with $100k coming in, swapping out of Olympia

change
Seattle, WA cityscape

swapping out of olympia

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

$202

the monthly premium over Olympia

Seattle runs a little pricier than Olympia. The case has to be about something other than rent.
landable, recorded on the seattle entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$2,193/mo

10% more expensive than Olympia(vs $1,991/mo)

02state income tax

0%

vs 0% in Olympia

03after rent

$6,140/mo

$202 less than Olympia

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

04a house here

$791k

49% more expensive than Olympia

vs $533k in Olympia

05metro size

4.0M

vs 299k in Olympia

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

182

pleasant days a year, in seattle.

Olympia barely cracks 182 pleasant ones.

·outdoorscore

93/100

16% higher than Olympia

vs 80/100 in Olympia

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

·walk score®

98/100

11% higher than Olympia

vs 88/100 in Olympia

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

90

0% fewer than Olympia

vs 90 nonstops in Olympia

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