same $100k income, fresh start from Detroit

change
Seattle, WA cityscape

next stop after detroit

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

$367

pricier each month than Detroit

Seattle costs more than Detroit, 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

49% more expensive than Detroit(vs $1,472/mo)

02state income tax

0%

$354/mo less in state tax than Detroit

vs 4.25% in Detroit

03after rent

$6,140/mo

$367 less than Detroit

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

04a house here

$791k

202% more expensive than Detroit

vs $262k in Detroit

05metro size

4.0M

vs 4.3M in Detroit

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

182

pleasant days a year, in seattle.

Detroit only logs 160 pleasant days.

182% more happening than in Detroit.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

93/100

98% higher than Detroit

vs 47/100 in Detroit

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

·walk score®

98/100

1% lower than Detroit

vs 99/100 in Detroit

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

90

33% fewer than Detroit

vs 135 nonstops in Detroit

04 · see also

cities that play in seattle's register:

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