I make $300,000 and don't feel financially secure living in Seattle. It's still not enough to support my family of four.

Senior product manager Eshaan Jain

Courtesy Eshaan Jain

This as-told-to essay is based on conversations with Eshaan Jain, a 35-year-old senior product manager in Seattle. It has been edited for length and clarity.I moved from Los Angeles to Seattle about five or six years ago for my job at Amazon. I prefer Washington because California was extremely expensive, especially with state taxes, and I wasn't saving much. Seattle is still expensive, but it feels more manageable.The biggest benefit of working in Seattle is that Washington has no state income tax, which helps me save about 10% more of my take-home salary.My office is right in downtown Bellevue, a major hub of the local tech economy, and my current total compensation is $285,000. Even though I earned close to $300,000 when I signed on to my new job, I still don't feel financially secure. Being in a single-income household with a wife, a child, and another kid on the way feels tight with the rising costs of healthcare, childcare, and living expenses.My monthly take-home pay is about $12,000 after taxes and 401(k) contributionsI live about 30 miles north of downtown Seattle in a four-bedroom single-family home. It's a growing suburban area with a strong school district, and many people moved here during the remote-work boom. I bought my house in 2023. My mortgage is about $5,000 a month, including taxes and insurance.My utilities total about $800 a month. That includes about $300 for electricity and water, which also covers charging my Tesla at home; $125 for sewer; $20 for gas; $130 for trash; $70 for internet; and $100 for phone.I get health insurance through my employer. They deduct around $370 per paycheck, and since I'm paid twice a month, that comes out to almost $750 a month. The plan covers me, my spouse, and our two-year-old child.