Yakima vs. Seattle - Job Market, Cost of Living, Crime Rate (Republic: apartment complex, lease)

[SagaciousKJB]

I have the chance to move over to Seattle, though it is not on a very stable basis. At this point I feel like I'm mostly attempting to escape Yakima. I've been looking for work here for the past 1 1/2 to 2 years and I'm just tired of all of the things Yakima has to offer--one of those being ridiculously high crime for such a small town.

People have told me that I will have no problem finding a job in Seattle, but I'm really hesitant to believe them. I don't want to get out of Yakima just to wind up in the same situation in a totally unfamiliar city. I've mostly been looking into things like entry-level tech. or IT positions, something that's practically nonexistent in Yakima.

I realize Seattle is going to have some crime being such a large area, but is it as disproportional as Yakima is? I feel like this town is nothing but a safe-haven for criminals along a drug route.



What's the cost of living like? In Yakima I find a two-room apartment or house that rents for about 500-750 a month. I've heard that places like that rent for about 1500 on the west side, which is just outrageous to me living in Yakima, but I wonder if the job market and the quality of the jobs available compensates for that.

[Evlevo]

Seattle is far less homogeneous than Yakima (ie many different neighborhoods) but overall I think you will do fine. I used to be in Yakima one weekend a month (USMC reserves) and I can honestly tell you that Yakima is one of the cities that I hate the most, it just plain sucks to me. On the other hand, I absolutely love Seattle!

(now you know were I am coming from)

Crime isn't too bad in Seattle. Car break-ins are probably the worst thing, mainly because folks usually park their cars outside and they are an easy target.

You can rent a 2 bedroom place in a good area of Seattle for as low as $800 a month, although $900 is probably a lot more common (but that gets you in a really cool area like Greenlake). A $1,500/mo place is going to be in a brand-new yuppie area which you probably wouldn't want to live in anyway. There should be plenty of jobs available in the areas that you are interested in.

As another bonus, if you are single, Seattle is a great place for dating (provided that you are not a Republican). You also can manage to not have a car and just take the bus (or have a small scooter) and that will save you quite a bit as well.

Hope that helps!

[wythors]

Originally Posted by Evlevo

You can rent a 2 bedroom place in a good area of Seattle for as low as $800 a month, although $900 is probably a lot more common (but that gets you in a really cool area like Greenlake).

Please show me a studio near Greenlake for $900, much less a 2 bedroom. Typical rents for a one bedroom apartment in decent areas of Seattle start around $800. Two's start around $1000 and go up from there.

[Evlevo]

Originally Posted by wythors

Please show me a studio near Greenlake for $900, much less a 2 bedroom. Typical rents for a one bedroom apartment in decent areas of Seattle start around $800. Two's start around $1000 and go up from there.

I am renting a nice 2 bedroom apt (with a nice exclusive yard that I can garden in) that is professionally managed for $750/mo (and signed the lease less than 6 mo ago) it is the bottom floor of a house with only 1 neighbor above and it is in a nice area with good freeway/bus/park access (Maple Leaf/Roosevelt area)... place was on the market for over 2 mo before I got it too so it wasn't like I caught a landlord in a bad deal or mistake. I even have half a 1 car garage for storage!!!

When I was looking I found several 2 bedroom places within 1-2 blocks of green-lake in the $850-900 range (I think the forum rules prohibit me from re-posting ads, otherwise I would). Go to craigslist, they have about 5-15 new listings a day in the area.

If you go through an apartment complex and not a single unit rented by the owner (or through a professional management company the owner chooses) then you are correct, prices start at around $1,000 a month for a 2 bedroom in a non-crackville area. The addition of a community swimming pool I'd likely never use (other than to check out cute college girls in their bikinis) didn't seem like a good trade-off to me. Plus I like getting to have my own vegetable garden