One-third of Seattle’s downtown is empty: Here’s how America’s boomtown turned into one of the toughest places to find a job

Seattle's downtown office vacancy rate reached 35.6% in Q4 2025, driven by remote work, tech layoffs, and cautious leasing. Job postings in the Seattle metro area fell 35% between February 2020 and October 2025, with tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon leading job cuts. A $20.76 minimum wage policy has intensified pressure on small businesses.