Relocating from Boston - to Seattle? (Vancouver, Snohomish: crime, how much, job market)

[allibot]

Hi all, I am done with Boston, this time for good I think, and it's time to decide where to head next. I am really interested in Seattle, but I have never been there and I need all the input I can get. I have however spent time in Vancouver, BC (which I absolutely loved), and been to Portland, OR (which I liked to visit, but think might be a little sleepy to live in). Some background: I am a literature major now toiling in the admin salt mines; my husband does motion graphics; mid-20s, no kids. We are planning to start our own business in the next few months, but will probably still need day jobs for the immediate future. We have to get out of Boston, for a number of reasons: i) horrific weather/the 9 month winter we just had, ii) cost of living, iii) Massholism. We are definitely moving by the end of June.

I like the look of Seattle because it's on the water, has access to nature/hills, the job market is good, especially tech and design, has a literate, educated populace, has some diversity, and has a good music scene. I've read that rents are high and people aren't so friendly, but compared to Boston I don't think either will be a problem! My main concern is the weather.

So I have two questions. 1) Is Seattle awesome and should we move there? 2) What neighborhoods should we look at? I want to live somewhere young, with OK rents, where it's easy to meet people. Or should we find jobs first and go from there?

And thank you for reading my screed.

[Ira500]

Of all the major cities out there, Seattle and Boston have a fair amount in common. They both have a lot of educated and literate people, a fair amount of culture, and a fair amount of people in their 20's-30's...
A few neighborhoods with relatively decent rents and stuff going on?
Ballard: Seems like everybody wants to live in Ballard. it's got vegetarian Thai restaurants, hand made crafts stores, an espresso shop about every three doors, decent pizza, views of water and mountains...
Capitol Hill: Lively and dense...The Back Bay of seattle?
Queen Anne: Very close to downtown, I've always thought of Capitol Hill as more fun but QA has a lot going on.
Columbia City: Hip and diverse: The Jamaica Plain/Brookline of Seattle?

[Seacove]

After many years in Seattle, we were moved to Boston for my work. Boston is beautiful and has a similar feel to Boston. But the weather! After a couple of years we couldn't take it. We moved back to Seattle where the temps are moderate, the feel is similar and the water is everywhere including ferries to local islands.

I feel the same way you do about Vancouver, British Columbia "absolutely loved it" and Portland, Oregon "liked it but a bit sleepy to live in". Seattle to me seems to be a hybrid of Vancouver and Portland but resembling Vancouver more. Seattle and Vancouver seem like "big cities" to me while Portland seems like a nice large town. All of these cities are similar to each other in some ways while being very different in other ways. I think you'll love Seattle like Vancouver like me. Vancouver may have a bigger skyline by a bit but Seattle has more varied architecture in the skyline and in the surrounding neighborhoods. At first, I loved Vancouver more than Seattle while still loving Seattle but at this point, I love of these cities equally.


What business are you both planning to start?

It doesnt just have access to hills and having hills on it but access to huge mountains that cant be found east of the Rockies, volcanoes, alpine meadows, glaciers, temperate rain forest, islands, deserts, ocean, etc. I agree with the positive traits you said about Seattle. Seattle also has a good urban but connected to nature feel , a great skyline, great scenery, great architecture in certain areas in the form of low/medium/high density and old/modern architecture(some people seem to not know how great the architecture is in certain areas), a great art scene, great restaurants, great independent coffee and tea places that are NOT starbucks and much better, great neighborhoods, clean for a city, laid back but someone can easily be in a more fast paced crowded environment if they want to be within the city, overall a lot of things to do within the city and within 5 hours or less away, as well as other positive things.

I came here a few months ago from New York City and absolutely love Seattle so far. I left New York because I wanted to be somewhere more connected to nature, more slow paced, quiet, and laid back compared to New York, more clean, and just wanted a change of scenery, but still wanted to be in a place with enough urban excitement and amenities, culture, lots of things to do, enough diversity, and things like that and Seattle seems to fits this well. Im also going to attend college here soon.

I still love New York though, and at this point, Seattle and New York are tied for me for how much I love them. There are certain things I love about Seattle more than New York and certain things I love about New York more than Seattle but like I said, my love and appreciation for them is equal.

Of course in cities like Seattle, Boston, and New York it all depends on where someone decides to hang out in these cities, Each of these cities can easily feel like an exciting sophisticated urban oasis but certain places in these cities and depending on someone decides to do in it, it can also feel like boring cultureless urban wasteland. I know some people in New York who were always bored and didnt know how much that city offered. This is also true with some people I knew from Seattle and Boston. It seems like you are someone who will easily know the best places to hang out in a city though and make the most of a city.

So yeah, I believe Seattle is awesome and unique. Neighborhoods you could look in are Capital Hill, Downtown, University District, West Seattle, Queene Anne, Ballard, Wallingford, Belltown, Fremont, Phinny Ridge, Greenwood, and Greenlake. I think there are other neighborhoods too but I dont know other neighborhoods yet.

I dont necessarily think the weather/climate is bad but it took some getting used to. Just last week it was sunny 5-7 days in a row and warm, but the past 5 days have been quite cloudy and kind of cold. Seattle definitely has more moderate temperatures than Boston but I think its actually colder/the same temperature as Boston in the summer months. Seattle can still get cold like it did the first half of December 2009 but not nearly as much as Boston. And it didnt snow at all in winter but it did snow briefly one April morning, but only for a few minutes. Also, just a few hours away in some of the mountains, it is one of the snowiest areas in America. Usually that area sees 100+ inches of snow and even 800 inches+ while Seattle gets pretty much nothing. On the sunny late fall-early spring days, from many areas of Seattle, you can see the peaks with snow, so it makes Seattle still feel like it has a winter.

I think you would like Seattle, but Im not sure if you will like the weather. It really depends on the person. Seacove's post is a good example of someone who seems to like Seattles weather and sees positives in it. I think there are plenty of positives about the weather/climate and I even created a thread for that, but I guess some of things about the weather/climate can be challenging to some. Some days I didnt particularly like the weather, but that happened in New York too, and there are plenty of days I like/love the weather.

Overall, I think out of all America cities, Seattle and Boston have quite a few similarities but still being very different from each other. I think you would like Seattle and find a good employment opportunity, and find plenty to love about this place, but I dont know if you will like the weather.

[Sher Val]

Seattle is by far one of the BEST places to live... but you have to enjoy some rain. And without kids, that's pretty easy since you don't always have to hear "But Mom, it's raining out". Geez. Summer in Seattle is the BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD, honesly, and I'm a world traveler.
I would move to within 25-30 miles of the "city", say on about a 5 acre farm. Also, MAKE SURE that you buy a place in Snohomish County rather than King County..... yeah, it may not be as close to Belltown and Seattle, etc, but it's by far cheaper in ALL WAYS. We moved to Sno County from King county, 7 years ago and man were we shocked at how much money we saved on housing and vehicle licensing and we don't have to pay for all the F'd up bridges/trains/transit systems, etc. Plus, there is lot's of full year round fishing lakes and you are within an hour of COOL hikes, snowmobiling, skiing, swimming, etc. Plus there is nothing like growing your own organic food, which is the huge rave here, and you won't have to suffer crime like you would in "the city". Leave the city to the fools - go country, even if you don't like country music. Bring your city-self out to the beautiful and more affordable country. With the internet & satellite TV's etc, etc, etc, there is just no longer any need to live "Close in".

[allibot]

Thanks everybody for your replies. They are really helpful - and really encouraging! You're obviously all a bunch of boosters, but that's OK, I like some hometown pride.

Ira500 & SherVal: Thanks for the neighborhood recs; Seacove: word.

N/U/B: You are totally a Seattle evangelist - and you've only been there a few months. Regarding the weather, I'm just can't deal with Boston's anymore, and I grew up in Eastern Mass. I'm sure you've heard that the winters can be brutal here, but you might not know that the summers can be extreme in the opposite direction. Temperatures run in the high 90s+ for weeks at a time with near-100% humidity. It's disgusting. So more moderate summers and winters sound just fine.

The business we plan on starting is a commercial illustration and animation company. We also have an idea for a content-based website/blog. Since it's online, we can live pretty much anywhere in the US, but I want to get an IRL job, to maintain some cashflow and my sanity.

[Seacove]

Allibot I don't know how Bostoners take the weather there. Everything has to be epic. Epic snow, rain, winds, we even had thundersnow. For others, that is where there is lightning and thunder while it's snowing. Seriously. It felt like the end of the world but it was just snow. The cold is below zero, the rain comes in buckets. And then the humidity in the summer where you are soaked just walking to your car. I assure you, Seattle can get gloomy sometimes but the rain is misty most of the time and the snow is about every other year.

At Christmas there is the Christmas Boat Parade. You buy tickets, get on one of the holiday decorated boats and sail from bonfire to bonfire while carolers sing at each stop. They serve dinner on one of the boats and it's a unique and very holidayish thing.

It's funny how people say Seattle is a big city. It does not feel like a big city at all.

[Inkpoe]

Originally Posted by Seacove

Allibot I don't know how Bostoners take the weather there. Everything has to be epic. Epic snow, rain, winds, we even had thundersnow. For others, that is where there is lightning and thunder while it's snowing. Seriously. It felt like the end of the world but it was just snow. The cold is below zero, the rain comes in buckets. And then the humidity in the summer where you are soaked just walking to your car. I assure you, Seattle can get gloomy sometimes but the rain is misty most of the time and the snow is about every other year.

At Christmas there is the Christmas Boat Parade. You buy tickets, get on one of the holiday decorated boats and sail from bonfire to bonfire while carolers sing at each stop. They serve dinner on one of the boats and it's a unique and very holidayish thing.

It's funny how people say Seattle is a big city. It does not feel like a big city at all.

That actually sounds awesome!

[Twitch2]

Seattle is a pretty awesume place. I have never been to Boston though to make a good comparison. I love Seatttle with all its boats and waterways throughout the city, it gives it a lush green feel. Just thinking about it I miss it already.

[rossco17]

I grew up in Seattle (well, 15 min east of Seattle in the 'burbs) and now I live 2 hours north of Boston in Portland, ME. Here's my take on your 3 reasons for getting out of Boston:

i) Weather: True that the Boston winter is long and cold. However, you should be warned that the winter in Seattle is long and wet. You'll be swapping out snow for rain. I lived there for 30 years and now that I've been in Maine for 2 years, the weather is probably the last thing about Seattle that I miss. I'd much rather have snow than rain, but that's just me. Summer is great there - but then so is summer in New England. If you like the fall and spring seasons, Seattle doesn't have much of those.

ii) Cost of Living: Seattle cost of living is very very high. In fact, I think it's probably higher than Boston's. I just did a quick check on several cost of living web sites that compare cities, and all said that Seattle's cost of living is slightly higher than Boston's and that housing is as much as 23% higher in Seattle.

iii) Massholism: I can't really comment on this having not ever lived in MA. I agree with what you've read about people not being all that nice there, in general.

I do think Seattle is a really great place, though. The music scene is great. The snow sports there are close and very very good. As for neighborhoods, I love Queen Anne. Ballard is nice, but has really turned into a trendy spot. I also like the Greenlake area. I also lived on Capitol Hill for a year and it was fun as well - lots of bars and live music and people watching. those are my 4 favorites, in order. You might try to find jobs first, though, because that could really affect where you want to live. The traffic in Seattle is horrendous, so a long commute would not any fun.

good luck