Relocating to Seattle & Bellevue
The Coffee Capital of America
Welcome to the home of the Seahawks, the football team that is! (Ironically enough, you won’t find any creature matching that description here.) This city is highly diverse in its population and opportunities in art, career and dining. Get ready to move to a city where the job prospects are good…and the coffee great!
Bellevue, as Seattle’s largest suburb, is considered its satellite city. So whatever you want to do in Seattle, you can. It’ll just be a little farther to drive there!
Moving to Seattle & Bellevue: Information for New Residents
Cost of Living: The Consumer Price Index of Seattle is higher than the average of 100 at 154. This is because housing prices are about 24% than the national average as of 2014. However, keep in mind that salaries and job opportunities correlate as these 2 factors are much higher here than many other American cities.
The median price of a buying a home here is $415,800. Compared to the other top tech cities in America, this is a very reasonable cost of living. Bellevue has a higher median household price at $507,000.
Schools: In both Seattle and Bellevue you’ll find a hundreds upon hundreds of schools your child(ren) can potentially attend. The average rating for all these K-12 schools rate at a 6 out of 10 according to Great Schools.
For higher learning, there are a plethora of community colleges and 4 year institutions such as Seattle University, University of Washington and City University of Seattle (actually located in the suburb of Bellevue).
Population: The Seattle area populates 60% of the state of Washington; the main factor for this is likely the great job opportunities in the city. The city of Seattle itself is home to over 600,000 people and Bellevue has about 122,400 residents.
These cities have a highly educated population. Almost 100% of residents in Bellevue have a high school degree and nearly two-thirds have obtained a Bachelor’s. Seattle’s numbers lie just below – with almost 94% of residents having a high school degree and nearly 60% having gotten their Bachelor’s.
Data & Info Good to Know for Seattle Moving Quotes
Weather:-Seattle is known for its rain. The reason? It is one the top 5 rainiest major cities in America based on number of days it rains per day (155 days). Compared to America as a whole, however, Seattle actually receives less total precipitation in one year than the majority of the Eastern Seaboard.
Overall, the climate here is temperate marine (or oceanic). This means Seattle experiences warm, rather dry summer and, in contrast, cool and wet winters. It is comparable to weather in Western Europe.
Top Employers of Seattle & Bellevue Area and their Economy
Seattle has produced some of the most highly innovative companies of the last decade. Some of these companies include Starbucks, Boeing and Amazon. These world famous names have helped drive up the economy of Seattle and spurred job growth year after year.
As for the most attractive businesses based on number of people employed? The top employers here include :
- Boeing, Microsoft (technically in bordering city of Remond)
- University of Washington
- Amazon
- Weyerhaueser (a logging & wood firm)
- Group Health Cooperative
- Fred Meyer (a prominent grocery chain)
- Bank of America
- Qwest Communications
- Nordstrom (which has been continually rated as one of the best companies to work for in America)
The median household salary for all the residents working in Seattle is about $64,400. Not too shabby! Bellevue has an even higher median household salary at $91,400.
Seattle's Top Attractions
- World’s Longest Floating Bridge - Drive this bridge, which is Washington’s State Route 520, to feel like you’re coasting on water.
- Kayaking - In rain or shine, you can grab a kayak and take a tour of the city’s best views from the water. (Mind you, if it gets too rainy, please be safe and head back to shore!)
- The Music Scene - There is an incredible music scene is Seattle. Here are a couple areas and venues to be on the look out for:
- In the Ballard neighborhood, the Waterwheel - Come here for some local roots, folk music and open mics.
- The Little Red Hen - This is the only true country western bar in Seattle; get your 2-step dance on at this bar over near Green Lake.
- Capitol Hill - This neighborhood is chock-a-block with fantastic venues. Just about every night of the week walk the area and you’ll stumble upon live music!
Fun Facts About Seattle New Residents Want to Know
- Calling all voracious readers - Seattle has the most library card-holders per capita in America, dubbing it the most literate city in the country. So, on all those rainy days that make you want to curl up with a book, get to your local library... and check it out!
- The Space Needle’s Restaurant is the first revolving dining venue in the world.
- Sleepless in Seattle is a classic love story that has all Tom Hank lovers in tears. The part of the other protagonist, Annie, was turned down by favorites such as Michelle Pfeiffer and Julia Roberts. Thank goodness; Meg Ryan nailed the part!