty of outdoors in the pacific nw, easily accessible