Vancouver, Washington is part of the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area and is located just north of the state’s boundaries along the Columbia River. The area was hit hard by the recession, but has since recovered well. New home construction is booming to keep up with demand and prices for new and existing homes is at the highest it’s even been. Inventory is low though, which is why home builders are currently playing catch-up.
Vancouver is full of neighborhoods that offer great amenities, are relatively safe and have access to good schools. As the popularity of the area increases, so is the cost of living, making most neighborhoods in Vancouver less affordable than nearby areas. Fisher’s landing is a popular and highly rated neighborhood in the city. It has a high income per capita, a stable housing market and beautiful homes. Fruit Valley is another neighborhood that stands out among the rest. It offers a little more space with cul-de-sacs and single family homes. It is on the west side of the city and has a beautiful natural landscape. Fisher’s creek is closer to the city, but still gives a suburban feel with residential areas near main roads. If you are looking for a neighborhood that is in the heart of the city, Ellsworth Springs and Vancouver Mall might be the right places for you. They do not have many single family homes, but offer more upscale townhomes and condominiums.
Although Vancouver sits right outside Portland, it is a great place to find a job in its own right. Education is one of the largest industries in the area. The Vancouver School District and Evergreen School District are both within Vancouver and are the largest employers in the city, together supplying over 6,500 jobs to the area. Vancouver is also known as a center for high tech manufacturing evidenced by some of its largest employers, which are WaferTech, SEH America and Hewlett Packard.
