Comparison of Fayetteville to another part of the
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11/21/2006
I recently moved from Fayetteville, Arkansas to the great pacific northwest. I have been in the PNW for 5 months now and love it! Here is a comparison, tit for tat, to help you decide which of the two you would like better:
The PNW has a climate that is moderated by the pac ocean, and you can get as much or as little rain as you want by moving inland. The desert is about 150 miles inland. The major cities get about the same amount of rainfall as Fay, but it comes in a gentle off and on drizzle from Nov 1 thru Apr 30. May thru Oct expect a lot less rain and humidity than Fay.
Interesting wildlife that can be easily viewed in the wild in the PNW include whales, salmon, sea lions, seals, elk, etc. For Fay, the list includes black widow spiders, ants, bugs of all sorts, coyotes, snakes. The PNW has very very few bugs. Accordingly outdoor cafes are bug free and very popular.
The PNW has big mountains that rise up from sea level. When you view Mt Rainier from 50 miles away, you are viewing a peak that is almost three miles higher than you and you are looking at the whole mountain. You cant do that in CO or CA and you sure cant do it in AR. The Oregon coast is the most magnificent coast in the world. The Coastal Mountain range is fantastic and there are many points where you can stand on the edge of 700 foot cliffs and look almost straight DOWN at the ocean. Not so in AR.
Deserts, rain forests, big cities that are often featured in movies, Sequoia trees, Crater Lake - Arkansas? - NOT!
Vancouver, Canada is nearby and is really a trip! Comarable to Memphis, Dallas, or KC? - NOT!
Traffic Fatalities? Check the NHTSA - AR has a fatality rate of 22.70. WA has a rate of 10.05. Most people go the speed limit most of the time and it is extremely rare for anyone to cross over the center line or to change lanes unsafely.
Natural disasters? A lot more people have died in AR MS OK from tornados and hurricanes than in WA OR from volcanos and earthquakes.
Cost of living? - housing - AR wins. But groceries, cable tv, internet, taxes, car repairs? ouch - Arkansas is expensive! How about the cost of a trip to the coast or to the big mountains?
You add it up and tell us what you think. I would like to thank Sperlings Best Places for their help in my research that went into this fantastic move.
Diversity? The PNW has a healthy melting pot with lots of people from every part of the world. It is very common to overhear Russian
Jerry | Financial District, NY