Cle Elum Washington, Pros & Cons - Living in Washington State

[@daviddone3172]

It's important to have these kinds of discussions. If you aren't willing to believe that the city is good place to live it never will be. Everything stated is true and Cle Elum is a wonderful place to live.

[@DadDare]

He did a good job with the video

[@farmlife00]

Traffic every Sunday. No getting into town quickly or out. Businesses choosing to close on Sundays because of traffic. Being loved to death. Garbage from weekenders in the forests.

[@LivingInWAState]

That's a shame about garbage, we can totally bring that to attention and call people higher.

[@glnr103110]

Comments like “traffic is brutal if you’re trying to get back to the west side” is so hard to hear. Imagine trying to get out of your driveway or just going to the store as a local. The folks visiting are bringing the problem they’re complaining about!

[@Elephantine999]

Interesting videos. Intercutting the corny stock video clips detracts.

[@LivingInWAState]

Really appreciate the feedback, as we gather more & more footage as our channel grows we will be able to have less & less. Let us know of other Video topics you may find interesting!

[@glnr103110]

A major pro is the small town. This is not a limiting factor. There is a theater, THREE hardware stores, tons of restaurants, etc. this was kind of silly actually because it’s why people come and why people live here. If you need a mall or Trader Joe’s, it’s probably not for you. But please keep telling people how bad it is because Cle Elum doesn’t need help getting people here. YES, the infrastructure is NOT ready.

[@jasonbabila6006]

Traffic is definitely getting worse during the summer months through town on Fridays going east and on Sunday going west, I can’t wait for winter 🥶 and traffic will be much lighter, I live in Cle Elum and go to work in Ellensburg and rarely take I-90 to and from work, as for grocery shopping we go to Ellensburg, Yakima/Union Gap and sometimes to the Wenatchee Costco.

[@BillHaynal]

Cle Elum is my hometown, lived there 1961-1968. My grandparents lived there 1949 until they passed away in the 90s. I remember when Cle Elum had no traffic lights. lol

[@pelaymcap6622]

Recuerdo aún la Deliciosa comida en ese lugar.Hace un año.😊🙏🙏

[@melneifert]

Affordable housing? Sure. Maybe, if you compare it to Seattle. There are very few places to rent or buy that are actually affordable. Only wealthier folks can afford the housing here. Ederra is a con just by itself. That, and 47 Degrees North and Suncadia pander only to the rich folks that keep moving out here. Developers keep cutting down our forests, which is making Cle Elum less beautiful and overcrowded. I love how beautiful it is, and I love hiking and fishing, but that might not last very long. It’s bad enough we have a constant fear of wildfires. Once the kids are grown up, we’re getting the hell out of here and finding a place where is isn’t turning into a tourist trap or traveling nightmare. I can’t even go to the ONLY grocery in town on the weekends, because of the tourists.

[@Stickit2daman]

I struggle to find traffic being manageable. I recently brought property out that way and am living out of a camper while I build my home. I juggle living in both Gig Harbor while I work in SeaTac a few days out of the week on land I’m renting and living off of my land during my off days in Cle Elum in the mean time. When do you feel the Highway may because “easier”?

[@LivingInWAState]

Have heard that it’s going to get better once the Construction is finished. At least that’s what WASDOT says. Construction is supposed to be near completion sometime next year I believe, but you know how those timelines go. I’ll do some more accurate digging for you though!

[@DadDare]

Great video, always more that can be shared but hard to pack it into such a short video. Good job.

[@davidinwashington]

Honestly, who needs 2600 square feet anymore? That's just space to heat, cool, light, insure, and maintain. I'll take a 600 square foot a-frame with a walk around deck any day.

[@glnr103110]

This is difficult to watch because there are so many issues with pressures from development/infill that many of the “pros” are being outweighed/diminished. I also think it’s misleading a bit. You state it isn’t a good place to build your career, but that is relative to what your career is. Cle Elum has some major industries that weren’t highlighted and nearly every business including the industries and the school district are hiring. A major problem is “workforce” housing. Folks are desperately needed for the running of all the service oriented businesses that are the backbone of our tourism industry but they can’t afford to live here because of so many issues. One primary issue is the sale of rental housing to folks who let these homes sit vacant much of the year just to shelter money and visit a couple times a year or turn them into short-term rentals which greatly impact established communities. Rather than an advertisement on why to visit or move to cle elum, we need to encourage folks to be stewards of our small towns and their wilderness areas to protect them and maintain availability and access for generations to come. As it is these natural areas are being degraded by the number of people and their treatment of the open spaces.

[@LivingInWAState]

Really appreciate you taking the time & your effort on your comment. I do plan to do a deeper dive into these issues. Would you be open to get on an interview and talk about these challenges? I apologize for it seeming “miss-leading” and excited to move forward with more accurate content with exact information.

[@CynthiaGreene-e4l]

I noticed that you didn't mention the wind. I think it's worth addressing.

[@squimboli]

We have zombies and flying tarantulas

[@LivingInWAState]

the flying tarantulas are scary for sure.

[@MrMoomick]

Don’t share too many of our secrets ;)

[@LivingInWAState]

Anything we missed??

[@glnr103110]

How did you find the folks to interview?

[@LivingInWAState]

Reach out to locals I know who are willing to share their perspective. Would you be interested in one?

[@glnr103110]

Another con: rated as one of the top wildfire risk areas in the entire country.

[@LivingInWAState]

That’s a bad con.. for sure

[@davidinwashington]

God bless our professional and volunteer firefighters in the Fire Districts and at DNR. They are fighting wildfires nearly every single day lately. The Yakima valley and Lake Chelan are bathed in wood smoke. I've seen the choppers dumping water buckets many times along I-90 already this year. I don't ever remember being afraid of fires growing up in the Kittitas Valley as a kid. 😢

[@FireSmartNW]

Smokey's BBQ is in Ellensburg.

[@LivingInWAState]

Their truck is in Roslyn & they were in south Cle Elum for years, and still live in Cle Elum👍🏻

[@torchtime6193]

Who watchinig this video actually lives in Cle Elum? please comment below so we can see what you think

[@marge3157]

My daughter (26 year old) She is giving it one more year then coming back to rural south central Oregon.

[@jasonbabila6006]

I live on the south side of the Yakima River and east of South Cle Elum.

[@beaunicholls8856]

Major CON increasingly difficult if not impossible to get homeowners insurance it is a matter of time when Cle Elum Ridge will burn not If it will 🔥 Straight from the DNR.

[@LivingInWAState]

Very interesting! I’ll be doing some digging into this!

[@beaunicholls8856]

You live in town? It’s been a huge topic of conversation people are having an extremely difficult time renewing their homeowners insurance due to legacy insurance companies rating of the area and its fire danger. Lots of one-way in one-way out no escape roads, including everything past Roslyn headed up to Lake Cle Elum.

[@LivingInWAState]

@@beaunicholls8856 been hearing lots about this, actually just spoke with an insurance broker about this issue and will be bringing it to light soon. Very tough situation

[@beaunicholls8856]

Yeah, probably worth mentioning in your video. You might be able to buy a home but a real possibly of not being able to be adequately insured by a name brand company.

[@aaronolson6205]

Affordable housing??? Ya right

[@LivingInWAState]

@@aaronolson6205 what is your definition of affordable housing?

[@dirtroadking4x424]

Affordability hahahaha OK too busy here anymore its not the cle elum I grew up in can't go anywhere on weekends with bumper to bumper traffic. So stay away people

[@sheilaschneider2091]

The traffic is so bad and backed up in Cle Elum. Born and raised in Washington. The west is coming here. Not much of a industry here.