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Helping Real Estate Buyers Find Seattle Real Estate OnlineAbout Seattle:Seattle, city in west central Washington State. The seat of King County, Seattle is the hub of the sprawling metropolitan region of Greater Seattle and is the largest city in Washington. There are 3.6 million people in Greater Seattle, one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States. The area's rate of economic growth led the nation in 1997. This growth reflects the success of local high-technology industries such as aerospace, software, computer and electronic equipment, medical devices and biotechnology, and telecommunications products. The Metro Seattle Area:The city of Seattle covers an area of 218 sq km (84 sq mi). Greater Seattle, or the Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (encompassing Snohomish, King, Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, and Island counties), has a total area of 21,152 sq km (8,167 sq mi). Population:Seattle has experienced steady population growth since the early 1980s. In 2000 the population of Seattle was 563,374, up from the 1990 census figure of 516,259. In 2002, it was estimated at 570,426. In 2000 the population of the Seattle metropolitan area was 2,414,616; the population of the Puget Sound urban region centered on Seattle was 3,554,760. Economy:Seattle was once no more than a muddy little port, transferring timber, coal, grain, and fish to rail cars and barges. Although logging, lumbering, and the fishing industry still remain important to Seattle, environmental concerns and declining fisheries have shifted the region’s emphasis away from industries based on natural resources. Today the city is a major manufacturing center and a prime air and water port for international trade. Situated on Elliott Bay, a deep and unobstructed saltwater harbor, Seattle's port was organized in 1911 and is publicly owned. Seattle boasts the shortest routes from the U.S. mainland to Tokyo, Japan, and is the primary American port to Asia and Siberia. The port has also long considered itself the gateway to Alaska. Seattle's port is among the largest in the United States, managing 28 commercial terminals that link 30 steamship operators with more than 150 truck, rail, or warehouse operators.Government:Seattle's mayor and nine-member city council are elected at large by popular vote in nonpartisan elections and serve four-year terms. The mayor is the chief executive officer of the city and provides direction to Seattle’s Executive Department, including the Office of Economic Development and the Office of Management and Planning. The mayor also directs the activities of city agencies and departments, including Seattle City Light, the Engineering Department, and the police and fire departments. Click on the links to the left to find the established Seattle Washington real estate new home builders displaying their homes, floor plans and communities.
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