Compass Legal Services, P.S. is located in Silverdale, Washington, the heart of Kitsap County which spans the majority of the Kitsap Peninsula. Kitsap County is the seventh largest county in Washington State and one of the best not-so-well-kept secrets in the Pacific Northwest. We are a nexus of people from all over the country and serve as a bedroom community for Seattle. A great place for families, professionals, adventure seekers, and anyone looking for their own vibe, Kitsap County is full of amazing people and fun experiences.
Here are some of the best reasons to live and work in Kitsap County:
The Kitsap Peninsula is one of the most naturally beautiful places in the United States.
Kitsap County is surrounded by water on three sides, with the Puget Sound to the east, Hood Canal to the west, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the north. This creates a stunning natural environment that is unparalleled in the United States. Residents of Kitsap County can enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities, from kayaking and fishing to hiking and camping. If you have never experienced disk golf in an old-growth rainforest, trust us, you have to try it!
In addition to its waterways, Kitsap County is also home to some of the most beautiful forests in the Pacific Northwest. The Olympic National Forest, which covers much of the western part of the county, is a prime example. This forest is home to some of the largest trees in the world, including the Sitka spruce and the Douglas fir.
A life and lifestyle for everyone
Community is important and the many welcoming communities here on the peninsula are just waiting for you. From Silverdale to Port Orchard, Bainbridge Island to Bremerton, Poulsbo to Seabeck, Kitsap County has a community for everyone. Urban, suburban, rustic, and rural all seem to find a happy meeting place here in Kitsap, and for those who need a dose of metropolitan, Seattle is just a beautiful ferry ride away. In fact, you can be in Seattle, Tacoma, Port Townsend or the Olympic Mountains in under an hour.
We have amazing restaurants and breweries that seem to pop up all over the county. Bremerton’s Rock the Dock is a favorite summer music festival that happens monthly at the Harborside. We even have a couple of 21+ arcades for gamers or just the young at heart. You can rent a kayak all over the county and traverse the waterways along 371 miles of shoreline that comprises the Kitsap Peninsula National Water Trails. Inter-urban trails, sprawling parks, waterfalls, mountain hikes, and multiple golf courses, just to name of few of the favorite outdoor activities.
Culture
We do festivals! Communities and organizations throughout the county host the county, including Bremerton’s Blackberry Festival on the dock at Bremerton Harborside, Viking Festival in downtown Poulsbo, and Whaling Days in Old Towne Silverdale. Great live music, food, fun, and lots of fireworks (usually). The Bremerton Bridge Blast is also a local favorite fireworks display in Bremerton each year.
Kitsap County may be known for its natural beauty, but it also has a vibrant cultural scene. The county is home to several museums, including the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, the Naval Undersea Museum, and the Kitsap County Historical Society Museum. These institutions showcase the region’s rich history, art, and culture.
In addition to its museums, Kitsap County also has a thriving performing arts scene. The Admiral Theatre, located in downtown Bremerton, hosts a wide range of concerts, plays, and other performances throughout the year. The Historic Roxy Theatre, recently restored, offers weekly films and other entertainment events. The county also has several community theater groups, including the Jewel Box Theatre and the Western Washington Center for the Arts.
Quality of Life
Kitsap County is a place you can call home. Many of us have lived here for decades. We went to school here, raised children, and we look forward to retiring here. We know our neighbors and we trust them. We have a favorite coffee shop, drive out of our way to go to Central Market, and know the owners of half the restaurants and bars in the county (only partly because of the work we do). Kitsap is big enough to offer a lot of options for individuals and families, and small enough to feel like home.
The area has a low crime rate and a relatively low cost of living compared to other parts of the Pacific Northwest. We also have several school districts that are very highly rated. In terms of higher education, Kitsap County is home to Olympic College, one of the top-rated community colleges in the nation, offering associate-level degrees, including university transfer options, and even offers multiple bachelor’s degree programs.
Kitsap County also has a very strong economy. The Navy, Department of Defense, Olympic College and CHI Franciscan/St. Michaels Hospital are major employers in the region. Silverdale is a hub for commerce, offering big box and local retail, services and other shopping and recreation.
The Seattle Question
Everyone asks, “Why move to Kitsap County when you could live in Seattle.” We love Seattle and visit the city often. We love to go to shows, shopping and make a day of it. But at the end of the day, these are the reasons we don’t live in Seattle:
- The cost of living is astronomical.
- PARKING specifically, and traffic in general.
- Accessing basic things like a gas station or grocery store is obnoxious and requires strategy we don’t get paid for.
- The culture and general milieu of Seattle is not what it once was, and we don’t want our kids growing up in that environment.
- Community is important and it can be difficult to build a sense of community in the metro.
- Even diehard Seattleites are moving to Kitsap County.
Ultimately, Seattle is great and it puts us in easy distance to more shopping, wider cultural opportunities, entertainment, world-class medical facilities, and a lot more, but here in Kitsap County we can go out or stay in, and either way, we feel pretty safe and comfortable.