1. The Job Market Is Alive And Kicking In Washington
Believe it or not, the job market in
Washington, even Seattle, is better than the national average. With national unemployment around 6 percent, Washington is a little lower at 5.8 percent. Seattle boasts an even lower unemployment rate than that at 4.9 percent.
2. It Rains A Ton… On The West Side
It’s a little tricky to talk about weather in Washington, mostly because there’s so many different ecosystems spread around the state. Some places on the West Coast are as wet as you’ve heard, hence the reason there are literally rainforests like you’d find in Brazil out there. The Eastern half of the state as a whole tends to get much less precipitation though.
Temperatures throughout the year in Seattle stick around pleasant 62 degrees during the summer and a tolerable 44 in the winter, while winters in Spokane are much colder with averages close to freezing at 33 degree.
You should also be informed that there’s a weird view on umbrellas in this state, as in that most locals don’t use them. The rain just kind of spits at you from the sky and they’re not much help.
3. Dogs, Everywhere
If you’re a dog lover, you’re in luck, Washington happens to be one of the most dog friendly states around, with more than 60 percent of the population owning a pet. Seattle also ranks as the third most dog-friendly city in the country, thanks to its many dog-friendly events, restaurants, and bars.
4. The Crime Rate Stats Here Need Some Explaining
The state crime rate hangs around 3,999 reported incidents per 100,000 residents, a little higher than the national average of 3,099 per 100,000 residents. However, keep in mind that this higher rate is likely inflated due to Seattle’s higher rate of 6,167 per 100,000 residents.
It’s also important to keep in mind that while Seattle is a little higher than the rest of the state, this city was once one of the most crime ridden places in the country with much higher rates than they’ve got now. The local government and police have taken leaps and bounds since then, as crime has been on the decline for years and a lot of it is easy to avoid by staying away from certain parts of town.
5. Getting Around Washington Is A Cinch
According to Area Vibes, the average commute time for the entire state is around 24 minutes, with most of the traffic stuck in the larger cities.
While Seattle has an average commute time of 25 minutes each trip, places like Spokane and Olympia are lower at around 20 minutes.
Here’s a pro tip: the traffic in larger Washington cities is typically easily avoidable by utilizing the public transportation or by hopping on two wheels in this extremely bike friendly state.
6. Start Saving Now For Outdoor Sports Gear
Sports you didn’t even know existed will suddenly become your passion once you move to Washington, especially if you’re coming from a flat Midwest state.
The local population is huge on outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, camping, paddle boarding, kayaking, downhill mountain biking, and more.
All of these sports have a cost to get started, thanks to all the gear you’ll need that tends to add up quickly. Just swallow the cost for now, you’ll quickly realize it’s totally worth it.
7. Your Hipster Jokes Are Getting Old
If you think there are lots of hipsters in Washington, you clearly haven’t been to Portland yet.
Sure, it’s completely normal to walk into somewhere here that looks like a library but actually only sells small batch whiskey by the glass or a place that’s been modeled after a doctor’s office the only sells organic scones. Just fight the urge to drop a hipster joke. The people here have heard them all already and they’d like to kindly disagree.
It’s also important to mention that a ton of people have beards here, not because they’re being ironic, mostly just because they like playing with them when they’re thinking really hard about something.
8. Craft Beer Reigns King In This State
Leave the Bud Light at home, you’ll be drinking the good stuff here. With over 280 craft breweries scattered around Washington, you’ll never run out of new tasty beers to try.
9. Coffee, Coffee, And More Coffee
Blame it on the rainy days, but Washington is crazy about coffee. If you’re someone that’s always been intimidated by confusing coffee menus and ends up getting a large cup of black every time, you’re in for a real culture shock.
10. You’ll Start Becoming A Seafood Snob In No Time
Long gone are the days of debating whether or not that frozen fish you find on sale in the frozen food section of the grocery store is trying to kill you.
In Washington, there’s enough fresh fish to go around for everyone to enjoy. Things like the salmon and Dungeness crab here are the best you’ll ever have.
11. The Seahawks Are The Only Football Team It’s Acceptable To Cheer For
Able to claim one of the loudest fan bases in the country, people in Washington go absolutely nuts for the Seattle Seahawks. There’s a reason why they break decibel records in their stadium on a regular basis, so powerful they’re capable of making the ground actually move.
You’ll want to pick up some Seahawks gear and head to a game at CenturyLink Field as soon as you make the move.
12. Seattle Will Steal You Heart In No Time
The most well-known Washington city, Seattle is known for its rain, its coffee, and its Space Needle. Of course, there’s so much more of this city you should be exploring if you’re new to the area. One laid back part of town that’s full of cool restaurants, bars, and breweries is called Ballard. It’s a good place to start.
13. But There’s A Lot More To Washington Than Just Seattle
Seattle gets the most press, but it’s only representative of one tiny region in the huge state of Washington. This state is actually one of the most diverse places in the country, complete with prairies, rivers, glaciers, volcanos, rain forests, beaches, and deserts…you get the picture.
The entire state has unique places and terrain worth exploring in every corner. There are even huge mountains like the 14,411 foot tall Mt. Rainer, the most topographically prominent peak in in contiguous United States.
14. Seattle Isn’t Even The State Capital
Flex you brain and think back to third grade history class. What was the capital of Washington? Washington D.C.?...No…Seattle?...No. Portland?...obviously not. It’s Olympia, a smaller city with a population around 50,000, home to awesome things like a giant salmon sculpture and the Olympic Mountains.
15. The Space Needle Is Really Just A Tourist Trap
As an outsider, you might assume that every Washington resident spends most of their free time going up and down the space needle elevators. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. While everyone in the city loves the view from the ground, a lot of the locals haven’t actually been to the top.
Of course, most of the people that have will tell you that it’s worth doing roughly one time for the cool panoramic scenes.
16. Beach Trips Aren’t Quite The Same Here
While the beaches in Washington are stunning to look at and often surrounded by some of the coolest trails in the state, they’re not like the beaches you’re used to in Florida. Here, there’s not much sand, mostly just rocks. The water is also pretty darn cold most of the time. Many locals seem to take the “look but don’t touch” approach.
17. “What’s That Smell?”
Yes, lots of people smoke weed in Washington…and a lot of people don’t. At this point, it’s not that big of a deal in the Evergreen State. It’s more of a personal preference thing that no one really cares about.
Of course, all of the friends and family back home will automatically assume you moved to state just to get a little high legally. Whatever you do, just brush it off. It is legal here, after all (certain restrictions may apply).
18. You Have To Learn To Speak The Local Language
At times it can seem like city names in Washington were designed so that the locals could make fun of tourists trying to say them. Get used to pronouncing places like Issaquah, Puyallup, and Sequim on a regular basis.
19. You’ll Probably Need A Higher Income To Live Here
As a whole, Washington is a little more expensive than the rest of the country, scoring a 112 on the same cost of living index that puts average America at 100. Of course, this varies depending on where you live, skewed by the fact that most people in Washington live in the Seattle metro, which scores a high 142 on the same scale. Places like Spokane are much more affordable, earning a cost of living score of a low 92.
20. You’ll Run Into A Few Canadians, But Vancouver Doesn’t Always Mean Canada
Thanks to Washington’s close proximity to America’s northern border, expect a few Canadians to sneak across to enjoy everything awesome that the Evergreen State has to offer. However, if someone you meet says they’re from Vancouver, there’s a good chance they mean Vancouver, Washington, not Vancouver, British Columbia.
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