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Cascadia Douglas Fir flag with trans stripes. WA Trans Resource and Relocation Guide

Considerations before coming

Many of us love Seattle a great deal; however, in helping folks relocate here, we want to be honest about its hardships and shortcomings. This is non-exhaustive, and we recommend talking with someone about the city and any concerns before relocating here. If you don’t know anyone in the area, book an appointment to chat with a volunteer.

Most of these apply to Western Washington as a whole (but may be better or worse outside of Seattle). A few of the biggest issues:

  1. Seattle is EXPENSIVE.
    Seattle is extremely expensive, and even the surrounding areas still have much higher rents and food costs than you will see elsewhere in the country. Seattle’s median rent is $2000, and even the smallest, cheapest apartments will usually run you $900 if you’re lucky.
    This forces a lot of folks onto the street, and shelters and many homeless services have extremely long wait lists or limited service. Surviving on social services alone is also very difficult in a city so expensive. Minimum wage is higher than in other places, but savings that last a few months in a cheaper city can be gone in a month in Seattle, so going without work even briefly rapidly presents a risk of homelessness. If possible, you should start applying for jobs before coming. Rents are expensive, and “affordable” apartments are still pricey and can also take more than a month to be accepted for, so we recommend trying to find a place before relocating as well. Smaller cities in other blue states, or even larger ones like Baltimore, Minneapolis, or Denver may be substantially cheaper while still offering safety for trans people. Try using this calculator to compare different cities, like Seattle and where you’re coming from.
  2. Seattle is CLOUDY.
    It doesn’t regularly get as cold here as it does in other far-north parts of the country, but it’s still tough. If you don’t do well without sun (or if you are potentially facing the prospect of living on the street) Seattle is a tough place to be, and in the summers we have regular heat waves that can be dangerous without A/C.
  3. Seattle is about 60% white – higher than the US average, and a fair bit higher than most large US cities. Both Seattle and the rest of Washington are very white, and while the populations of local communities of color have grown substantially in the past 20 years, continued gentrification and rising rents have also forced many out of the city. There are populations of folks from all over, but partially due to a long history of redlining, most communities of color are concentrated in areas south of the city center. Obviously mileage may vary, but histories and present experiences of exclusion, racism, and white-centeredness are present in trans communities as well as cis ones.
  4. Seattle’s accessibility varies greatly by neighborhood. Much of Seattle is quite walkable; even of those areas, many are quite hilly and may present issues for wheelchair users. Some areas have good bus networks, while others will be much more difficult to get around without a car. If you have access or transportation needs, talk with someone locally before moving here about the access in neighborhoods you’re looking at.
  5. Seattle is TRANS. This is a huge plus for many of us; however, the high populations also mean increased visibility. You will still face transphobia from people in Seattle, even if it’s less often, or they’re quiet about it, or they consider themselves allies. Additionally, while everyone’s mileage differs on this, you will likely be assumed to be trans more often in a way that makes being “stealth” slightly less common: living in Seattle, depending on where you are in the very large gray area of uncertainty and flux of being “visibly trans,” people may be pretty likely to assume you are trans (even if you are just a tall cis woman!), whereas in less trans areas they may be less likely to think about it. Trans communities here are robust and wonderful, but depending on who you are, you are plausibly less likely to be seen as cis in your average interaction with a stranger here – with all the pros and cons that come with that.