Below you will find all the SperlingViews added about this city.
| Seattle-A great place for all - 12/30/2020
I have lived in Seattle since 1995. Its a kinder, gentler city. The weather can be a bummer sometimes, but the goodness overrides that. Lots of parks, outdoors, lakes, beaches to enjoy. The schools and public libraries are well managed. Its a great place for younger person. Seattle has a vibrant culture, all ethnicities are represented here. Restaurants, Cafes, Music are all thriving. Seattle is also building a huge network of public transport with light rail and metro. Yes the home prices has sky rocketed lately as well as rents. The homelessness is a lot of people who are outsiders attracted to folks handing out money and food. The city has not done enough to eradicate this.
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| Run as fast as you can - 11/13/2020
Seattle is a close second to Chicago! Run into the ground by the socialist Democratic Party. Seattle has become the home of the drug addicts, homeless encampment and gang violence. We are moving to Arizona in the spring. If you value your safety as well as that of your family I would recommend a pass on Seattle. Lastly, Seattle has become the 6th most expensive city in the US. Those who have jobs help pay for the criminals running our city.
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| Not safe any more - 11/2/2020
Seattle has been a beautiful city for many years. Besides having a great mild climate, there are many things we used to love doing there. Some of the best companies are in the area as well, Amazon, Starbucks, Costco, Microsoft and Boeing are just a few. Sadly, politics is ruining the area. The liberal agenda is turning the city into a war zone. We lost a great police chief and it seems like there is support to defund the police. I cannot take my family downtown any longer and I feel bad about that. My hope is the new mayor will be supportive of the police and the city will be safe again. Otherwise we will be staying away.
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| Seattle Now: The Lab Created Emerald City - 9/27/2020
Seattle used to offer something for everyone be it tech professionals; blue, pink and white collar workers, artsy types, social outcasts, homeless runaways seeking refuge, hard working immigrants, refugees and so on. However, that has given way to the dark side of these aforementioned groups due to poor leadership and divestment. I do not seek out to demonize anybody because life is about finding solutions. But the truth must be said.
This may be the Emerald City, but people forget that emeralds are soft semi-precious gemstones that can become dull, crack and break easily. Man made emeralds are like moissanites and Herkimer diamonds: they can easily fool the unlearned and disguise the obvious. Seattle has traded their spirit, culture and associated icons to build a technocracy and corporatocracy that merely filters and recycles their heritage back to itself like a hologram and sell back to them what was originally free to and for all. That is what I see happened to Seattle.
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| A gorgeous, unique city with some true pain points - 8/3/2020
A beautiful, vibrant city with many unique neighborhoods, Seattle is what you can make of it. Crime is half of what it was 30 years ago, and the city, while having a housing crisis, is also pretty safe (just compare the crime rate with other large cities).
I love the amazing culture of the south end, the nature, and the general attitude is very friendly though often muted. The city parks are second to none, the water is on every side.
The city has done a terrible job at keeping housing costs affordable. The income boom here means everything is more expensive. If you can work in tech or another professional sector that means you will find a great salary, but for most people that is a struggle.
There is a whole industry based around smearing Seattle that is fed by politics. Its disheartening, even for those of us who live here and don't agree with all the city policies. Don't fall for the virtue signaling, there is no city quite like Seattle and the crime rate pales in comparison to most large cities.
The area is now pretty populated. The days of finding solitude on a hike within 100 miles of the city are gone. Affordable housing is harder and harder to find anywhere near the city. The population growth has exploded the last 10 years, and a fair share of pain comes with it. However, there are countless reasons people keep flocking here.
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| Seattle is dead. - 7/23/2020
Once a safe and clean major city when run by moderate leaders, Seattle has become a radically left democratic stronghold of rampant crime, gangs, looting riots, homeless drug addicts, mentally ill and alcoholics. The police have their hands tied by the mayor. She has stripped them of most tools required to quell the lawlessness, and they have become targets. as well as innocent citizens who they no longer can protect with authority. "Seattle is dying" was once a motto. That's no longer. Seattle is dead.
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| Be aware that wild city policies can be a strategy - 6/11/2020
I see many reviews complaining about the city council. Most of these tend to be somewhat average people. There is something that some of you need to be aware of. It is often a strategy of Democratically controlled cities to intentionally drive the middle class out of the city limits. This is damaging to the quality of life, but makes it impossible to change the administration and leaders are guaranteed re-election forever. Look at the top poverty rate cities and the top dozen all have been 100% democratically controlled for > 35 years. One problem with it is that corruption tends to become a serious issue. Baltimore has had 3 mayors in a row bounced for corruption, Newark has that beat, they had 4 in a row go to jail. The last Detroit mayor is serving a 28 year sentence. This phenomenon has a name, it is called the Curley effect after the mayor of Boston who pioneered the technique many years ago.
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| expensive - 5/28/2020
Picturesque landscape. Worst rated governor in all of the US. He has done a terrible job during the coronavirus pandemic. Tons of small businesses have had to close permanently. Cost of living is very high here.
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| Make sure to visit Seattle! - 1/6/2020
I lived in Seattle for 12 years, and it was always exciting!
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| Judging a city only on politics is getting stale - 12/21/2019
First off, its a bit disappointing (although not surprising) that the majority of this conversation is focusing on the usual partisan/ideological tribalism based horse crap that is so pervasive as well as damaging to THIS, ANY and ALL narratives. Enough already. From BOTH sides. FFS. If you are looking for a sleepy small town south of the Mason Dixon with a bumbling sheriff's deputy and nothing but God Fearing Caucasians, you should not be looking at any big city for relocation. Period.
Second....Seattle is a rapidly growing city that is not going to have it all figured out. Housing is expensive. Why? There isn't enough of it. Simple market supply and demand. Traffic is a huge issue as the roads were designed for 1960's/1970's Seattle while still having many topographic challenges. There is also a very highly educated workforce who are relatively young and perhaps not always concerned with much past their own interests. The "Brogrammers", as they are and most of them are transients/transplants. They do not have as much of a vested interest in the city as much as the opportunity the city offers. Their high salaries create a fairly substantial skewing of the market and fosters inequity.
It upon you to look past that, plus "Seattle" isn't just the downtown. The metro area is very dynamic. There is still plenty of offerings here for those that like to get outdoors. The summers here are second to NONE. On planet EARTH. There is plenty of night life. There is plenty of basically whatever piques any particular interest. The pizza is not going to be a good as NYC and the BBQ is not worthy of Dallas but that is almost a non starter. Otherwise you can find whatever you enjoy in abundance.
There are some headwinds to be sure, but any major city is going to have its issues. Even in the bastion of Conservatism that is Texas. Even there, in the big metros such as Dallas FW, Houston, and especially Austin....not everyone is going to have the same points of view. and not everything is going to be perfect. Part of the challenge of living in a big city is you are going to encounter diversity and not everyone is going to agree, be friends or have it 100% their way every day. That's just life. Still, there has to be a mutual bit of respect and perhaps some thicker skins as well. The more Conservative minded people choosing to flee rather than contribute does nothing constructive. If you are not up to such a challenge and you can earn a good living in the small towns in the Heartland or even rural areas outside the "Blue" urban areas than by all means have at it. It also means valuable perspectives towards problem solving are lost. It would be a shame to resort to passing on opportunity in order to live such an insular existence.
Seattle is a great city, and as it matures it will get even better. Not without some growing pains, however. Find whatever greener pastures you want but there is always going to be compromise.
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| Seattle Changed - 11/10/2019
I was born in Seattle and lived there over 60 years. Back in the 50's and 60's Seattle believe it or not was very much like Mayberry. Even into the 70's there wasn't much homelessness seen the suburbs it was mainly located in the downtown area, and in only certain downtown areas not the whole thing.Now fast forward to the 2000's and tent cities are popping up all over the suburbs. Our leave it to beaver neighborhood had tent communities showing up on sidewalks. Mailbox break ins were happening almost on a daily basis along with cars. We sold our house in 2018 and moved out of state. While on the market we had squatters twice break in and leave their needles and drug paraphernalia. Housing is definitely high we sold our tiny house for over $400k and bought a house out of state over 2,000 sq ft for under $240k. If you are a Republican it is definitely hard to share your views as Seattle being mostly Democrat. I found at least my my circle I felt I couldn't express my views without being slammed. We moved because Seattle changed. Now we live in a community of less than 40,000 people which is nice. Still not Mayberry but a lot better.
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| Once a fun & safe city degenerating into a slum - 7/28/2019
After working here for a few years, I will try to explain to everyone what is going on in Seattle these days, since everyone seems curious. About 30 to 40 years ago, Seattle was a very cool place to live. People called themselves proud to be Seattlites. Now today, you will not find this atmosphere anywhere. The ambitions that will you all have will now go to something else. This is because the city is engineered these days to bring it's citizens into becoming workers and robots. Stifling creativity and cutting down ambitions is now the norm here. Even something like Indie music or underground music has become irrelevant, and even those veteran musicians from the 1980s Portland/Seattle music scenes will admit you this. Seattle now deliberately tries to cut-down and delete all people with creativity. Everything in this city is all about mass productivity and no individuality. Seattle has a different religion these days and it is all about "collectivism" and "de-individualization". Individualism for this city is now gone. If you were interested in a good music scene, observing good arts or entertainments, or meeting some interesting people with a quirky sense of humor and personality - no longer will you find these kind of people and this kind of Seattle fun that this city once held 30 to 40 years ago. All of this has gone out the window.
Allow me to explain the reasoning why- Many of the people here are born to work. They are expected to be bureaucratic. Seattle is now a work city, and if you aren't fitting in or winning, you're going to lose in this city. Everything is now done in terms of progress and consumption. In Seattle, you work to live there. Having fun in this city is basically a special privilege but only after you fulfill your intense hard-work as a slave to this city. No longer shall you expect Kurt Cobain "revolutionary" types any more. Neither shall you expect right-wing Hank Williams, Jr. "redneck" types. (the latter types no where to be found and possibly extinct.)
Most Seattlites these days are people lacking personality and are just born to work, and yes many of them are transplants and opportunists. Many people here are fake and just looking for attention. Similar to California but with a more negative, aloof and colder atmosphere.
The Seattle police department has it where they cannot hurt fugitives any more, and must actually take care of them. Things like car chases or home ambushes are no longer allowed (by both the police or FBI) in this city. Police officers or FBI agents must be civil and polite towards the fugitive first while investigating them, before they can actually allow to take them into prison. Instead of punishing fugitives, the police department in this city have to "help" the fugitive before taking them into prison. Ludicrous? Absurd? Lots of people can agree.
Many would say that this is spoiling the criminals and is a very spineless thing for police officers to do. While I cannot argue against it, I also do not argue for it, either. But a positive thing about the police is that they still allow you to be defensive of criminals who come onto your property and try to attack you. Or for using self-defense. Unlike in Canada or Australia, where the victim and the attacker would be arrested both by their police force. (even if the victim acts out of self-defense) Is this Lunacy? Probably.
I, personally believe, that there are too many people with too much. (power and influence) in this city of Seattle. Possibly, they are monopolizing and are very superfluous. They are careless and only do things to meet their own ends. They would even advocate mass immigration (internationally- as a sanctuary city) in order to draw out other Seattlites (either onto the streets, or to bring Seattlites into moving to a different city). The city of Seattle wants this competition purposefully, because they want the city of Seattle to be a very "natural selection" work city, and for the most obedient and skillful workers (or "robots) to be employed and to win. Seattle is all about competition and business. It is a very ruthless and power-hungry city. The big-shots in this city do not care and will stop at nothing to get what they want. So beware if you are employed but not in a secure or comfortable position: because you will lose.
Taking risks in this city is very dangerous. If you believe you are being tricked or are descending slowly into a depression by your job/career - this is a sign - to LEAVE SEATTLE RIGHT NOW. This is the jumping off point where you must get out and go somewhere else immediately - to save your firm. Because if you continue staying in Seattle longer, you will further descend to the point of being stuck in a rut that could leave your life devastated. In order to survive in this city, you must be a professional at your job. And you must always beware of the people you deal with and who may be plotting or scheming against you. Always make preparations in Seattle, predetermined and beforehand. (establish in advance) Have a backup plan, in case something doesn't work. Better you to be safe than sorry.
Seattle is no longer the fun city it used to be, and now prizes itself on eating away at its own citizens it deems "unfit". If you're not the best robot or professional; if you're not the best personality, then you're going to get ostracized, big time.
Here's a secret: I've had inside awareness/access with the big shots who run Seattle, and THAT is EXACTLY what they want. Yep, You heard it from me. This is exactly what big business Seattlites these days want: They do not want a city of thinkers or creative individuals, they want a city of workers. Seattle is planning in advance to bring the expectations within it to become higher and higher, and eventually reaching the high expectations as seen in East Asia. (i.e. Japan)
You could probably say that Seattle is a city controlled and governed by sadists and psychopaths. But, it's perfectly legal for them, and the people here have no self-doubts - simply because they do not believe they are doing anything wrong. Seattle does and WILL act like you are the problem - and yes, it IS being done deliberately. Do not go against Seattle, or this will devastate you. Follow the rules and stick to what you know. Do NOT go off the deep end. (metaphorically speaking) The people running this city enjoy putting people out of business deliberately, and this is why the city has now become a slum full of homeless and crooked people.
This city is risky business and can devastate your life if you make all the wrong moves. Seattle is basically a city that is a contest for the best workaholics and robots. Anyone who isn't the best, or even second best, is playing Russian roulette. (maybe not now, but it will be this way in the future.) The city of Seattle is working to build higher and higher expectations and an even more stressful city than most cities in Japan. (Yes, THAT is what the people running Seattle want - Some people maybe scared to hear this truth, but I'm breaking it down to you all, right now. ) Seattle does not give a crap about you or your ambitions. It only wants their ambitions fulfilled by willing opportunists. If you don't fit in or comply, you're toast.
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| Ralph
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| As a Cajun from Louisiana state - 6/22/2019
It's a dump. It is only a city made to feed off and take from it's own people. The people here are not at all intelligent. They think they are smart but they aren't. They will harass you if you are not an Atheist, or Left-winger or embrace Politically correct multiculturalism. They will harass you if you are found out to be from the South. Especially Louisiana state. Very rude and obnoxious city, probably worse people than Paris or Ontario. Go ahead and annex yourselves to Canada, Washington state. If you Seattlites really want it. I'm a 14th generation Cajun. My lineage was here since the 17th century. So don't you people dare blame me or tell ME what to do with MY life. Some of you are people from all over the USA (as transplants) and even around the world. I'm a white man who's had ancestors for centuries on this continent, very archaic lineage all the way from Canada in Nova Scotia. Go away. Trust me, Nobody down here (in Louisiana) likes you or will ever miss you. We are sick and tired of Seattle, we want nothing to do with you people and are tired of paying for you all. If a civil war ever happened in the USA, it would probably break out in Seattle. Quite possibly. It's a burden city and we are sick and tired of the bad influence on the rest of this country that this nation holds. They're all pinko's (communist/capitalist mix) and also have no morals. This is the most unamerican place you will ever find. Only good for the pretty scenery which is why is gets two stars. If I could remove all of the people, it would be good. The people here like cut-throat competition and feeding energy off and getting over on their own employees too. And they will set-up situations and try to make it look like you are the problem. And then you get fired...even for all the hard work...and for not doing anything...just for jealousy. Such pathetic people. I'm really mad at the people who do business in this city. Very ungrateful people that will take advantage of your kindness, talents and patronize you. They are so bad they even harass Polish immigrants as well. Just because Poland is a mostly right-wing nation; that's how sad and pathetic this city actually is. I was employed here once and I got let off pretty easy, even when I did most of the work for the newly established organization. I got absolutely no promotions and later found out it was rigged and predetermined for others. (they were just looking for a professional to kickstart their organization into success, which I did.) The reason was nothing but pure jealousy. They just fired me and ostracized me. Leaving me to have no friends in the dust. To make a long story short. Took all my hard work and got very little money in return. Pretended to be my friend, used all of my hard-work to build up their successful organization. cut-throat competition and then fired. I GOT ABSOLUTELY NO CREDIT FOR IT! (their success) Nothing on my name, no mentioning of me whatsoever in the credits. All of my hard work stolen. Just a few money payouts and then an unexpected firing. I shudder to think that I once attributed such importance and put hard work and effort and associated myself with these leaden sanctimonies. How naive was I to think that these people would be worth working for? And as for being Intelligent? None of the people here are intelligent at all. I had several people calling me a redneck, racist and a low IQ person once they found out I had Cajun ancestry. (isn't that racism itself? If I am a Cajun scientist, how would I have a low IQ? Think about it?) Seattlites speak for the useless, but talentless so-called "American" millions that ever lived. Don't worry, don't read my review- take a look at some of the (delusional) definitions already here, and you will get the full flavor of the so-called Seattle "mystique". Only visit this city for the nature or if you need a laugh at the people, for they are something really bizarre, juvenile and pathetic.
Edit: Here's an interesting fact for you Seattlites out there. I used to know Matt Lukin of the Seattle band Mudhoney and even smoked pot with him once way back in the 80's at a high school in a city right outside Seattle called "MONTESANO". So that should give me atleast some credibility. I played drums in a few bands out there and jammed with Ament's band Deranged Diction, don't remember any of the names of most of the bands though. I was in my early 20s. Never told anyone of Cajun ancestry and nobody noticed it. I have a big Cajun family that lives in the Seattle area, and another group that live in Redding, Northern California. So I DO have some sort of clue and know whats going on in the Pacific Northwest: so don't YOU people get all "smartass" to me just yet. I've also known a few from Portland as well. Portland, Vancouver Seattle - Most of the Pacific NW. Let's see: the Ross couple. (I was introduced to them through Page Hamilton's brother, Grant Hamilton. "Seafood Mama: or Quarterflash, were one of my first concerts. And Page went onto form his own band in NYC called "Helmet". I knew Grant Hamilton, I met a lot of these people way back then. Many of the ones in the punk scene. I was a drummer for a while, but sadly no talent. Catholics are liberals and I was a Democrat back then, just so you all know.)
I might have ran into Kurt Cobain once, but I can't say that I did.
I did not like my friendships very much with Portland or Seattle people, they are all very "love/hate" people in terms of relationships and tend to be two-faced and backstabbing.
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| Not the city it used to be - 6/18/2019
Live in Denver but Just got back from a weekend trip to Seattle with my wife. We were attempting to relive a lovely, quick trip we had 10 years ago. While we were able to enjoy ourselves with a lot of the normal touristy stuff, much of that was overshadowed by almost stepping in human feces on Pike, getting chased by a cracked out dude with a shiv requiring us to hide in CVS in Queen Anne, and the final low-light of being woken up by gunshots outside our hotel room along with the aftermath that followed at 7th and Union (and the next day there was a mid-day shooting at 2nd and Pike). But they were fairly quick to clean most the blood off the sidewalk...glad we left the kids at home on this one. Wish I would have watched the "Seattle is Dying" documentary before we left and not after.
Say what you will about Denver, with a similar population we don't have nearly a fraction of the issues Seattle has seemed to pick up over the past few years. A liberal city as well but our enforced urban camping ban and mental illness resources have certainly helped.
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| Dead City. - 6/4/2019
Sick city. Dying city. Too many drugs, homeless, murder, rape, drive-by shootings and gangland activity. Panhandlers and hapless people litter the streets and sidewalks, defecating, urinating and littering where they reside, directly in the path of visitors and residents. The stench is overwhelming. This city was once a utopia...a fun place...a safe and interesting place. It takes the "special" out of everything when one must be vigilant 24/7. Watch your back in Seattle. You couldn't pay me to visit or live there.
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| Governed itself onto the Worst places to live list - 5/22/2019
My wife and I were raised here, we raised our family here, unfortunately it has been completely ruined. It is no longer the safe place to raise children. It's not even safe to take your kids downtown anymore, or yourself for that matter. To add insult to injury, we are now retired. Our retirement income used to afford a comfortable lifestyle here. Now it does not, not at all! Seattle has governed itself off of the
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| Great city - 4/5/2019
I can't even believe these people complaining about Seattle... Lol. Seriously? There are really only two bad parts of town. Pioneer Square and Rainier Valley. And honestly, they aren't even that bad compared to what I've seen in other cities. Seattle is one of the most clean, wealthy, educated, beautiful, cities in the United States. Don't believe me? Try spending some time there outside of the couple tourist spots that are overrun by beggars. Almost every US city of Seattle's size or larger is far, far worse. Any city on the east coast would eat you alive if you think Seattle is scary. For real though, if you can't handle Seattle, you don't belong in a city. Move to Mayberry. LOL
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| A City On A Moral and Cultural Decline... - 3/27/2019
Substance Abuse, crime ( 10% conviciton rate for city ) heroin addicts shooting up on sidewalks, rapes, needles and drug paraphernalia...Police told not to arrest...its a city spiralling out of control. Its known as "Freeattle Washington". Liberal socialist have ruined this city, now a palce for mentally ill, drug addicted men and women roaming sidewalks which are sickening to walk due to odor of urine. City has allowed the streets to be taken over.....Police handcuffed to police them. The addicted preying on the weak. What happens when a city and state is run by Democrats.....move out while you can. Dont move to this state if you are hardworking and good person.
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| Why is Seattle even on this list? It's a horrible - 3/21/2019
I live an hour north of Seattle and avoid it like the plague. Yes the scenery is beautiful but it has the highest property crime in the nation due to all the homeless. Housing prices are insane and if you don't mind 9 months of clouds and rain I guess it's not too bad.
Just in the last 24 hours Seattle had on woman that was attempted to throw off a freeway overpass, two people stabbed in a park, and one person shot to death in another park.
The scenery and outdoor opportunities are great but otherwise Seattle is dying. Look at KOMO News for a local story about how bad Seattle's become in the last few years.
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| Seattle has become a garbage dump. Don't go there! - 3/18/2019
I have lived in the Seattle area for 50 years. Seattle is in a stunning area geographically. It is in an area with miles of shoreline (the “Salish Sea”), snowcapped mountains within easy driving distance; it has a comfortable climate with few extremes in terms of humidity, temperatures, etc. Unfortunately, the politicians have allowed this once beautiful city to become a cesspool. Junkies are allowed complete freedom to defecate in public, on city sidewalks and in parks. The air stinks of urine and vomit. Garbage is everywhere. Tents and the associated filth are on the sidewalks, along the highways. If you do go to Seattle, do not take any valuables with you. It is not a safe place…the reason that the crime rate is so low is that most crimes are not reported. Why should they be reported? The Seattle City Police are unable to enforce the laws; they have to operate a “catch and release” program that is so ineffective that crime is generally unreported. Before you think about going to Seattle, watch “Seattle is Dying” on komotv.com. It is a sadly very accurate documentary about the current situation in Seattle.
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