7 Seattle suburbs for 20-somethings
Known for high-paying jobs and great access to the outdoors, these are the places young professionals are calling home in the Seattle area.
7. Redmond, WA
Most famous for being home to Microsoft, Redmond is a high-tech hotspot. And with so many jobs available in the city, it’s no wonder why young adults flock to Redmond. But jobs aren’t the only thing drawing 20-somethings to the town. There’s also great culture.
If you love biking, Redmond is the place to be. Known as the “Bicycle Capital of the Northwest”, each year residents attend Redmond Derby Days which is a festival that began as a cycling race and grew to include even more entertainment.
Redmonders embrace the arts too. The Eastside Symphony and the Second Story Repertory theater company are popular attractions at the Redmond Performing Arts Center. Plus, throughout the city you can find outdoor sculptures, turning regular streets and parks into an exhibition.
6. Bremerton, WA
Downtown Bremerton is a hub for local breweries, cafés, restaurants, and art galleries that occupy both new developments and beautiful historic buildings. Take for instance the Admiral Theatre, the area’s primary entertainment and live music venue, which is housed in a restored 1942 art deco theater. History buffs will also love the several naval history museums found throughout the town.
Every Labor Day weekend, residents enjoy the popular Blackberry Festival on the boardwalk. Local stores and growers sell everything blackberry, including ice cream, jam, baked goods, and wine. This event features much more than blackberries though. Festival-goers can participate in the Berry Fun Run and the Blackberry Criterium bike race as well as watch the performances of local musicians and entertainers.
Need to get to Seattle? In the heart of downtown lies Bremerton’s ferry terminal which offers a fast ferry to the big city in less than half an hour. It’s a convenient and unique way to commute.
5. Kirkland, WA
Kirkland, the namesake of Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand, is known for having a tech scene while being more relaxed than the big city bustle of Seattle. Google’s Kirkland office draws many young professionals who work on well-known products like Google Cloud and Chrome.
Along Kirkland’s waterfront you can find restaurants, parks, art galleries, and a performing arts center. And much like other cities in the area, public art, notably bronze sculptures, can be found throughout the parks, adding creative flair to the landscape.
Miles of trails and beaches along Lake Washington give this northeastern suburb a distinct advantage over the surrounding landlocked towns. There’s a always a chance to enjoy the outdoors when you take a break from work.
4. Federal Way, WA
Federal Way has some of the nicest green space of Seattle’s southern suburbs including Dash Point State Park and Celebration Park. PowellsWood offers a colorful, immersive botanical garden to residents of the Seattle metro. In this city you can also find plenty of trails both along the waterfront and within the neighborhoods for biking and running.
When the people of the Pacific Northwest are looking for a little more action in their free time though, they turn to Wild Waves, a water and amusement park. This theme park is a popular summer destination for its dozens of water slides, roller coasters, and rides.
3. Renton, WA
Located not far from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Renton is the birthplace of Boeing 737 airplanes. Boeing’s 1.1 million square foot facility is the reason why so many Renton residents work in the aircraft industry. If you love working with airplanes then this is the place to be. But planes aren’t the only part of Renton’s economy.
An increasing number of manufacturing, healthcare, and tech companies are calling Renton home. Providence Health & Services, a healthcare network, and Wizards of the Coast, creators of Magic: The Gathering, are both headquartered in the city.
Besides all of the work opportunities, Renton also has a fun and unique attraction: the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks training facility. This complex is the second-largest facility in the league and offers the public a chance to see the team up close. Training camp is definitely worth a visit.
2. Bellevue, WA
Bellevue is consistently ranked as a great place to live in the Seattle area and it’s one of the wealthiest communities in Washington. But it’s also a major business hub with thousands of jobs. Companies like T-Mobile US, Expedia, and Valve Corporation are headquartered in the city and eBay, Google, Salesforce, and Microsoft all have satellite offices in Bellevue. With so many high-paying jobs, it’s no wonder why tons of 20-somethings are attracted to Bellevue after college.
Entertainment-wise, every other year Bellwether takes over downtown, bringing dozens of local and international artists together. For about a week, Downtown Park is transformed into a giant art exhibition seen by thousands of visitors.
Additionally, because of the region’s strawberry farming history, Bellevue celebrates with the annual Strawberry Festival. The event features entertainment and performances as well as everything berry: fresh strawberries, strawberry shortcake, and chocolate covered strawberries.
1. Kent, WA
As the suburb with the most 20-something year old residents, Kent provides plenty of diverse jobs while still being not too far from the action of Seattle. Companies like REI, Oberto, and Seattle Bicycle Supply all call Kent home. The wide range of opportunities gives any recent grad a chance to begin a successful career.
For fun, catch a game at the ShoWare Center. The arena is home to the Seattle Thunderbirds junior hockey team and the Tacoma Stars indoor soccer team. There’s also a roller derby scene that’s centered around the Rat City Roller Derby league.
Kent has a special past and future in humankind’s endeavors in space too. Boeing Kent Space Center includes the labs and facilities where the Apollo program’s lunar rovers were developed. Today, private spaceflight company Blue Origin is headquartered in the city. It’s this long history of innovation that has drawn so many young adults to Kent.
Which of these Seattle suburbs is best for you? MapTitan helps you find the places you’ll love to live based on what’s important to you.
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