In a region rife with evergreens, Aberdeen's heyday was as a logging town, but by the late 1900s, the industry was declining. The last logging company shut down in 2005. This has resulted in some issues, including unemployment and closed storefronts; Aberdeen is often compared to the once-great Rust Belt cities. However, the community has made improvements in recent years, especially with an influx of newcomers. “I wouldn’t say that Aberdeen is declining in any sense. I think it's growing; a lot of people are moving in because it's affordable,” says broker Rikki Roberts, who works with Olympic Realty 2000 and has about a decade of experience in the area. There are also newer businesses and attractions downtown, encouraged by the Vacant Building Program, which aims to refurbish empty storefronts. One of these former empty buildings is now Unplugged, a new museum about the band Nirvana, which formed in Aberdeen in 1987.
Catch incredible moonrises from Morrison Riverfront Park on your drive home to New London.
While New London is a rural neighborhood just five minutes from Downtown Hoquiam.
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Downtown Aberdeen retail
The city’s downtown is a Main Street-style retail district — several walkable blocks surrounding Wishkah Street. The shopping options range from art galleries to markets to a music store. It also has a diverse array of restaurants, serving cuisines from Japanese to Mexican. Some of the city’s best-known mainstays are local breweries. “Mount Olympus Brewing is a fun place to go to. It’s been around for five to six years,” Roberts says. “There are new businesses coming in and more things to do here now than in my whole life, so for 30 years.”
Retail shops line the streets of Aberdeen, a few minutes away from the West End neighborhood.
Events, such as car shows and markets, are held annually near West End, WA.
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Proximity to the Westport State Park beach and more recreation
“People move here because there's the beach pretty close by,” Roberts says. About 20 miles west of Aberdeen, Westport Light State Park features surfing and the tallest lighthouse in the state. Aberdeen offers a popular park in its north side. “Sam Benn is a nice park; they have a newer playground for the kids, and there’s Frisbee golf too,” Roberts says. Named after the city’s founder, the park also has tennis courts. Located between Olympic National Forest and Capitol State Forest, Aberdeen has access to many trails and campsites in the wilderness.
The Liz Preble Court is a circular paved path in Sam Benn Park in Aberdeen, WA.
Westport Light State Park is the most popular place to spend the day near Grayland.
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Craftsman homes, Colonial Revivals and ranch-style homes in Aberdeen
The Chehalis River cuts Aberdeen in half, with northern and southern sides of the city. Most of the city is composed of grid-style blocks of homes from the early 1900s, including Craftsman bungalows and Colonial Revivals. The edges of Aberdeen have meandering roads of midcentury ranch-style homes and split-levels. “I think the prices here are a lot better than up north,” Roberts says. The city's median sales price is $270,000. Homes in Aberdeen stay on the market for 54 days on average, compared to the national average of 45 days.
West End, WA houses have compact lots with well kept landscaped lawns.
West End, WA homes vary in color, with bright bold colors being the preferred choice.
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Events and attractions, including World Music Day
Aberdeen hosts World Music Day every June, with free concerts throughout the city. “I think a lot of people visit for that reason. Kurt Cobain is a big thing, and someone from Nirvana was in the festival,” Roberts says. Krist Novoselic, the band’s bassist, played a concert in 2024. Another of the city’s attractions is the Kurt Cobain Under the Bridge Memorial, which has a headstone and a guitar statue next to the Wishkah River. Only a couple of blocks away, fans can see Kurt Cobain's childhood home. Another big event is the Walk of the Undead, which is celebrated in mid-October, with a zombie parade and a hearse car show.
Equestrian shows, livestock auctions and more are popular events near West End, WA.
The Gray Harbor County Fair is a major local event and 30 minutes by car from West End, WA.
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Aberdeen School District and Grays Harbor College
On Niche, Aberdeen School District has a C-plus rating. Serving approximately 3,300 students, the district has a student-teacher ratio of 16-to-1. Grays Harbor College, a public community college, is also in the city.
Lincoln Elementary School is a public school in Hoquiam, Washington.
Hoquiam High School was founded in 1891 in Hoquiam, Washington.
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A 50-mile drive to Olympia and more transportation
As the largest city in the county, Aberdeen has work opportunities for locals, with the largest companies being Grays Harbor Community Hospital and Grays Harbor College. For public transportation, there’s the Grays Harbor Transit bus system. The city is about 50 miles from Olympia via U.S. Route 12. The Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, the closest major airport, is about 100 miles away.
New London residents have access to the Grays Harbor Transit System.
Coastal Highway 101 is the only way in, out, and through New London.
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The Aberdeen Police Department, plus the city's climate
The Aberdeen Police Department serves the community, but specific crime rates for the city are not available.
Aberdeen’s has mild temperatures overall, with four distinct seasons. The city averages about 130 days of sunshine per year and is known for cloudy, rainy weather. It has an extreme flood risk because of its location on Grays Harbor.
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