Moving From Portland to Seattle
Portlandand Seattlehave some similarities. Both are situated in the Pacific Northwest and experience lots of rainfall. Both have a laid-back vibe and offer plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. A strong public transit system is another thing these two cities have in common.
Moving from Portland, or the City of Roses, to the Emerald City can be cumbersome. Here’s everything you need to know when moving — and how Allied can help you.
Benefits of Moving From Portland to Seattle
While they’re often called sister cities with their own unique personalities, Seattle has certain things Portland doesn’t.
Job Opportunities
Seattle is simply a bigger city than Portland, so there are more job opportunities in a variety of fields. This is especially true in the tech sector, with Amazon and Microsoft based in Seattle. Boeing, Starbucks, and Expedia are a few other major companies based in the Emerald City, and with more businesses come more job opportunities.
While other major companies are based in Portland, such as Nike (though it’s headquartered just outside of Portland), Portland can’t really compete with Seattle when it comes to jobs. For those hoping to move up the corporate ladder or find a high-paying entry-level job, Seattle would be the better choice.
Coffee
This may be controversial, as Portland also has a strong coffee shop industry, but Seattle might have Portland beat in this area. The behemoth coffee mogul Starbucks originated in Seattle, and you can see the first-ever Starbucks store still in operation in Pike Place Market.
Seattle has plenty of coffee shops throughout the city, and you’re sure to find an expertly roasted brew on every block. While many of them will be Starbucks stores, you’ll find locally-owned cafes as well.
More Things To Do
Portland covers 165 square miles, while Seattle is much smaller with its 84 square miles. However, many people will tell you that Seattle feels like a more developed urban area compared to Portland. Seattle has more of a city vibe, whereas Portland feels more intimate and small. Seattle offers more options when it comes to dining and entertainment or job opportunities.
Cost of Moving from Portland to Seattle
The average cost of a move from Portland to Seattle is around $1,733.93.
Lots of factors influence that number, such as the number of items you’re moving, the total distance traveled, whether you want movers to help pack or unpack, and whether you have special items that need to be handled more carefully. The best way to know what you’ll actually pay when moving from Portland to Seattle is to fill out the Instaquote above.
In addition to moving costs, you need to pay attention to other costs when moving to Seattle from Portland. The standard of living is higher in Seattle than in Portland.
Housing in Seattle is much more expensive in Seattle than Portland, even doubling at times. The median income for a Seattlite is about $93,000, while the median income is $73,000 in Portland.
Transportation is another thing that can make living in Seattle more expensive. Portland is a bikeable city since it’s not very hilly and has ample infrastructure to allow lots of cyclists on the road. Seattle is less so, though biking in the city is still possible. You’ll probably commute into and out of the city when living in Seattle, which is more expensive than if you used Portland’s excellent public transit system.
Best Things to Do in Seattle
While Seattle may be more expensive than Portland, Seattle may make up for it with all the fun things to do. Below are just a few things Seattle has to offer.
Stand Atop the Seattle Space Needle
Looking at the Seattle skyline, one landmark sticks out above the rest — the Seattle Space Needle. Built for the 1962 World Fair, who’s theme was “The Age of Space,” the Space Needle offers a panoramic view of Seattle.
We hope you’re not afraid of heights, though, as the Space Needle stands 605 feet tall. The building’s glass floors allow you to stare directly down the building’s stem and see the ground, which can induce a thrilling or terrifying sense of vertigo, depending on your disposition.
Stroll Through the Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibit
Dale Chihuly was born in Tacoma, Washington, a city only 34 miles from Seattle. He rose to fame as one of the best glass sculptors in the world, with many of his pieces seeming to defy gravity as they hang from the ceiling. Some of his artwork can take up a whole room.
When lit just right, the glass can look ethereal and otherworldly, making a trip to the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit a must for art-lovers.
Visit Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is the site of the first-ever Starbucks. You can also find a vibrant local market with artisanal food and crafts. Seattle’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean means that Pike Place Market is a fantastic option for purchasing fresh seafood.
You’re sure to recognize the smell of coffee, freshly baked bread, pastries, and more while walking through Pike Place Market. Give yourself plenty of time to explore this famous Seattle area.
Stick Gum on the Gum Wall
It’s exactly what it sounds like — citizens and tourists alike leave their mark on the city with pieces of gum. Some people stick notes to their gum or turn their gum into wall art. Either way, it’s an interesting (if not rather gross) feature of the city that’s a must-see.
Take an Underground Tour
Seattle has a complicated series of tunnels running underneath it, and you can sometimes see evidence of it on the sidewalk. Instead of square cement slabs, some portions of the sidewalk will have small rows of square glass that would reveal a tunnel underneath if you broke through them.
The story behind the tunnels goes as follows: in 1889, a cabinet maker accidentally lit a pot of glue aflame. The fire burned through 31 blocks before it eventually subsided. The city was then rebuilt one to two stories above what was there originally, leaving a complex system of tunnels underneath the city.
To see how expansive the tunnels are, take the 75-minute guided tour.
Gas Works Park
Gas Works Park is an old gas plant that was in operation from 1906 to 1956. The city bought the land and opened up as a park in 1975, allowing people to walk past the rustic gas production field and up a sizable hill. You’ll get a pretty view of the Seattle skyline past Lake Union as well. If you feel tired of walking, there are plenty of benches on which to sit and enjoy the breeze.
Gas Works Park isn’t very interactive — in fact, there’s a large fence around the main gas hubs. But signage explains why the bulky, rusting pieces of metal are there and other facts about the place.
For a landmark that’s tucked away from Seattle’s usual hustle and bustle and is free to explore, you can’t go wrong with Gas Works Park.
How to Move From Portland to Seattle
Packing up and moving is never easy. You have to find a new place to live in addition to securing a job and making new friends. As a result, moving cities can be stressful, and that’s why we at Allied are committed to making moving as easy as possible.
We have more than 90 years of experience with helping people move. Our experts know how to pack items with care so that they don’t break and how to arrange a moving van so that your belongings don’t jostle around. We can also help you unpack so that you can start your new life with one less thing to worry about.
Fill out the above Instaquote to get started on your move from Portland to Seattle.