Welcome to Washington

Your life in the Evergreen State begins

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Washington Self-StorageReasons to Move to WashingtonMoving to WashingtonEconomic OutlookPlaces to LiveResources

Welcome to Washington

Washington, also known as The Evergreen State, is the 18th largest state in the country by total area and has a population of about 7.6 million people. It's known for its snow-capped mountains and enormous evergreens, but it's most famous for its coffee houses (like Starbucks) and museums.

Washington's major industries include agriculture food manufacturing, forest products, aerospace, and technology. And since half of the state is covered in forests, it only makes sense that the state produces the most lumber and plywood in the country. Washington is also known for mining valuable metals, like aluminum, lead, and gold. The Evergreen State also produces more pears, cherries, red raspberries, and apples than any other state in the US.

Some of the top attractions in the state include the Space Needle, Mount St. Helens, Olympic National Park, Mount Rainier, and the Hoh Rain Forest.

Washington Self-Storage Facts

The self-storage industry has greatly expanding in the State of Washington over the last several years. That's because financing for self-storage development recently became widely available after being harder to access in the years immediately following the Great Recession. The lack of development during that period led to pent up demand and rising rental rates, especially in the country's major population centers and surrounding areas as well. Seattle and other popular cities are seeing their fair share of new development as a part of the trend. Developers continue to seek new opportunities to serve the growing population of the state, however some submarkets may been overdeveloped resulting in low occupancies and increased promotions for consumers.

Below is an overview of the current state of the Washington self-storage market:

Below are some statistics that provide an overview of the self-storage industry in Washington:

1,244

Washington is home to about 1,244 self-storage facilities.

46,464,276

Washington self-storage facilities cover 46,464,276 square feet of storage space.

6.61

Washington storage facilities offer 6.61 square feet of storage per person, which is greater than the national average of 5.4 square feet per person.

Reasons to Move to Washington

Considering a move to the Evergreen State, but aren't sure if it's the right place? Check out our top 10 reasons to move to Washington to help you decide whether it's right for you.

1

Environmentally friendly. Washington is one of the top five most environmentally friendly states in the country. It's also been named the country's most bike-friendly state by the League of American Bicyclists.

2

No state income tax. Washington is one of only seven states with no personal state income tax. However, it has a 6.5 percent sales tax and an optional local sales tax of up to 3.1 percent.

3

Diverse weather. Washington gets a bad rap for being a rainy state, but it actually gets pretty decent weather - Miami gets more rain. Moving to Washington means you'll get 80 degree summer days and 45 degree winter days.

4

State parks. If you're a nature lover or you just like being outdoors, you'll love Washington for its variety of state parks. You'll find Olympic National Park, North Cascades National Park, and Mount Rainier National Park to name a the most prominent.

5

Home of Bill Gates. Ever wanted to live close to the richest man in the world? If you move to Washington, you'll be that much closer to realizing your dream because Bill Gates lives in Washington. Maybe you'll end up neighbors, who knows?

6

Bottoms up. Washington produces more hops than any other state in the US and more than any country other than Germany. So if you're a beer guzzler, you'll love Washington because it's got the second most permitted breweries in the country, second only to California.

7

Plenty of outdoor activities. Known for its national parks and floating bridges, Washington offers plenty of outdoor activities, including whale watching, boating, fishing, sailing, kayaking, and snow skiing.

8

Jobs for everyone. Washington is one of few states that has an abundance of great jobs for everyone, whether you're looking for minimum wage jobs or jobs that require more skills. The minimum wage in Washington is higher than in most other states. And you'll have the opportunity to work for giant companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft.

9

Laid back vibe. Washington's west coast, laid-back vibe is yet another reason to consider moving to the Evergreen State. If you're looking for friendly, helpful folks to call your neighbors, you'll find them in Washington.

10

Home to Starbucks. Gourmet coffee anyone? If you're the type who has to get their daily dose of gourmet coffee before you're actually fully awake, moving closer to the home of Starbucks can only help at this point, right?

Moving to Washington

Washington is the 13th largest state by population, with more than 7.6 million people as of 2019, according to World Population Review. Between 2018 and 2019, the population increased by 1.74 percent.

Recently, more people have been moving out of Washington state than into the state. There were 9,169 fewer people that moved into Washington in the first two months of 2019 compared to 2016. While home prices have dropped, the Washington economy is still performing quite well. People seem to be leaving due to the high cost of living and a lack of affordable housing. However, Seattle is still seeing an increase in residents despite other cities losing them.

Washington Economic Outlook

Washington's state GDP was $563 billion as of 2019, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The state has an unemployment rate of 4.6 percent as of August 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Below is a break down of the biggest sectors in Washington by real value GDP:

$77.09 billion
Finance, insurance, real estate, rental, and leasing
$75.48 billion
Information
$61.68 billion
Government and government enterprises
$57.19 billion
Manufacturing
$55.11 billion
Professional and business services

The labor market remains strong throughout the state as the economy continues to grow slowly. Employment growth is also solid and roughly 200,000 jobs have been added every month throughout 2019. In 2020, job growth is expected to continue growing at 1.7 percent, which means 60,000 new jobs. Construction, hospitality, health care, and manufacturing are growing sectors and could potentially provide even more jobs. However, there are some possible vulnerabilities, such as the worsening trade war between China and the US, which could adversely affect trade.

Washington has a cost of living score of 131.1, meaning it's more expensive than the US as a whole. On the plus side, cities like Spokane provide a cost of living lower than the national average.

Who are Washington's Largest Employers?

EMPLOYER
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
Amazon
600,000
Starbucks
254,000
Costco Wholesale
172,000
Boeing
150,500
Microsoft
124,000

Places to live in Washington

Washington is approximately 71,363 square miles and has a range of activities and events for everyone to enjoy. That includes museums, parks, shopping, art galleries, cruises, concerts, restaurants, water sports, spas, and nightlife.

Seattle

Seattle is the largest city in Washington and more than 766,893 people call it home. It was the fastest-growing city in the country in 2016 probably because it boasts tons of things to do and see, including the Pacific Science Center, the Seattle Center, the Space Needle, the Olympic Sculpture Park, Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Museum of Pop Culture, and the Seattle Art Museum.

Cost of living
49 percent higher than the national average
Median home price
$714,800
Average rent
$2,122 per month
Average apartment size
696 square feet

Spokane

Spokane is the second-largest city in Washington with a population of 224,652 people. Known as the Lilac City, Spokane is a city brimming with excitement, offering plenty to keep you and your family entertained. Some of the top activities and attractions in Spokane include museums, parks, gardens, skiing, snowboarding, hiking, rock climbing, live music, Broadway shows, bars and clubs, shopping, casinos, sports, spas, and more.

Cost of living
4 percent lower than the national average
Median home price
$221,600
Average rent
$1,023 per month
Average apartment size
891 square feet

Tacoma

Tacoma is the third-largest city in Washington and there are more than 222,128 people living inside the city limits. Tacoma was named after Mount Rainier and was named one of the most livable cities in the U.S. most likely due to the city's numerous activities and attractions, including Foss Waterway Seaport, Wright Park, the Museum of Glass, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, the Washington State History Museum, the Children's Museum of Tacoma, and Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.

Cost of living
8 percent higher than the national average
Median home price
$318,900
Average rent
$1,323 per month
Average apartment size
834 square feet

Moving to Washington Resources

All Washington Cities