Job Market/Living Situation (Seattle, Tacoma: for sale, apartments, rentals)

[Jason895]

So, me and my girlfreind (both 19 - 20 when we move) are looking to move in the seattle area from southern california. I was wondering how the job market is there/cost of living. We will be going to school and working full time so is it possible to live decently with a retail/restraunt/office job(2 people sharing a 1 bed apartment) looking for rent around 500-600(most). So how hard is it to get a job ? what pay are we looking at? thanks for the help guys.. any other advice is welcome. =)

[jamesandveybe]

Your apartment will be $1000 anywhere in Seattle for a 1-br, unless you live away and commute at least an hour into town. The job market is not great but better than most of the East. There are no BOGG grants here unlike California, so school is not cheap here and out-of-state tuition will eat you up the first year. The cost of living is high but if you both work full-time you can make it. You did not give your skills or profession so I cannot advise on income.

Transportation will be a sizeable expense unless you live immediately on a bus line in Seattle. There are bus lines outside the city but they are poorly scheduled and it will take you forever to get anywhere from outside the city.

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by Jason895

the job market

Hi Jason. Here is a great resource to do your job market research, the combined classifieds of the two leading newspapers in and around Seattle:
Seattle area jobs, employment advice and information | NWjobs

2 people sharing a 1 bed apartment--looking for rent around 500-600(most).

Maybe not on the type of salary you suggest. Perhaps a studio apartment, although in some neighborhoods 30 minutes or more by bus from downtown, a 1-bedroom might be possible.

Here are rentals, from the same combined classifieds; click on the map to drill down to increasingly smaller areas:
NWapartments: Seattle apartment rentals, house rental listings, rental classifieds and other property rentals in Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue and other Washington areas, cities and neighborhoods
To learn where neighborhoods are in the city of Seattle, this is the Seattle City Clerk's map; click anywhere to enlarge:
Seattle City Clerk's Neighborhood Map Atlas
Another possibility: Seattle Classifieds
And craigslist: craigslist: seattle-tacoma classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events

So how hard is it to get a job ?

For applicants who are qualified to fill positions that are open, not so hard. The Seattle area has a thriving economy.

what pay are we looking at?

Well, of course that depends on the job and your qualifications. If you research the job links above it will help answer your question.

[Jason895]

thanks allforcats. I didnt mean EXACLTY in seatle.. im including tacoma and the surrounding area. =)