Is Anyone Else Considering Leaving Seattle Because of High Rent? (Pacific: health insurance, condo)

[SethyDuck]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Very nice place

$750/month. "Cats are OK."

What's up with the random pic of the women's shoe...Lol

[amaiunmei]

Originally Posted by CityWok

I almost considered Charlotte myself. It's a really nice place. I wish you well.

Sadly the wages were no where near as close to Seattle for me, especially considering state income tax. Being that I own, it made sense for me to stay here in the end, but I came *that* close. Had I been renting, I probably would have moved.

Houston and Austin were two other, really good contenders.

Yeah, it's not easy to find six-digit salary jobs in that part of the world. If you're making $60k or less, then absolutely, you can sometimes get close to that salary in Charlotte and the cost of living makes it worth it. However, anything north of $60k in salary is very scarce. Also, the employee/employer balance is tipped strongly in favor of employers in places like Charlotte, so you just have to hope that things work out because you don't have as many jobs to choose from if things do not work out.

I certainly understand why someone would leave Seattle due to the cost of living. I've strongly considered it myself. For now, though, I have to stay here and I do very much like it here.

[CityWok]

Originally Posted by amaiunmei

Yeah, it's not easy to find six-digit salary jobs in that part of the world. If you're making $60k or less, then absolutely, you can sometimes get close to that salary in Charlotte and the cost of living makes it worth it.

Who said anything about a six figure salary? The assumption completely skipped over your own $60k -> $99k theory

The rising rents are definitely chasing people away, especially < $60k. Many of my friends in this salary bracket are moving to places like Tacoma, and > $60k places like Charlotte, Houston, Austin, etc. It's not just the new rental prices, but how quickly they jumped up (as others have pointed out) coupled with some of the other things that can suck about living here (not that I'm going to bash on Seattle--afterall, I'm still here, aren't I )

[shaylahc]

Originally Posted by victorianpunk

Rent, overall price of living, absurd wage law that will make things even more expensive and the politics are forcing me to leave Seattle. It's a beautiful city, but I concur with what so many natives have said: it was probably nicer in the 90s.

I'm headed for Charlotte, NC. The south is growing but it is still very reasonable. I'll transfer out there and have a job ready, and I'll be making almost as much as I do here but with a much lower cost of living:
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

Good luck! We came from Charlotte in 2012 and I miss it dearly. We were contemplating moving back, but my oldest just got into the University of Washington, and I wasn't ready to leave her behind. Maybe someday.

Enjoy the sunny winters! That is what I miss the most

[amaiunmei]

Originally Posted by CityWok

Who said anything about a six figure salary? The assumption completely skipped over your own $60k -> $99k theory

The rising rents are definitely chasing people away, especially < $60k. Many of my friends in this salary bracket are moving to places like Tacoma, and > $60k places like Charlotte, Houston, Austin, etc. It's not just the new rental prices, but how quickly they jumped up (as others have pointed out) coupled with some of the other things that can suck about living here (not that I'm going to bash on Seattle--afterall, I'm still here, aren't I )

What do you mean? I was just saying that it's hard to find six-digit salaries in the South, that's all. I made no judgments about what you do.

[victorianpunk]

Originally Posted by shaylahc

Good luck! We came from Charlotte in 2012 and I miss it dearly. We were contemplating moving back, but my oldest just got into the University of Washington, and I wasn't ready to leave her behind. Maybe someday.

Enjoy the sunny winters! That is what I miss the most

I already have a job waiting, so I should be good...but what I miss the most about the weather is the WARM NIGHTS. Even in the Summer around here, the nights are chilly. I miss being able to walk outside at ten oclock in August with just a t-shirt (and pants of course, lol)

That, and one little stupid thing I miss...fireflies. They don't exist on the West Coast. I never realized how much I would miss seeing them as a sign that Summer has arrived. That is just one of the little, stupid things I miss about the other coast. After awhile, they start to add up.

[victorianpunk]

Originally Posted by CityWok

I almost considered Charlotte myself. It's a really nice place. I wish you well.

Sadly the wages were no where near as close to Seattle for me, especially considering state income tax. Being that I own, it made sense for me to stay here in the end, but I came *that* close. Had I been renting, I probably would have moved.

Houston and Austin were two other, really good contenders.

Wages are lower, but the cost of living is also much, MUCH lower. Even with the state income tax, when you are paying 50% less in rent (not even an exaggeration) it all evens out. That, and the sun comes out a lot more and they ACTUALLY HAVE DUNKIN DONUTS Yeah, you can tell I am a true East Coaster if I'm lamenting on how much I miss an apple spice doughnut and an ice cold Coffee Coolatta®

But Houston may turn out to be for me, because my business has locations there to...but there is a difference between Hot and "HOOOOT!" weather.

And it is cheaper in Charlotte, and that is ultimately what I'm looking for.

[crf450ish]

Originally Posted by victorianpunk

Wages are lower, but the cost of living is also much, MUCH lower. Even with the state income tax, when you are paying 50% less in rent (not even an exaggeration) it all evens out. That, and the sun comes out a lot more and they ACTUALLY HAVE DUNKIN DONUTS Yeah, you can tell I am a true East Coaster if I'm lamenting on how much I miss an apple spice doughnut and an ice cold Coffee Coolatta®

But Houston may turn out to be for me, because my business has locations there to...but there is a difference between Hot and "HOOOOT!" weather.

And it is cheaper in Charlotte, and that is ultimately what I'm looking for.

I just highlighted the reasons why Seattle isn't all that great....Scenery isn't everything

[Steve Bowen]

I've lived in Seattle since 2006 and I plan on leaving because of the housing costs. It amazes me how quickly housing costs shot up in the last three years. I'm not interested in living in Seattle at its current housing costs; I don't think it's worth it. There are other places that offer a better quality of life relative to the cost of living, even if you want to live in a walkable city with good transit, which I do.

My wife and I are visiting the Twin Cities this summer to see if we are interested in living there. I've done a lot of research and it looks good on paper. The housing costs relative to wages are very favorable. We'd be making the same incomes there as we are here, but you can still buy houses in walkable neighborhoods of Minneapolis and St. Paul with good transit access for 200 to 250k. Three bedroom apartments in nice areas in central Minneapolis rent for $1200-$1300 month, sometimes less.

The Twin Cities have a lot of similarities to Seattle:

• Major public research university in the heart of the city
• Progressive and green political orientation
• Well above (American) average public transit and walkability (Minneapolis actually has a slightly higher Transit Score than Seattle)
• Extremely high educational attainment
• An emphasis on fitness, nature, and outdoor recreation, especially during summer

In addition, Minneapolis has a more diverse economy than the Seattle area, with the most Fortune 500 companies per capita of any metro area in the US and the lowest unemployment rate of any major metro area in the US, great schools, abundant sunshine (more than some Southern cities surprisingly), much less traffic congestion, a major ongoing light rail expansion, better arts and cultural amenities and museums than Seattle, and all 5 major pro sports.

The best part is that many people wouldn't consider relocating to the Minneapolis area because of the cold winters which, combined with the lack of constrained geography, will ensure that it won't gentrify like Seattle. We'd never be priced out of the metro area.

[Boxkicker]

Originally Posted by Steve Bowen

I've lived in Seattle since 2006 and I plan on leaving because of the housing costs. It amazes me how quickly housing costs shot up in the last three years. I'm not interested in living in Seattle at its current housing costs; I don't think it's worth it. There are other places that offer a better quality of life relative to the cost of living, even if you want to live in a walkable city with good transit, which I do.

My wife and I are visiting the Twin Cities this summer to see if we are interested in living there. I've done a lot of research and it looks good on paper. The housing costs relative to wages are very favorable. We'd be making the same incomes there as we are here, but you can still buy houses in walkable neighborhoods of Minneapolis and St. Paul with good transit access for 200 to 250k. Three bedroom apartments in nice areas in central Minneapolis rent for $1200-$1300 month, sometimes less.

The Twin Cities have a lot of similarities to Seattle:

• Major public research university in the heart of the city
• Progressive and green political orientation
• Well above (American) average public transit and walkability (Minneapolis actually has a slightly higher Transit Score than Seattle)
• Extremely high educational attainment
• An emphasis on fitness, nature, and outdoor recreation, especially during summer

In addition, Minneapolis has a more diverse economy than the Seattle area, with the most Fortune 500 companies per capita of any metro area in the US and the lowest unemployment rate of any major metro area in the US, great schools, abundant sunshine (more than some Southern cities surprisingly), much less traffic congestion, a major ongoing light rail expansion, better arts and cultural amenities and museums than Seattle, and all 5 major pro sports.

The best part is that many people wouldn't consider relocating to the Minneapolis area because of the cold winters which, combined with the lack of constrained geography, will ensure that it won't gentrify like Seattle. We'd never be priced out of the metro area.

Make sure you come back next summer and tell us about that wonderful winter!

Out of the 51 largest cities in United States, Minneapolis, Minnesota has the coldest winter weather, based on average daily temperatures. It's the only American city that normally remains well below freezing throughout the day during December, January and February.