Moving from New Orleans to Seattle

The Story

NOLA-to-Seattle is escape-hurricanes for big-tech move. LA 3% → WA 0% saves $3,000/yr. Housing 188% MORE ($295K → $850K), COL 66% higher. Pull: Amazon HQ, Microsoft Redmond, Boeing, no state income tax, Pacific access, Cascades + Olympic outdoor, no hurricanes ever.

Why This Move

Why people move from New Orleans to Seattle.

Amazon HQ — global tech giant
Microsoft Redmond — global software
Boeing Commercial Airplanes — top aerospace
No state income tax (saves $3,000/yr)
Pacific access + Cascades + Olympic outdoor
No hurricanes ever
Coffee culture + craft beer
Mariners + Seahawks + Kraken sports

Cost Comparison

The money side of LA → WA.

New Orleans

Median home$295,000
Income tax3% (LA flat)
Cost index93

Seattle

Median home$850,000
Income taxNone (WA — 7% capital gains over $262K)
Cost index154

What to Do in Seattle

Things you'll want to know about your new city.

Bookmark this page — these are the icons of Seattle, organized by what kind of day you're planning.

Outdoors & Recreation

Space Needle — 605-foot observation tower from 1962 World's Fair
Olympic Sculpture Park — Free SAM-affiliated outdoor art park on waterfront
Mount Rainier National Park (1.5 hrs SE) — 14,411-ft volcano; Paradise wildflowers in summer
Olympic National Park (2-3 hrs west) — Rainforest, mountains, coast — ferry from downtown
Discovery Park — 534-acre park with beach access at the Sound

Culture & Arts

Pike Place Market — 1907 farmers market; flying fish, original Starbucks, gum wall
Chihuly Garden and Glass — Dale Chihuly's blown-glass installations next to Space Needle
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) — Music, sci-fi, fantasy; Frank Gehry building
Pioneer Square (Underground Tour) — Historic district; underground city tour

Family-Friendly

Seattle Aquarium — Sea otters, octopus, salmon ladder

Where to Eat

Seattle's essential restaurants.

The dining list every Seattle resident knows by heart. Save the spots, work through them.

Canlis Pacific Northwest fine dining Queen Anne

1950 institution; legendary tasting menu
Salare Pan-American Ravenna

Edouardo Jordan's restaurant; James Beard winner
The Walrus and the Carpenter Oysters / French Ballard

Renee Erickson's iconic oyster bar
Junebaby Southern Ravenna

Edouardo Jordan; James Beard winner; 'best new restaurant'
Paseo Cuban sandwiches Fremont/Ballard

Cult sandwich shop
Spinasse Italian Capitol Hill

Hand-cut tajarin pasta; Piedmont focus
Dick's Drive-In Burgers Multiple

Seattle institution since 1954; Macklemore namedrop
Nue Global street food Capitol Hill

Worldwide street food in one menu

Where to Live

Best Seattle neighborhoods for New Orleans transplants.

Mapped to the New Orleans neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.

Capitol Hill

If Marigny was your scene — walkable urban, restaurants
Ballard

If Bywater was your vibe — walkable, breweries, indie
Wallingford

If you wanted leafy walkable — family, walkable
Mercer Island (suburb)

If Lakeview was your goal — affluent, top schools
Bellevue (suburb)

If Metairie was your model — master-planned tech hub
Kirkland (suburb)

If you wanted affluent walkable — walkable downtown

Climate & Walkability

What daily life feels like in Seattle.

Climate

Marine west coast. Mild, wet winters (40-50°F). Cool, dry summers (65-80°F). Famous gray season Oct-May with light rain (38 inches/year). Stunning summer weather June-Sept. 152 sun days/year — fewer than reputation suggests but real.

Summer57-78°F
Winter37-47°F
Sun days/yr152
Rainfall38 inches

Walkability

Walk Score74/100
Transit Score60/100
Bike Score71/100

Seattle is very walkable — daily errands rarely require a car.

Outdoors & Recreation

Mount Rainier — hiking, climbing, day trips year-round
Olympic National Park — rainforests, mountains, coast
North Cascades — hiking, climbing (2 hrs north)
Puget Sound — sailing, kayaking, ferry rides
Snoqualmie / Stevens Pass — closest skiing (1 hr east)
Seattle is one of America's most bikeable major cities

Reality Check

What changes about your daily life.

LA 3% becomes WA 0% — saves $3,000+/year on $100K
Housing 188% MORE expensive — $295K NOLA becomes $850K Seattle
COL 66% higher — major adjustment
Climate flips humid subtropical to marine West Coast (rainy)
Property tax WA 0.9% similar to LA 0.6%
Car → Sound Transit/walkable major upgrade
NOLA tech → Amazon/Microsoft direct career bridge
Sports — gain Mariners/Seahawks/Kraken, lose Saints/Pelicans

Driving Routes

How to drive there.

I-10 W to I-15 N to I-90 W

2,680 miles via Dallas, Phoenix, SLC, Spokane. 40 hours / 5 days.

Move Logistics

What it takes to move 2,680 miles.

Full-service (3BR)$10,000-$17,500
Container/PODS$7,000-$11,000
DIY (26-ft truck)$5,500-$9,000
Best monthsMay-Sep (PNW dry season)
Lead time12-14 weeks ahead

USDOT-registered.

Common Questions