Full History Of Seattle In Timeline From 1901

1901: Mansion fire at Seattle Public Library

In 1901, the Seattle Public Library's mansion location, previously owned by Henry Yesler, burned down, destroying most of its 33,000 book collection.

1902: Alexander Pantages Opens Theaters in 1902

Starting in 1902, Alexander Pantages opened a number of theaters in Seattle exhibiting vaudeville acts and silent movies. He became one of America's greatest theater and movie tycoons.

1906: Construction of Carnegie library building

In 1906, following the fire that destroyed the previous library location, a Carnegie library building was constructed. This building was eventually known as the Seattle Central Library.

1907: Founding of the American Messenger Company in 1907

In 1907, James E. Casey borrowed $100 and founded the American Messenger Company (later UPS) in Seattle.

1909: Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition of 1909

The Gold Rush era culminated in the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition of 1909, which is largely responsible for the layout of today's University of Washington campus.

1909: Completion of Harbor Island in 1909

The topography of the city center was also changed by the construction of a seawall and the artificial Harbor Island, which was completed in 1909, at the mouth of the city's industrial Duwamish Waterway.

1911: City Councillors elected at large

From 1911, Seattle's nine city councillors were elected at large, rather than by geographic subdivisions.

1912: Virgil Bogue's City Development Plan of 1912

In 1912, a city development plan by Virgil Bogue went largely unused in Seattle.

1917: Seattle Metropolitans win Stanley Cup

In 1917, the PCHA's Seattle Metropolitans became the first American hockey team to win the Stanley Cup.

1918: Jazz Nightclubs on Jackson Street

Between 1918 and 1951, nearly 24 jazz nightclubs existed along Jackson Street in Seattle, from the current Chinatown/International District to the Central District.

1919: Seattle General Strike of 1919

The retrenchment after a shipbuilding boom during World War I led to the Seattle General Strike of 1919, an early general strike in the country.

1926: Bertha Knight Landes elected as mayor

In 1926, Bertha Knight Landes became the first major American city's first female mayor.

1926: 5th Avenue Theatre Built

The 5th Avenue Theatre, built in 1926, stages Broadway-style musical shows featuring both local talent and international stars.

1927: Henry Art Gallery Opened

The Henry Art Gallery opened in 1927, becoming the first public art museum in Washington.

1929: End of Tacoma–Seattle Railway Service

In 1929, Tacoma–Seattle railway service ended in Seattle.

1933: Eleanor Roosevelt's Book and the Women's Movement in 1933

A movement of women arose from Seattle during the Great Depression, fueled in part by Eleanor Roosevelt's 1933 book It's Up to the Women; women pushed for recognition, not just as housewives, but as the backbone to family.

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1933: Seattle Art Museum (SAM) Opened

The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) opened in 1933.

1934: Maritime Strike of 1934

Violence during the Maritime Strike of 1934 cost Seattle much of its maritime traffic, which was rerouted to the Port of Los Angeles.

1939: End of Everett–Seattle Railway Service

In 1939, the Everett–Seattle railway service came to an end, replaced by automobiles running on the recently developed highway system.

1941: End of Streetcars in Seattle

In 1941, the Seattle trolleybus system opened, bringing the end of streetcars in Seattle.

April 13, 1949: Earthquake on April 13, 1949

A strong earthquake occurred on April 13, 1949 with a magnitude of 7.1.

1951: Jazz Nightclubs on Jackson Street

Between 1918 and 1951, nearly 24 jazz nightclubs existed along Jackson Street in Seattle, from the current Chinatown/International District to the Central District.

1953: State Route 99 runs through downtown Seattle

From 1953, State Route 99 ran through downtown Seattle on the Alaskan Way Viaduct, an elevated freeway on the waterfront.

1956: Gas Works Park coal gasification plant closed

In 1956, the coal gasification plant at Gas Works Park closed.

1960: Replacement of Seattle Central Library

In 1960, the Carnegie library building, then known as the Seattle Central Library, was replaced with an International Style design.

1960: Seattle's population composition in 1960

In 1960, whites constituted 91.6% of Seattle's city population.

1962: Century 21 Exposition in 1962

Seattle celebrated its restored prosperity and made a bid for world recognition with the Century 21 Exposition, the 1962 World's Fair, for which the Space Needle was built.

April 29, 1965: Earthquake on April 29, 1965

A strong earthquake occurred on April 29, 1965 with a magnitude of 6.5 and caused three deaths in Seattle directly and one more by heart failure.

1967: Seattle SuperSonics founded

From 1967, Seattle was home to the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

1969: Seattle Pilots awarded MLB franchise

In 1969, Seattle was awarded a Major League Baseball franchise, the Seattle Pilots, who played at Sick's Stadium.

March 20, 1970: Ozark Hotel Fire on March 20, 1970

On March 20, 1970, twenty-eight people were killed when the Ozark Hotel was burned by an unknown arsonist.

1970: Establishment of Medic One

In 1970, Seattle established Medic One, which led to the development of modern paramedic services.

1974: NHL Conditional Expansion Franchise

In 1974, Seattle was awarded a conditional expansion franchise in the National Hockey League, which did not come to fruition.

1974: Seattle called best place in the world to have a heart attack

In 1974, a 60 Minutes story on the success of the four-year-old Medic One paramedic system called Seattle "the best place in the world to have a heart attack."

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1974: NBA All-Star Game

In 1974, the NBA All-Star Game was held at the Seattle Center Coliseum.

1974: Original Sounders team

In 1974, the original Sounders team of the North American Soccer League was founded.

1974: PNB School Founding

The Pacific Northwest Ballet School, founded in 1974, ranks as one of the top three ballet training institutions in the United States.

1976: Seahawks enter NFL

In 1976, the Seattle Seahawks entered the National Football League as an expansion team.

1977: Mariners begin play

In 1977, the Seattle Mariners began play at the multi-purpose Kingdome.

1977: Seattle Thunderbirds established

Since 1977, The Seattle Thunderbirds hockey team has represented Seattle in the Canadian major-junior Western Hockey League.

1977: Seattle Aquarium Opened

The Seattle Aquarium opened on the downtown waterfront in 1977.

1978: Burke–Gilman Trail Opens

In 1978, the Burke–Gilman Trail opened on a former railroad. The trail travels for 27 miles (43 km) along the Ship Canal and Lake Washington between Ballard and Bothell.

1978: SuperSonics Contended for Championship

In 1978, the Seattle SuperSonics contended for the NBA championship.

1979: Major League Baseball All-Star Game

In 1979, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held at the Kingdome.

1979: Microsoft's Move to Bellevue in 1979

Prosperity began to return in the 1980s beginning with Microsoft's 1979 move from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to nearby Bellevue, Washington.

1982: Seattle's Designation Changed to Emerald City in 1982

In 1982, Seattle's official designation changed from the "Queen City" to the "Emerald City".

1983: Wah Mee Massacre in 1983

In 1983, the Wah Mee massacre resulted in the killing of 13 people in an illegal gambling club in the Seattle Chinatown-International District.

1987: NBA All-Star Game

In 1987, the NBA All-Star Game was held at the Kingdome.

1990: Downtown Population Growth

As a sign of increasing downtown core growth, the Downtown population crested to over 60,000 in 2009, up 77% since 1990.

1990: Seattle's Population Increase in the 1990s

Beginning in the 1980s, the Seattle area developed into a technology center. Between 1990 and 2000, the city's population increased by almost 50,000 due to the stream of new software, biotechnology, and Internet companies.

1990: Population Increase in Seattle in the 1990s

Between 1990 and 2000, Seattle saw a population increase within city limits of almost 50,000, and Seattle's real estate became some of the most expensive in the country.

1990: Seattle's Foreign-Born Population Growth

Between the 1990 and 2000 censuses, Seattle's foreign-born population grew by 40%.

1990: Goodwill Games in 1990

In 1990, the Goodwill Games were held in Seattle.

1991: Sherry Harris elected as Seattle city councilor

In 1991, Sherry Harris was elected as a Seattle city councilor, marking the first time in United States history that an openly gay black woman was elected to public office.

1991: Seattle Art Museum (SAM) moved to their current downtown location

The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) moved to their current downtown location in 1991, since which the 1933 building has been SAM's Seattle Asian Art Museum (SAAM).

1993: APEC Leaders Hosted in Seattle in 1993

In 1993, the APEC leaders conference was hosted in Seattle. The 1990s also witnessed a growing popularity in grunge music, a sound that was largely developed in Seattle's independent music scene.

1993: Sleepless in Seattle Movie Release in 1993

In 1993, the movie Sleepless in Seattle brought the city further national attention, as did the television sitcom Frasier.

1995: Mariners success in the mid-to-late 1990s

The Seattle Mariners experienced relative success in the mid-to-late 1990s, which saved the team from relocation.

1996: Seattle Reign Basketball

From 1996 to 1998, Seattle was home to the Seattle Reign, a women's professional basketball team in the rival American Basketball League.

1996: SuperSonics Contended for Championship

In 1996, the Seattle SuperSonics contended for the NBA championship.

1997: Adam Smith Represents 9th Congressional District

Since 1997, Democrat Adam Smith has represented part of southeastern Seattle in the 9th congressional district.

1997: Seattle Poetry Festival Launched

The Seattle Poetry Festival is a biennial poetry festival that (launched first as the Poetry Circus in 1997) has featured local, regional, national, and international names in poetry.

1998: Seattle Reign Basketball

From 1996 to 1998, Seattle was home to the Seattle Reign, a women's professional basketball team in the rival American Basketball League.

1999: Mariners move to T-Mobile Park

In 1999, the Seattle Mariners moved to a purpose-built baseball stadium, T-Mobile Park (formerly Safeco Field).

1999: World Trade Organization Conference in 1999

In 1999, the World Trade Organization held its conference in Seattle, which was met with protest activity.

2000: Proportion of single-person households in 2000

According to the 2000 U.S. Census interim measurements of 2004, Seattle has the fifth highest proportion of single-person households nationwide among cities of 100,000 or more residents, at 40.8%.

2000: Seattle's Population Increase in the 1990s

Beginning in the 1980s, the Seattle area developed into a technology center. Between 1990 and 2000, the city's population increased by almost 50,000 due to the stream of new software, biotechnology, and Internet companies.

2000: Population Increase in Seattle in the 1990s

Between 1990 and 2000, Seattle saw a population increase within city limits of almost 50,000, and Seattle's real estate became some of the most expensive in the country.

2000: Seattle's Foreign-Born Population Growth

Between the 1990 and 2000 censuses, Seattle's foreign-born population grew by 40%.

2000: Kingdome imploded

In 2000, the Kingdome, where the Seattle Seahawks played, was imploded.

2000: Seattle Storm founded

In 2000, the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association were founded.

2000: First MLS team to win continental title

In 2000, the Sounders became the first MLS team to win a continental title since 2000 and the first to win the modern Champions League.

February 28, 2001: Nisqually Earthquake on February 28, 2001

On February 28, 2001, the magnitude 6.8 Nisqually earthquake did significant architectural damage, especially in the Pioneer Square area.

2001: Mardi Gras Riots and Nisqually Earthquake in 2001

In 2001, Seattle was impacted by the Mardi Gras Riots and then by the Nisqually earthquake the following day.

2001: Seattle Central Community College named Community College of the Year

In 2001, Time magazine selected Seattle Central Community College as community college of the year.

2001: Alaskan Way Viaduct Damaged in Earthquake

In 2001, the Alaskan Way Viaduct sustained damage during the Nisqually earthquake.

2001: Major League Baseball All-Star Game

In 2001, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held at T-Mobile Park.

2001: Mariners tie MLB record

In 2001, the Seattle Mariners tied the all-time MLB single regular season wins record with 116 wins.

2001: Seattle Hosted the National Poetry Slam Tournament

Seattle hosted the 2001 national Poetry Slam Tournament.

2001: Boeing Headquarters Move in 2001

Seattle remained the corporate headquarters of Boeing until 2001, when the company separated its headquarters from its major production facilities; the headquarters were moved to Chicago.

2001: Dot-com Bubble Burst in 2001

The dot-com boom caused a great frenzy among the technology companies in Seattle but the bubble ended in early 2001.

2002: BECU Open to All Washington Residents in 2002

In 2002, BECU, Boeing's credit union for employees, became open to all residents of Washington.

2003: Seahawks move into Qwest Field

In 2003, the Seattle Seahawks moved into Qwest Field (now Lumen Field) at the same site as the former Kingdome.

2003: McCaw Hall Opening

The Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet perform at McCaw Hall, which opened in 2003 on the site of the former Seattle Opera House at Seattle Center.

2004: Proportion of single-person households in 2004

According to the 2000 U.S. Census interim measurements of 2004, Seattle has the fifth highest proportion of single-person households nationwide among cities of 100,000 or more residents, at 40.8%.

2004: Mass transit increase

In 2004, Seattle began shifting towards mass transit, with the number of public transportation trips increasing.

2004: Replacement of Seattle Central Library by Rem Koolhaas design

In 2004, the International Style design of the Seattle Central Library was replaced by a new design from Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas.

2004: Seattle Storm WNBA Championship

In 2004, the Seattle Storm claimed the WNBA championship.

September 2005: King County's Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness

In September 2005, King County adopted a "Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness", which resulted in a shift of funding from homeless shelter beds to permanent housing.

2005: Seattle Ranked Most Expensive City for Housing

In 2005, Forbes ranked Seattle as the most expensive American city for buying a house based on the local income levels.

2005: Seattle Listed as Most Literate City

In 2005, Seattle was listed as the most literate of the country's 69 largest cities, based on studies conducted by Central Connecticut State University.

2005: Seahawks Lost Super Bowl XL

In 2005, the Seattle Seahawks lost Super Bowl XL to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Detroit.

2006: UCLA Study on LGBT Population

According to a 2006 study by UCLA, 12.9% of city residents polled identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. This was the second-highest proportion of any major U.S. city, behind San Francisco.

2006: American Community Survey of 2006-2008

According to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey, approximately 78.9% of residents over the age of five spoke only English at home.

2006: Sale of SuperSonics

Following a team sale in 2006, there was a failed effort to replace the aging KeyArena.

2006: Mayor Greg Nickels's Economic Vision

In 2006 former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announced a desire to spark a new economic boom driven by the biotechnology industry. Major redevelopment of the South Lake Union neighborhood is underway in an effort to attract new and established biotech companies to the city.

2006: Transit Now proposition passed

In 2006, King County voters approved the Transit Now proposition. This led to increased bus service hours on high ridership routes and funded five limited-stop bus lines called RapidRide.

2006: Seattle Listed as Most Literate City

In 2006, Seattle was listed as the most literate of the country's 69 largest cities, based on studies conducted by Central Connecticut State University.

2006: Regional planners expect the population of Seattle

In 2006, after growing by 4,000 citizens per year for the previous 16 years, regional planners expected the population of Seattle to grow by 200,000 people by 2040.

2006: Seattle Storm sold to local ownership

In 2006, the Seattle Storm sold to separate Seattle-based ownership.

2007: Seattle Ranks High in Public Transit Use

According to the 2007 American Community Survey, 18.6% of Seattle residents used public transit, giving it the highest transit ridership of major cities without heavy or light rail prior to the completion of Sound Transit's 1 Line.

2007: Danny Sherrard, National Poetry Slam Champ

Danny Sherrard won the 2007 National Poetry Slam Champ and the 2008 Individual World Poetry Slam Champ.

2007: Seattle Listed as Second Most Literate City

In 2007, Seattle was listed as the second most literate of the country's 69 largest cities, based on studies conducted by Central Connecticut State University.

2007: Seattle's racial tie-breaking system struck down by Supreme Court

In 2007, Seattle's racial tie-breaking system was struck down by the United States Supreme Court, but the ruling left the door open for desegregation formulae based on other indicators (e.g., income or socioeconomic class).

2007: Roads and transit measure rejected

In 2007, Seattle-area voters rejected a measure that would have addressed both roads and transit.

2007: Olympic Sculpture Park Opened

SAM also operates the Olympic Sculpture Park, which opened in 2007 on the waterfront north of the downtown piers.

2007: Thunderbirds move to Kent

Since 2007, the Seattle Thunderbirds have been based at the ShoWare Center in Kent.

2007: Seattle Aquarium Expanded

The Seattle Aquarium was expanded in 2007 with an auditorium, gift shop, and cafe alongside new exhibit spaces.

2008: Seattle has Highest Percentage of College Graduates

A 2008 United States Census Bureau survey showed that Seattle had the highest percentage of college and university graduates of any major U.S. city.

2008: American Community Survey of 2006-2008

According to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey, approximately 78.9% of residents over the age of five spoke only English at home.

2008: Danny Sherrard, Individual World Poetry Slam Champ

Danny Sherrard won the 2007 National Poetry Slam Champ and the 2008 Individual World Poetry Slam Champ.

2008: Transit only measure passed

In 2008, Seattle-area voters passed a transit-only measure that would increase ST Express bus service, extend the Link light rail system, and expand and improve Sounder commuter rail service.

2008: SuperSonics relocate to Oklahoma City

In 2008, the Seattle SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Oklahoma City Thunder.

March 17, 2009: Seattle Post-Intelligencer switches to online publication

On March 17, 2009, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (P-I) switched from publishing a daily newspaper to becoming a strictly online publication, after having been a daily newspaper since 1863.

2009: Downtown Population Growth

As a sign of increasing downtown core growth, the Downtown population crested to over 60,000 in 2009, up 77% since 1990.

2009: Mass transit increase

By 2009, Seattle saw a roughly 21% increase in the annual number of unlinked public transportation trips, indicating a shift away from automobiles and toward mass transit.

2009: MLS Cup 2009

In 2009, Lumen Field hosted MLS Cup, played between Real Salt Lake and the Los Angeles Galaxy.

2009: Link light rail line began service

In 2009, the Link light rail line (now the 1 Line) began service from downtown Seattle heading south to Sea-Tac Airport, marking the city's first rapid transit line with intermediate stations within the city limits.

2009: Seattle Sounders FC MLS Debut and U.S. Open Cup Win

Since 2009, Seattle Sounders FC has played in Major League Soccer and also won the U.S. Open Cup in 2009.

February 2010: Seattle Commits to Climate Neutrality

In February 2010, the Seattle city government committed Seattle to become North America's first "climate neutral" city.

2010: Seattle Growth Rate 2010-2020

Between 2010 and 2020, Seattle experienced a growth rate of 21.1%, making it one of the fastest-growing large cities in the United States.

2010: Seattle Population Growth 2010-2015

From 2010 to 2015, Seattle gained an average of 14,511 residents per year, with the growth strongly skewed toward the center of the city, and unemployment dropped from roughly 9 percent to 3.6 percent.

2010: Seattle Storm WNBA Championship

In 2010, the Seattle Storm claimed the WNBA championship.

2010: Sounders Win U.S. Open Cup

In 2010, the Sounders won the U.S. Open Cup.

2010: Seattle's population composition in 2010

In 2010, the census showed that Seattle was one of the whitest big cities in the country, with white residents constituting 69.5% of the city's population.

2010: Seattle's Gross Metropolitan Product in 2010

Seattle's gross metropolitan product (GMP) was $231 billion in 2010, making it the 11th-largest metropolitan economy in the United States.

2011: Sounders Win U.S. Open Cup

In 2011, the Sounders won the U.S. Open Cup.

March 2012: Top FM and AM radio stations listed in Arbitron report

In a March 2012 report by Arbitron, the top FM stations in Seattle were KRWM (adult contemporary), KIRO-FM (news/talk), and KISW (active rock), while the top AM stations were KOMO (all news), KJR (AM) (all sports), and KIRO (AM) (all sports).

June 2012: Seattle Great Wheel Opened

The Seattle Great Wheel, one of the largest Ferris wheels in the US, opened in June 2012 as a new, permanent attraction on the city's waterfront, at Pier 57, next to Downtown Seattle.

2012: Percentage of same-sex households in 2012

According to 2012 estimates from the United States Census Bureau, Seattle has the highest percentage of same-sex households in the United States, at 2.6 percent, surpassing San Francisco (2.5 percent).

2012: HistoryLink Study on Diversity

According to a 2012 HistoryLink study, Seattle's 98118 ZIP code (in the Columbia City neighborhood) was one of the most diverse ZIP Code Tabulation Areas in the United States.

2012: Racial Makeup of Seattle 2012-2016

According to the 2012-2016 American Community Survey (ACS), the racial makeup of the city was 65.7% White Non-Hispanic, 16.9% Asian, 6.8% Black or African American, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 0.4% Native American, 0.9% Pacific Islander, 0.2% other races, and 5.6% two or more races.

2012: Seattle Reign FC Founded

In 2012, Seattle Reign FC, a founding member of the National Women's Soccer League, was founded.

2012: Seattleites approve Referendum 74 and legalization of cannabis

In the 2012 U.S. general election, Seattleites voted to approve Referendum 74 to legalize gay marriage in Washington state. In the same election, an overwhelming majority of Seattleites also voted to approve the legalization of the recreational use of cannabis in the state.

November 5, 2013: Hybrid System of City Councillors Approved

On November 5, 2013, a ballot measure passed that changed Seattle's city council election system to a hybrid system of seven district members and two at-large members.

2013: Increase in crimes

From 2013 to 2018 there was a slow increase in crimes in Seattle.

2013: Failed effort to relocate Sacramento Kings

In 2013, an effort to purchase the Sacramento Kings franchise and relocate it to Seattle as a resurrected Sonics squad was denied by the NBA board of governors.

2013: Seattle Reign play at Starfire Sports Complex

In 2013, the Seattle Reign played at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila.

2013: Seahawks win Super Bowl XLVIII

In 2013, the Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl XLVIII, defeating the Denver Broncos 43–8 at MetLife Stadium.

2014: Pew Research Center Study

According to a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center, the largest religious groupings in Seattle are Christians (52%), followed by those of no religion (37%), Hindus (2%), Buddhists (2%), Jews (1%), and Muslims (1%).

2014: Seahawks lost Super Bowl XLIX

In 2014, the Seattle Seahawks advanced to the Super Bowl the following year, but lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX on a last-minute play.

2014: Sounders win MLS Supporters' Shield and U.S. Open Cup

In 2014, the Seattle Sounders won the MLS Supporters' Shield and the U.S. Open Cup.

2014: Seattle Reign FC start holding home games in Seattle

Since 2014, Seattle Reign FC, started holding their home games in Seattle.

December 2015: Original Completion Date of Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Tunnel

December 2015 was the originally scheduled completion date for the 2-mile (3.2 km) Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement tunnel, at a cost of US$4.25 billion.

2015: Seattle LGBT Community in 2015

As of 2015, Seattle hosted the fifth-largest LGBT community in the U.S.

2015: Seattle Population Growth 2010-2015

From 2010 to 2015, Seattle gained an average of 14,511 residents per year, with the growth strongly skewed toward the center of the city, and unemployment dropped from roughly 9 percent to 3.6 percent.

2015: Hybrid System of City Councillors Implemented

In 2015, Seattle implemented a hybrid system for electing city councillors, with seven members from districts and two at-large members, following a ballot measure passed in 2013.

2015: Mandatory curbside collection of food waste for composting

In 2015, Seattle made curbside collection of food waste for composting mandatory for all households.

2015: Maritime cargo operations merged with the Port of Tacoma

In 2015, the Port of Seattle's maritime cargo operations merged with the Port of Tacoma to form the Northwest Seaport Alliance.

2015: Global Health Organizations in Washington State

In 2015, the Washington Global Health Alliance counted 168 global health organizations in Washington state. Many are headquartered in Seattle.

2015: Female Majority on City Council

In 2015, the majority of the Seattle City Council was female.

March 2016: Link light rail extended to the University of Washington

In March 2016, the 1 Line was extended north to the University of Washington.

November 2016: Sound Transit 3 package approved

In November 2016, voters in the Puget Sound region approved an additional tax increase, part of the Sound Transit 3 package, to expand light rail to West Seattle and Ballard as well as Tacoma, Everett, and Issaquah.

2016: Racial Makeup of Seattle 2012-2016

According to the 2012-2016 American Community Survey (ACS), the racial makeup of the city was 65.7% White Non-Hispanic, 16.9% Asian, 6.8% Black or African American, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 0.4% Native American, 0.9% Pacific Islander, 0.2% other races, and 5.6% two or more races.

2016: Construction Boom Resulting in Apartments Completed in 2016

Another boom began as the city emerged from the Great Recession, commencing when Amazon moved its headquarters from North Beacon Hill to South Lake Union. The move initiated a historic construction boom which resulted in the completion of apartments in Seattle in 2016, significantly less than in 2017.

2016: Sounders win MLS Cup

In 2016, the Seattle Sounders won their first MLS Cup title, defeating Toronto FC 5–4 in a penalty shootout in Toronto.

2017: Construction Boom Resulting in Almost 10,000 Apartments Completed in 2017

Another boom began as the city emerged from the Great Recession, commencing when Amazon moved its headquarters from North Beacon Hill to South Lake Union. The move initiated a historic construction boom which resulted in the completion of almost 10,000 apartments in Seattle in 2017, more than any previous year and nearly twice as many as were built in 2016.

2017: University of Washington ranked eleventh in the world

In 2017, U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Washington eleventh in the world.

2017: Sounders Finish as Runners-Up in MLS Cup

In 2017, the Seattle Sounders finished as runners-up in a rematch against Toronto in MLS Cup.

2017: Seattle Thunderbirds WHL Championship

In 2017, the Seattle Thunderbirds won one WHL championship.

2018: Median income of a city household in 2018

According to the ACS 1-year estimates, in 2018, the median income of a Seattle city household was $93,481, and the median income for a family was $130,656.

2018: Increase in crimes

From 2013 to 2018 there was a slow increase in crimes in Seattle.

2018: Seattle Kraken awarded

In 2018, a new Seattle-based group successfully applied for an expansion team in the NHL, which was named the Seattle Kraken.

2018: Seattle Seawolves inaugural championship

In 2018, the Seattle Seawolves began play and won the league's inaugural championship.

2018: Seattle Storm WNBA Championship

In 2018, the Seattle Storm claimed the WNBA championship.

2018: Seattle Reign FC end home games in Seattle

Seattle Reign FC ended home games in Seattle in 2018.

February 2019: Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Tunnel Opens

In February 2019, the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement tunnel finally opened, delayed from its original completion date due to issues with the tunnel boring machine.

2019: Paine Field Opens

In 2019, Paine Field opened in Everett, 25 miles (40 km) north of Seattle, serving as a secondary passenger airport.

2019: Seattle Reign FC move to Tacoma

In 2019, the Seattle Reign FC moved to Tacoma's Cheney Stadium.

2019: Sounders win MLS Cup at home

In 2019, the Sounders made their first-ever home-field appearance in MLS Cup, winning the game 3–1 against Toronto FC to earn their second MLS Cup title.

2019: Seattle Seawolves defend their title

In the 2019 season, the Seattle Seawolves successfully defended their title.

2020: Seattle Growth Rate 2010-2020

Between 2010 and 2020, Seattle experienced a growth rate of 21.1%, making it one of the fastest-growing large cities in the United States.

2020: Rite Aid Acquires Bartell Drugs

In 2020, Bartell Drugs, a family-run pharmacy chain in Seattle, was acquired by Rite Aid.

2020: OL Groupe becomes Seattle Reign FC's majority owner

In 2020, OL Groupe became Seattle Reign FC's majority owner and rebranded the club as OL Reign.

2020: Seattle Sea Dragons inaugural season

In 2020, the Seattle Sea Dragons, originally the Dragons, of the XFL played at Lumen Field in the league's inaugural season prior to its suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Seattle Storm WNBA Championship

In 2020, the Seattle Storm claimed the WNBA championship.

2020: Decrease in crimes

In 2020, the crime rates dipped in Seattle, before increasing again in the following years.

October 2021: Link light rail extended to Northgate

In October 2021, the 1 Line was extended to Northgate.

2021: Port of Seattle Container Handling in 2021

As of 2021, the Port of Seattle was the fourth-largest port in North America in terms of container handling.

2021: Population Decline

In 2021 Seattle experienced its first population decline in 50 years.

2021: CenturyLink stopped providing cable television service

In 2021, CenturyLink stopped providing cable television service in Seattle.

2021: Increase in crimes

In 2021, crime rates spiked up again in Seattle after a dip in 2020.

2021: Seattle Kraken Begin Play

In 2021, the Seattle Kraken began play in the NHL.

2021: Seattle Storm won WNBA Commissioner's Cup

In 2021, the Seattle Storm won the first-ever WNBA Commissioner's Cup.

2021: Bruce Harrell Elected Mayor

In the 2021 Seattle mayoral election, Bruce Harrell was elected as mayor, succeeding Jenny Durkan.

January 1, 2022: Bruce Harrell took office

On January 1, 2022, Bruce Harrell took office as mayor of Seattle, succeeding Jenny Durkan.

2022: End of Mariners' Postseason Drought

From 2001 to 2022, the Seattle Mariners failed to qualify for the playoffs, marking the end of the longest active postseason drought in major North American sports at 20 seasons.

2022: Ballard FC founded

In 2022, Ballard FC was founded as an independent, semi-professional soccer team in the fourth-division USL League 2.

2022: Seattle hosts CONCACAF Champions League Final

In 2022, Seattle hosted the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League Final.

2022: Increase in crimes

In 2022, crime rates spiked up again in Seattle after a dip in 2020.

2022: Seattle Seawolves runners-up

In 2022, the Seattle Seawolves finished as runners-up in the championship game.

2022: Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Seattle in 2022

Seven companies on Fortune 500's 2022 list are headquartered in Seattle: Amazon, Starbucks, Expeditors International of Washington, Nordstrom, Weyerhaeuser, Expedia Group, and Zillow.

2022: Seattle Reign FC move to Lumen Field

Since 2022, Seattle Reign FC move to Seattle's Lumen Field.

2023: Seattle crime statistics

As of 2023, Seattle had 5,000 violent crimes, with a violent crime rate of 683 per 100,000 people, and 5,174 property crimes per 100,000 people.

2023: Seattle Public Library Stats

As of 2023, the Seattle Public Library system consisted of 27 branches with a combined total of 3,119,298 items.

2023: Ballard FC national title

In 2023, Ballard FC won its first national title.

2023: Parks system ranking

In 2023, The Trust for Public Land ranked Seattle eighth in the United States among municipal parks systems.

2023: Cruise Passenger Record in Seattle

In 2023, a record total of 907,572 cruise passengers passed through Seattle, surpassing the number for Vancouver, BC, making it a leading departure point for Alaska cruises.

2023: Seattle electricity produced using hydropower

In 2023, at least 88% of Seattle's electricity is produced using hydropower.

2023: Major League Baseball All-Star Game

In 2023, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held at T-Mobile Park.

2023: Seattle Sea Dragons return

In 2023, the Seattle Sea Dragons returned alongside the XFL after the league's re-launch under new ownership.

2023: Caste discrimination banned

In 2023, the Seattle city council voted to ban caste discrimination as part of the city's anti-discrimination laws, making it the first such ban in the United States.

2023: Seattle Population in 2023

In 2023, the population of Seattle was 755,078, making it the 18th-most populous city in the United States.

April 2024: 2 Line opens between Bellevue and Redmond

In April 2024, the 2 Line opened between Bellevue and Redmond.

August 2024: Link light rail extended to Lynnwood

In August 2024, the 1 Line was extended to Lynnwood.

2024: New Seattle Aquarium Building Opened

A new, three-story building under the Overlook Walk opened in 2024 with tropical exhibits and a 500,000-US-gallon tank with sharks and rays from the Coral Triangle region of Southeast Asia.

2024: Millionaires and Billionaires in Seattle

According to a 2024 study by Henley & Partners, the city of Seattle has an estimated 54,200 millionaires and 11 billionaires.

2024: Seattle Lacks 24-Hour Retail Pharmacy

As of 2024, Seattle lacks a 24-hour retail pharmacy due to the closure of locations across several chains.

2024: West Seattle Junction FC joins USL League 2

During the 2024 season, West Seattle Junction FC joined USL League 2.

2024: Household Pulse Survey

In 2024, a Household Pulse Survey from the United States Census Bureau estimated that 64 percent of adults in the Seattle area never attend religious services or attend less than once a year.

2024: Overlook Walk Opens

In 2024, the Overlook Walk opened, connecting Pike Place Market to the downtown waterfront via overpasses integrating with the Seattle Aquarium expansion. It is a recreational and commuting trail for cyclists and pedestrians.

2024: The Seattle Reign name was restored

In 2024, the Seattle Reign name was restored.

2024: Seattle Sea Dragons Folded

Prior to the 2024 season, the Seattle Sea Dragons folded during the XFL's merger with the United States Football League to form the United Football League.

2025: Planned extension of 2 Line into Seattle

In late 2025, plans are to extend the 2 Line into Seattle via the Interstate 90 floating bridge.

2026: FIFA World Cup US host city

In 2026, Seattle will be one of eleven US host cities for the FIFA World Cup, with matches played at Lumen Field.

2030: Net-zero per-capita greenhouse gas emissions by 2030

In February 2010, the city government committed Seattle to become North America's first "climate neutral" city, with a goal of reaching net-zero per-capita greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

2040: Projected population growth by 2040

In 2006, regional planners expected the population of Seattle to grow by 200,000 people by 2040. Former mayor Greg Nickels supported plans that would increase the population by 60%, or 350,000 people, by 2040.