Seattle, WA

Seattle's reputation for outstanding live music is well-known. Grunge was born here, owing to prominent artists like Nirvana. And music and performance are still vital to the city's survival. But Seattle's art culture is much more than that.

There are approximately 80 theater groups in the area, as well as excellent dance organizations such as the Pacific Northwest Ballet. Galleries and small venues offer a home for experimental and underground art movements. However, "popular" art has a home here as well, in museums and locations such as the Seattle Art Museum, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the Olympic Sculpture Park. Studio apartments in Seattle cost an average of $1,481. And this is down nearly 14.2 percent from last year, indicating that there is plenty of available space as well as demand.