This story is part of an on-going series chronicling the rising cost of living in Seattle and its impact on middle class families. Email pricedout@king5.com to share your story with KING 5.
Longtime Seattleites face a struggle to stay in place.
The overall cost of living has soared 36 percent higher than the rest of the country. Over the past five years, rents have climbed more than any other city in the country, and home values are up 88 percent.
Homeowner Amy Douglas’ property taxes are becoming untenable. The average increase is 56 percent the past five years.
“I can’t afford to stay,” she said. “I would compromise too many things that are important to me to fight the good fight and struggle to afford this (house).”
Her story, and the stories of other longtime Seattleites, are being featured in a new podcast, KING 5’s Priced Out Podcast.
LISTEN: Episode 1: Struggle
Lulu Carpenter feels like she no longer belongs in the Central District. She struggles to find the community that brought her there.
“The stark difference is there’s not a cultural base,” she said. “There’s not a cultural center.”
Joe Simpson and Monica Barroga need help from family and friends to stay in Seattle – and they try to keep the city’s spirit alive.
“It still may be untenable to live here because of the cost of living continually going up and my wage staying at a continual plateau,” said Simpson. “So we may end up trying it out in a different state of a different country even.”
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