Sure, Portland and Seattle have so much to offer young professionals.  Live music, bars, theater, museums, great jobs, and great apartments are a draw to young people in their first professional jobs. But with the rising cost of living, crowds, and competition a lot of young people are looking to leave bigger cities, but still want those perks that those big towns offer. The Tri-Cities has been on the rise as a desirable place to move due to the quality of life that is hard to find in the big city. Here are a few simple reasons people are looking to come here! Maybe we want to keep this list to ourselves....

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    JOBS

    Big employers like PNNL, Hanford, Amazon are listing more and more jobs, attracting college-educated young professionals to the Tri-Cities. And with WSU Tri-Cities getting better each year more college grads are wanting to stay close to home and get hot jobs near their families. Retail, restaurant, and other businesses are booming as well, and there are many young entrepreneurs are looking to start their own business in an affordable places like the Tri-Cities.

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    COST OF LIVING

    If you have friends in Portland and Seattle, you can't help but hear them complain about rent. It's OUT OF CONTROL! Especially in Portland where a lot of the jobs aren't paying enough to cover the skyrocketing price of even a studio apartment. Sure it's not as bad as the SF Bay Area, or New York, but living in the Northwest is getting spendy! When I first moved here from Portland I was AMAZED that I could afford a nice two bedroom, and still have some cash at the end of the month. Out here, the cost of rent is much more affordable especially when you consider the job pay rate. Money can go much further out here!

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    ENTERTAINMENT

    People used to always say "there's nothing to do in the Tri-Cities." Some people still say it. Those people aren't aware of the MANY new bars, restaurants, shops, theater companies, sports and other activities that are booming in the area. Night clubs and lounges like Rumor and Nomad are bringing big city style. Theater companies like Mid-Collumbia Musical Theater and the new The Rude Mechanicals Shakespeare company are creating high-quality stage productions. And so many new restaurants like Lu Lu Craft Bar + Kitchen and Shiki Sushi are delivering gourmet goodness you don't need to drive to Portland or Seattle to get!

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    TRANSPORTATION

    Okay, so this isn't as flashy and fun as the others in this list, but it can be come a big deal when you're wanting to travel. The Tri-Cities Airport has been recently renovated and more and more flights are being offered. We no longer have to drive to Portland or Seattle to get flights to where ever we want to travel. Also, with taxi services, buses, and Uber ride-share coming in November getting around town will be even easier! And hey, if we're itching to see those things we can only see/do in Portland and Seattle, we can still drive or fly in a reasonable time.

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    WINE

    Yes, we couldn't leave out the wine! The wine industry has been moving away from stuffy tasting rooms and yawn-fest meet-ups to more appealing events for younger people. Live music, gourmet food offerings, and affordable wines and club memberships are helping drive more younger people to take an interest in the industry. And let's be honest, our wines are just as good (or better) than ones you'll find in Napa or France. (Yeah, I said it.) Wine culture is becoming a great appeal for those with a little extra money to spend!

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