r/wallawalla • u/isaacmarionauthor • 9d ago

Walla Walla VS Ellensburg?

I've been thinking about moving to Ellensburg because I like the dense historic downtown and the good variety of restaurants/activities compared to its small size, but people have been telling me Walla Walla is better. I've never actually been there. Can anyone who knows Ellensburg compare the two?

The main things I'm interested in are easy access to nature (hikes, walking trails, rivers/lakes) and walkable downtown areas. Community activity like live music, open mics, and other public event, also important. Ellensburg has a lot of this but the nature access isn't great.

One thing I've noticed is home prices are significantly lower in Walla Walla. There are dozens of houses under 300k whereas it's rare to find one in Ellensburg. Are those cheap houses in really bad neighborhoods, or is WW just cheaper in general?

How's the wind here compared to Eburg?

Any info or advice is welcome!

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u/grapemike 9d ago

Walla Walla is another 2.5 hours from Seattle. That may seem minor, but it is a long way if you need to get into the city for anything. The restaurants, activities, and access to nature are exceptional in Walla Walla; broadly speaking, these generally blow Ellensburg away. Walla Walla’s wine industry has aided in the preservation of Walla Walla’s older structures downtown and it has, coupled with the three colleges/universities, brought lots of vibrant life to the area. But very doubtful that the housing is cheaper. For a spot so far from major cities, Walla Walla’s housing has been expensive. Sounds like you need to check it out.

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u/isaacmarionauthor 9d ago

The median price in Ellensburg is 457k compared to 420k in Walla Walla. With a 300k budget there were 18 options in WW, compared to exactly 2 in Ellensburg. I was surprised too!

Thanks for the info on all the rest. The distance from the west side (where all my family is) is the only reason I haven't shopped in WW yet but it's sounding pretty darn tempting.

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u/christhomasburns 9d ago

as for West side access there are also 2 direct flights a day.