Which U.S. city is the most like Seattle?

[415_s2k]

Originally Posted by pw72

Well, I said similar climates, not the same climate. Both cities are relatively mild during the winter (Boston 36-22, Seattle 46-36), and both get a lot of rain and cloudiness. Neither city gets considerably hot in the summer, (Boston 80-64, Seattle 76-56), although yes humidity is more of summer factor in Boston. (Oh, and yes Seattle has had extreme snowfalls in the past!)

Okay, as far as the weather goes...

Boston gets tons and tons of snow every winter. There's no such thing as a "snow day," because you spend a few months out of the year trudging through it. I have fond memories of waking up to find that we'd had a foot of snow dumped on us, and then throwing on a few layers of clothing and my backpack and grumbling to school. The other major difference is that you still get sunlight during the winter - it'll still be twenty degrees and the snow on the ground won't melt, but it will be strangely sunny and clear. My mom said that this was the case there today, in fact...

Boston also has exorbitantly humid summers, which Seattle mercifully does not have. Although it doesn't get "that" hot in terms of temperature, the humidity makes you swear it was over a hundred. I found the summers in LA to be quite livable by comparison. Boston also has some pretty epic mosquitos; epic on a level that no human should experience. Like, I got bit two dozen times all over my back, through a polo and an undershirt after a stroll down by the river.

The spring and fall months aren't as severe and are probably closer between the two cities. Fall in Seattle is really pretty, and fall colors in Boston are notorious. You don't get the same insane springtime allergy rush in Seattle that you do in Boston.

[415_s2k]

Originally Posted by pw72

Which means the complete opposite. Not true. Both cities have similar climates, are surrounded by water, have a highly educated population, and are similar in city and metro size.

Beyond that, yes some big differences. The historic nature of Boston is much different than modern Seattle, and the density is thicker in Boston. Boston has more higher education options, but both offer quite a few.

But to say 180 degrees different, I would dispute.

Okay, okay, you're right. It's more like a 172, maybe a 171 on Mondays.

The fact that they have similar climates (not really true), are surrounded by water, have a highly-educated populous, and have similarly sized metropolitan areas doesn't tell half the story.

- Boston is way less hilly, and is about 300 years older. Totally different architecture. There are next to no bungalows in Boston; there are next to no "triple deckers" in Seattle. No brownstones in Seattle; fewer modern houses in Boston. Totally different flavors and characters.

As has been talked about on this forum, the state of public education in Seattle is pretty rough; not so in the greater Boston area. I was in Seattle Public Schools and Cambridge Public Schools, and my god, the difference in the quality of education is astounding. The figures don't tell the atmosphere, and if you've lived in both cities for any degree of time, you'll understand why I say they're so different.

Oh, and for all Seattle's passive aggression... Boston is just aggressive. Stop in the middle of Downtown Crossing during rush hour to check your Blackberry and see what happens. If someone's holding up traffic, every car behind them is honking. Totally different pace of life.

[usernametaken]

There is no way Seattle is like any major city on the east coast. Drivers are far more polite, weather is far less extreme and scenery is far better. Seattle also has Scandinavian and Asian elements to it that no big city in the east coast can match. East coast has a much greater Irish/Italian/Jewish/African American imprint that Seattle can't match.

I have traveled in a few countries and much of the US, and Seattle is the most unique big city I have ever seen. I love it so far. Portland seems to be the closest match to Seattle in my opinion.

Seattle winter seems tropical in comparison to the Cleveland winters that I have experienced.

[LookinForMayberry]

I'm not sure how it compares to your criteria, but when we were in Austin, TX, my DH insisted it was just like Seattle.

[OregonYeti]

There are so many ways of comparing, and it depends on what's important to the person. History, architecture, climate,education ... and the list goes on forever.

To one person San Diego and Cleveland might be really similar. To someone else they will be extreme opposites.

[Radical347]

San Francisco and Seattle are the two most similar major cities of any in the US, IMO.

But Vancouver is even more similar. Jeezus they even have their own Space Needle. :-\

[OregonYeti]

Originally Posted by Radical347

San Francisco and Seattle are the two most similar major cities of any in the US, IMO.

But Vancouver is even more similar. Jeezus they even have their own Space Needle. :-\

I think the Canada-USA border is not that much of a divider. Politically, yeah maybe sometimes, but the USA and Canada have a lot in common too. Seattle and Vancouver BC are very close in geography and other ways. Just don't tell a Canadian that without giving due respect to them I say that because Vancouver has been rated #1 city in the world to live in over and over, and Seattle has not.

[ronaldojernkins]

Originally Posted by OregonYeti

I think the Canada-USA border is not that much of a divider. Politically, yeah maybe sometimes, but the USA and Canada have a lot in common too. Seattle and Vancouver BC are very close in geography and other ways. Just don't tell a Canadian that without giving due respect to them I say that because Vancouver has been rated #1 city in the world to live in over and over, and Seattle has not.

It is a very strong divider if you have even a minor misdemeanor. A Reckless Driving on your record likely means they will turn you back at the border

[Adric]

The only way I can describe Seattle is if Philadelphia and San Francisco ever had a love child, Seattle would be the result.

[beenhereandthere]

Someone said Seattle gets major snow dumps? There's probably 10 times in the last 100 years, where Seattle gets over a foot of snow.....
Boston, gets over a foot of snow, probably at least once a year.....and has had, from what I can recall in the last 30 years, at least 3 times, where more than 2 feet fell from a single storm.