The state of Washington is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. The economy is strong, the job market is good, and there are plenty of things to do and see. However, there are also some things to consider before making the move, such as the cost of living and the weather.
If you're thinking about moving to Washington State, here's what you need to know.
Pros of Moving to Washington State
- The Economy is Strong Washington's economy is strong and growing. The state is home to many major corporations, including Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, and Boeing. This means that there are plenty of jobs vailable in a variety of industries.
- The Job Market is Good The job market in Washington is good, with an unemployment rate of just 4.5%. This is lower than the national average of 4.9%, so you should have no trouble finding a job that suits your skills and experience.
- There are Plenty of Things to Do Washington is a great place to live if you're looking for things to do. The state is home to a variety of attractions, including the Space Needle, Mount Rainier, and the Seattle Aquarium. There's also plenty of hiking, biking, and camping opportunities.
- The Weather is mild The weather in Washington is mild, with temperatures rarely dipping below freezing in the winter and reaching into the 80s in the summer. This makes it a great place to live if you don't like extreme temperatures.
- The Cost of Living is Affordable The cost of living in Washington is affordable, with the average home price being $275,000. This is lower than the national average of $294,000, so you'll be able to save money on your housing costs.
A brief description of the state of Washington.
Let's take a more macro approach to the current state of Washington by looking at the actual state itself before going into the nitty gritty. The scenery in Washington is breathtaking.
The advantages of relocating to Washington State. High quality of life and a beautiful environment.
With a spectacular backdrop, Washington was fortunate enough to find itself in the perfect location. With this comes a higher quality of life and plenty to do outside. Washington has over 100 mountains, which means it's either paradise for the outdoor enthusiast that loves trekking, mountain biking, and climbing, or it's not (or isn't so safe to say).
Being so close to the Pacific Ocean and with an abundance of lakes, streams, and rivers nearby, there are endless opportunities for water sports such as surfing, wind-surfing, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding that I cannot list them all!. And fishing too! If you're up early enough in the morning. Or if you prefer land activities over water ones , Seattle has many slopes perfect for arun or two.
While the cost of living is much higher than in other areas of the United States (more on that here momentarily), many people will argue that it's a fair trade to have such easy access to nature.
Moving to Washington, Seattle. Money.
If you're looking for an affordable place to live, Washington is not the state for you. In fact, Seattle- the state's most popular city- will cost you $2,100/month for a two bedroom apartment. To put that into perspective, that rental price is 80% higher than what the average American pays.
Other cities in Washington are marginally less expensive to live in, but you'll have to shell out a little extra than you would if you lived in your present city (unless you're living in New York City, Los Angeles, or San Francisco).
The average salary in Seattle is a little under $70,000 annually, which makes it easier to pay the annual rent of $2,000. And now that we mention money, let's talk about Washington's economy. After all, you'll need a job once you arrive.
Welcome to Washington, a state of natural beauty.
In 2017, Washington was America's top state for business. It grew by 3.7% in 2016, which was roughly two and a half times the national average. So, not only is it winning the race; it's dominating it. In addition, the state of Washington is massively innovative too- right behind California with the most patents filed by any state in 2016.
In the past 10 years, Washington has upheld its nickname very well. Most likely, when it was given this nickname, they were referring to the state's enormous evergreen forests.
The state’s strong economy is perfect for anyone looking to take advantage of an opportunity. The best city to do this in is…
Make room Silicon Valley, there's a new golden child on the rise.
They say that every wonderful thing must eventually come to an end. We're not sure who "they" is (or are), but they've got a good point. For many years now, Silicon Valley has been our nation's forerunner for anything and everything tech related. And, even though it definitely sn't going anywhere anytime soon, there are some new contenders in the arena... like Seattle.
With Bay Area engineering offices increasing at a breakneck speed, they are moving to Seattle... making it one of the United States' fastest developing technology areas.
In 2016 and 2017, Seattle was ranked first among other cities in adding the most number of tech jobs. They added a total 33,803 jobs during this two year period. And what's even more amazing is that these software engineers earn an average yearly salary of $130,000! So if you're thinking about becoming an engineer or are one already, Seattle might be worth looking into as your next career move.
With technology taking over the world as we know it, Seattle is at the forefront with giants in the business like Boeing, Microsoft, Amazon, and Starbucks. Basically, what we're trying to say is that Seattle is experiencing some interesting growth trends. And while the cost of living here is definitely higher than in other parts of the country, the opportunities might be worth it.
Where should you live in Washington?
Okay, so perhaps the most apparent response is Seattle. After all, we just complimented it for the past few minutes. It's expanding at breakneck speed and offers some incredible chances for people of all ages to get in and make a lot of money. With that out of the way, Washington is a big state with numerous minor towns to select from.
Tacoma is a much, much smaller version of Seattle (but not really).
There are a few obvious reasons to pick Tacoma over Seattle. For one, you may get a better view of Mount Rainier (do yourself a favor and Google the city, your mind will be blown). For two, the rent in Tacoma is far less expensive than Seattle at $1,200 per month... yet it's still not inexpensive when compared to nearly double in Seattle. And don't let Tacoma's modest population of just 213,000 people deceive you... it's still a great location to do business and was ranked by Forbes among the top cities in the United States for young professionals.
We can't overlook the lovely city of Spokane.
Out of all the cities we've visited, Spokane is by far the most beautiful. In fact, others seem to agree with us. US News even ranked it as one of the best places to live.
Indeed, Spokane is roughly the same size as Tacoma—with a population of 217,000. So it has a small-town feel with some big-city possibilities. Not only does it have some of the best bike trails in the region, but also some of the most well-designed and maintained streets. We'd also claim that Spokane may provide Washingtonians with the greatest access to its gorgeous natural environment. It's only an hour away from 76 lakes, a dozen or so rivers, and one of Washington's true gems... Lake Coeur d'Alene.
Why haven't you made the jump yet?
If you enjoy being outside and want to establish yourself in the tech industry (or at the very least build a solid career), Washington is an obvious choice. Yes, it has its drawbacks. We're still perplexed as to why the rent is so high. But we believe the prospects available there may be worth whatever you have to pay for living there. That's something you'll have to decide for yourself. If you decide to move in or to Washington, don't hesitate to reach out. We coordinate local and long-distance moving services in Washington and we would love to help!