Seattle, the most populous city in Washington State and the Pacific Northwest, had a population of 755,078 in 2023, making it the 18th-largest city in the U.S. It's the county seat of King County. The Seattle metropolitan area boasts a population of 4.02 million, ranking 15th nationally. Between 2010 and 2020, Seattle experienced rapid growth, with a 21.1% increase in population, marking it as one of the fastest-growing large cities in the country.
In 1901, the library burned down along with most of its collection.
Starting in 1902, Alexander Pantages opened a number of theaters in Seattle exhibiting vaudeville acts and silent movies.
In 1906, a Carnegie library building was constructed to replace the one that burned down in 1901.
In 1907, James E. Casey founded the American Messenger Company (later UPS).
Harbor Island was completed in 1909 at the mouth of the Duwamish Waterway.
In 1909, the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition was held, which is largely responsible for the layout of today's University of Washington campus.
From 1911, Seattle's city councilors were elected at large, rather than by geographic subdivisions.
In 1912, a city development plan by Virgil Bogue went largely unused.
In 1917, the Seattle Metropolitans became the first American hockey team to win the Stanley Cup.
Between 1918 and 1951, nearly 24 jazz nightclubs existed along Jackson Street in Seattle.
In 1919, the Seattle General Strike, an early general strike in the country, occurred.
In 1926, Seattle made history by electing Bertha Knight Landes as its mayor, making it the first major American city to elect a female mayor.
The 5th Avenue Theatre was built in 1926 and stages Broadway-style musical shows.
The Henry Art Gallery opened in 1927, becoming the first public art museum in Washington.
In 1929, the Tacoma-Seattle railway service ended.
Fueled in part by Eleanor Roosevelt's 1933 book It's Up to the Women, a movement of women arose from Seattle during the Great Depression.
The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) opened in 1933.
Violence during the Maritime Strike of 1934 cost Seattle much of its maritime traffic.
In 1939, the Everett-Seattle railway service came to an end, replaced by automobiles running on the recently developed highway system.
In 1941, the opening of the Seattle trolleybus system brought the end of streetcars in Seattle.
On April 13, 1949, Seattle experienced a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.1.
Between 1918 and 1951, nearly 24 jazz nightclubs existed along Jackson Street in Seattle.
From 1953, State Route 99 ran through downtown Seattle on the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
In 1956, the coal gasification plant closed.
In 1960, the Carnegie library building was replaced with an International Style design.
In 1960, whites constituted 91.6% of Seattle's population.
In 1962, Seattle celebrated its restored prosperity and made a bid for world recognition with the Century 21 Exposition, the World's Fair, for which the Space Needle was built.
On April 29, 1965, Seattle experienced a strong earthquake of magnitude 6.5, which caused three deaths in Seattle directly and one more by heart failure.
From 1967, Seattle was home to the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
In 1969, Seattle was awarded a Major League Baseball franchise, the Seattle Pilots, who played for one season before relocating.
On March 20, 1970, twenty-eight people were killed when the Ozark Hotel was burned by an unknown arsonist.
In 1970, Seattle saw local developments of modern paramedic services with the establishment of Medic One.
In 1974, Seattle was awarded a conditional expansion franchise in the National Hockey League; however, this opportunity did not come to fruition.
In 1974, a 60 Minutes story on the success of Medic One called Seattle "the best place in the world to have a heart attack".
In 1974, the NBA All-Star Game was held at the Seattle Center Coliseum.
In 1974, the original Sounders team of the North American Soccer League was founded.
The PNB School was founded in 1974.
In 1976, the Seattle Seahawks entered the National Football League as an expansion team.
In 1977, the Mariners began playing at the multi-purpose Kingdome.
Since 1977, the Seattle Thunderbirds hockey team has represented Seattle in the Canadian major-junior Western Hockey League.
The Seattle Aquarium opened on the downtown waterfront in 1977.
In 1978, the Burke–Gilman Trail, first opened on a former railroad.
In 1978, the SuperSonics contended for the championship.
In 1979, Microsoft moved from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to nearby Bellevue, Washington.
In 1979, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held at the Kingdome.
In 1982, Seattle's epithet of the "Queen City" was officially changed to the "Emerald City".
In 1983, the Wah Mee massacre resulted in the killing of 13 people in an illegal gambling club in the Seattle Chinatown-International District.
Between 1990 and 2000, Seattle saw a population increase within city limits of almost 50,000.
In 1990, the Goodwill Games were held in Seattle.
Since 1990, the downtown population of Seattle increased 77%.
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.
In 1991, the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) moved to its current downtown location.
In 1993, the APEC leaders were hosted in Seattle.
In 1993, the movie Sleepless in Seattle brought the city further national attention.
In 1995, the Mariners found relative success which saved the team from relocation.
From 1996, Seattle Reign played in the rival American Basketball League.
In 1996, the SuperSonics contended for the championship.
Since 1997, Adam Smith has served as the representative for the 9th congressional district in southeastern Seattle.
The Seattle Poetry Festival, was launched in 1997 as the Poetry Circus.
In 1998, the Seattle Reign was folded.
In 1999, the Mariners moved to a purpose-built baseball stadium, T-Mobile Park, formerly Safeco Field.
In 1999, the World Trade Organization held its conference in Seattle, which was met with protest activity.
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Seattle had a high proportion of single-person households.
Between 1990 and 2000, Seattle saw a population increase within city limits of almost 50,000.
In 2000, Seattle became the first MLS team to win a continental title.
In 2000, the Kingdome was imploded.
In 2000, the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association were founded and began playing their games at KeyArena (now Climate Pledge Arena).
On February 28, 2001, the magnitude 6.8 Nisqually earthquake did significant architectural damage, especially in the Pioneer Square area.
In 2001, Time magazine selected Seattle Central Community College as community college of the year for pushing diverse students to work together in small teams.
In 2001, the Alaskan Way Viaduct sustained damage during the Nisqually earthquake, leading to its eventual replacement.
In 2001, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held at T-Mobile Park.
In 2001, the Mariners tied the all-time MLB single regular season wins record with 116 wins.
In 2001, the city was impacted by the Mardi Gras Riots and then by the Nisqually earthquake the following day.
In early 2001, the dot-com bubble ended among the technology companies in Seattle.
Seattle hosted the 2001 National Poetry Slam Tournament.
In 2002, Boeing's credit union for employees, BECU, opened to all residents of Washington.
In 2003, the Seahawks moved into Qwest Field (now Lumen Field) at the same site as the Kingdome.
McCaw Hall opened in 2003 at Seattle Center on the site of the former Seattle Opera House.
According to 2004 interim measurements of the U.S. Census, Seattle had the fifth-highest proportion of single-person households nationwide among cities of 100,000 or more residents, at 40.8%.
From 2004, Seattle began seeing a rise in public transportation usage.
In 2004, the International Style design was replaced with a design by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas.
In 2004, the Storm claimed the WNBA championship.
In September 2005, King County adopted a "Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness", shifting funding from homeless shelter beds to permanent housing.
In 2005, Forbes ranked Seattle as the most expensive American city for buying a house based on local income levels.
In 2005, Seattle was listed as the most literate of the country's 69 largest cities.
In 2005, the Seahawks lost Super Bowl XL to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Detroit.
According to a 2006 UCLA study, 12.9% of Seattle residents identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, making it the second-highest proportion of any major U.S. city.
According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey, approximately 78.9% of residents over the age of five spoke only English at home.
In 2006, King County voters approved the Transit Now proposition, increasing bus service hours and establishing RapidRide lines.
In 2006, Seattle was listed as the most literate of the country's 69 largest cities.
In 2006, former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announced a desire to spark a new economic boom driven by the biotechnology industry.
In 2006, regional planners expected Seattle's population to grow by 200,000 people by 2040, after 16 years of 4,000 person annual growth.
In 2006, the Storm was sold to separate Seattle-based ownership.
In 2006, there was a team sale of the SuperSonics.
According to the 2007 American Community Survey, 18.6% of Seattle residents used public transit, giving it the highest transit ridership of all major cities without heavy or light rail prior to the completion of Sound Transit's 1 Line.
Danny Sherrard was the 2007 National Poetry Slam Champ.
In 2007, Seattle was listed as the second most literate of the country's 69 largest cities.
In 2007, Seattle-area voters rejected a roads and transit measure.
In 2007, the Seattle Aquarium expanded with an auditorium, gift shop, and cafe.
In 2007, the United States Supreme Court struck down Seattle's racial tie-breaking system, but left open the possibility of desegregation formulas based on other indicators, like income.
Since 2007, the Thunderbirds have been based at the ShoWare Center in Kent.
The Olympic Sculpture Park, operated by SAM, opened in 2007 on the waterfront.
According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey, approximately 78.9% of residents over the age of five spoke only English at home.
Danny Sherrard was the 2008 Individual World Poetry Slam Champ.
Following a team sale in 2006, the SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Oklahoma City Thunder ahead of the 2008–09 season.
In 2008, studies conducted by Central Connecticut State University showed Seattle as the most literate of the country's 69 largest cities.
In 2008, voters approved a transit-only measure to enhance ST Express bus service, extend the Link light rail system, and expand Sounder commuter rail service.
On March 17, 2009, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (P-I) ceased its daily newspaper publication and transitioned to a strictly online format.
From 2004 to 2009, the annual number of unlinked public transportation trips increased by approximately 21%.
In 2009, Lumen Field hosted MLS Cup 2009.
In 2009, the Link light rail line began service, providing Seattle with its first rapid transit line.
In 2009, the downtown population of Seattle crested to over 60,000, up 77% since 1990.
Since 2009, Seattle Sounders FC has played in Major League Soccer.
In February 2010, the Seattle city government committed to becoming North America's first "climate neutral" city.
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.
In 2010, Seattle's gross metropolitan product (GMP) was $231 billion, making it the 11th-largest metropolitan economy in the United States.
In 2010, the Sounders won the U.S. Open Cup.
In 2010, the Storm claimed the WNBA championship.
The 2010 census showed that Seattle was one of the whitest big cities in the country; whites constituted 69.5% of the population.
In 2011, the Sounders won the U.S. Open Cup.
In March 2012, Arbitron reported the top FM radio stations were KRWM, KIRO-FM, and KISW, while the top AM stations were KOMO, KJR (AM), and KIRO (AM).
In June 2012, the Seattle Great Wheel opened as a new attraction on the city's waterfront.
According to 2012 estimates from the United States Census Bureau, Seattle had the highest percentage of same-sex households in the United States, at 2.6 percent.
According to the 2012-2016 American Community Survey, the racial makeup of the city was 65.7% White Non-Hispanic.
In 2012, Seattle Reign FC, a founding member of the National Women's Soccer League, was founded.
In 2012, Seattle voters overwhelmingly approved Referendum 74, legalizing gay marriage in Washington state, and also voted to approve the legalization of recreational cannabis.
In 2012, a HistoryLink study found that Seattle's 98118 ZIP code was one of the most diverse in the United States.
On November 5, 2013, a ballot measure was passed.
From 2013 to 2018 there was a slow increase in crimes in Seattle.
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.
In 2013, the Seahawks won Super Bowl XLVIII, defeating the Denver Broncos 43–8 at MetLife Stadium.
In 2013, the club played at the Starfire Sports Complex in nearby Tukwila.
According to a 2014 Pew Research Center study, the largest religious groupings in Seattle are Christians (52%) and those of no religion (37%).
From 2014, Seattle Reign FC held their home games in Seattle.
In 2014, the Seahawks advanced to the Super Bowl the following year, but lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX.
In 2014, the Sounders won the MLS Supporters' Shield.
December 2015 was the originally scheduled completion date for the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement tunnel project.
For the 2015 election, the system changed to a hybrid system of seven district members and two at-large members.
From 2010 to 2015, Seattle gained an average of 14,511 residents per year.
In 2015, the Port of Seattle's maritime cargo operations merged with the Port of Tacoma to form the Northwest Seaport Alliance.
In 2015, the Seattle City Council achieved a historic milestone, with the majority of its members being female.
In 2015, the Washington Global Health Alliance counted 168 global health organizations in Washington state, many headquartered in Seattle.
Since 2015, curbside collection of food waste for composting in Seattle has been mandatory.
In March 2016, the Link light rail line was extended north to the University of Washington.
In November 2016, voters approved the Sound Transit 3 package to expand light rail to West Seattle, Ballard, Tacoma, Everett, and Issaquah.
According to the 2012-2016 American Community Survey, the racial makeup of the city was 65.7% White Non-Hispanic.
In 2016, the Sounders won the first of their two MLS Cup titles.
In 2017 almost 10,000 apartments were completed in Seattle, almost twice as many as were built in 2016.
In 2017, U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Washington eleventh in the world.
In 2017, almost 10,000 apartments were completed in Seattle, more than any previous year.
In 2017, the Seattle Thunderbirds won one WHL championship.
In 2017, the Sounders finished as runners-up in a rematch against Toronto in MLS Cup.
According to the ACS 1-year estimates in 2018, Seattle's median household income was $93,481, and the median family income was $130,656, with 11.0% of the population below the poverty line.
From 2013 to 2018 there was a slow increase in crimes in Seattle.
In 2018, a new Seattle-based group successfully applied for an expansion team in the NHL.
In 2018, the Seattle Seawolves began play and won the league's inaugural championship.
In 2018, the Storm claimed the WNBA championship.
Until 2018, Seattle Reign FC held their home games in Seattle.
In February 2019, the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement tunnel finally opened to traffic after delays.
In 2019, Paine Field opened as a secondary passenger airport in Everett, located 25 miles (40 km) north of Seattle.
In 2019, the Seattle Seawolves successfully defended their title.
In 2019, the Sounders won their second MLS Cup title, defeating Toronto FC.
In 2019, the team moved to Tacoma's Cheney Stadium.
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.
In 2020, OL Groupe became the team's majority owner and rebranded the club as OL Reign.
In 2020, Rite Aid acquired Bartell Drugs, a family-run pharmacy chain in Seattle.
In 2020, Seattle experienced a dip in its crime rate.
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.
In 2020, the Storm claimed the WNBA championship.
In October 2021, the Link light rail line was extended to Northgate.
As of 2021, the Port of Seattle was the fourth-largest port in North America in terms of container handling.
In 2021, Bruce Harrell was elected as the mayor of Seattle.
In 2021, CenturyLink stopped providing cable television service in Seattle.
In 2021, Seattle experienced a spike in its crime rate.
In 2021, Seattle experienced its first population decline in 50 years.
In 2021, the team won the first-ever WNBA Commissioner's Cup.
On January 1, 2022, Bruce Harrell officially took office as the mayor of Seattle, succeeding Jenny Durkan.
From 2001 to 2022, the Mariners failed to qualify for the playoffs, which marked the end of the longest active postseason drought in major North American sports, at 20 seasons.
From 2022, Seattle Reign FC held their home games in Seattle.
In 2022, Ballard FC was founded as an independent, semi-professional soccer team in the fourth-division USL League 2.
In 2022, Seattle Sounders won the CONCACAF Champions League, breaking the tournament attendance record.
In 2022, Seattle experienced a spike in its crime rate.
In 2022, seven companies on the Fortune 500 list were headquartered in Seattle, including Amazon, Starbucks, and Nordstrom.
In 2022, the Seattle Seawolves finished as runners-up in the championship game.
As of 2023, at least 88% of Seattle's electricity is produced using hydropower. The remaining known electricity sources consist of wind power, nuclear power, and biogas; less than 2% comes from an unidentified source.
As of 2023, the Seattle Public Library system consisted of 27 branches with a combined total of 3,119,298 items.
In 2023, Ballard FC won its first national title.
In 2023, Seattle had 5,000 violent crimes, resulting in a violent crime rate of 683 per 100,000 people and 5,174 property crimes per 100,000 people.
In 2023, The Trust for Public Land ranked Seattle eighth in the United States among municipal parks systems.
In 2023, a record total of 907,572 cruise passengers passed through Seattle.
In 2023, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held at T-Mobile Park.
In 2023, the Sea Dragons returned alongside the XFL's re-launch under new ownership.
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.
In April 2024, the 2 Line opened between Bellevue and Redmond.
In August 2024, the Link light rail line was extended to Lynnwood.
According to a 2024 Household Pulse Survey, 64 percent of adults in the Seattle area never attend religious services or attend less than once a year, the highest percentage among large U.S. metropolitan areas.
According to a 2024 study by Henley & Partners, the city of Seattle had an estimated 54,200 millionaires and 11 billionaires.
As of 2024, Seattle lacks a 24-hour retail pharmacy due to the closure of locations across several chains.
In 2024, a new three-story building opened at the Seattle Aquarium with tropical exhibits and a large tank.
In 2024, the Overlook Walk opened to connect Pike Place Market to the downtown waterfront.
In 2024, the Seattle Reign name was restored.
In 2024, the Seattle Sea Dragons folded prior to the season during the XFL's merger with the United States Football League to form the United Football League.
In the 2024 season, Ballard will play out of Memorial Stadium at the Seattle Center.
In late 2025, the 2 Line is planned to be extended into Seattle via the Interstate 90 floating bridge.
In 2026, Seattle will be one of eleven US host cities for the FIFA World Cup.
Seattle set a goal of reaching net-zero per-capita greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
By 2040, regional planners expected Seattle's population to grow by 200,000 people and former mayor Greg Nickels supported plans that would increase the population by 60%, or 350,000 people.