What do the people of Seattle feel about out of staters moving in?

Question

Just curious.

Answer 1

In the 1980's and 1990's there was a backlash not precisely against out-of-towners, although anger was directed there, but basically about Seattle becoming a genuine big city. Seattlites thought of Seattle as a very large town, and they both proud and protective of the local feel of the city. It wasn't something that most people in Seattle wanted to give up, and that was expressed in many ways - through a backlash against Californians moving to Seattle, against building skyscapers too tall, against housing development and even against putting money into the city's infastructure.

By 2000, I think that Seattle resigned itself to the fact that it was a large city. I know we still have some holdouts, and the government, especially under pressure from the environmentalists, will be slow to embrace it, but the tide of acceptance has already turned. Most people who live in Seattle now consider it a city with a city feel, rather than a city with a large town feel, and they embrace the reality and continue to love the city. It's been years since I heard anyone complain about new people moving in.

Answer 2

When you speak of People of Seattle do you mean other out of staters who have moved here? About 60% of the population of Seattle isn't from here, not born here. The transplants seem to be the ones who are most uneasy about other out of staters moving in, because they feel that someone else has discovered their "secret" and that everything they found when they moved here is being ruined. They often resent others who have moved here more recently, as part of the blame for traffic, rising housing prices, and just about any thing that can be blamed on someone else.

As for the true natives, there might be some tension but we realize we are a minority in our own city. While me may not like so many people from outside moving in, there really isn't much we can do about it.

Answer 3

When I lived in Seattle in there was a fair amount is disdain for people moving in from California. I remember cars with Cali license plates having their tires slashed, windows broken etc... There was such a rush from Californians purchasing houses which drove many of the locals out of the housing market. Houses that were selling for under $100K, jumped to over $200K seemingly overnight.

I think a lot of the old timers still remembered the bad years from Boeing when the unemployment rates were so high, this influx of outsiders driving up housing prices was scary should there be another economic downturn in the area. Also, the term "skid row" comes from Seattle, this is from the depression era.

Now Seattle is less dependent on Boeing, for the most part the boom or bust economy is behind them.

Answer 4

I think that their are two many people in Seattle to really care. I am from the Pacific Northwest originally the only thing I hated was when people came to the other side of the Mountain from Seattle and didn't know how to drive in the snow. Now that is fricking annoying.

Answer 5

Just fine :) Only thing that bugs me is people who bring their East Coast mentality with - too stressful!

I don't really notice many out-of-staters (okay, the Californians) - but mostly it's new immigrants to the US. That's cool, too - anything new and interesting!

Answer 6

Most of the major companies actually employ tons of out-of-staters. Amazon, Microsoft and Starbucks employ many of them, so the local economy depends on their talent.

Answer 7

It doesn't bother me. I'm glad people like it here enough to want to relocate here. The housing market is all screwy up here and all decent houses cost more than $350,000 for some reason, so go ahead and just TRY moving here. *sigh*

Answer 8

Depressed and flannelly. They'll make themselves feel better by gorging on coffee and fresh salmon. Mayble they'll write a song or two about it.

Seriously, though...

Seattlites are generally pretty welcoming, laid-back people.

Answer 9

I don't mind, as long as they're decent folks. I'm all for different people with different cultures and lifestyles moving in.
However, if they're gang folks or if they spend all their time crabbing about the weather, they can just go back where they came from.