Lake Stevens, WA -- The distance from down town Seattle is not toooo bad. It's roughly 30 miles, depending on where you are located in Lake Stevens. The school district is highly rated, and the out door activities are numerous. However, the commute to Seattle is HORRENDOUS. That being said, there are many jobs in and around Lake Stevens. Depending on what your wife does for a living, there may be many opportunities that don't require such a terrible commute.
Disclaimer, I lived in and grew up in Lake Stevens, WA from age 4-28. I now live in Everett, WA, and am closing on a house in Everett this month. I would recommend you take a look in the Everett area, or Lynnwood, WA or Martha Lake area as well.
I think Everett is underrated and offers a lot of value as well.
Affordability -- This is relevant, and depends on your goals. Are you buying or renting? The rental markets are intense north of Seattle. However, there are still deals to be had. Of course buying in this market is also a process as well, and it's difficult to make a good buy.
Good town/neighborhood-- I think that the neighborhood where I live in Everett is awesome. There are always different areas of the city, and plenty I would rather not live in, but it's all semantics and dependent on your comfort level.
Easy access to outdoors-- You'll have to try hard to not have access to the outdoors when you're living in the Pacific Northwest. We are half a mile from the ocean, half an hour from hiking trails, and just over an hour from ski resorts.
Reasonable commute to a major city-- Distance wise, or time wise? Commuting into Seattle takes time. The distance isn't that bad.
Access to professional sports venues -- No problem, Everett Silvertips, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, etc. All pretty close.