Moving from New York to Seattle?

Seattle is the largest city in the American Pacific Northwest, and the 15^th largest city in the United States. Located on a land strip between the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound, Seattle has a very large natural harbor and is a major trade route for most goods between the Americas and Asia. Historically, the city based its economy in logging and light manufacturing. Today, the economy of modern Seattle is based on high-tech industry with companies like Amazon.com, T-Mobile, and Microsoft having bases in the city. Seattle is also a major trend setter as the origin of Starbuck’s Coffee, Ray Charles, and the alternative rock music genre named grunge. Make the move from New York, NY to Seattle, WA, you will love it!

So what exactly makes Seattle a better place to call home than New York City?

The following point of information will inform help you see why making the move from New York to Seattle is a no-brainer!

Seattle parks and recreation

Seattle is one of the greenest cities in the world, not only for its amazing system of parks and outdoor recreational spaces, but also for its design and efficient use of city planning. The city has long been considered a prime example of efficient city planning, and often cited in academic settings as a well-planned city. One of the best cases of city planning in Seattle is its usage of the monorail system. In fact, Seattle’s monorail system was studied by Disney engineers when they began building the monorail system in Disney World. Seattle’s year round beautiful weather provides an excellent opportunity for all kinds of outdoor recreation, and in 2005, Men’s Fitness magazine ranked Seattle as the fittest city in the country. In 2013, Seattle was ranked as having the 20^th best park system in the country out of a list of the top 50 best systems.

Seattle’s climate

The climate in Seattle is surprisingly one of the most stable throughout the year, as well as one of the most consistently pleasant. Many incorrectly claim that Seattle is one of the rainiest cities in the country; however, the city actually receives less rain on average (37 inches per year) than New York City (49 inches per year). Seattle does, however, have more days of measureable rainfall than most other cities with an average of 150 days of precipitation. Snowfall in the area is rare, but certainly not uncommon, and much less than the yearly snowfall in New York City. Average summer highs in Seattle are estimated in the mid-80s, with few days breaking over 90 degrees, and winter lows are often seen in the mid-30s, and few days dropping below the freezing point.

Seattle’s culture

Residents in Seattle call themselves Seattleites, so you’ll no longer be called a New Yorker. During the 1990s, Seattle reacted aggressively towards over-commercialization and mass production. Many Seattleites felt that the spread of big business and corporate enterprise infringed on their rights and liberties. In an effort to “Keep Seattle Weird,” small business is heavily promoted, and several initiatives exist to help new businesses begin and develop. The US consulting firm, Mercer, ranked Seattle as being the 48^th best place to live in the world. It should be mentioned that New York was not even ranked in the Top 100 spots. Seattle is also well known for its outdoor activities including boating, sailing, hiking, biking, and mountain climbing. As a result of the liberally minded culture, people are very open and friendly in Seattle. Many who visit the area note that Seattleites do not mind having open conversations with strangers in cafes and other public spaces.

Crime and violence in Seattle

Seattle is considerably one of the safest cities in the United States. Overall, the city has seen a major decline in any criminal activity, by a rate of 2% from 2011 to 2012. In a perceived safety survey, 78% of Seattleites stated they felt safe walking around the city at night, compared to only 43% in New York. Crime and violence were considered in the Mercer report, which was another reason Seattle was ranked so highly.

Moving to Seattle

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Make Seattle your new home!

Seattle is an amazing place to call home. Surrounded by mountains, black sand beaches, miles of red pine forests, and some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet, Seattle is completely different from the concrete jungle of New York City. Not only is Seattle several times safer than New York, the city just feels warmer, and although considerably different from the big apple, the sense of community pride, innovativeness, and progressiveness is shared by both cities. Make the move from New York, NY to Seattle, WA, you will not regret it!