$100k a year, no longer in Charlotte

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Seattle, WA cityscape

next stop after charlotte

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

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#5

of 10

Best cities for health and wellness

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#7

of 10

Most livable cities in America

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#6

of 10

Best cities for mild four-season weather

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#3

of 10

Best cities in states with no income tax

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#7

of 10

Best places to move in 2026

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#2

of 10

Best cities for parks and green space

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#7

of 10

Best cities for work-life balance

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#3

of 10

Best cities for a $150k salary

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#3

of 10

Best cities for a $200k salary

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#6

of 10

Best cities for outdoor athletes

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#6

of 10

Best cities for cyclists

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#4

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Best cities for dog owners

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#3

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Best cities in the Pacific Northwest

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#6

of 10

Best cities to live in your 30s

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$90

the monthly cost of moving past Charlotte

Barely costlier than Charlotte. If Seattle pulls you in, it's the life it offers, not the price tag.
landable, recorded on the seattle entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$2,193/mo

27% more expensive than Charlotte(vs $1,728/mo)

02state income tax

0%

$375/mo less in state tax than Charlotte

vs 4.5% in Charlotte

03after rent

$6,140/mo

$90 less than Charlotte

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

04a house here

$791k

102% more expensive than Charlotte

vs $391k in Charlotte

05metro size

4.0M

vs 2.8M in Charlotte

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

182

pleasant days a year, in seattle.

Charlotte gets 200 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 2.2× more on the calendar than Charlotte.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

93/100

82% higher than Charlotte

vs 51/100 in Charlotte

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

·walk score®

98/100

4% higher than Charlotte

vs 94/100 in Charlotte

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

90

36% fewer than Charlotte

vs 141 nonstops in Charlotte

04 · see also

neighbors of seattle on the map of tradeoffs:

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