Moving from San Jose, CA, to Seattle, WA

Moving to a new home in Seattle

Seattle is around 840 miles north of San Jose, and moving here takes you to a smaller city with a larger metro population. Seattle has 737,000 people living within city limits, compared to 1 million in San Jose. 

However, Seattle’s metro area is twice the size, with just over 4 million residents compared to only 2 million in San Jose. 

Keep reading to learn more about life in “The Emerald City.”

Different weather patterns in Washington

Like San Jose, Seattle is known for mild summers. Its average summer high is around 76 degrees, compared to 82 degrees in San Jose.

Seattle has a reputation as a rainy city, with 38 inches of rain each year. This is significantly more than San Jose, which averages only 17 inches annually.

Winter low temperatures are colder in Raleigh than in San Jose (37 vs. 42 degrees). Snow is rare in San Jose, but Seattle typically gets around 5 inches per year.

The best Seattle attractions

Seattle has a vibrant, urban scene with multiple interesting attractions. 

Don’t miss out on experiencing these fun places:

  • Chihuly Garden and Glass
  • Discovery Park
  • Green Lake Park
  • Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
  • Pike Place Market
  • Seattle Aquarium
  • Seattle Art Museum
  • Space Needle
  • Woodland Park Zoo

The job market and making a living in Seattle

Seattle can be a pricey place to live, but it is cheaper than San Jose. Unlike California, the state of Washington does not collect income taxes, so you’ll get to take home a bit more of your salary. The Seattle job market is strong, with technology, healthcare, aerospace, education and logistics as leading industries.

The city's largest employers include Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington.

Move to Washington State with U-Pack

U-Pack® has nearly 30 years of experience in long-distance moving. Our service centers near San Jose and Seattle are here to help with your move from California to Washington State.

We’re a DIY moving service, so you take care of packing, loading and unloading, and then we transport your things. Get a free online quote today or call us at 844-362-5303844-594-3077. We’re here to help!