Want to live and work in Washington?

The cost of living in Seattle and its surroundings has risen sharply due to the tech boom. A one-bedroom apartment in downtown Seattle or Bellevue easily exceeds $2,500/month. Buying property close to the city requires a large budget. In return, tech salaries provide excellent compensation for qualified professionals.

Tacoma, Olympia, and mid-sized cities in western Washington are considerably more affordable than Seattle. Spokane, in eastern Washington, has rents and home prices close to the national average -- lower than virtually any comparable city on the West Coast.

Washington has no state income tax on wages, which significantly improves take-home pay. On the other hand, sales tax is high (around 10% in Seattle), adding cost to every purchase. Property tax is moderate. The overall calculation tends to favor those with high tech salaries.

Washington is one of the world's centers for technology. Microsoft, headquartered in Redmond, employs tens of thousands. Amazon, headquartered in Seattle, is one of the region's largest employers, with offices across multiple neighborhoods. Software engineering salaries routinely exceed $150,000 per year.

Boeing, though it moved its headquarters to Arlington, VA, maintains a major aircraft manufacturing operation in Everett and Renton. Starbucks and Costco are headquartered in Seattle. Expedia, Zillow, T-Mobile, and Nintendo of America also operate in the region. Demand for qualified talent is constant.

Eastern Washington has a different economy, focused on agriculture (apples, wine, hops), aerospace in Spokane, and hydroelectric power along the Columbia River. Tri-Cities (Richland, Pasco, Kennewick) is important for nuclear research, home to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Fishing, timber, and tourism also provide employment.

The US has no universal public healthcare system. In Washington, those with formal employment receive health insurance through their employer. For those outside that model, there is Washington Healthplanfinder, the state insurance marketplace with income-based subsidies. The state expanded Medicaid, broadening access.

Low-income families are eligible for Apple Health (Medicaid in Washington). Children and pregnant women are covered through CHIP. An uninsured emergency room visit can cost more than $1,500. Community clinics serve undocumented immigrants.

UW Medicine, affiliated with the University of Washington, is a benchmark for research and care, with hospitals like Harborview and UW Medical Center. Seattle Children's Hospital is among the best pediatric facilities in the country. Providence and Swedish are also major networks. Rural areas and parts of eastern Washington have more limited access.

Seattle has the most developed public transit in the state, with the Link Light Rail connecting the airport to downtown and the UW, along with King County Metro buses and Sound Transit. The network is expanding, with new lines reaching Bellevue, Redmond, and Lynnwood. It is possible to live in Seattle without a car, more comfortably than in most western US cities.

In other parts of the state, a car is essential. Traffic on I-5 and SR-405 around Seattle can be heavy during rush hour. Ferries connect Seattle to islands and the Olympic Peninsula and are part of many people's daily routine. Rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft work well in urban areas.

Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) is one of the largest airports in the western US, with flights to Asia, Europe, and throughout the country. Spokane (GEG) serves eastern Washington. To travel between Seattle and Vancouver, Canada, the Amtrak Cascades train is a pleasant option.

Seattle is the world capital of coffee. Starbucks was born at Pike Place Market, now a tourist landmark. Independent coffee shops are on every corner, with a specialty coffee culture that has influenced the world. Pike Place is a must-visit: fish being tossed between vendors, produce, flowers, and the oldest continuously operating public market in the US.

The city was the birthplace of grunge, with bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. The music scene remains active, with live music venues, festivals, and studios. Tech also shapes the culture: with so many people working at Amazon or Microsoft, the pace of innovation shows up in restaurants, art, and fashion.

Nature is core to the identity. Trails on Mount Rainier, Olympic National Park, the San Juan Islands, and the North Cascades draw residents on weekends. Skiing in winter, kayaking in summer. The Asian food scene is vibrant: eating ramen, dim sum, pho, or Korean banchan in Seattle is a daily occurrence. There is also a strong Indigenous presence, with Coast Salish nations and coastal tribes woven into the local culture.

Washington State has roughly 1 million residents born outside the United States, close to 14% of the population. Mexicans lead in numbers, split between agricultural work in the eastern part of the state (Yakima, Wenatchee, Pasco) and service jobs in Seattle, Kent, and Tacoma. Indians form one of the largest tech diasporas in the country in Bellevue, Redmond, and Sammamish, drawn by Microsoft, Amazon, and satellite companies. Filipinos have a historic presence in Seattle (International District, Beacon Hill) and Tacoma, tied to the Navy and health care. Vietnamese cluster in Seattle's Little Saigon and in Renton. Somalis and Ethiopians form growing communities in Seattle (Rainier Valley, Tukwila, and SeaTac), with strong Muslim representation.

OneAmerica is the largest statewide immigrant advocacy network, headquartered in Seattle. The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project provides legal defense in deportation and asylum cases. The Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) and the Refugee Women's Alliance (ReWA) serve refugees in more than 40 languages. Seattle hosts consulates-general for Mexico, Japan, and South Korea, plus consulates for Canada, China, Vietnam, and El Salvador, along with honorary consulates of India and other countries. Somali mosques, Vietnamese temples, and Latino churches in Yakima serve as practical support hubs.