$100k a year, no longer in Springfield

change
Seattle, WA cityscape

if you left springfield

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

$553

more each month than Springfield ran you

Seattle costs more than Springfield, 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

76% more expensive than Springfield(vs $1,249/mo)

02state income tax

0%

$392/mo less in state tax than Springfield

vs 4.7% in Springfield

03after rent

$6,140/mo

$553 less than Springfield

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

04a house here

$791k

195% more expensive than Springfield

vs $268k in Springfield

05metro size

4.0M

vs 491k in Springfield

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

182

pleasant days a year, in seattle.

Springfield only logs 170 pleasant days.

A month here packs 15.9× the events of Springfield.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

93/100

86% higher than Springfield

vs 50/100 in Springfield

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

·walk score®

98/100

10% higher than Springfield

vs 89/100 in Springfield

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

90

900% more than Springfield

vs 9 nonstops in Springfield

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