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Why People Move Here

Breathtaking beauty; clean environment; wonderful, accessible beaches; security; a real sense of community; no stop lights; no traffic jams; we're in the sun belt; some of the best boating, fishing and diving in the world; close to cities, but still a small town; arts and recreation; restaurants; level of average education and technology.

These are just some of the reasons. Want to know more? Please contact us.

WEATHER. The San Juan Islands average 247 sunny days annually. They are in the ‘banana belt’, having the best weather in the Pacific Northwest and one of the most moderate climates in the world. Temperatures rarely go over 85 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer or below 40 degrees in the winter. Rainfall averages 19 – 26 inches a year, about half of what falls in Seattle.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. In the islands you can become a hermit if you like or you can volunteer to help with numerous valuable organizations and needy causes to the point where your free time can be completely absorbed, or somewhere in between.

SCHOOLS. Schools are considered excellent due to the quality of teachers, administrative staff, the student/teacher ratio, student attitudes and involvement, parent and community participation, the curriculum, and the sports, scholastic achievement and extra-curricular programs.

COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY DEGREES. Skagit Valley Community College offers a great variety of courses to high school students through Senior Citizens within their new, modern extension facility in Friday Harbor. Go to www.skagit.edu for more information. Coordinating with Skagit Valley College, Washington State University, through its cooperative extension program, offers some Bachelor of Arts Degrees via the internet. Go to www.learningcenters.wsu.edu/skagit for more information.

MEDICAL FACILITIES. Although we don’t have a hospital in San Juan County, we do have excellent medical centers and professional emergency response teams. If a person requires immediate hospitalization, we have a Med-evac system whereby emergency patients can be flown to a variety of nearby hospitals.

TAX RATES. According to the San Juan County Assessor, the 2007 tax rates range between $4.47 and $6.63 per each $1,000 of assessed property value, depending on the island you live on and the services it offers.

BUSINESSES. With 2,021 registered businesses, San Juan County has the highest number of businesses per capita of any county in the state. Unemployment was the 25th lowest of the state’s 39 counties, and average personal income is the highest in the state (many islanders make their money from dividends, interest and rent). The largest employers are in services, retail, construction and county government. The types of businesses range from commercial fishing to world-class high technology industries.

ACCOMMODATIONS. There are hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts and resorts found within San Juan, Orcas and Lopez Islands. Go to our lodging page for a list and remember that if you are wanting to visit during the summer, make your reservations well in advance.

RESTAURANTS. It’s amazing how many wonderful and varied restaurants we have in the islands considering our relatively small population, including traditional American, Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, English Pub, Asian and plenty of seafood, of course.

BOATING AND FISHING. In San Juan County there are more boats per person than in any other county in the State of Washington and the Pacific Northwest is the boating capital of the world. The San Juan Islands are a boater’s paradise for sailboats or motorboats, large or small. Their protected waters and the protected waters of adjacent areas in British Columbia provide endless adventure and exploration within one of the most physically beautiful environments in the world. There are numerous marine parks, islands and beaches available to the boater as well as many marinas.