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[[Image:Space Needle.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The [[Space Needle]], a Seattle icon.]]

[[Image:Space Needle.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The [[Space Needle]], a Seattle icon.]]

'''Seattle''' (47.606N. -122.33W) with a population 621,000 in 2012, is the largest city in the American state of [[Washington]] and in the [[Pacific]] Northwest. It was named after [[Chief Sealth]], a Suqamish/Duwamish [[Native American]] leader. It was officially incorporated in 1889, but had been a town since 1851, when a group of pioneers from [[Illinois]] settled West Seattle, a peninsula within the current city limits to the west. From about 1960 until about 2000, the population remained relatively static, just under 600,000.  However, the population increased into the suburbs north toward [[Everett]], south toward [[Seatac]] and [[Tacoma]] and east (across [[Lake Washington]]) to [[Mercer Island]], [[Kirkland]], [[Redmond]], [[Bellevue]] and [[Issaquah]]. As fuel prices have increased and zoning has allowed more growth, Seattle has grown about 40,000 in the last 6 years.

'''Seattle''' (47.606N. -122.33W) with a population 621,000 in 2012, is the largest city in the American state of [[Washington]] and in the [[Pacific]] Northwest. It was named after [[Chief Sealth]], a Suqamish/Duwamish [[Native American]] leader.  

 

Seattle was officially incorporated in 1889, but had been a town since 1851, when a group of pioneers from [[Illinois]] settled West Seattle, a peninsula within the current city limits to the west. From about 1960 until about 2000, the population remained relatively static, just under 600,000.  However, the population increased into the suburbs north toward [[Everett]], south toward [[Seatac]] and [[Tacoma]] and east (across [[Lake Washington]]) to [[Mercer Island]], [[Kirkland]], [[Redmond]], [[Bellevue]] and [[Issaquah]]. As fuel prices have increased and zoning has allowed more growth, Seattle has grown about 40,000 in the last 6 years.

 

==Demographics==

==Demographics==

Seattle is the least churched city in America, and Washington State has the highest concentration of people who say they have no religion, including atheists & agnostics.<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/life/2002/2002-03-07-church-free.htm 'Amen' to a church-free lifestyle]</ref> The Pacific Northwest as a region features the lowest amount of religious people.<ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002552768_harrop11.html The unchurched Northwest]</ref>

Seattle is the least churched city in America, and Washington State has the highest concentration of people who say they have no religion, including atheists & agnostics.<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/life/2002/2002-03-07-church-free.htm 'Amen' to a church-free lifestyle]</ref> The Pacific Northwest as a region features the lowest amount of religious people.<ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002552768_harrop11.html The unchurched Northwest]</ref>

The makeup of the population was 67.1 percent White, 16.6 percent [[Asian]], 9.7 percent [[African American]], 2.38 percent from other races, 1.00 percent [[Native American]], 0.50 percent Pacific Islander, and 4.46 percent from two or more races. [[Hispanic]] or [[Latin America|Latino]] of any race were 6.3 percent of the population. Seattle's median household income is $45,736, where the national average is $41,994. The median age of Seattle residents is 37.9. 36.16% of Seattleites are married, 11.5% are divorced, and one third of those who are married have children. The density is 6,886 people per square mile. Seattle was also rated the most educated city in the [[United States]], with 52.7% of its residents over age 25 holding at least a bachelor's degree.<ref>

The makeup of the population was 67.1 percent White, 16.6 percent [[Asian]], 9.7 percent [[African American]], 2.38 percent from other races, 1.00 percent [[Native American]], 0.50 percent Pacific Islander, and 4.46 percent from two or more races. [[Hispanic]] or [[Latin America|Latino]] of any race were 6.3 percent of the population. Seattle's median household income is $45,736, where the national average is $41,994. The median age of Seattle residents is 37.9. 36.16% of Seattleites are married, 11.5% are divorced, and one-third of those who are married have children. The density is 6,886 people per square mile. Seattle was also rated the most educated city in the [[United States]], with 52.7% of its residents over age 25 holding at least a bachelor's degree.<ref>

[http://neighborhoods.realtor.com/Seattle/2352/Metro The Seattle area]</ref>  

[http://neighborhoods.realtor.com/Seattle/2352/Metro The Seattle area]</ref>  

Many people have flocked to the Seattle area to work in what's called the "knowledge economy."<ref>[https://money.cnn.com/2006/08/29/real_estate/brainiest_cities/ America's smartest cities]</ref>

Many people have flocked to the Seattle area to work in what's called the "knowledge economy."<ref>[https://money.cnn.com/2006/08/29/real_estate/brainiest_cities/ America's smartest cities]</ref>

On Ash Wednesday 2001, Seattle sustained damage in the large Nisqually Quake, which cracked the Highway 99 Viaduct and destroyed some vintage brick buildings in Pioneer Square.

On Ash Wednesday 2001, Seattle sustained damage in the large Nisqually Quake, which cracked the Highway 99 Viaduct and destroyed some vintage brick buildings in Pioneer Square.

Seattle is the home of the [[Discovery Institute]], an influential conservative think tank, and the [[Sasquatch]] Information Society, a [[cryptozoology]] group which seeks at educate the public and gather information on [[Bigfoot]].

Seattle is the home of the [[Discovery Institute]], an influential conservative think tank.

The popular television show ''[[Frasier]]'' is set in Seattle.

The popular television show ''[[Frasier]]'' is set in Seattle.

==References==

==References==

 

 

[[Category:Washington Cities and Towns]]

[[Category:Washington Cities and Towns]]

[[Category:Pacific Northwest]]

[[Category:Pacific Northwest]]

[[Category:Regions of the Western United States]]

[[Category:Regions of the Western United States]]