Popularly known as the home of Microsoft, Redmond, Washington is famous for its high tech industries and comfortable residential neighbourhoods. The city has a population of 52,468 according to a 2009 estimate. Many people who choose moving to Redmond work in the technology industry. The city has tree-lined streets and peaceful residential areas. Residents enjoy one of the best facilities and services in the nation. The local government is very careful in providing the best of everything and keeping the residents happy. Many people also choose Redmond solely because of its residential charm.
Economy:
The main companies in Redmond belong to the technology industry. Microsoft is the largest employer and the most significant player in the city's economy. The company's headquarters was moved to Redmond in 1986. Today it employs more than 93,000 full time employees and an office space of more than 8million square feet primarily in Redmond. There are also additional offices in Bellevue and Issaquah. Other major companies include Wild Tangent, Concur Technologies and Data I/O Corporation. The city of Redmond does not apply direct taxes and Business and Occupation. It however charges a license fee of $85 per employee. This facility has attracted many companies into moving to Redmond. The city currently has a median household income of $87,920 per annum. As the technology industry grows further, moving companies in Redmond help more and more people settle in the city.
History:
Settlers from Europe arrived in the Redmond area somewhere in the 1870s. Luke McRedmond was among this early group of settlers. He was a very influential person and had an important role in the city's growth. Initially the town became known as Salmonberg because of the huge quantities of salmon in the local fresh water channels. In fact, the settlement was famous for its salmon in the early days. The first post office was established and opened in 1881 and the council changed the name to Melrose. Two years later, in 1883, Luke McRedmond was made the postmaster of Melrose. Redmond changed the name of the city and named it after him, from then on the city has been known as Redmond. The main growth to the city came after Microsoft moved in. The company brought a lot of jobs and also caused a lot of its associated businesses to move to Redmond as well.
Tourism:
Redmond has very well maintained recreation areas. There are about 23 public parks which together cover more than 1,000 acres of refreshing landscape. The parks are used for numerous outdoor activities including picnicking, running, cycling and sports. There are specially built fields for sporting activities that are open to the general public. The largest park in Redmond is the Marymoor Park which features an outdoor theatre, rock-climbing, a dog park and a velodrome. The park attracts numerous residents every day. Redmond also has more than 17 miles of trails for biking, hiking and horse riding. Redmond is served by the Boeing Field International Airport that is located about an hour's drive away.