Is Washington state (outside of Seattle) a good place to live?

I think Seattle is fair priced for renting apartments. You can rent a basic two bedroom from about $800. The closer you get to the lake or Downtown Seattle the more expensive.

Taxes are a killer but, you get by.

For public schools they are okay. I would not put a child in Rainier Beach H.S. As for colleges there are many to choose from: Community colleges, universities, vocationals, ect. Lots of great choices.

Right now you are lucky if you find a job. Even a job at a fast food joint is hard to come by.

Very diverse. There is a place for you, but you will have to match up your goals with the countless possibilities.

It would have helped if you told more about what you seek.

Well, we like it.

Cost of living is higher than average - housing costs are approximately the same as the Chicago suburbs or the Denver area. Food costs tend to be a bit higher than average because so much of our food has to be trucked in from other places. Gasoline is on the high side of average, mostly due to state taxes. Electricity is lower because of hydroelectric power providing most of our needs.

Washington state has no income tax. Sales tax varies from city to city, but is at least 8% everywhere. Property taxes are OK given that we have no income tax. For example, my 2400 square house would be worth about $400,000 right now, and our property taxes are about $3800 per year.

People here are nice and polite. Many people complain that it's hard to get past the general friendliness and actually make friends, and in many ways they are right. You'll have to make an effort to join groups and activities to make friends.

The public school system for kids here is OK - not great, but not awful either. There are obviously pockets of great schools and other pockets where kids struggle. That tends to run along economic lines. Schools in upper income neighborhoods tend to be better than schools in lower income neighborhoods.

As for jobs, this area was slower to enter the recession, and is expected to be slower to exit the recession. Unemployment is currently about 10%, which is high for this area.

Great

washington state is a good place to live if you like rain? i like the area around olympia myself? not too small or too large and have everything you need? sales tax about7-8% and no income tax! jobs, schools, and people the same as anywhere else?