Are you single with no children living in Seattle? (Puyallup: transplants, cliquey)

[206traveler]

I read a lot about how Seattle has one of the highest rates of childless couples in the US, and also a higher than usual number of singles... Is this just because there are so many transplants? What's your opinion? Please indicate whether you are single/in a relationship, children/no children, transplant/native in your response. Thanks!

[branh0913]

Originally Posted by 206traveler

I read a lot about how Seattle has one of the highest rates of childless couples in the US, and also a higher than usual number of singles... Is this just because there are so many transplants? What's your opinion? Please indicate whether you are single/in a relationship, children/no children, transplant/native in your response. Thanks!

Seattle has transplants, but there are clearly a lot of natives around. It's not a transplant city in the way NY, Atlanta, Dallas, LA, and DC are. So that's really not a great excuse. The reason why there is less dating is because there are so FEW transplants. Many of the people you'll encounter are already preoccupied with friends they've known since high school

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by 206traveler

I read a lot about how Seattle has one of the highest rates of childless couples in the US, and also a higher than usual number of singles... Is this just because there are so many transplants? What's your opinion? Please indicate whether you are single/in a relationship, children/no children, transplant/native in your response. Thanks!

I'm sure, if you really wanted to know this answer, that there is some sort of official demographic information out there that breaks down all the numbers by categories .. but probably not going to find it in this forum (although maybe someone will do the legwork for you and post it).

I also think it depends on how broadly you define Seattle. Eastside, being more affluent, family-friendly and tech-focused tends to attract many transplants with children (ourselves included). I would say only about 1 or 2 out of every 10 residents I meet in my neighborhood can really be defined as "native" to WA. Another 3-4 of the 10 are probably not even native to the USA. My response would be very different if I lived in other parts of Seattle.

[BATCAT]

Originally Posted by 206traveler

I read a lot about how Seattle has one of the highest rates of childless couples in the US, and also a higher than usual number of singles... Is this just because there are so many transplants? What's your opinion? Please indicate whether you are single/in a relationship, children/no children, transplant/native in your response. Thanks!

I'm married and without children by choice. I was born here, but my parents moved just after and I lived in a few other US states and some other countries. I moved back in 1997 and have remained in Seattle since. My wife moved here from Houston around 2000.

Seattle attracts a lot of mobile folks from other areas, I think, and that probably translates into more singles than some other areas.

[amaiunmei]

Originally Posted by 206traveler

I read a lot about how Seattle has one of the highest rates of childless couples in the US, and also a higher than usual number of singles... Is this just because there are so many transplants? What's your opinion? Please indicate whether you are single/in a relationship, children/no children, transplant/native in your response. Thanks!

One thing that I've noticed is that a lot of unmarried couples move here. They may register as being "single" simply because they are not married, but I have noticed that a lot of guys (and a few gals) import their unmarried partners to this area. The numbers may be a bit skewed for that reason.

[mkarch]

Couples in Seattle tend to have children later in life, so it would follow that people stay single or as a childless couple longer than in other areas.

[RotseCherut]

Belltown and Capitol Hill seem to be the area with the most singles and highest number of transplants. However, the tacky and uppity vibe of both neighborhoods, both of a different flavor, make me more or less loathe both neighborhoods. The rest of the Seattle neighborhoods feel a bit more family like, but Fremont, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Ravenna, U-District and a few others are less uppity and still seem to have a variety of people, although start becoming more family-like and less for the scenester/single crowds. I personally like Greenwood and Ravenna, which seems more family oriented, but also seems to have a fair share of singles and transplant people.

To say Seattle is more of a native inhabited city than others I think is not true at all. Seattle is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and a good chunk of its population are transplants. However, the rest of the Seattle metro area, excluding the Eastside, does have more native and longer term residents. If you move to a place like Puyallup, you will be hard pressed to make any friends, as the town has a typical Northwest cliquey atmosphere and most of the people grew up in the area.

[Hemlock140]

Last time I looked 60% of Seattle residents were from other states/countries, but I doubt that has anything to do with the percentage of kids. I know a lot of couples that waited until 30+ to have kids and then 4-5 years later move to the eastside for better schools when the kids are about to start going. Single and married 20-somethings without kids seem to like living in Seattle for the nightlife.

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by branh0913

Seattle has transplants, but there are clearly a lot of natives around. It's not a transplant city in the way NY, Atlanta, Dallas, LA, and DC are. So that's really not a great excuse. The reason why there is less dating is because there are so FEW transplants. Many of the people you'll encounter are already preoccupied with friends they've known since high school

Some 60% of the citizens of Seattle are transplants from elsewhere.

Try again.

[treuphax]

In Seattle there are more dogs than children.