Seattle is known to be home to several large companies, like Amazon and Starbucks. But there is so much more to the city than just the job opportunities and gloomy weather. This beautiful city is full of history and quirky facts that even a Seattle native might not know. So, even if you’ve called the Emerald City home for years, join us as we list some fun facts about this stunning city.
Population
- The total population of Seattle is 724,305 people.
- This makes the city not only the largest in the state, but also in all of the Pacific Northwest.
- It is the 18th largest city in the United States.
- Seattle is one of the fastest growing cities in the states, growing 27% since the 2010 census.
Geography
- The area of Seattle proper is 83.9 square miles.
- There is 147.52 miles of fresh water shoreline and 53.38 miles of salt water shoreline.
- The reason Seattle has so many hills is because of the glaciers that once moved through the area.
- Seattle waterfront is mostly made of mudflats and coastal lowland because of the Duwamish River.
The Nicknames
- The nickname Emerald City came from a competition put on by the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.
- But before Emerald City became the nickname, the city was known as Queen City. Given the nickname from a Portland real estate company.
- Other nicknames include Coffee Capital of the World as well as Rain City.
Entertainment
- While Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and many other formed the Seattle grunge scene, there are many other bands that lived or established themselves in the Seattle area. Such as Ray Charles, Foo Fighters, and Macklemore.
- Not only is the Pokémon Company International headquartered in Seattle, there are several others too. Like Nintendo America and Xbox, among others.
The Climate
- The Emerald City has, on average, 71 sunny days throughout the year.
- Seattle has a lot of rainy days, but only gets about 37 inches of rain each year.
- There are many other cities that get more rainfall per year. But Seattle is considered rainy because of the consistent light rainfall.
Industry
- There are several Fortune 500 companies based in Seattle. From Costco Wholesale to the ones we immediately think of, like Amazon and Starbucks Corporation.
- Nevada is the largest gold producer in the United States and is one of the top gold producers in the world.
- The largest employer is Clark County School District.
Random
- Most sunglasses purchased in the us (per capita/us city)
- Mayor of Seattle, Bertha Knight Landes was the first female mayor in America.
- Three billionaires in the United States come from Seattle: Steve Balmer, Bill Gates, and Jeff Bezos.
Space Needle
- On April 21, 1692, the Space Needle was officially opened for the Century 21 Exposition.
- The original flying saucer concept was drawn on a napkin by the chief organizer of the World’s Fair, Edward E. Carlson.
- It took approximately 400 days and cost $4.5 million to build the Space Needle in 1962.
- About 1.3 million people visit the Space Needle each year.
520 Floating Bridge
- The world’s longest floating bridge is in Seattle, connecting Seattle to Medina.
- The bridge is 7,710 feet long and 116 feet wide.
- The reason it needs to be a floating bridge is because of the depth of the lake and the soft bottom wouldn’t support a conventional bridge.
Pike Place Market
- Opened on August 17, 1907, Pike Place Market is the oldest continuously running farmer’s market in the United States.
- The Market is home to 220+ independently owned shops and restaurants, 150+ craftspeople, 70+ farmers, plus many more.
- A restaurant called Virginia Inn is the oldest business at Pike Place Market.
- Seattle residents voted to make the market a historic place in 1971.
Even though we’ve only added a small list of the cool facts about this amazing city, there are so many more that we could add. So many it’s just not possible to name them all. Let us know in the comments what your favorite facts about Seattle are.
If you’re interested in finding a new dream place to live, or are interested in moving to the beautiful state of Washington, head over to our site to find your next home. And as you search for your next home, be sure to check out our post on three reasons you should move to Seattle.
