with $100k coming in, swapping out of Birmingham

change
Seattle, WA cityscape

instead of birmingham

Seattle

wa · metro 4.0M

photo: Thom Milkovic / unsplash

a dispatch from

seattle

WA

47.61°N

122.33°W

Seattle is coffee snobs, ferries crossing the sound, mountains in two directions, and misty mornings that make the espresso taste better. Pike Place still throws fish, the salmon is genuinely better here, and the Cascades sit right outside your window like a movie backdrop. The hippie greenmarket soul still runs through everything the tech money has built. Bring layers.

metro4.0M

in our guides

#7

of 10

Most walkable cities in America

read the guide
#5

of 10

Best cities for health and wellness

read the guide
#7

of 10

Most livable cities in America

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities for mild four-season weather

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities in states with no income tax

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best places to move in 2026

read the guide
#2

of 10

Best cities for parks and green space

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best cities for work-life balance

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities for a $150k salary

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities for a $200k salary

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities for outdoor athletes

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities for cyclists

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities for dog owners

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities in the Pacific Northwest

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities to live in your 30s

read the guide

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$370

more expensive each month than Birmingham

Seattle costs more than Birmingham, and you'll feel it. The upside has to come from somewhere other than your budget.
landable, recorded on the seattle entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$2,193/mo

56% more expensive than Birmingham(vs $1,407/mo)

02state income tax

0%

$417/mo less in state tax than Birmingham

vs 5% in Birmingham

03after rent

$6,140/mo

$370 less than Birmingham

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$791k

204% more expensive than Birmingham

vs $261k in Birmingham

05metro size

4.0M

vs 1.2M in Birmingham

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

182

pleasant days a year, in seattle.

Birmingham only logs 171 pleasant days.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 2.8× more on the calendar than Birmingham.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

93/100

52% higher than Birmingham

vs 61/100 in Birmingham

Closest outdoor draw: Mount Rainier National Park, 59.8 mi.

·walk score®

98/100

24% higher than Birmingham

vs 79/100 in Birmingham

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

90

350% more than Birmingham

vs 20 nonstops in Birmingham

04 · see also

same energy as seattle, different zip code:

see also

portland

similar overall lifestyle

turn the page

see also

trenton

more flight options

turn the page

see also

salt lake city

$198/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare seattle with:

PortlandTrentonSalt Lake City