Relocating to Seattle, where are the best places to live?

Where are the best places for young, single, 20something professionals to live in the greater seattle area? I will be working South of the city, I'm not worried about traffic because I'm coming from Boston which means it takes 2.5 hours to get into the city from 20 miles out. I also would prefer not to live near the colleges if possible, again I've come from Boston and I moved out of the city so I could get away from the students who partied every night during the week. I would like to live in Seattle and do a reverse commute, and yes I will be on the right side of the water to where I will be working. I also have no desire to buy a home anytime soon. I am single and am selling my house in Boston. I don't anticipate this move to be for more than 5 years and I don't have any desire to deal with the stresses of real estate again, like I am now. While I appreciate that people think I should buy a house or "live near my work" I don't want to know your opinion on my decision, I want to know where the best places are to live in the Greater Seattle Area.

Public Comments

1. The U district in Seattle near the UW or Belltown
2. The best place for a young, single, 20something professional to live in the greater Seattle area is near her work. Or at least on the same side of the water as her work. Do you want to spend all of you time stuck in traffic, or would you rather spend that time living your life?
3. I like Queen Anne and the WestLake area. The University of Washington area is also very nice. You say professionals, as a couple? Rent low, and look for an affordable place. The apartments in Queen Anne are very affordable, there is public transportation, and it may give you a chance to look about for something more permanent. It is close to the ocean and I love the Pacific Ocean. (although, they may get technical and say it is the Puget Sound)
4. Belltown is downtown where the action is. Queen Anne has lots going on, but not as crazy as Belltown. Ballard has lots going on, but not as crazy as Queen Anne. That oughta cover it.
5. West Seattle. It is relatively easy to get to the SeaTac/ Tukwila/Kent area without going over the West Seattle bridge in rush hour and you have the beautiful views of Puget Sound.
6. Any place on the eastside is very nice, and expensive. Bellevue and other cities in that area would work. There are lots of professionals and families in that area. Looking more on the south end, West Seattle would probably work. It is also a nice place. I would suggest looking at those places first. As far as in the actual city of Seattle, most of the nice places are north of downtown, and wouldn't be that practical for you, especially when you have West Seattle and the eastside to choose from.
7. Most have already suggested the places I'd look first: Queen Anne Belltown Ballard West Seattle Another place to look at is Eastlake. Pros and cons to each place, depending on where you are trying to get for work: Belltown - closer to downtown. Apartments will be smaller (but still decent compared to Boston as I understand it). Parking is hard. This is a neighborhood with lots of restaurants and bars, so there could be noise. Make sure the apartment come with a parking place as street parking is limited and metered. Queen Anne - nice, well developed. Both lower and upper Queen Anne have smaller, nice business areas, and are pleasant places to live. Can be pricier, especially if the apartment has a view. Not as close to the freeway, so commutes will take longer. Ballard - an older neighborhood experiencing a resurgance lately. Rents will be more reasonable than in Belltown or Queen Anne. Street parking can still be found (depending on the specific street). Not at all near the freeway, so commutes will take longer. Eastlake - noisier, busier neighborhood, but close to the freeway. Always wanted to live in this area, but couldn't find the right apartment for the right price. West Seattle - convenient for both downtown and points south. Some areas of West Seattle are great. Others are less safe areas. Make sure you check it out in person before committing. Further north, but still in Seattle and worth looking at are the Greenlake area, Fremont and Greenwood. Fremont is funky, on the expensive side, with more crowded streets and more traffic. Greenlake is fantastic if you are a runner or biker. Greenwood has a little less charm, more apartments with reasonable rents but is still a decent place to live.
8. I reccomend West Seattle. You're 20 mins away from everything Downtown, and everywhere south is about the same (I have a friend who lives in tukwila). The communte isn't horrible. It's a safe community, but equally as bustling. There are a lot of apts duplexes and condos available (some with a view of puget sound, those are on alki)
9. I live in the Fairwood area of Renton. Like all cities, it has some issues but it is far enough away from the city to avoid those hassles but still close enough to get there for work or fun. The commute is about an hour or so with traffic (depending on the time you would be communting and carpool options). I worked downtown for a couple of years and took the bus (about an hour and 15 minutes). It is an area with a blend of older homes, newer homes, apartments, and condos. I have lived in WA for 13 years and the entire time I have lived in Fairwood.