Moving from Anchorage, Alaska to Seattle, Washington

Moving from Anchorage to Seattle can be a very fun and exciting experience although it will be quite a drastic change considering you’ll be moving from Alaska to the lower 48 states. However, you’ll find that you’ll feel just as at home in Seattle as you did in Anchorage. While Anchorage has a population of 291,826, Seattle’s population is bigger at 608,660. Although Seattle is quite a bit bigger than Anchorage, it isn’t so big that you’ll get lost in the mix of the big city, and it offers all the sites and attractions that other bigger cities offer! You’ll certainly love getting to know the largest city in the Pacific Northwest!

Driving from Anchorage to Seattle and more about Seattle:

If you’re planning to drive from Anchorage to Seattle, you know that you’ll be on the road for quite a while! Seattle is over 2,600 miles from Anchorage, and that should take you a total of two days and 8 hours to complete. Since you’ll be crossing the Canadian border when you drive to Seattle, you’ll want to make sure that you have everything you need to ensure a safe and easy passage across the border. You’ll need to have a U.S. Passport or your driver’s license and birth certificate, and if you’re traveling with children you’ll need each child’s birth certificate as well. If you’re traveling with pets, you’ll need to have a signed and dated certificate from your veterinarian for each pet that states the animal has a current vaccination against rabies as well as a health certificate that is no more than 30 days old for each pet.

The Weather in Seattle

Moving from Anchorage to Seattle means that you’ll have to get used to fairly different weather. Seattle’s weather will be warmer than what you’re used to in Anchorage. While Anchorage has a very cool average yearly temperature of 37 F, Seattle has a warmer average yearly temperature of 52 F. Seattle’s summers are warm and dry with average high temperatures in the mid-70s, while winters are cold and wet with average low temperatures in the mid-30s. Although Seattle is known for getting an abundance of rain, the average yearly rainfall is a moderate 37.4 inches. This is because even though it rains much more frequently in other seasons, summers in Seattle are fairly dry. Seattle also receives about 5.9 inches of snow annually.

Getting Around Seattle

If you’re used to taking public transportation in Anchorage, moving from Anchorage to Seattle should make it easier for you to use public transportation! Although Anchorage offers several buses that go throughout the city, King County Metro offers several buses that make frequent stops throughout the city and nearby areas. Additionally, Sound Transit provides two Sounder commuter rail lines, one Central Link light rail line and express bus service throughout the city. If you’re planning to drive in Seattle, you should have no problem learning how to get around although traffic can sometimes be a problem especially downtown.

Education in Seattle

Education is extremely important to Seattleites. Over half of the residents hold a bachelor’s degree or higher and over 90% of residents have a high school diploma or equivalent. So, if you’re moving from Anchorage to Seattle with children, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that they’ll be getting a quality education. Seattle Public Schools, the city’s school district, has an enrollment of over 48,500 students which is very close to Anchorage School District’s enrollment of over 48,000 students. So, your children should have no problem getting adjusted to Seattle’s schools! Along with the great public education system, Seattle has several great colleges and universities including the University of Washington, Seattle University, The Art Institute of Seattle and Seattle Pacific University.

Arts and Culture in Seattle

If you love experiencing the culture of your city, you’ll love exploring the many places that Seattle has to offer! While Anchorage has several great performing arts venues and museums, Seattle has even more to explore.

The performing arts are a big part of the city with the 100 year old Seattle Symphony Orchestra, the Seattle Opera, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, the 5th Avenue Theatre, over two dozen live theater venues and more! For some fun and learning, check out one of Seattle’s great museums such as the Seattle Art Museum, the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Wing Luke Asian Museum, Northwest African American Museum and the Frye Art Museum.

Or, for a day out with the family, visit the Woodland Park Zoo or the Seattle Aquarium. Along with great performing arts and museums, Seattle also hosts the 24 day Seattle International Film Festival which showcases independent films from all over the world. You’ll never run out of new and exciting ways to experience the arts in Seattle!

Welcome to Seattle, “The Emerald City”! We think you’ll love moving from Anchorage to Seattle!

How to Move from Anchorage to Seattle

While Anchorage and Seattle are pretty close on the map, driving that distance takes a while. Instead of driving a rental truck on the ALCAN highway to Seattle, just let U-Pack^® do the driving. U-Pack makes moving easy and affordable since you don't have to drive or pay for fuel. Get a free moving quote to compare U-Pack to your full-service movers - 78% of U-Pack customers chose U-Pack because of the price! Explore our coverage area here.