I’ve lived in South Carolina, Idaho, and Montana and visited many other states—Washington is by far my favorite! Of course, it all depends on what you enjoy. Port Orchard is a sweet little town, much more ‘real’ than Silverdale or Gig Harbor, but close enough to both if you want big box stores. The location couldn’t be better—an hour from Port Townsend, 2 hrs to get to the west side of the Olympic Peninsula, ferry ride from Bremerton and then another ferry to Seattle. The people aren’t outgoing but neither are southerners in my experience. Weather is WONDERFUL—rainy and cool in fall-spring, warm and sunny (too sunny!) in summer. No poisonous snakes, no water bugs, few mosquitoes, even! Growing zone is similar but things like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants struggle. Beautiful gardens, lots to do. Port Orchard is a great place! And property values are lower than other places nearby, though may still be higher than in GA. We absolutely love it here!!!