From its flourishing economy to its easily accessible public transit network, it’s no surprise Seattle has become one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. With so many people flocking to the city in recent years, you might be wondering, “Should I move there, too?” While every major city in the country has its distinct upsides and downsides, Seattle’s unique characteristics make it attractive to people from all walks of life.
| Population | Median Age | Bachelor Degree or Higher |
|---|---|---|
| 724,305 | 35.3 | 64% |
Table of Contents
Pro: an above-average job market
Seattle residents make roughly 12% more than the average American. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, hourly wages and yearly salaries in the city are well above national averages. The minimum wage in Seattle is also significantly above-average.
Incomes for competitive jobs have increased in leaps and bounds due to the ever-rising demand for highly skilled and well-educated individuals in the city’s tech industry.
- Tech giants in the city
There are plenty of tech businesses in Seattle, including everything from well-established tech giants to investor-funded startups.
Microsoft and Amazon are the biggest tech companies currently operating in the city. Other noteworthy employers in Seattle include Boeing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and the University of Washington. Other big tech organizations include Nintendo of America, Expedia, and Tableau Software.
- Retailers based in Seattle
Seattle is also home to various retail, food, and service industries., including Nordstrom, Tommy Bahama, and Zulily.
According to data collected by IHS Global Insight, Seattle is one of the largest metropolitan economies in America. Both the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the Port of Seattle are significant gateways for trade into Asia. For this reason, the city draws all sorts of retail conglomerates.
Other retail giants such as Costco and REI also have their headquarters in the metropolitan area, adding corporate diversity.
Con: Seattle is one of the more expensive cities to live in
Seattle Median Home Price in October 2021
| Median Home Price |
|---|
| $875,450 |
Seattle Median Cost of Utilities in October 2021
| Utilities (Monthly) | Prices |
|---|---|
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | $212.31 |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $61.44 |
Seattle Median Cost of Transportation in October 2021
| Transportation | Prices |
|---|---|
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | $2.75 |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | $99.00 |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | $3.59 |
Seattle Median Cost of Groceries in October 2021
| Groceries | Prices |
|---|---|
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | $3.51 |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | $3.10 |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | $2.05 |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | $3.25 |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | $7.23 |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | $5.35 |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | $6.47 |
| Banana (1 lb) | $0.84 |
| Tomato (1 lb) | $2.68 |
| Potato (1 lb) | $1.07 |
| Onion (1 lb) | $1.18 |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.11 |
| Water (1.5-liter bottle) | $2.13 |
Pro: Seattle has no state income tax
Washington is one of the few states with no income tax, which means that your pay stubs may look slightly different if you move to Seattle. Thanks to the zero income tax, you can make significant savings living in Seattle by making conscious financial decisions.
Con: traffic in the city is a nightmare
Seattle ranks highly as one of the worst cities for traffic in the country. On the worst days, rush hour in the city can last five hours, costing drivers an average of $1,541 in extra gas.
According to several studies, commuters in Seattle lost around 138 hours a year due to traffic congestion.
| Seattle Median Commuting Time | Median U.S. Commuting Time |
|---|---|
| 27.9 Minutes | 26.9 Minutes |
Pro: lush greenery and scenic landscapes
Seattle is a beautiful city considering its small size and youth.
The metropolitan area has nearly 500 parks that span 6,400 acres. You’ll also find hundreds of miles of trails to walk or bike along. You can stand on one of the city’s pristine beaches and still enjoy scenic views of the mountains. Seattle has majestic views of Mt. Rainier, Puget Sound, and the Olympic Mountains but lacks notable architecture except the massive library, Amazon Sphere and Space Needle. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and Seattle certainly ranks at or near the top in the U.S.
Con: the weather can be a bummer
The weather in Seattle can be pretty dreary. It is usually cloudy and overcast from about the end of September to the end of May. The rain is consistent, but it’s not nearly as heavy as people assume. The rain is usually more of a drizzle or mist most of the time. The lack of sunshine can be depressing, especially if you’re coming from a sunny place. It’s always overcast during the winter months, and darkness starts to set in at around 4 p.m.
Seattle , WA Temperature Table
| Month | Temp. Low. Avg. | Temp. High Avg. |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37℉ | 48℉ |
| Feb | 41℉ | 50℉ |
| Marc | 43℉ | 55℉ |
| Apr | 46℉ | 61℉ |
| May | 52℉ | 68℉ |
| Jun | 57℉ | 73℉ |
| Jul | 61℉ | 79℉ |
| Aug | 61℉ | 81℉ |
| Sep | 57℉ | 72℉ |
| Oct | 50℉ | 63℉ |
| Nov | 43℉ | 54℉ |
| Dec | 37℉ | 46℉ |
Pro: the food scene is exciting
Seattle offers a fascinating array of foods, from eclectic fine dining options to sourdough clam chowder bowls on the waterfront. Whether you’re craving cheeseburgers, tacos, dolma, curry, or dessert, you can find a Seattle restaurant that serves exactly what you want. However, two of the city’s best and most notable culinary offerings are seafood and Asian fusion meals.
Seattle is bordered by the saltwater Puget Sound (an arm of the Pacific Ocean) to the west, which is why seafood is as popular. Seattle seafood is highly lauded, from seafood chowder at South Lake Union’s White Swan Public House to tasty oysters at The Walrus and the Carpenter in Ballard.
You’ll find some of the city’s most delicious food at the popular sushi restaurant, Maneki, or the Vietnamese pho bar, Dong Thap Noodles. Teriyaki is a favorite among residents, with some of the tastiest offerings at Ichiro Teriyaki.
Aside from the varied restaurant scene, Seattle is also known for its gourmet beverages. The Starbucks Roastery and Tasting Room is a great place to indulge in the most luxurious and rare coffees that the Starbucks brand offers. Other prominent coffee options include Elm Coffee Roasters and Olympia Coffee Company locations in Colombia City and West Seattle.
Con: the Seattle freeze
New residents in Seattle find a hard time making friends in the city, and the issue is more common than you may think. Almost half of Seattle residents don’t even want to talk briefly to people they already know.
The finding is based on a recent survey that Seattle-based Pemco Insurance conducted. This seems to add credibility to the infamous phenomenon known as the Seattle Freeze: Northwesterners’ reputation for making it hard to form new bonds.
Pro: the city has the best public transportation network in the country
Seattle has the best public transportation in the nation, ahead of metropolitan areas like Boston, Washington, DC, and New York, known for their state-of-the-art transit systems. Here are just a few of the options available to commuters:
- Sound Transit’s Link Light Rail
Depending on the time of day, these trains arrive every 6 to 15 minutes. They take about 40 minutes to make 14 stops and Downtown Seattle, terminating at the Sea-Tac International Airport. One-way fare for adults ranges from $2.25 to $3.25.
- King County Metro Transit
This bus service provides transit for commuters living in Downtown Seattle and outlying neighborhoods in King County. You can find timetables and route maps online to help you plan your journey. They are also available at the Transit Information Center, located beneath the Westlake Center at 4th Avenue and Pine Street.
- Seattle Streetcars
You can depend on the South Lake Union Streetcar to arrive every 10 to 15 minutes (unless unprecedented delays). It makes 11 stops through the South Lake Union area, running from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. Fare for adults is set at $2.50.
- Seattle Center Monorail
These trains carry more than 2 million passengers a year. They travel between Westlake Center and Seattle Center. Regular operating hours for trains are between 7:30 a.m. and 11 p.m., running from Monday through Friday and from 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Trains typically depart every 10 minutes, and the journey is only 2 minutes each way. One-way fare for adults is $2.50
Con: lack of diversity
The majority of the population in Seattle is white. Aside from an emerging Asian community, it’s hard to find racial diversity in the city. In 2016, the racial composition of Seattle was 65.7% white, 14.1% Asian, 7.0% black, 0.9% pacific islander, 0.4% Native American, 5.6% from two or more races, and 2.3% from other races.
Pro: Seattle is full of intellectuals and great school
Statistics indicate that four out of every five individuals who move to Emerald City hold a college degree. Three out of every five students educated in the city start college within a year of high school graduation.
There are 500 schools in Seattle, including a diverse mix of public and private institutions.
You’ll find seven universities and colleges within the city, with 14 others within a 40-mile radius. The University of Washington is the largest and most prestigious institute for higher learning in Seattle. Over 80% of students consistently earn a degree from the university. Other notable schools include Seattle Pacific University, Seattle University, and Seattle Central College.
Con: homelessness is a real issue
Homelessness may be a growing issue nationwide, but Seattle ranks third among metropolitan areas in the number of total people experiencing homelessness, only behind New York City and Los Angeles. In 2020, Seattle and King County had 11,751 people experiencing homelessness, 955 of which were unaccompanied homeless youth. Tent cities are a common sight in Seattle, and drug use is rampant.
Final thoughts
Living in Seattle comes with plenty of perks, and it comes as no surprise that the city has an inexplicable appeal to people looking for a fresh start in the Pacific Northwest. If you’ve made it through the list feeling confident that you can handle a little wrong with the good, then Seattle might be the city for you.
Seattle compared to other cities (June 2021 rent price data from Zumper national rent report)
| Cities | 1-BR Avg. Rent | 2-BR Avg. Rent |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | $1,400 | $1,610 |
| Chicago | $1,500 | $1,760 |
| Columbus | $930 | $1,140 |
| Denver | $1,690 | $2,190 |
| Houston | $1,220 | $1,530 |
| Indianapolis | $960 | $1,020 |
| Jacksonville | $1,100 | $1,330 |
| Philadelphia | $1,360 | $1,730 |
| Phoenix | $1,200 | $1,520 |
| San Antonio | $1,040 | $1,300 |
| San Diego | $2,060 | $2,730 |
| Seattle | $1,750 | $2,340 |
| Washington | $2,240 | $2,960 |