The sixth largest city in the entire state of Washington, many regard Kent to be one of the most culturally diverse and exciting place to live in all of the Pacific Northwest. Each and every year, thousands of people move from all over the country (and many of them from across all corners of the globe) with a desire to call Kent home.

If you’ve already decided to make Kent, WA your home but would like to learn a little bit more before or shortly after arriving, hopefully we’re going to be able to shine a bit of light on the area to give you a little bit of insider insight into your new home!

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A quick Kent, Washington history primer

Located almost exactly equidistant from Seattle and Tacoma, Kent is considered to be smack dab in the heart of the Seattle-Tacoma “Metroplex” and is one of the oldest cities in all of King County (only trailing Seattle).

Though trappers and travelers move through the area that would later be called Kent from the late 1700s all the way through the early and mid-1800s, it wasn’t until the early 1860s that Kent was really “permanently settled”, and it was called Titusville back in those early days.

Even though most people made their way to Kent in the hopes of striking it rich during the big gold fever that gripped the West around this point in time, around the 1880s the town really started to produce hops as their major “cash crop” and eventually came to be one of the world leaders in hop production. Because so many of their hops were being shipped out internationally (many of them destined to head to England), Titusville was renamed Kent after Kent County in England – maybe the most internationally recognized region responsible for producing a tremendous amount of hops.

Around the turn of the 20th century, hop production started to dwindle compared to do farming and other agricultural endeavors, and when the Great Depression struck this region became known as the lettuce capital of the world.

Before, during, and after World War II the population of Kent really started to skyrocket, and in 1965 Boeing moved in (permanently) followed by other aerospace and high technology focused companies that helped to reshape this entire region and influence its growth all the way through to our present point in time.

What to expect when moving to Kent

When you move to Kent, you should expect to find one of the most naturally beautiful cities in the entire Pacific Northwest, though it might not quite be as jaw-droppingly stunning as Vancouver or Seattle – but only because it is a slightly smaller city after all.

There are three major “regions” in all of Kent (at the East Hill, the Valley, and the West Hill), and each of these individual neighborhoods and communities have their own specific flavor, culture, and atmosphere though everything we together nicely like a tapestry.

A little bit slower paced than Seattle but a bit more sped up than Tacoma, this is definitely the Goldilocks of the three cities in the metropolitan region, that’s for sure. It’s just large enough to have more than enough to do, but it’s just small enough to retain some of that small town charm and feel that only smaller cities can pull off.

Public transportation is impressive throughout Kent, and the city continues to expand its services as much as possible. The Sounder Commuter Rail and Kent Station help the city reach out into its own communities as well as beyond.

Weather

You should expect the climate in Kent, WA to be almost identical to the climate in Seattle and Tacoma, which means you should definitely pack for rain 365 days out of 365 days a year.

The summers are usually quite mild (though things can get they little bit hot in June, July, and August, before the most part this is definitely a temperate area. The rains in Washington are very real thing, as Kent can expect to get (on average) about 38 inches of precipitation every single year.

Job market

The local economy is definitely a strong attraction and a big reason that so many outsiders continue to come to this city in Washington from all over the country (as well as the rest of the world), and growth is still pretty steady even though a lot of other states in the US have been struggling for the last few years.

Home to the fourth largest manufacturing region in the entire US, it’s also the spiritual home for Boeing and continues to be a very important region for the aerospace industry. General Electric’s and a handful of other major manufacturers still call Kent home.

The steel industry is also pretty booming in Kent, and is one of the largest steel industries outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!

Schooling options

Public school options in Kent are some of the most impressive in the state, with more than 28 elementary schools, seven middle schools, and four high schools serving the region. All of the schools fall under the governing body of the Kent Squirrel District, though the local Green River Community College is an independent organization and offers higher educational opportunities to those in the area.

At the end of the day, Kent, WA is definitely an attractive place to raise a family, build a career, will pursue the American dream. There’s something special about the Pacific Northwest that most just aren’t going to find anywhere else on the planet, and all of those stand out special features are on full display in Kent.

If you are moving to Kent, Washington be sure to get in touch with Puget Sound Moving today!