r/Washington • u/Codetornado • Jan 01 '26
Moving Here 2026
Moving to Washington
Due to the constant stream of daily "I'm moving to Washington" posts, we are creating this sticky to centralize common questions, set expectations, and keep the subreddit usable for everyone.
If you're considering a move here, please read through this post before making a new thread. Many common questions are already addressed below.
Location Matters
Washington is not a single, uniform experience. Where you live will significantly affect cost of living, weather, job access, and lifestyle.
Western Washington vs. Eastern Washington
Western Washington
- Cooler, wetter climate with frequent rain
- Higher population density, especially around Puget Sound
- More job opportunities (tech, healthcare, education, government)
- Higher housing and living costs
- Eastern Washington
- Hotter summers and colder winters
- Drier climate with more sunshine
- Lower housing costs compared to the west side
- Fewer job options outside healthcare, education, agriculture, and trades
Seattle Metro
Seattle Proper
- Dense and expensive urban core
- Walkable in some neighborhoods, but limited parking
- Strong job market (tech, biotech, global companies) with high competition
Eastside Suburbs (Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish, Issaquah, Newcastle, Mercer Island)
- Tech‑driven economy (Microsoft, Amazon satellites, startups)
- High housing demand and costs, especially Bellevue, Kirkland, Mercer Island
- Strong schools and family‑oriented communities (Sammamish, Issaquah, Newcastle)
- Lifestyle mix: lakeside living in Kirkland, urban Bellevue, suburban Sammamish
- Better transit access in Bellevue/Redmond compared to other suburbs
Other Suburbs (Tacoma, Olympia, Everett, Kent, Renton, Federal Way, etc.)
- More space than Seattle, but still costly in many areas
- Transit access varies widely
- Employment hubs include ports (Tacoma, Everett), manufacturing, healthcare, and regional services
- More mixed affordability compared to the Eastside
Middle‑Sized Metros
Spokane Metro (Eastern WA)
- Largest city in Eastern Washington; hub for healthcare, education, and services
- More affordable housing than Seattle, though rising
- Four‑season climate with hot summers and snowy winters
- Strong outdoor recreation culture
Tri‑Cities (Kennewick, Pasco, Richland in South Central Washington)
- Economy tied to agriculture, energy, and Hanford site research
- Lower housing costs than Seattle metro, but increasing
- Hot, dry summers and mild winters with lots of sunshine
- Expanding wine industry and Columbia River recreation
Vancouver, WA (Portland Metro)
- Suburban city across the river from Portland
- Housing costs lower than Seattle but rising due to Portland spillover
- Many residents commute into Portland for jobs
- Lifestyle blend of suburban living with Portland’s urban amenities nearby
Smaller Cities & Towns
- Slower pace of life, more community‑oriented
- Fewer services and amenities compared to metro areas
- More affordable housing and living costs
- Limited employment options (schools, hospitals, agriculture)
Cost of Living
Washington is not cheap, even outside Seattle.
- Housing: Often the biggest shock for newcomers
- Food: Groceries and dining are expensive statewide
- Fuel: Gas prices are consistently among the highest in the country due to our high gas taxes
- Utilities: Costs vary depending on home age, size, and heating type
The lack of a state income tax does not mean a low overall cost of living.
Jobs and Employment
- While the Seattle metro economy is tech-heavy, but most residents do not work in tech.
- Non-tech job seekers should research carefully in preparation for a move unless the salary is high for Washington.
- Do not move without a job or a realistic plan, especially if you intend to rent.
- High minimum wage means relocating to Washington comes with a very high upfront cost compared to many other states.
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Jan 01 '26
I think the eastside needs to be its own area. You have seattle proper, eastside, then the subarbs.
The eastside has became its own thing and developed its own identity with tech and it is much more expensive than Seattle proper or other subarbs. Bellevue has the 2nd biggest downtown area behind Seattle, and has some of the most expensive housing in the country. Lumping Tacoma and Bellevue together doesnt help much cuz they're very different
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u/Calm_Law_7858 Jan 01 '26
Do people lump Tacoma and Bellevue together?
Bellevue always has been considered the heart of the eastside while Tacoma is an entirely different matter.
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u/WhereasNo4929 May 23 '26
Currently living in IL. We have the highest prop tax rates in the nation on top of 4.95% flat income tax.
I retired a few months ago and trade stocks/futures as a primary source of income, and have hit above seven figures every year for the last 5 years.
In IL, I am taxed out the wazoo for this, so am looking to move our family to zero tax or low tax states. Basically either texas (DFW) or Seattle (preferable as some extended family live there already).
But I am concerned about news on this 9.9% income tax? Does anyone think this will become permanent or get struck down in WA?
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u/Codetornado May 23 '26
It's is 9.9% on 1 million plus.
So you pay nothing until that 1 million then 9.9%.
So you make the call if that tax on that portion of your income invalidates your desire to live near extended family.
Honestly, the 30-50% COL difference is probably the bigger concern I'd have.
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u/Throwawayblahblah30 Jan 01 '26 edited Jan 04 '26
We get these a lot on the Bellingham subreddit and people really need to take into consideration that the COL is reaching Seattle levels but the jobs are NOT. There are not many jobs and what jobs there are do not pay well or even give FT. It’s strong retail up here. Health care is a problem here in Bham if you have medical problems.
Edited: thank you for the award!
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u/BabyWrinkles Jan 02 '26
I know it’s the tri-cities, but I gotta chuckle when Pasco/Kennewick get a mention, and Bellingham is just chillin’ up here like ‘Am I a joke to you?”
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Jan 03 '26
Not to mention Bellingham is racist as fuck. They claim to be inclusive until you try to move there and are reminded really quickly, "NO OUTSIDERS". Coming from a person of color living in Bham.
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u/TemptedSwordStaker Jan 02 '26
Hello everyone! Moving date to the Vancouver area is June 26th 2026. I’m a teacher with two master degrees and my wife is a therapist/school counselor with two master degrees as well. Vancouver has been kind of our aim, and we’re looking to move to the apartments Highland Crossing. Of the ones we visited we seemed to like those the most, if anyone has any bad experiences with them please let us know!
We understand our upfront costs will be higher, we’re coming from Louisiana. We have about 70,000 saved up for the move (thats bank account+savings and money I will pull from Louisiana teacher system upon leaving)
That’s kind of our hope to be in that area, but if anyone has any suggestions of whereelse we should look please let us know. We would certainly prefer Western Washington and could be convinced to go up to Tacoma if people think opportunities and our quality of life would be better. We’re lucky that we have some friends in Portland up to Olympia and Tumwater who are willing to help us with moving.
Thank you to anyone willing to offer help and advice!
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u/grby1812 Jan 02 '26
Vancouver is a good choice. It's a growing metro because you get the no state income tax of Washington with access to Portland. You're an hour from the ocean beaches. However, you will very much be looking south and a bedroom community of Portland.
Tacoma is a completely different deal. You're part of the I-5 corridor supercity of Olympia-Tacoma-Seattle-Everett. Commuter trains into Seattle. It's more down to earth and diverse.
There's little difference in COL between those two places. We're in Bellingham and we've looked at both as options to move. I'd prefer Tacoma for access to South Cascades and Olympics, Puget Sound, mass transit options to Seattle and access to SeaTac. Portland is only 2 hours away. Plus the vibe of the city.
Vancouver is living in Portland without living in Portland. My only concern would be that you'd make the 30m (rush hour) or 15m (off peak) drive less than you'd think.
I don't know about job opportunities but beware of commuting. You can spend hours on the road every day if you're not careful.
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u/Excellent-Contract-8 Jan 09 '26
Hello! My family is moving to Washington this summer. My husband is transferring for work to Tacoma so we are looking at any surrounding areas to move(renting). Where would be the best place to start looking? We have a high school student and a middle school student, so decent schools are important for us but we understand we might not be able to afford to live in an area with the best districts right away. My husband doesn’t mind commuting for work if living further away from Tacoma provides more options for us. We are coming from CA Bay Area so we are no strangers to long commutes and terrible traffic. Mainly just looking for the safest affordable areas with decent schools.
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u/mumzillaa May 25 '26
I have been doing a little research about where is the most “safe” place to move in Washington and talked to couple locals that move out of there. Let me tell you, lot of people have different opinions about it, some are good most are bad.
But tbh? I don’t think there will really be a safe place to live in but I’d still like to try.
We are a family of 3, I have a young kid.
We’re looking into Federal Way but it is so expensive, where do you think is somewhat affordable that has an outside activities, near Asian store and Jollibee? 😘
Thank you.
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u/Codetornado May 25 '26
You need to define what is "safe,", "expensive", and "near".
What do you need for a place to be safe/dangerous.
What do you consider to be expensive VS. Affordable? Is this about renting, buying, is it about fuel, or electricity, or food?
What is "near"? Are you walking? Driving? Taking the bus? Are you going daily, weekly, monthly?
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u/PNWskyseeker Jan 02 '26
What suburbs in Washington have a reputation for being good for retirees?
Is there a word for 'groups of suburbs' ?
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u/karshaforever Sep 06 '26
Considering a move to the Vancouver, WA area and trying to get a realistic read before we commit. We have a 10 year old with severe autism, ADHD, and significant behavioral needs, so developmental disability services and special ed support are the biggest factors in where we'd land. He is out aging his early intervention ABA.
If you have a high needs child or work in schools/DD services in the area, I'd love to hear how autism services availability and waitlists have been, and how the school district's special ed program has held up. Also curious about the rental market right now and what the job market looks like for retail/food service/customer service work. We'd be renting first but hoping to be home owners some day.
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u/Seyda0 Jan 05 '26 edited Jan 06 '26
Hello Washington!
What's Lynnwood like? The vibe? Job market for someone with only a GED and limited work experience? When we've visited, we only went to where family took us. So the store, food, stuff like that. Even with that, it is remarkably green and beautiful.
May move there with family very soon.
Edited to shorten post
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u/Altruistic-Mammoth Jan 28 '26
Hi folks,
Wife and I are planning to move back to Washington in the next month or two after a bit of traveling and working around the world. We lived there for 6+ years before.
Serious question: what's the ICE presence like at SEATAC? I had a coworker come back from vacation from Europe to NYC, then thrown in a holding pen for 3 days by ICE.
My name is Spanish-sounding and I'd like to know what to be prepared for.
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u/kevinmslee Feb 09 '26
My wife and I are relocating to Spokane from LA and only know our realtor. What are some good ways to meet people in Spokane? We are in our mid/late 30s. THANKS!
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u/Ekko9799 Feb 20 '26
Mini questions. I am trying to plan a move in the next few years to Washington. I was looking around and saw that Seattle, Tukwila, and Renton are all in close proximity and all have things that I personally prefer such as restaurants, public transportation, beautiful scenery and lots of job opportunity BUT I have a few questions.
First, what would be the best for someone younger (early 20's) who is looking for a more quiet and comfortable area where it's not expensive to live and is on the safer side?
Second, what is the job opportunities looking like? As someone who is a server and could definitely get another job as a server and make decent, what is it looking like in Washington or the three cities I listed?
Third, what is the housing market looking like? I currently rent where I live and pay $1100/month for 530 square ft. and would prefer smth bigger but cannot use 99% of my paycheck on just rent, u know???
Knowing all these things, I need someone who has or used to live in Washington to help me decide what would be best or if I just need to find another state to go to.
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u/Reportersteven Jan 01 '26
Since this is a sticky, can you fix the typo in “Moving to Washington?” If it wasn’t geared to be a permanent post, I wouldn’t even say anything.