[shuzhang]

I like Seattle a lot, I lived there for 6 years; I've been gone for 3 years now, but it's still my favorite.

The tech scene is world class - headquarter for 2 of the top 4 largest tech companies (microsoft and amazon) and just about every large tech company has an office there; plenty of promising startups too.

Real estate is super reasonable; not just cheaper than SF, but even significantly cheaper than Toronto.

Food scene and bar scene and music are all really good.

Lots of great outdoorsy stuff to do nearby (cascade range, ocean, etc.). I've actually never lived anywhere where people are as active on average. Several of my former co-workers have summited mount rainier for example, other co-workers have been racers etc. And they're really just typical tech workers in Seattle. Three national parks are within driving distance, and besides those, gorgeous hikes start less than hour out of the city. You will fall in love with the outdoors there.

The weather is always mild, no extreme cold or heat. Yes, it's dark a lot, but everyone really appreciates the sun more and the city parks are great on the nice days.