Prairie Ridge, WA 197 Apartments for Rent

Do you like to play, date or stay healthy? If so, you'll be interested to know that Prairie Ridge, Washington, was rated in the top five in the categories of most playful cities, best places to date and healthiest cities in the United States of America.

Prairie Ridge, Washington, is a census-designated place, or CDP, in Pierce County, Washington. With over 11,600 people living in 4.3 square miles according to the last census, it functions more like a medium-size town than an unincorporated dot on the map. With both Olympia and Seattle located less than an hour away, this town in the Pacific Northwest may be just the place for you. That is, if you are looking for a relatively quiet community with a low crime rate that is conveniently located near bigger cities -- but not too near!

Moving to Prairie Ridge

With the vast majority of housing being occupied by owners, you will need to start early in your search for apartments for rent in Prairie Ridge. For the most part, house rentals are fairly easy to come by, but if an apartment rental is more your style, you really have to keep your eyes open and act fast. Prairie Ridge does offer some townhouses for rent; this might be a good compromise for you if you aren't up to maintaining a yard and doing all of the "extras" that renting a single-family house requires, but can't find an apartment complex. Many of these homes are owned by private landlords. Don't think that you can get away with not providing all of the regular documentation and assurances that you won't leave them high and dry, though; you'll still need to pony up for a credit check, provide proof that you have a job and leave a deposit upon signing your lease.

Living in Prairie Ridge is great if you're on a budget. You'll find that rental prices for two-bedroom apartments here are lower than in other neighborhoods in and around Pierce County. The crime rate is low, too. There must be a drawback, you're thinking, right? If you don't have a car, then you'll have a hard time in Prairie Ridge. The Walk Score is a low 11, and most people who commute out of the CDP drive over a half hour to work. If you don't mind driving (hey, it's a great excuse to sing along with your favorite band in the privacy of your own car!), then it's definitely worth looking into making Prairie Ridge your new home.

The weather is typically pretty mild in this section of Washington. Summer days are cooler than average, and winter days are warmer than average. Sure, there are more cloudy and rainy days here than in sunnier areas of the country, but the Pacific Northwest in general has a higher comfort rating than most other areas of the USA. This means that anytime is a good time to move; if it's drizzling out, just throw on a poncho and get on with the show. You'll get used to it!

Neighborhoods in Prairie Ridge

Prairie Ridge is actually considered a constituent neighborhood of Bonney Lake, so it doesn't have any of its own neighborhoods mapped out.

North Prairie Ridge: You might choose to live in the more northern section of town, where you'll have easier access to State Route 410, parts of which are known as the Chinook Scenic Byway. Living here also puts you closer to the shops and restaurants that line Route 410, such as Ben Franklin Crafts & Frame Shop and Home Depot.

South Prairie Ridge: Alternatively, you may find a rental in the less-populated southern section of Prairie Ridge. You are farther from the action but nearer to the South Prairie Creek Reserve.

Living in Prairie Ridge

Given the often-drizzly climate, you are going to want to take advantage of the nice days by being outdoors while having a back-up plan for the days when the sun is playing hide-and-seek. Spend a rainy afternoon at the movies: Regal Tall Firs Cinemas offers ten screens, so you can take your pick of blockbusters. Is the weather looking better than you expected? Head over to the Outdoor Summer Movies, instead!

If you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, you'll want to check out the boutiques along Route 410; there's the Little Red Dress Boutique and Fleet Feet Sports, to name just a couple. Would you rather spend your dough on good eats? You'll find a good variety here, from Robin Hood Pizza and All Spice Thai Restaurant to old faves like McDonald's and Taco Bell.

When you get antsy and want to spend some time in a bigger city, you have Seattle and Olympia to choose from. Check out the Space Needle, Pike Place Market or the Seattle Aquarium while you're in the Emerald City. Olympia, the state capital, features the Capitol building, the Nisqually Reach Nature Center, the Olympic Flight Museum and East Bay Public Plaza. Both larger cities also offer a variety of restaurants, shopping options and, of course, nightlife and entertainment (and traffic!) that you might miss when you live in a small, quiet town like Prairie Ridge.