To those who make less than $40,000 per year in the Seattle metro area (sale)

[jm31828]

I've been reading in a lot of threads that if you make less than $40,000 or $45,000 per year you are basically living in poverty and can't really make it in the Seattle metro area. So I want to hear from those of you out there who do make less than this- even if you have another similar sized income in the household- what is your experience- is it as bad as they say?
I am curious because my wife and I are looking to relocate out there, and for what I do it appears I would start out there in the $35,000 to $40,000 range, and my wife would start around $25,000, bringing our total household to around $60,000 to $65,000. With those numbers and our very careful budgeting that we always do, I am figuring we can rent a decent 2 bedroom apartment in one of the suburbs (we've done research and found plenty of decent complexes in nice areas for reasonable prices), pay all the rest of our bills and still come out over $1500 ahead every month. To me that doesn't exactly seem like poverty- I would like to hear from others in this same situation to see how it's going for them.

[azoria]

The *official* unemployment rate in the Seattle area is hovering just under 10%.

Do you both have job offers here that will give you a combined income of $65,000? Or are you speculating that if you moved to Seattle and remained in your current career here, such jobs would pay that amount.

Right now I would say that anyone who already has a good job somewhere, anywhere--should stay put. This is not a good time to be seeking employment in Seattle.

[jm31828]

Originally Posted by azoria

The *official* unemployment rate in the Seattle area is hovering just under 10%.

Do you both have job offers here that will give you a combined income of $65,000? Or are you speculating that if you moved to Seattle and remained in your current career here, such jobs would pay that amount.

Right now I would say that anyone who already has a good job somewhere, anywhere--should stay put. This is not a good time to be seeking employment in Seattle.

Yeah, this is more of a "when the time comes" situation, projecting what we'd make in our current fields out there based on the low end of the pay scale we've seen for our positions in job postings we've looked at. Just trying to get a feeling for how it'll all work out- only on pay and cost of living- getting a job out there is a different story.

[CityGirl72]

45K to 65K can be EASILY lived on in Seattle, if 1) you rent 2) you don't have kids

it's impossible to live on if you have a mortgage and daycare to pay for.

[jm31828]

No kids in the near future, and I do understand that a median priced home mortgage would be out of the question. We'll have almost a $100K down payment from the sale of our duplex here in Nebraska someday when we do get out there and ever do get to the point of buying a home, so we'll scrounge to find something affordable after that down payment- but that's for a later discussion, we do understand that renting will have to come first.

[godhead]

I call B.S. on anybody that says you have to make 6 figures to live in Seattle
I make below 45,000 and make regular mortgage payments inside the city limits.
It helps I don't own a car anymore (gas, insurance, parking, upkeep...ching ching) and use public transportation or Flexcar when the bus won't do.
I live in a blue collar neighborhood (Lake City), have no children and am healthy.
I own newer furniture/electronics, party hardy and eat well.
It works for me but might not for others.