Kent, Washington?

[lauraw4321]

Any boardies live in the area? Can you tell me anything about COL, public school districts? Is it really gray all the time, or is that just an unfair rumor? Average commute times? 

 

DH has a job interview for a company there. We would probably be open to moving for a year or two, and this company is opening a branch where we live currently (home state for both of us).  Just trying to get some ideas. TIA!

[vonfirmath]

Any boardies live in the area? Can you tell me anything about COL, public school districts? Is it really gray all the time, or is that just an unfair rumor? Average commute times? 

 

DH has a job interview for a company there. We would probably be open to moving for a year or two, and this company is opening a branch where we live currently (home state for both of us).  Just trying to get some ideas. TIA!

 

Kent is in the Puget Sound Area -- a little farther away so it is cheaper to buy there.

 

We moved away from WA (We lived in Bellevue and Newcastle) 9 years ago after I had lived there for 14 years because my husband was finding that his moods were being affected by the weather (among other reasons. We moved back to Texas, where my sister lives, among them).  So yes, it is drippy and cloudy a lot of the time. It is also gorgeously green, and the roads can be crowded, and take a while to get anywhere, but tehre are lots of things to do and go see.  And I've got good friends still up there.  Homeschooling is fairly easy.  And the Community Colleges have a Running Start program where kids (homeschooled and public) finish HS and earn a 2 year degree at the same time.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Kent is not too far from where I live.  It has a slightly lower cost of living than other areas in the same county.  Some areas of Kent are a bit sketchy.  Others aren't so bad.  I have no idea on the public schools.

 

Commute to where?  Kent is right on a very very crowded and busy highway corridor.  And it's on the more crowded part of that corridor.  I can't tell you estimated commute times unless I know the end and start points.  But to give you an idea - on a low commute time (Sunday a.m. for example) I can get to Kent in 30 min.  In rush hour it could take me an hour. 

 

The weather depends on the season.  Right now it is beautiful sunny blue skies every day with moderate temperatures in the 70's and occasionally 80's.  No rain in sight.  Rarely a grey day right now. But about late September and it will become rainy season.  Not downpours usually but cloudy and intermittent drizzle.  That can go for months with occasional grey days with sunbreaks.  Winter is fairly moderate - usually in the 40s and 30's and only a few snow days a year.  Spring is more of a mix of drizzle and sun with temperatures in the 40's and 50's. 

[lauraw4321]

The position is in Kent, so I was guessing we would live in Kent? I may or may not want a job, and it looks like I could possibly get one in Seattle proper. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

The Kent to Seattle commute would not be pretty. 

 

But if you live in Kent and work in Kent then you would be going back roads and it shouldn't be bad.  It's the highways that can be bad here. 

[gardenmom5]

Any boardies live in the area? Can you tell me anything about COL, public school districts? Is it really gray all the time, or is that just an unfair rumor? Average commute times? 

 

DH has a job interview for a company there. We would probably be open to moving for a year or two, and this company is opening a branch where we live currently (home state for both of us).  Just trying to get some ideas. TIA!

 

no - it is not gray all the time . .  we haven't had any rain in over three weeks.  however - we did just come off a *RECORD* rain year . . . I'm a native.  rain doesn't bug me.  I was. sick! of! it! by march.

it doesn't get terribly cold in the winter (snow is a rarity), nor does it get terribly hot in the summer.  and it "drizzles" as opposed to rains.   it can "drizzle" all day - and you only have 1/4" of measurable rain.

 

as for commute - from where to where?  and what company?  (for some companies - there are ins and outs and knowing the company can help know how much the job would be impacted by traffic.)

 

parts of kent I'd advise you to not live in.  do check crime stats.  some parts are fine.  (highlands are generally fine.)

some school districts are nationally among the top ranked - but they're further north.  

kent is in king county - and the king county library system is one of the best in the country.

COL varies by city/neighborhood.  sometimes a lot.  (based on housing - and how far you have to commute).   the seattle area is currently one of the fastest growing markets.  it's crazy.

[gardenmom5]

 

The weather depends on the season.  Right now it is beautiful sunny blue skies every day with moderate temperatures in the 70's and occasionally 80's.  No rain in sight.  Rarely a grey day right now. But about late September and it will become rainy season.  Not downpours usually but cloudy and intermittent drizzle.  That can go for months with occasional grey days with sunbreaks.  Winter is fairly moderate - usually in the 40s and 30's and only a few snow days a year.  Spring is more of a mix of drizzle and sun with temperatures in the 40's and 50's. 

 

one of those things only native/long-time seattle area residents understand. . .

the difference between partly sunny and partly cloudy.

 

if your dh is going to be working IN kent - you have choices that are decent areas.  auburn, renton/kent highlands, maple valley. . . backroads away from 167.   better neighborhoods should also have better schools.

 

why would you have to go to seattle to work?  there is a transit system.  such as it is.  they still seem to think downtown seattle is the center of the universe.  (more people live in seattle and commute to the eastside.)

dd just started a job on the outskirts of the downtown core . . . it doesn't work for her to use mass transit, - and it's the seattle end that doesn't work.  her employer is paying for her parking.

[milovany]

Consider living out in Enumclaw, Black Diamond, or Maple Valley.  Unless you want to live in a busy city/suburb area, these are smaller, somewhat rural communities and you can get to Kent the "back way" without getting on the freeways.  Not to say it'll be an easy commute, but you won't be on the freeway.  I grew up near Enumclaw and it's a really nice area.  

 

Kent is the scariest place I ever lived.  I'm sure there are nicer parts, but as Jean said, there are sketchy parts, too.  

[lauraw4321]

one of those things only native/long-time seattle area residents understand. . .

the difference between partly sunny and partly cloudy.

 

if your dh is going to be working IN kent - you have choices that are decent areas.  auburn, renton/kent highlands, maple valley. . . backroads away from 167.   better neighborhoods should also have better schools.

 

why would you have to go to seattle to work?  there is a transit system.  such as it is.  they still seem to think downtown seattle is the center of the universe.  (more people live in seattle and commute to the eastside.)

dd just started a job on the outskirts of the downtown core . . . it doesn't work for her to use mass transit, - and it's the seattle end that doesn't work.  her employer is paying for her parking.

 

This is still very very early stages, may not happen, so I'm just gathering information. I haven't seen any jobs for me in Kent, yet.

[Insertcreativenamehere]

We briefly lived in Auburn, near Kent, when my DH worked in downtown Seattle. The commute was brutal even though he took the train. (We had to live that far out to find affordable housing.) I didn't mind the weather and the sunny days were truly glorious. We ended up moving out of state to be closer to family but if that had not been a factor, I would have been glad to stay in the area. 

[vonfirmath]

no - it is not gray all the time . .  we haven't had any rain in over three weeks.  however - we did just come off a *RECORD* rain year . . . I'm a native.  rain doesn't bug me.  I was. sick! of! it! by march.

it doesn't get terribly cold in the winter (snow is a rarity), nor does it get terribly hot in the summer.  and it "drizzles" as opposed to rains.   it can "drizzle" all day - and you only have 1/4" of measurable rain.

 

as for commute - from where to where?  and what company?  (for some companies - there are ins and outs and knowing the company can help know how much the job would be impacted by traffic.)

 

parts of kent I'd advise you to not live in.  do check crime stats.  some parts are fine.  (highlands are generally fine.)

some school districts are nationally among the top ranked - but they're further north.  

kent is in king county - and the king county library system is one of the best in the country.

COL varies by city/neighborhood.  sometimes a lot.  (based on housing - and how far you have to commute).   the seattle area is currently one of the fastest growing markets.  it's crazy.

 

Is the Kent Highlands close to the Renton Highlands? My friends are in the Renton Highlands (though even there -- it depends which part of the highlands you live in) and I had not realized that Kent had some the same

 

And yes, I really *miss* The King County Library System. Its so excellent!

[Plateau Mama]

The position is in Kent, so I was guessing we would live in Kent? I may or may not want a job, and it looks like I could possibly get one in Seattle proper.

 

Unless you are getting a very high paying job you would not want to commute from Kent to Seattle. There would be nothing that would get me to do that commute on a regular basis. Nothing.

[EKS]

I don't know about Kent specifically, but I do know about western WA.

 

It rains, drips, and is gray a lot of the time.  When it is clear and sunny it is totally, stunningly gorgeous.  There are many gorgeous days in the summer and quite a few in the spring and fall (and even some in the winter, but not many).  But sometimes, when it has been cloudy for weeks, it seems like it will never clear up.

 

All of the moisture means that it is beautifully green year round, though the deciduous trees lose their leaves in the winter and the grass will turn brownish in the summer.

 

Homeschooling in WA is easy.  You can also access the public schools as much or as little as you choose, and Running Start (state funded dual enrollment) is available to all high school juniors and seniors including homeschoolers.

[lauraw4321]

Unless you are getting a very high paying job you would not want to commute from Kent to Seattle. There would be nothing that would get me to do that commute on a regular basis. Nothing.

 

That's very helpful. It looks like there are a few possibilities for me in Kent.  We'll see. It's very hard for me to imagine it there - I've never been there and I'm terrible at visualizing, so this kind of information is very helpful.

[gardenmom5]

Is the Kent Highlands close to the Renton Highlands? My friends are in the Renton Highlands (though even there -- it depends which part of the highlands you live in) and I had not realized that Kent had some the same

 

And yes, I really *miss* The King County Library System. Its so excellent!

 

kent is south of renton.   dsil had an apartment in renton - and got a bigger one in the kent highlands when he and dd got married.  he was glad it had a security gate into the complex.

and it does depend upon which part of the highlands.  one reason for suggestion checking out the crime stats map.

 

That's very helpful. It looks like there are a few possibilities for me in Kent.  We'll see. It's very hard for me to imagine it there - I've never been there and I'm terrible at visualizing, so this kind of information is very helpful.

 

don't stick with kent for job possibilities for yourself.  look at surrounding communities too.  auburn, renton, tukwila, maple valley, bonney lake - even the other side of I5 - federal way, burien. . .I don't know what you're doing - but there are a number of areas that do not require going into downtown seattle. (or even south seattle.)  it would be easier to get to tacoma than seattle. 

and what site are you using to look for jobs for yourself?  depending on what you're looking for - it may not even be on a public site. 

[lauraw4321]

 

don't stick with kent for job possibilities for yourself.  look at surrounding communities too.  auburn, renton, tukwila, maple valley, bonney lake - even the other side of I5 - federal way, burien. . .I don't know what you're doing - but there are a number of areas that do not require going into downtown seattle. (or even south seattle.)  it would be easier to get to tacoma than seattle. 

and what site are you using to look for jobs for yourself?  depending on what you're looking for - it may not even be on a public site. 

 

I'm an attorney with corporate and transactional experience. I'll look into those other communities as well.

[gardenmom5]

I'm an attorney with corporate and transactional experience. I'll look into those other communities as well.

 

do you want a practice?  or a corporation?   definitely be willing to look outside seattle.

 

eta: and those are position more likely to be found through a headhunter.

Edited July 11, 2017 by gardenmom5

[lauraw4321]

do you want a practice? or a corporation? definitely be willing to look outside seattle.

 

eta: and those are position more likely to be found through a headhunter.

I'd like to if 1) the pay was good, 2) I needed to for the additional income, 3) the work could be limited to 40 hours a week most of the time, and 4) the commute wasn't awful.

[3 ladybugs]

My in-laws are selling their house there in a couple months (probably September). Let me know if you need a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath house with a nice (albeit sloped) backyard (fully fenced). They also have a 2 car garage, new roof and recent AC upgrade (few houses have AC). I think they have also recently redone the flooring... though I could be wrong about that. 

 

My cousin lives down the road and it is nice area. Note: I live in New Jersey, I just happen to have family on both sides that live there. My ex step father had a house in Kent in the 80's. It was nice then too.