Known by many names, Seattle-Tacoma, Greater Seattle, Puget Sound and the Pacific Northwest, our community is really a Northwest Metroplex that includes hundreds of neighborhoods, 80+ cities, four counties and 6,621 square miles. As one of the 15 largest population centers in the United States, it contains nearly 4 million people, stretches over 100 miles north to south and 50 miles from the eastern shore of the Puget Sound to the summit of Mt. Rainier. Located about half way between Vancouver, BC and Portland, Oregon, America’s Pacific Northwest is rich in natural beauty, blessed with a strong economy, and enjoyed by the most educated and cultured people in the nation.

The major population hubs are found along the shore of the “Inland Sea”. The suburban cities feather out to the north, south and east with tiny rural towns occupying the fringes. Seattle is called the Emerald City or the Queen City and with over twice the population of any other, it is undisputedly the most important in the Metroplex. But it is by no means the only city of importance. Everett in Snohomish County, Bellevue on the Eastside, Pierce County’s Tacoma and Olympia in Thurston County are each critically important to their own region and each offers a completely different lifestyle from Seattle and from each other. The area is graced by many lakes and rivers and is framed by two majestic mountain ranges, the Olympics to the west and the Cascades to the east; and of course Puget Sound is right in the middle. These natural elements offer a spectacular setting for living and playing with every imaginable outdoor recreational activity available from skiing to whale watching and from hang gliding to clam digging.

Protected by the Olympics from the worst of the east bound Pacific weather patterns and warmed by the inland waters, the Northwest has a milder climate than many other parts of the world, with less extreme variations in temperature. The normal average yearly precipitation is around 37 inches with 27 inches of it coming between October and March. The winter averages about 46ºF and has only a handful of snow days per year. The overcast is what some have difficulty with. On average, annual cloudy days number about 201, partly cloudy days about 93 and clear sky days about 71. Northwest summers tend more towards the dry than the humid. There is the occasional summer thunderstorm, but not many. July, August and September are the driest and warmest months. Temperatures usually hover around a pleasant 75º, although weeklong heat spells in the high 80s or low 90s are not unusual.

The Metroplex is networked with freeways, highways and surface streets. The primary highways are Interstate 5, transecting the community north to south and Interstate 90 traversing the width, east to west. The largest fleet of auto ferry boats in the Western Hemisphere plies the waters of the Puget Sound. Each of the metro region’s four counties has their own independent bus system that integrates with its neighbor’s. Amtrak, the “Sounder” commuter, Light Rail and Monorail trains are a growing part of the mix. Connecting Greater Seattle with the rest of the world are the major deep water ports of Everett, Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia. Sea-Tac International Airport is one of the busiest in the world and has a supporting cast of 26 other airports; 2 international, 2 military and 24 civilian. Major trucking and heavy rail companies handle the goods coming and going from the ports and airports.

Puget Sound is the home of numerous installations and military bases of all branches giving the Northwest a strong economic lift. Ft. Lewis and McChord Air Force Base are near Tacoma. Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Naval Base Kitsap and the Keyport Undersea Warfare Research Station are all in nearby Kitsap County. Island County is the location of Naval Air Station Whidbey, and Snohomish County hosts the Everett Navy Base. Fairchild Air Force Base, Yakima County training center and more than 100 smaller facilities including hospitals, camps, depots, signal stations and recruiting offices complete the wider region’s military presence.

A thriving music scene includes all areas of contemporary, classical and jazz music from grunge to symphony orchestras in Auburn, Bellevue, Everett, Olympia and Seattle. A dynamic theater community offers musicals, drama and comedy in theatres throughout Puget Sound. There are galleries galore filled with art and Native American, maritime and pioneer history with strong and diverse ethnic heritage influences.
Museums of every kind include the Museum of Glass, the Natural History Museum, the Experience Music Project, the Science Fiction Museum and the Museum of Flight. Festivals, fairs, events, parades, rodeos and shows for every interest and in every city and town fill the calendar.

The NW Metroplex is at the same time a magnet for and a catalyst of dynamic innovation. People come from all over America and the world seeking education, opportunity and employment. This makes the region a melting pot of diverse language, culture and unique approaches to new methodologies which bring energy, productivity, stability and growth. All this adds to the vitality that makes the NW Metroplex a great place to live, work and play. Welcome to your new home!