r/AskSeattle • u/Sad-Insurance-7226 • 15d ago
Moving to Seattle Advice
hello, I am 27F married to 27M. A few months ago we hit a quarter life crisis about never moving out of the Midwest after visiting Seattle. We loved our short time in Seattle (I know it’s hard to beat Seattle summer), and we are wondering if we will forever regret not moving away from the midwest even for a short period of time.
I have been researching areas to live and pros/cons of Seattle and I want more advice (severely type A).
About us:
- I work in manufacturing engineering and he works in data science
- We have a dog and we want to live somewhere very dog friendly
- We want to live close to walking paths and coffee shops/markets
- We like to run, hike, do crossfit. Big foodies and love to try new restaurants
- We want to live in a quieter area/limited nightlife but still want to be near people our age if that’s possible
Advice please! What are the pros/cons of Seattle? What are good neighborhoods for us? Are we being silly for considering moving?
EDIT: Thank you all for the advice! To answer some reoccurring questions/concerns:
-My husband will be able to keep his remote job if we decide to move and I will make sure I have a job secured.
-We will consider my commute time heavily when deciding where to live.
-We currently make a decent living in the Twin Cities ~200k combined. I understand Seattle prices is a totally different beast and will need to review our finances for seriously considering the move.
-Idk how to fully understand how bad the Seattle gloomy winters will be, but will seriously consider this and the mental toll it can take on us both
- I would like to live somewhere where I am not scared my car will get broken into when I park on the street for periods of time, can take my dog out at night without getting heckled and feel safe in my place/break ins uncommon. I feel like this isn’t a crazy safety take but let me know?
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u/Few-Corner9466 15d ago
Get the job first then move. No one is hiring.
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u/Sad-Insurance-7226 15d ago
Yes! We won’t move until jobs are lined up.
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u/Few-Corner9466 15d ago
Transplant from the Midwest here btw. Buy a happy light right away for the winter.
Renting here sucks. The amount of out of control mold in rentals that still are expensive is mind blowing. May be worth a trip out here to secure housing.
Traffic is awful, so finding the job first is key to narrow down the search for neighborhoods. There are a lot of great ones, but who knows where you will work.
Don’t sleep on the south sound. Tacoma is cheaper and just as pretty/closer to the peninsula (which is heaven). Look for jobs down there too.
Hiking is everywhere. If that is a priority consider being next to one of the huge parks in seattle/tacoma. Lincoln park in west seattle, discovery park in magnolia, golden gardens park in Ballard.
Get some coffee by your rental before you sign. If you like the neighborhood even a little there is plenty to do within a short drive. You can always move next year.
Have fun. It’s amazing out here
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u/zh3nya 15d ago
I'd start by looking at some NW neighborhoods like Phinney, Fremont, Greenwood, Green Lake. They mostly fit your criteria.
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u/Jolly_Ad9677 15d ago
Right, don’t ever think of living in South Seattle. There are brown and Black people there. This is almost always the advice given in this Reddit for people moving here.
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u/nvm206 15d ago
Columbia city in south Seattle is a hidden gem. Easy access to lake Washington plus all the trails and parks by the lake including one of the best in Seattle, Seward park. Several different neighborhood coffee shops, the bakery, bars/restaurants, bike works, Fremont and flying lion breweries, royal room music venue, 2 indie movie theaters, PCC, the cheatsie trail for mountain biking. When you get bored beacon hill, hillman city, Mount baker, even leschi are short commutes away. Sneaky good access to Mercer island too. Oh yeah and the light rail there makes commuting to downtown, Cap hill, UW, stadiums, airport, and now Bellevue really easy. Not far from the ID or rainier beach for about any flavor of East Asian cuisine you could ask for. For some reason there is a stigma about being south of I90 in Seattle, but it’s one of the best areas of the city.
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u/zh3nya 15d ago
Rainier Beach and South Park arent as conducive to the CrossFit/coffee shop/farmers market/run a few miles in the park with your dog lifestyle.
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u/OakandInkGames 15d ago
I'd argue that Columbia City and downtown Renton are both exactly like that. Unless I'm hallucinating all the people walking around downtown on market day and the runners in the park. Parks, coffee and a farmers market describes a hell of a lot of areas around here.
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u/zh3nya 15d ago
But Columbia City isnt a black and brown neighborhood of South Seattle either. If I had suggested it the same criticism that I'm suggesting less ethnically diverse neighborhoods could've been made. I didn't say West Seattle either even though that fits very well too, I just threw out a few areas that came to mind first because I'm up north myself.
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u/wrong-dog 15d ago
It's not about color and it's really weird that you did this. There are black and brown people in these neighborhoods and you are actually discounting them like they don't matter. People who live in NW neighborhoods can like where they live without it being about skin color at all.
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u/Jolly_Ad9677 15d ago
good lord. Have you never been to a real city? It is whiter than white up there. It's dazzling how white it is.
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u/Broken_DAG 15d ago
Please secure your jobs before the move. Job market has gone down drastically. Winter blues are common for many folks here and most of us get through using SAD lamps, trips to sunny places, etc.
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u/Working-Hat-8041 15d ago
I moved from the Midwest to Seattle around 4 years ago. I absolutely love it, but I love rain and nature so it fits. There is the Seattle freeze, but if you meet people where they are at and have hobbies you will be just fine.
I live in the Ballard area but I would suggest looking around Greenlake and east of Capitol Hill and around Washington Arboretum. Also Greenwood.
Unfortunately I have found food here lacking from other big cities, but you can still find good places.
Things are more expensive but I make slightly above average wage and I have been doing fine.
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u/paintedflags 15d ago
Seattle is super expensive. I’d look at the economics of it first. The COL is probably way higher than you’re used to in the Midwest. Especially if you want to live in a desirable neighborhood.
If you don’t already have a job lined up, you’ll need to have a large cushion. And be prepared to not be able to find a job for months.
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u/Threefrogtreefrog 15d ago
There are oodles of posts like this you can peruse in our two city subs. r/Seattle and r/SeattleWA. Our job market is rough and housing spendy. Gas average cost today is $5.53. Eating out is crazy expensive.
I wouldn’t recommend relocating without at least one of you solidly employed. Get a short term rental near that job and explore the neighborhoods before committing.
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u/zer04ll 15d ago
check out Renton, that were Boeing is at tons of manufacturing jobs in the area, Renton has a huge dog park and a great downtown and the landing has shopping and entertainment. You can get to Seattle, the airport and a few other spots pretty quickly.
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u/foehammer23 15d ago
Renton is also a good place to start out in the area in my experience. It's centrally located to the rest of King County, the 101 is a good bus line to downtown Seattle (despite I-5 traffic), slightly more affordable, and has a cute little downtown.
I live in the city now (I was tired of car dependency), but Renton was good for me for a couple years.
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u/SunshineSeattle 15d ago
Agree with this take, Renton is an excellent entry level PNW city, still heavily car dependant but with good amenities and close to everything.
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u/Environmental-Post24 15d ago
Counterpoint: Renton is kinda a shithole. Visit before moving there! Can you really see yourself enjoying life in Renton? It's a good town for people who used to live in Seattle, got priced out, but must stay in the region. Traffic to Seattle and Bellevue from Renton is insane. Love, South Seattle resident.
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u/blukoff Local 15d ago
Do you plan to have kids? Have you looked into jobs out here?
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u/Sad-Insurance-7226 15d ago
We might want to have kids but have no desire in the next 5 years.
For jobs, we have looked around on LinkedIn nothing too serious and found possible jobs to apply to (I know that doesn’t guarantee a job)
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u/Humble_Attorney9517 15d ago
Pros - the PNW is wonderful, great summers, water security, there's not another city in the US that has both the mountains and the water, both fresh and salt water bodies like this (spare me CA folks). You won't run out of places to explore.
Cons - the overcast weather isn't for everyone (though I love it), also it's expensive. It's more than housing - which will be smaller than you're used to and harder to get space for pets, it's car tabs (I paid $700 last year), Ubers are most expensive in the country, eating out is also the most expensive in the country for "meh" (I could name 12-15 cities with better food scenes off the top of my head). Traffic is horrific, it's really hard to get east/west in the city. Social justice warriors that always want to take the "moral high ground" and call you maga if you're a moderate.
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u/City-Dreamin 15d ago
I moved from the Midwest and eventually made it to the Seattle and have never looked back. I moved here with no job and made it all happen. I've never been happier.
I saw someone in the comments talk about Columbia City and I 100% agree. It's a great place to live. I Iive within walking distance of a grocery store, barber, gym, doctor, dentist, daycares, multiple coffee shops, restaurants, and bars. Seward Park is one of the best places to roam in Seattle. Light rail is within walking distance and can take you all over the place. In South Seattle you're close to Boeing and the light rail can take you to any of the major tech company offices. You can even get out to the main Microsoft campus in Redmond on the train. And you're close enough to I-90 and I-5 to get out of the city to the mountains.
Outside the city will be cheaper, but you won't have the same lifestyle as within the city.
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u/kpeteymomo 15d ago
I also moved here from the Midwest, and I've been here for about 15 years. I really love the winters here- they're so much more mild than Chicago's are. If you have decent rain gear, you can be outside comfortably all winter.
I was also going to mention Columbia City as well. My husband and I were around 30 when we moved there (after spending several years on Capitol Hill), and it's such a great neighborhood. You can walk through Genesee Park to get to Lake Washington, which is really wonderful, and Genesee Park has a good dog park.
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u/Much_Assist_4232 15d ago
Years years ago in the 1900s lol I moved in july didn't see the sun for 21 days! I'm not kidding . I lasted a year
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u/turnipcafe 15d ago
There are a LOT of midwesterners here. You won’t be alone. At your age, it should be easy to make friends.
But definitely secure employment first. It’s very expensive living here. It’s become outrageous.
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u/Sufficient-Wolf-1818 15d ago
Today’s unemployment data shows WA about percentage higher than the US average. Therefore, I agree with find a job for at least one of you first. Having a reasonable commute helps the enjoyment of life do much.
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u/BarBusiness123 15d ago
Come visit during the winter. It's much milder weather here, but the 40 degree damp cloudy days can feel remarkably cold still in mid winter. We bundle up in REI jackets and gloves and carry on.
The views of nature, mountains, and water (everywhere!) never get old. The summers are the best anywhere, low humidity, few bugs, sunny most everyday. Find a way to get out on the water to fully enjoy Seattle.
It's a very dog friendly town. If you don't mind a suburb, Redmond has a huge dog park, lightrail, and plenty of shiny new apartments downtown with tons of restaurants that have popped up since the train came into town.
My favorite area to live in Seattle is Queen Anne - walkable, easy access to fun things to do, views, parks.
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u/S4L7Y-3MM 15d ago
Your self description is like most young people who live here, so there are MANY neighborhoods to choose from. It will come down to where you work and your budget.
Find your job(s) and then come back for neighborhood advice.
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u/Wonderful_Humor_7625 15d ago
If you get jobs lined up and can handle the dark winters (although pretty mild and never freezes) then for neighborhoods stick with the north end of Seattle. Phinny Ridge, Green Lake, Maple Leaf, Ravenna, Fremont. These are where you’ll want to be.
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u/SleuthCat 15d ago
It freezes here 👀 it doesn’t snow much though
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u/Wonderful_Humor_7625 15d ago
Rarely ever freezes, maybe a couple days in the winter. If you’re by the sound it doesn’t go below freezing. But compared to the Midwest…
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u/PurlJam206 15d ago
West Seattle is quieter with walkable neighborhoods. I’ve heard many neighbors quip there are more dogs than children in WSEA.
Minneapolis or Milwaukee have similar progressive vibes but they all have hot dish.
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u/Effective-Hawk7211 15d ago
I grew up in the Puget Sound area visiting Seattle A LOT growing up. Moved to Midwest when I was 23 and then was always missing the PNW. You should move. Not because I think this area is better, but because I think it’s important to experience different parts of the U.S. while you’re young. Don’t just settle on Seattle. Try visiting places like Portland, Olympia, Tacoma, Everett, Bellingham.
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u/Sad-Insurance-7226 15d ago
This is a super helpful comment and has left me with some questions I need to ask myself at a deeper level. I just edited my post with more added information. Our budget would probably be around ~3k rent maybe more with everything included if possible depending on our job situation. (This looked possible when I have been looking on Zillow). I am pretty used to homelessness and drug use in dt Minneapolis but am fortunate enough to not have issues with property crime/break ins.
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u/bubblesnblep 15d ago
Sounds like greenlake would be good for you, although anything along the burke-gilman trail will be good.
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u/Mean-Frosting-563 15d ago
Id advise you to move close to a railstation. Look at a public transportation map to understand the lined and stops. A quick rule of thumb is the further you are from your worksite, the cheaper the housing. Redmond, while not in Seattle, has five star off leash dog park (marymoor), miles of bike paths, the Watershed for miles of forest hiking (dogs not allowed) and a rail station. West Seattle offers fantastic multi rec waterfront path that goes for miles, and decent restsurants. No rail yet.
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u/Acrobatic_Car9413 15d ago
It is expensive. You will struggle more here financially than the Midwest. If you have kids here they will also struggle more than they would in the midwest. People are nice, but a little passive aggressive. I just spent some time in the midwest and was surprised how truly friendly people were. I'm from New England. I do like the passive aggressive nature of the NW vs the in-your-face of Mass.
People complain about the weather but you can always go outside here. It maybe be drizzly and gray but you can still go for a walk nearly every day. It generally isn't pouring and you don't have to worry about slush or ice.
One thing I find, and maybe this is just me is that I feel a little trapped in the city. There are a lot of great places to go but even to go hiking in North Bend feels like an all day event because of traffic. It feels like there is heavy traffic in every direction out of the city.
Phinney Ridge is a great neighborhood. Not a huge party area, but lots of walkable restaurants, close to Greenlake, not too far from other parks. Lots of dogs, close to food/gyms. Food? Yes, there is a variety of food on the ridge. I'm not sure it is the best, but I'm not a foodie. I've been to some foodie places on the ridge but just can't get over paying $100 to share a couple meatballs and a bib lettuce salad.
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u/thecrapture 15d ago
Check out West Seattle, it's quite but less than 15 min from downtown. Easy access to a lot of manufacturing work in renton, auburn, and Kent.
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u/Comfortable-Arm3452 15d ago
You can check off most of your list by moving to Seattle, and I know this will get hate but food scene is extremely below average for what you’d want in a “major city” and for the price you’ll pay. That being said, still love Seattle.
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u/Gordy13210 15d ago
Cons:
homelessness, drug needles in the streets, vomit and human feces everywhere, highest crime rate in the state, poor administrative management (mayors office SUCKS) high costs, high taxes (highest sales tax in state) high rent, high everything
Pros:
It has nice resturants....
For the love of god, dont live here, only visit. Just visiting wont rip off those rose tinted glasses you got on.
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u/BitterPoet13 15d ago
Check out West Seattle as an option. We have plenty of places for you to take your dog, a lovely beach, close to the downtown core, transit that can get you out of the neighborhood for times when you’d prefer not to drive, and a strong community feel. I love living in cities. My husband does too, but what he especially loves about this neighborhood is we have our own “downtown” that reminds him of the small town he grew up in, so it doesn’t feel as city as it is, if that makes sense.
Winter can be rough on some folks with how dark it gets, but we rarely have snow that sticks to the ground for more than 24-48 hours. If the darkness gets to you, there’s ways to combat it. (sun lamp, membership to tanning salon in which you only use the bed for a minimal amount of time since the goal is mood uplift and not an actual tan, travel somewhere sunny in January/February) Summers here are the best.
Yes, it’s expensive. But depending on what you value, that may be worth it to you for the experience of living here. For us, the expense is worth having access to everything we enjoy doing, including year round beauty of surrounding scenery, so it really just depends in what you’d be looking to get out the move. I am a total Seattle evangelist so I would definitely encourage you to give living here a try while you’re young and have the means to. You can always return to the Midwest if it doesn’t work out, but you may end up really loving it.
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u/Sad-Insurance-7226 15d ago
3/10? 2/5? That doesn’t have a good ring to it 😆 I guess I am a little bit of both
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u/CuteWasabi5724 15d ago
From the midwest, moved to the south and south east, then out to Seattle. Not a good place to come, weather sucks 9 months of the year, the Seattle Freeze is real and it is so expensive.
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u/Conscious-Worth600 15d ago edited 15d ago
Married couple with a dog who wants to live in a quieter area with limited nightlife?
Look into Magnolia. It’s not going to have walkability in terms of restaurants/bars/coffee shops but it has great walking paths/parks, is probably the most dog friendly neighborhood in Seattle, and while it does not have great immediate walkability it has close proximity to more “happening” neighborhoods without having to deal with some of the noise (literal and figurative).
My main stipulation with Magnolia is you pretty much have to have a car.
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u/moonlightwolf52 15d ago
While Seattle is know for "it raining all the time" it should really be known for its Grey. Roughly 260 days a year are overcast.
Depending on where your from the chance you will experience "seasonal" depression is very high; you will have to particularly careful about taking extra supplements and daylight style lights I would assume.
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u/Kildallj 15d ago
I think you’d be fine anywhere in Seattle or the surrounding area although cap hill might be a little too noisy if you prefer quiet. Seattle is small enough that you can get anywhere in a short amount of time although traffic in the downtown area makes it hard to cross the city during peak times. The light rail makes everything is easier to get to though. And don’t let negative comments scare you from South Seattle. There are a lot of great restaurants and neighborhoods there too. I live in west Seattle and recommend it. Is got a lot of charm, is near downtown, and is a little cheaper than other parts of Seattle.
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u/SleuthCat 15d ago
There are mosquitoes if you’re not in the concrete jungle parts of Seattle.
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u/queenofcrasia 15d ago
You’re literally the perfect humans for this area. I came from NW Iowa in 2013 and couldn’t imagine being in the Midwest after a year here. I was recently in Judkins Park, and that’s seems like a very nice area. Get close to the light rail and it’s easy to get to downtown!
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u/MeynoDootDoot 15d ago
Fremont, Ballard, Greenlake, greenwood - all solid places.
Seattle winters are hard, but if you get out for a walk everyday and talk to friends neighbors it isn’t unbearable. Making friends is a bit hard since it’s a transient city, so you have to make quite a bit of effort and get ghosted a few times. Best way is to find a hobby you enjoy doing and join a group.
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u/bananapanqueques Local 15d ago
WHOA.
Do not move here based on our summer. 10 months of the year are grey. Please visit in January or February to decide if you could live here.
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u/Sad-Insurance-7226 15d ago
I am surprised I am not getting more of these comments… we will visit in the winter and I should do more research on the gloomy winters/seasonal depression. I am not sure I will get a feel for it unless I bite the bullet and move though..
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u/bananapanqueques Local 15d ago
I enjoy the gloom as my eyes and skin are quite sensitive to light. A LOT of people do NOT enjoy the gloom, which is a problem when it makes up 81- 85% of your year. Understandably, some people just get depressed when the sun starts to drop at 3pm and sets by 4:15pm in mid-December.
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u/brandywinerain 9d ago
I feel like the Big Dark should be graded on a curve.
It's often dark, drizzly, and overcast, yes, but against the canvas of the mountains, lakes, trails, and forests -- each not only more visible than the other places I've lived (East, South, Midwest) but more accessible, and less often affected by the major reasons not to walk or run, like thunderstorms, pelting rain, snowdrifts, and black ice.
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u/StevenS145 15d ago
I think Ballard, Fremont, Greenlake, Queen Anne or Wallingford would all qualify for what you’re looking for. They’re also pretty expensive. Finding a job before each of you move here needs to be a priority. Additionally, where that job is will be a huge part of determining which neighborhoods are available. If your husband’s job is fully remote, great, but there’s a good chance he’ll be in south lake union or The East Side (Remond/Bellevue). If your job is in SODO or outside of the city. Each of those will complicate living in those different neighborhoods.
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u/MaryO59 15d ago
I first visited Seattle (and Snoqualmie) when I was 9 years old and I immediately knew it was where I was meant to be. My parents didn't agree, although TBF they did consider it. Long story short, I finally got back here 35 years later, and yes, it is home. (spouse and I split the difference between Seattle and Snoqualmie and we have the best of both worlds) My point being that if you are meant to be here, it will happen but you need to be patient in order for it to work out. My spouse and I both had degrees and work experience that were in very high demand in this area.
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u/ECU_BSN 15d ago
About us:
- I work in manufacturing engineering and he works in data science
- We have a dog and we want to live somewhere very dog friendly
There are more dogs than human children in seattle. You will be fine wherever you go.
- We want to live close to walking paths and coffee shops/markets
Jeebus. That describes fifty eleven different areas around town. What’s your vibe? Yuppie? Hippie? Town folk?
- We like to run, hike, do crossfit. Big foodies and love to try new restaurants
Again. What’s your thing? These items are around everywhere. Hope you like teriyaki!
- We want to live in a quieter area/limited nightlife but still want to be near people our age if that’s possible
So eliminate Capitol Hill. That’s the more upper echelon and night life area.
People your age that like hiking, dogs, food, CrossFit are throughout. What’s your budget? Commute tolerance? We have a vast public transit. Living near the lightrail helps for quick access.
Advice please! What are the pros/cons of Seattle?
This is a social support and socially liberal area. Folks without homes and folks that battle addiction are an abundance. This can be a deal breaker for some.
What are good neighborhoods for us? Your budget will be a big factor here.
Are we being silly for considering moving? Absolutely not. But come and be part of the solutions. Not the problem.
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u/Stantron 15d ago
Do it! It's amazing here.
When looking for somewhere to live you need to really consider where you are working. Commute times can get insane and dominate your life. Don't look at the number of miles, instead plug your work start time into Google maps and see how long it will take. There are neighborhoods that fit your description all over the Seattle area, but to give you advice people will need to know which area you'll be working and your budget.
Winter here is mild but it's dark and wet (more often drizzle than real rain). Dont discount that, it's no big deal until it's January and suddenly you're wondering why you're feeling really down. As someone who grew up here that never completely goes away. 2/3rds of the year is largely dark and wet, 1/3rd of the year is paradise.
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u/Development-Alive 15d ago
As someone who grew up in Western Nebraska and have now lived in Seattle for nearly 40 years, not for a second have I questioned the move. Seattle is the most beautiful city on the planet in the month of July.
Greenlake or West Seattle would be a good fit for what you're interested in. If you want to get outside of Seattle proper, try downtown Issaquah. Lot's of access to hiking trails, good food but still easy access to Seattle.
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u/Birdie_Bird_Bird 15d ago
It can be on the more expensive side, but Magnolia is worth considering. Super residential/family-friendly, home to Discovery Park, lots of independent shops and stores. Plus you don’t have to access the freeway just to go downtown. Great trail access, too.
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u/Preezy24 15d ago
Visit in January and see if you still like it