As the largest city in the northwest United States, Seattle is probably known less for biotech than it is for aerospace (Boeing), software (Microsoft in nearby Redmond), coffee (Starbucks), and online retail (Amazon.com). But Seattle is a life sciences powerhouse, ranking fifth among US biotech hotspots, beating New York-New Jersey, Philadelphia, and the Washington, DC, regions in an analysis conducted by the Brookings Institution.
Most of the state's 200 biotech companies, research institutes, and biomedical manufacturing companies are located around Seattle and employ nearly 20,000 workers. About three-quarters of the research and biotech activity is concentrated in Seattle's Puget Sound area; the balance, including biomedical manufacturing, is found in Bothell and Snohomish County about 20 minutes north of Seattle.
In addition to a robust biotech industry, Seattle has a few other surprises. One is the weather: Despite the area's reputation for rain, Seattle actually receives less precipitation than New York ...
