When families decide to move to a region or a new city, a lot of thought and planning must go into that decision. There are so many factors to think about when moving to a new city. Certain questions like is the city affordable, how are the schools and is there a low crime rate are just a few that come to mind when contemplating whether a certain city is right for both you and your family. We are lucky in the Pacific Northwest to have access to so many activities both cultural and outdoors. From the museums in the cities to the mountains in the Cascade Range and the sea and the lakes, people here have the opportunity to lead full lives. There are so many reasons to pick Washington for a new place to settle down but where exactly is the best city? Taking certain factors into account, Puyallup, Washington is the best place to settle down.
Table of Contents:
• Top reason you should move to Puyallup
• Getting settled into Puyallup
• Car and boat licensing information
• Hunting and fishing licensing information
• Pet licensing
• Government numbers to know
• Puyallup historical society and museums
• Post offices
• Recycling and garbage information
• Utilities
• Moving, storage, and truck local companies
• Local moving companies
• Local truck rentals
• Local storage companies
• Conclusion
Here are the top reasons why Puyallup is where you should make your next move.
1. Cost of Living: City living is only really great if you can afford it. Seattle is starting to become one of the most expensive cities in the United States. With Amazon moving taking over the city, the more affordable neighborhoods are disappearing. The current average house price in Seattle is $525,00. Puyallup’s, on the other hand, has a current median home price is $224,500 and home appreciation is climbing steadily each year. The cumulative appreciation rate over the last ten years has been 30.30%, which ranks in the top 30% nationwide and even during the recession the Puyallup housing market continued to experience growth. Review our guide for more real estate information. Currently, gas prices in Puyallup are some of the lowest in Western Washington. They are fluctuating between $2.15 a gallon to $2.30 a gallon.
2. School District: For people who have children, there is nothing more important that a good school district. According to the Great Schools website, the Puyallup School District is rated 7 out of 10. Across the boards, both the elementary, middle and high schools, like PHS, in the Puyallup area rated above the rest of the state in proficiency in reading and math. Also the Puyallup school district has an average class size is 20 whereas the Seattle School district currently has an average of 30 students per class. Research and studies have shown that smaller class sizes are linked to positive educational benefits such better test scores, lower dropout rate and higher graduation rates.
3. Entertainment: Puyallup is the home to one of the top ten fairs in the United States. There are two annual events held at the fairgrounds every year. There is a 17 day event held every September and a four day Spring Fair every April. The local fair has live musical concerts from famous stars, comedy, rides, delicious food, and special exhibits. Throughout the year the fair has a variety of events each month all of which are held at the Washington State Fair. There are also three different movie theaters in the Puyallup area that play the latest movies. The city also holds a lot of family friendly events during the holidays like a community trick-or-treating event for children and the Lighted Santa Parade. Considering all the other local cities, Puyallup, Washington is one of most popular for entertainment.
4. Culture: Puyallup is a small city but with a busy community spirit. Puyallup hosts the Meeker Days Street fair, which is Pierce County’s largest street fair. The Meeker Days event is right downtown in Pioneer Park and covers several blocks. This street fair features live music, over 130 arts and crafts booths along with activities for children and teens. The food selection is massive and there are a lot of vendors as well. Also Puyallup’s annual Art and Wine Walk has become quite the popular event that features fantastic local, national and international wines. People get to sip on delicious wines while being able to shop and admire art in the downtown area. Puyallup also hosts one of the best farmer’s markets in Washington thanks to Puyallup being surrounded by fertile farmland. The farmers market features delicious local produce along with some arts and crafts booths. There is also a holiday farmers market that features unique holiday items like gifts and home décor.
5. Social Scene: A social scene is a key aspect to a quality of life in a city. People love an active social scene that allows them to go out meet new people and gives them something fun to do in their city. Most people think they should head to Tacoma or Seattle but Puyallup’s budding social scene is a casual yet fun scene that features bars, breweries and delicious restaurants. There are places to dance and sing karaoke and parking there is hardly ever an issue.
6. Commute: Since Seattle’s cost of living has sky rocketed and people are leaving the city in droves and moving outwards to the outlying cities. Seattle traffic is some of the worst traffic in the United States. According to a national ranking by the Tom Tom Navigation Company, Seattle ranks as the fifth most congested city in the United States. Even navigating through the city itself takes forever. Luckily, Puyallup has the Sounder station right in downtown for a quick and painless 40 minute ride to the city. The sounder is spacious and comfortable and a lot less stressful than the sitting in traffic. Also parking in Seattle is outrageous and costs an arm and a leg. Taking the Puyallup Sounder eliminates the need for parking and helps save you money. It gets very busy, however, at the Puyallup location so come early to grab a parking spot at the Sounder station. Parking is free.
7. Outdoor Activities: Western Washington is blessed to have so many different kinds of outdoor activities within in one state. From skiing in the mountains to swimming in the ocean, Washington is filled with a lot of beautiful natural wonders. Those who live in the Puyallup area are fortunate because Puyallup is smack in the center of all of it. Mt. Rainer is only about an hour away, the Puget Sound in only 20 minutes away, beautiful Lake Tapps is only 15 minutes away, and skiing at Snoqualmie in only 90 minutes away. All those fun outdoor activities are so close to Puyallup and for those who love being outdoors, Puyallup is the most central location to all these exciting activities. It’s truly a great place to move to considering it’s central location alone.
8. Community: As mentioned above, the City of Puyallup hosts a lot of community events for families. This is one of the reasons that Puyallup has gained the reputation for being one of the friendliest cities in the state. Puyallup is filled with very down to earth people that love their city and work hard to be neighborly. The city is constantly working on bringing the community together by creating events that bring together local businesses, people and community leaders. The Main Street Association’s sole focus is creating fun events for the city that have become hugely popular over the years.
Anyone who has ever moved before understands how stressful and overwhelming it can be. There are so many aspects to consider before and after you move. Packing all your furniture and things, selling your home, finding movers are just a few things that one has to do before making the move.
After you have finally settled in the city, there is a vast amount of information that is required in order to help you get established. Whether you are relocating your business, family or just yourself the amount of tasks that must be completed can be daunting. Here is a list of all local government agencies or businesses that you might need to contact to help make your relocation to Puyallup a little bit easier.
Licensing Information:
Driver Licensing office:
There are so many car dealerships in Puyallup so finding a new or used car here will never be a problem after your move. By law, however, you have 30 days to get your Washington state drivers license after you have moved to the state. Washington also has different offices for vehicle licensing and driver licensing. First you must establish residency in Puyallup. You are considered a Washington resident if you do any of the following: register to vote, receive state benefits, get any Washington state license at resident rates, or receive in-state tuition fees. Once you have established residency, you can decide if you want a standard driver license or an enhanced driver license. The enhanced license or EDL is an acceptable alternative to a passport for re-entry in to the US at land or sea border crossings. Once you determine the type of license, find out whether you can pre-apply online. See if you can apply online here: http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/preapply.html
Visit a driver license office to start your application or finish your application that you started online. Make sure to bring your proof of identity, payment for the fees, and your social security number. At the office you will need to be able to pass a vision screening, pay any fees, decide if you want to register to vote or be an organ donor, and pass any other required tests. Once you have taken care of all that, your out-of-state license /ID card will get punched and returned to you. You will then get a temporary license but you will not be able to use it for ID purposes. Your permanent license will be mailed within 7-10 days.
Address:
733 River Rd
Puyallup, WA 98371
Phone: (253) 840-4590
Fax: 253.840.4564
Vehicle Licensing in Puyallup
First you must get your valid Washington drivers license in order to get you vehicle license. You have 30 days to license your vehicle once you have moved to the state. You then must submit your forms and payment and bring or mail them to a vehicle licensing office. You must bring or mail the Vehicle Certificate of Ownership Application, the current Certificate of title of your vehicle and payment for the fees. If you go to the office you will get your plates that day if you mail the forms in it might take up to 3 weeks. Once you get your plates sign up for a License express account in order all your vehicles in the future. There are two Vehicle Licensing agencies in Puyallup.
Address:
(Main) McCallum License Agency, Inc.
1325 East Main Ave
Puyallup, WA 98372
Phone: (253) 845-8811
McCallum License Agency, Inc.
(South Hill – Puyallup Area)
16126 Meridian E
Puyallup, WA 98375
Phone: (253) 841-0245
Puyallup Department of Driver’s Licensing
733 River Road
Puyallup, WA 98371
Phone: (253) 840-4590
Boat Licensing in Puyallup
Within 60 days of moving to Washington to must register your boat. In order to title and register your boat in Puyallup Washington, you must complete the Vessel title Application and bring that along with the current out-of-state registration and title, proof you paid sales tax on the boat, and a check or money order to pay the fees. You can submit this packet by mail or you can visit a vehicle or boat license agency.
Hunting and Fishing License in Puyallup:
Washington is filled with all kinds of outdoor activities. Hunting and fishing are very popular due to all the forest and lakes and access to the ocean. For all the hunters and Puyallup fisherman there are multiple places in the city to get a license. You’ll want to make sure get your fishing license for the Puyallup River as it’s often checked on site. Here are few places in order to get your license.
Wal-Mart 3525
Address:
16502 Meridian Ave. East
Puyallup, WA 98375
The Sports Authority #554
4423 South Meridian
Puyallup, WA 98373
Sportsman’s Warehouse #213
120 31st Ave. SE Suite G
Puyallup, WA 98374
Pet Licensing in Puyallup
All cats and dogs must be licensed through the Metro Animal Services. You can also adopt animals from the Metro Animal Service. Licensing can be completed in person at the following locations:
Puyallup City Hall
333 S. Meridian
Puyallup, WA 98371
Phone: (253) 841-4321
Puyallup Police Department
311 W. Pioneer
Puyallup, WA 98371
Metro Animal Services Shelter
1200 39th Ave. SE
Puyallup, WA 98374
Phone: (253) 299-7387
Government numbers to know for the City of Puyallup:
Puyallup Municipal Court
929 E. Main, Suite 120, Puyallup, WA 98372
Puyallup Court Clerk: (253) 841-5450 ext. 2
Puyallup Court Probation: (253) 770-3347
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Puyallup City Clerk
333 S. Meridian, 4th Floor, Puyallup, WA 98371
Telephone: (253) 841-4321
Fax: (253) 770-3352
DSHS
Address:
Puyallup Valley Community Service Office
201 West Main Street, Puyallup, WA 98371-9987
General Information: (253) 476-6818
Mailing Address:
Puyallup CSO
PO Box 2116
Tacoma, WA 98401-9915
Puyallup Library
The Puyallup Public Library focuses on an open environment that brings literacy, imagination and inspiration to all the patrons both young and old. The library was also built in 2002 and is filled with books, DVD’s, newspapers, and magazines of all genres. You can visit the main library downtown by the Ezra Meeker statue in Puyallup’s Pioneer Park. The land the Puyallup Library sits on was donated by Ezra Meeker himself with certain terms.
Address:
324 S. Meridian
Puyallup, WA 98371
Telephone – (253) 841-5454
Fax – (253)841-5483
E-mail – puylib@ci.puyallup.wa.us
Puyallup Historical Society and Museums:
The Puyallup Valley has a very rich history (and daffodils) dating back to 1830’s. The first European settler in the area was Dr. Tolmie. When he first passed through the area, it was a beautiful fertile valley that had a scenic river meandering through the valley. The Puyallup Tribe of Indians had a permanent dwelling along the riverbank and their tribe name originated from their hospitable nature. The word Puyallup translates to “generous people” which is the same spirit that the city is known for today. It later grew into a very popular hop industry here in Puyallup. If you are looking to learn about the history of Puyallup once you have settled in here or our local societies and museums also check out our Puyallup history timeline.
The Meeker Mansion
312 Spring St
Puyallup, Washington 98372
Tour information: (253) 848-1770
Karshner Museum
309 4th St NE
Puyallup, WA 98372
Phone: (253) 841-8748
The South Hill Historical Society
They hold regular meetings on the third Tuesday of the month at 11:00am. There are no meetings in July and August. To become a member, please download this form: http://www.southhillhistory.com/Meeting-Membership/Membership_Form.pdf
Address:
502 43rd Ave. SE
Puyallup, WA 98374
Puyallup Post Office
There are two US Post Offices located for your convenience in the Puyallup area.
Address:
(Downtown Puyallup)
204 2nd Street SW
Puyallup, WA 98371
Phone: (253) 435-5146
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8:30am-5:30 pm
Saturday: 9:00am- 3:00pm
Sunday: Closed
Address:
(South Hill Puyallup)
13516 Meridian Ave. E
Puyallup, WA 98373
Phone: (253) 435-1148
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8:30am-5:30 pm
Saturday: 9:00am- 3:00pm
Sunday: Closed
Recycling and Garbage in Puyallup
Washington is a very environmentally friendly state and focusing on a recycling is an important part of living in the state. You can recycle glass, cardboard and newspaper at the following Elks Lodge location. You can drop off your items 7 days a week 24 hours a day. You can also arrange for curbside pick up service for recycling and garbage through DM Disposal.
Elks Lodge
314 27th St. N.
Puyallup, WA 98372
D.M. Disposal
PO Box 532
Puyallup, WA 98371
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Closed on Saturday and Sunday
Mailing Address:
City of Puyallup Utilities Billing & Customer Service
PO Box 35160
Seattle, WA 98124-5160
Visit in-person:
Puyallup City Hall
3rd Floor, 333 S Meridian, Puyallup, WA 98371
Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm
Phone: (253) 841-5550
Fax: (253) 770-3335
In an effort to keep your utility rates low, calls to the Utility Billing Office are answered by “Freedom Voice” during heavy call times. It helps the clerks return your call more quickly and effectively. Freedom Voice converts your voicemail into an email that goes directly to the city’s Utility Billing Clerks. All calls are returned by the next business day and all calls/emails to our office are scanned prior to utility shut-offs.
Water:
Water Distribution Division
Craig Hale, Supervisor
Phone: (253) 841-5503
Address:
1100 39th Ave SE
Puyallup, Washington 98374
Public Works Main Office: (253) 841-5505
Fax: (253) 841-5437
Water Maintenance: (253) 841-5512
Water Operations: (253) 841-5508
Cross Connection Control: (253) 841-5524
After Hours Emergency: (253) 841-5431
Firgrove Mutual Water Company
10408 144th St E
Puyallup, WA 98374-4958
Phone: (253) 845-1542
Emergency: 253-934-0032
Valley Water District
14515 Pioneer Way E
Puyallup, WA 98372
Phone: (253) 841-9698
Emergency: (888) 205-0118
Gas:
Puget Sound Energy
Website: www.pse.com
Phone: (888) 225-5773
Voter Registration in Puyallup
To be eligible to vote, you must be at least 18 years of age and have lived in Puyallup for at least 30 days prior to the election that you wish to cast a vote in.
Pierce County Annex
2401 South 35th Street
Tacoma, Washington 98409
253-798-7430
Pierce County Elections Website
Voter registration forms are available at the following locations:
Puyallup City Hall
4th Floor, 333 South Meridian
Puyallup, WA 98371
Phone: (253) 841-4321
Moving is always the worst part of relocating to a city. It is always stressful and sometimes finding a moving company or a storage unit just takes so much time to research and vet. Experienced movers can be hard to find and working with local companies will help make the transition easier. In the midst of moving, it is nice to have one spot where you can find all the information regarding the different companies in the Puyallup area. Here is a complied list of local moving, storage and truck rental companies in Puyallup. If you’re considering moving to Puyallup start here to learn more about Puyallup, Washington.
Bousch Moving has been in business since 1919 and offers a moving service, a packing service and free estimates.
Boush Moving and Storage
820 4th St. NW
Puyallup, WA 98371
Phone: (253) 845-8829
Apex Moving and Storage offers both local and out of state moves. They also do corporate and office moves as well. As a bonus they do offer long and short term storage so instead of having to deal with two companies, one company can take care of your moving and storage needs.
Apex Moving and Storage
801 Valley Ave NW
Suite B
Puyallup, WA 98371
Phone: (253) 864-7870
This company offers portable storage units that you load at your own pace and then the company will pick it up at your home when you are ready. They offer local and long distance moving.
1-800-Pack-Rat
914 Valley Ave. NW
Suite 101
Puyallup, WA 98371
Phone: (206) 456-6681
If your plan is to do all the moving yourself – then all you’ll need is a truck. As you know truck rental prices vary depending on size and miles driven. Almost all require you to replace the gas to the level it was at originally. These truck rental companies are all located in Puyallup, Washington.
Budget Truck Rental
12413 Meridian Ave. E St D
Puyallup, WA 98373
(253) 841-0877
Penske Truck rental
1310 39th Ave SE
Puyallup, WA 98374
(253) 845-3381
A storage company maybe needed during your move as well. These storage companies are all located in Puyallup and are able to help you. We included some of the more popular ones in downtown Puyallup and on South Hill as well. Prices vary depending on the size of the storage unit, location, and the duration of use (months).
Public Storage
4015 S. Meridian
Puyallup, WA 98373
Phone: (253) 466-4356
Extra Space Storage
239 15th St. SE
Puyallup, WA 98371
(253) 770-2378
Safeland Storage- South Hill
1310 39th Ave. SE
Puyallup, WA 98374
(253) 770-1900
Affordable Self Storage
3501 14th PL SW
Puyallup, WA 98373
(253) 841-1818
Daffodil Storage Puyallup
10715 Valley Ave E
Puyallup, WA 98372
(253) 770-3257
Conclusion:
The Northwest is one of the most beautiful parts of the country. There are many reasons to move to this area in the first place and even though there are many wonderful cities in the area to move to, Puyallup is one of the best for all the reasons listed above. You can’t go wrong with the gorgeous surroundings, fun activities for the whole family, and the low cost of living. All of these elements make Puyallup a great place to move to and live. It’s a great place for education as well for the whole family (colleges and public schools). If you plan on moving there soon don’t hesitate, homes are selling fast in the area. Make sure to contact a real estate agent today to find your dream home in your dream city.
There you have it! The top reasons why living and moving to Puyallup is great. Hopefully the information above will make your move here easier. After the move, make sure your new place is all hooked up with the local services like water, gas, and utilities mention above and good luck.
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