Seattle Washington is a magnificent port city on the Puget Sound in the northern state of Washington, about 100 miles south of the Canadian border. It is the largest city in the state of Washington. In addition to being the state’s biggest metropolis (and, for that matter, the whole Pacific Northwest), Seattle is also well endowed with natural resources.
It boasts freshwater and sea, hills, meadows, mountains, and forests—it is just breathtaking, no matter how you look at it!
The natural splendor of this mountainous city, as well as the abundance of lush, green woods and parks, earned it the moniker “Emerald City.” The title “City of Flowers” was given to the city as a result of its endeavor to better beautify it with seasonal flowers.
The moniker “Gateway to Alaska” is also appropriate because of the large number of cruise lines that depart from Seattle and go to Alaska. Read reasons why we think that Seattle is a good place to live.
Moderate Climate
This hilly city has much to offer everyone: a mild temperature, water, beaches, mountains, and woods, to name a few attractions. It is renowned as a wet city since it receives an average of 38 inches of rain every year.
Even if it is equivalent to the national average, that seems to be ordinary; nonetheless, half of the total rainfall occurs in the months of December and January, leading to the reputation for rain and more rain. According to statistics, Seattleites are subjected to some type of precipitation on around 155 days per year on average. However, it is not entirely cloudy.
Every year, you can look forward to an average of 152 bright days on average. When compared to the national average of 205 sunny days, it’s not overpowering, but it’s arguably even more enjoyable as a lavish treat than the norm. High temperatures in the summer hover around 76 degrees Fahrenheit, while low temperatures in the winter hover around 37 degrees Fahrenheit.
Each winter, you can normally anticipate snow to accumulate less than 7 inches in total depth. When compared to the national average of 28 inches of snow each year, it is a small amount of snow to struggle within a northern state—barely enough to justify having a shovel!
Snow enthusiasts will appreciate how fast they can go to the slopes to take advantage of the snowfall and wintertime activities. However, there is a con in the climate and it is called Seattle Freeze. Seattle’s cold shoulder is so infamous, there’s an actual term for it.
However, when that is happening enjoy some of the coffee in this best coffee city. Or even some music venues, where you watch live musicians or other performing arts.
Seattle’s Standard of Living
Seattle’s cost of living is 104 percent more than the national average, making it much more costly than comparable cities in the United States.
Housing is often the source of the problem, however, there are some very excellent, less costly housing choices available. It is also higher than the national average of 7.3 percent, which makes Seattle a more expensive place to live and do business.
Fortunately, there is no personal income tax in the state of Washington; but, the Seattle City Council passed a bill in 2017 to collect income tax from higher-income individuals, which is now the subject of intense discussion. U.S. News & World Report selected the state of Washington as the best state in the US in 2019, with New Hampshire and Minnesota following closely behind.
Niche.com placed Seattle third in the Best Cities for Young Professionals category for 2019, second in the Best Cities for Outdoor Activities category (behind Portland, Oregon), and seventh in the Healthiest Cities in America category for 2019. Check out the cost of living in Seattle below.
Universities and Schools are Highly Rated
Within the municipal borders of Seattle, there are seven four-year institutions, and there are 23 four-year colleges within a 50-mile radius. Those seeking a major university can choose the University of Washington Seattle Campus, which enrolls the greatest number of students.
Seattle University is consistently recognized among the nation’s top institutions for academics, student-centered teaching, service learning, and leadership in environmental initiatives.
Public, private, charter, and alternative schools may all be found in the Seattle metropolitan area, whether you’re seeking traditional or alternative education.
There are several alternatives available with over 200 schools to pick from and ratings that are publicly accessible. In addition, the region is home to more than 20 four-year schools and universities.
Many Entertainment and Activity Options
Outdoor activities are abundant in and around Seattle, thanks to the thousands of acres of parks that the city and surrounding areas provide. Hiking and bike paths are plentiful, and the scenery is breathtaking. Try on the Discovery Park flat track, which is 2.8 miles long and offers lovely views. Alternatively, hike the Elliott Bay Trail at Olympic Sculpture Park to take in the scenery.
Trails at higher elevations are easily accessible and open to hikers of all levels of competence. If mountain climbing is your thing, Mount Rainier and the National Park are both within driving distance of each other. Arrive early in the morning for an early climb, descend, and then relax in the gardens and hospitality café when you return.
The park has several picturesque spots, such as the Grove of the Patriarchs Trail, which features incredible 1,000-year-old fir and cedar trees. You may engage in your favorite water activity or just relax on the beach or in the commons since there is water wherever you turn.
The saltwater of Puget Sound (the Pacific Ocean’s gateway) and fishing for trout, bass, and salmon on Lake Washington, the state’s second-biggest natural lake, are two of the state’s most popular activities.
Among the most well-known sights in the city is, without a doubt, the Space Needle, an observation tower erected for the 1962 World’s Fair that has continued to be a popular tourist attraction year after year.
It is situated in Seattle Center, a vast area that was initially allocated to accommodate fair visitors but is now the ideal location for entertainment, art, education, mingling, and hospitality. It is accessible by public transportation.
Here are a few more of the wonderful places to visit:
- Enjoy Dale Chihuly’s brilliant glass creations in proximity to the Space Needle, and maybe catch a “yoga under glass” experience or summer concert there
- The Seattle Art Museum, which has three locations housing unique exhibitions and collections of current and historic art, is a must-see
- The 92-acre Woodland Park Zoo in the Phinney Ridge area, has 300 species and features a carousel as well as summer concerts and a carousel
- The Seattle Aquarium offers underwater viewing, a coral reef tank, a touch tank, marine mammals, and weekend diver shows from its location on Pier 59 on the Elliott Bay waterfront.
- The Sky View Observatory—Columbia City, offers panoramic views of the water, islands, city, and mountains from its 73rd-floor observatory and café on the Columbia River waterfront. With a height of 902 feet, it is higher than the Space Needle and the highest observatory in the Pacific Northwest.
- Home to the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Opera, and Pacific Northwest Ballet, among other organizations
- The Seattle International Film Festival is a 24-day film event that takes place in Seattle
- A great observation is a Ferris wheel overlooking Puget Sound. The Seattle Great Wheel–can be found at Pier 57
- To visit the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, take the monorail there. It is a non-profit museum with hundreds of exhibitions, some of which are on tour around the United States and overseas
Seattle Home Values
The Housing Market in Seattle. Due to a higher living standard, the high cost of living also is a major con of living there. Although it is a safe city with a Pike Place Market and Olympic mountains, the high cost of living is making problems for some people. This city in the northern United States has a wide range of housing alternatives.
There are high-rise apartments and huge apartment complexes in the city to accommodate the enormous number of tenants that live in the neighborhood (45 percent). Why are there so many renters?
Renters include numerous students, as well as those who choose to rent due to the greater cost of housing in the city than in neighboring cities.
The median rent in San Francisco is $2700, which is more than the median rent in many other cities, however, this may be countered by greater salaries in the technology and professional field.
For individuals looking to purchase a property, the median price is $640,000. Please keep in mind that there are some really high-value properties in the area, which contribute to the higher average values. You can still locate residences that can be acquired for far less than that amount.
Excellent Healthcare
Excellent healthcare facilities and doctors are readily available to Seattle residents. Here are a few examples:
- According to US News & World Report, Seattle Children’s Hospital is one of the finest children’s hospitals in the United States. The University of Washington School of Medicine’s primary education and research facility is located at the University of Washington School of Medicine
- In nine adult specialties, the University of Washington Medical Center was ranked first by the United States News & World Report
- Virginia Mason Medical Center has been recognized as a high-performing hospital by U.S. News & World Report, both locally and nationally
- Cascade Valley Hospital & Clinics offers a comprehensive variety of medical treatments
- Minor & James Medical, having offices in Seattle, Bellevue, and Mercer Island, promotes a multi-specialty approach to healthcare
- The Polyclinic has many sites and offers a wide range of medical specializations to its customers
- The VA Puget Sound Health Treatment System provides general and specialized care to veterans in the Puget Sound region
Strong Job Market and a Strong Economy
One of the cities that has to pay the lowest state income tax. A very robust city like New York City in terms of the job market. Also, one of the fastest-growing cities, and for a big reason!
The city of Seattle has a low unemployment rate (3.1 percent), which is lower than the national average of 3.9 percent, owing to its solid economic climate. Technology, scientific research, professional services, education, healthcare, hospitality, and retail are among the most successful sectors.
A number of large enterprises have their headquarters in Seattle, including the online retailer Amazon, coffee shop icon Starbucks, and the customer-focused department store Nordstrom, among others. REI and Boeing are two more companies with origins in Seattle, but Boeing has relocated its headquarters to Chicago in recent years.
Alaska Airlines is situated at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and the airport itself employs more than 87,000 people, with thousands more working in associated industries. And, let us not forget that Bill Gates, a native Seattleite, and his colleagues established a thriving Microsoft corporation in the adjacent city of Bellevue.
Natural consequences of the strong technological presence have been the creation of several linked business prospects. As these high-profile firms, as well as others, continue to expand, the city expands in tandem with them.
Plans to increase public transportation and local amenities are constantly being developed. Even though there is significant urban sprawl, the average commute time is just 27.5 minutes (in comparison to the national average of 26 minutes), indicating that the majority of workers reside relatively near to their place of employment.
Seattle Neighbourhoods
Because there are 162 different neighborhoods in Seattle, you may want to cut down your choice a little before getting too serious.
A local real estate agent with extensive knowledge of the region will be able to assist you in your endeavor. Housing is, without a doubt, too pricey.
Despite this, there are attractive areas for any budget to choose from. We’ll use simply a few instances to illustrate our point:
- a) In addition to being a family-friendly neighborhood, Greenwood also has a wonderful mix of older and modern houses
- b) Madison Park is a prestigious piece of real estate, surrounded by gated mansions and elegant manors. It is considered the central district
- c) South Park is home to a mostly Hispanic population, complete with its own culture and food. Also, Ballard Located just a few minutes north of Downtown Seattle
- d) The West Seattle neighborhood has a laid-back, beach-town vibe. With north queen anne and lower queen anne just around the corner
- e) A vibrant hub for the arts, music, and a growing LGBTQ community can be found on Capitol Hill
- f) The Chinatown/International neighborhood has a particular Asian history that is intriguing to visitors
- g) South Lake Union is a neighborhood in the city of Seattle. South Lake Union, which is dominated by Amazon headquarters, is the hub of Seattle’s tech industry
- h) In 1852, Pioneer Square was established and is rich in history, art, and architecture from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. At Waterfall Garden Park, you’ll also discover a waterfall that measures 22 feet in height.
Very good highways, seaport and airport stations
Public transit in the Seattle Area has some cons living, however not that drastic. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, often known as Sea-Tac, is the eighth busiest airport in the United States, serving a total of 31 passenger airlines and ranking as the eighth busiest airport in the world.
There were roughly 8 million passengers via this 80-gate airport, which is administered by the Port of Seattle. Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines are the busiest passenger airlines in the country.
The Port of Seattle not only supports the cruise industry but also controls large freight container services, making it a vital link in the commerce network between the United States and Asian countries.
The city is serviced by major interstates I-90 and I-82, both of which are projected to be under construction during the season. I-5 and I-405 run (or stop) with north-south traffic on a regular basis because of excessive traffic.
The highway system will undoubtedly get you where you want to go, but it may not do so as quickly as you would want it to do so.
As the 20th biggest city in the United States, it is constrained by mountains, hills, and water, making it impossible to expand the roadway system in this thriving metropolis. Urban planners are always looking for ways to improve mass transportation options in order to alleviate the inevitable traffic congestion.
Diverse population
Seattle, with a population of over 700,000 people, is a popular destination for millennials, career workers of all ages, and environment enthusiasts who enjoy outdoor recreation.
Increasingly, the city is becoming a center for the educational, technical, medical, and scientific disciplines, with a growing emphasis on innovation and variety. Native Americans, as well as inhabitants of Scandinavian, African, and Asian ancestry, may be found in large numbers.
In addition, the city is home to a thriving LGBTQ population. A recent study by the online publication areavibes.com found that 37% of Seattle residents are natives of Washington, 42% are from other states, 2% are from countries other than the United States, and 18% are from countries other than the United States. When you live in Seattle, you will never be bored.
There are several sights and activities to choose from, many of which have an ethnic flavor to add to the variety. You may get real Asian food in the International District, or rich Latino cuisine in the South Park neighborhood of Chicago.
For a laid-back casual trip or a competitive adventure, you’ll discover cultural events, festivals, and seasonal outdoor activities to participate in.
The Bottom Line
To make a post conclusion, living in Seattle is awesome. In fact, Seattle is frequently regarded as one of the top ten finest locations to live in the United States, and with good cause.
Beyond the fact that Seattle is surrounded by beautiful evergreen trees, the city is also well-known for being ecologically conscious. In addition, its citizens have salaries that are above the national average.
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