Seattle, WA

Living in Seattle

Seattle is known as the crowning jewel, the Emerald City, of the Evergreen State. Washington state´s largest city combines a bustling urban lifestyle with year-round outdoor activities. Despite its reputation as "Rain City," Seattle actually receives less precipitation than other American cities such as New York City and Boston. Although Seattle does have cloudy or partly cloudy days throughout the year, this Seatown is filled with parks and lakes perfect for sailing, skiing, bicycling, camping and hiking any time of the year.

Seattle lies between the Puget Sound, Lake Washington, the Cascade Range and the Olympic Mountains, and has a multitude of rivers, forests, lakes and fields. The landscape plays a major role in the culture of the city–including Seattle´s reputation as the fittest city in the United States. The burgeoning downtown waterfront buzzes with activity as residents and tourists enjoy the open air as they experience the fine shopping, dining and entertainment venues. Popular festivals also draw in big crowds.

Tourism is not Seattle´s only economic means. The Port of Seattle continues to play a major role in this diverse and continuously strong economy. Driven by a mix of older industrial companies and start up businesses, Seattle is well known for its contributions to green building, clean technologies and the best coffee in America. Three Fortune 500 companies, as well as numerous other nationally recognized companies, have headquarters in the blossoming business landscape.

Go to the top

Seattle Government