Moving from New York, NY, to Seattle, WA

Smaller town life in Seattle

With New York City being the largest, it’s expected that any other city you move to in the U.S. will be smaller. Moving across the country to Seattle, Washington, is no exception.

Nicknamed “The Emerald City,” Seattle has a population of around 737,000, with 4.02 million in the metro.

In contrast, NYC’s metro population has over 20 million residents. Keep reading to learn what to expect in Seattle.

West Coast weather

You can expect different weather patterns in Seattle. While winters there are cold, they are milder than what you’re used to in New York. Seattle’s winter low is around 37 degrees, with around 5 inches of snow each year. In contrast, NYC has an average low temperature of 26 degrees, with 25 inches of snow annually.

Seattle’s known as a rainy city, so you might be surprised to learn that it averages only 38 inches of rain per year, compared to 47 inches in NYC.

Both cities experience warm summers, but Seattle’s average summer high of around 76 degrees is about 10 degrees cooler than New York City’s average.

New sights and sounds

Seattle is the birthplace of Grunge music, so while exploring the city or shopping at Pike Place Market, you could listen to some Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden tunes to set the mood.

Here are some other places to visit:

  • Chihuly Garden and Glass
  • Kerry Park
  • Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
  • Seattle Aquarium
  • Seattle Art Museum
  • Space Needle

Working in Seattle

Seattle has a lower cost of living than New York City, but housing prices are still higher than in other areas of the U.S. Fortunately, Washington State does not have an income tax, so you’ll take home more of your salary.

Seattle's job market is strong, and leading industries include biotech, commercial fishing, healthcare, manufacturing, retail and technology. Companies like Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft, Weyerhaeuser and Zillow employ many residents.

U-Pack can help you make the move to Washington State

U-Pack® is a long-distance moving service that has been in business since 1997. We have nationwide service centers, including locations near NYC and Seattle, ready to help. 

We’re a DIY-moving service where you handle packing, loading and unloading, and then we move your belongings. Get a free online quote today or call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 to speak to a moving consultant.