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Erika Cox's review of Seattle Washington
Are you thinking of moving or relocating to Seattle, Washington? Would you like to know what the quality of life is like living in Seattle?
| Weather | | Safety | | Neighborhoods | | People | | Seattle is known to experience a great deal of rain throughout the year, especially during the winter months. It doesn't rain hard so there's not much flooding. It's more a light rain or misty, foggy rain. However, it can rain for several days in a row making it very dreary. The city can experience snow as it has in the past few years but it doesn't stay around for days. In the summer, the temperatures are warm but not very hot. Humidity is almost non-existent. The winters are cool and rainy. The fall is crisp and the springs are rainy with cooler temperatures. The area doesn't experience natural disasters like tornadoes or hurricans. However, earthquakes can occur. | | Crime in the city is more prevalent in the downtown area where there are a lot of homeless people many of them being young people. Seattle is known to have been home to some of the worse serial killers in the country. Drug use, public intoxication, theft, burglary, and robbery are the more common kinds of crime. Seattle has seen an increase in property crime. The city is not a high violent crime place but rapes and murders do happen in almost every part of the city. Shoplifting and theft are more common downtown because of the homeless and youth population that hangs out all the time. | | The worst part of the town in my opinion is also the best part of town, and that is the downtown area. The area is a gathering place for tourists, residents, and the homeless - young and old. Medina and Mercer Islands are definitely one of the best parts of town. They are one of the richest in the city. A ferry ride will take you to see some of the wealthiest homes in the city. Capital and Fremont Hill is home to expensive apartments. Most of the residents are White and middle to upper class.
The worse parts of Seattle would be closer to downtown and near the Space Needle - Ranier Valley and Columbia. Lots of homeless and single people, very crowded, homes are older, and most of the residents are lower to middle class. These areas have more of a mixture of Black, Asian, and Hispanic residents. The value of the homes run less than $100,000. The neighborhoods are more crowded with less space. | | Most of the residents are educated and hold white-collar jobs. However because of the ports, there are many who work in the fishing industry. The city is about 65% white and 35% black. There is a large section of hippie or alternative lifestyle residents. There's pretty much a mixture of single and married people. The single population is larger in areas like downtown, Columbia, Beacon Hill, and North and West Seattle. More families like in the eastern and southern parts of the city. The city has more of a younger population. The average age is probably 35-40 years old. | | Downtown Area | | Restaurants | | Schools | | Single life | | The downtown area is nice. It is a real downtown with plenty of places to shop and eat. There are cabs, buses, and rail light to get you back and forth. Getting around downtown is not complicated. It can be crowded though. And there is a heavy presence of homeless people. Pike's Place is a few blocks away so there's a lot to do in the downtown area. Make sure you have some good walking shoes and take a light jacket if you are in Seattle in the Spring, Winter, or Fall months because the Puget Sound will provide a cool breeze. | | Almost any restaurant in Pike's place is good, and that's not an understatement. The food, especially the seafood, is absolutely delicious. The IL Bistro has tasty Italian food. Pike Place Bar & Gril, Place Pigalle (enjoy the view). The Pink Door is another popular restaurant. | | The best school district in Seattle is the Edmond and Shoreline school districts. Edmond is close to Puget Sound area and provides many opportunities and extracurricular activities. Lake Stevens is also a good district. The public school district in Seattle is average. There is a high dropout rate. The graduation rate hovers around 70%. | | There are many opportunities for singles. Seattle is probably at the top of the chart when it comes to singles. There are many clubs, bars, and activities for singles. Some areas like Beacon Hill are flooded with singles. | | Noise | | Compared to other places | | Best hospital | | Tourist attractions | | The only unusual noise will come from Puget Sound with the ships, boats, and ferries. But it's not that bad. Seattle is not really a noisy city unless you live close to downtown and Pike's Place. And I wouldn't recommend that. | | Seattle is close in comparison to San Francisco but less expensive and more of a place to raise a family. To me, Seattle has a better scenery when it's not raining than San Francisco. Compared to Kansas City, Seattle has more to offer, has more diversity and a more progressive attitude. It also has a better scenery to me. You can't beat Mt. Rainier and Puget Sound. The wealthiest neighborhoods in Seattle also outshine the Leawood, KS area in Kansas City, MO. These wealthy homes in Seattle are huge and resemble expensive homes in California. The people are also more open to change and new opportunities than they are in Kansas City. | | Swedish Medical Center, Children's Hospital and Med Center, and Kindred Hospital are the best hospitals in the area. The Swedish Medical Center is top rated in the Northwest. | | The best places to visit is Pike's Place. This is a must for any visitor. Watch fish get thrown around, shop at some of the best vintage stores, eat at some of the best restuarants, and take a rest next to Puget Sound. You can catch a ferry and travel to Lake Stevens too. The Space Needle and the Experience Music Museum is another great place to visit. Be sure to go to the top of the Space Needle on a clear day so you can see Mt. Rainier. If you have the time, the right clothes, and it's during the summer months, take a trip to Mt. Rainier | | General comments | | | | | | | | Seattle is very liberal and similar to the feel of San Francisco. The people of Seattle are sort of like Californians but more liberal and less sophisticated as far as big-city residents go. The people are laid-back and overall pretty nice, except for some that you encounter in the downtown area. There is a late-night crowd located on the west side, which is where most of the younger crowd lives. Seattle seems like it's more west in it's attitude than north even though it's located in the Northwest part of the country. | | | | | | |
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