2021 Best Neighborhoods to Live in Seattle

Westlake

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

Visitor: This location is great for those who work downtown and don't want a long commute. It is close to everything; restaurants, stores, downtown on Seattle waterfront. Not exactly a family neighborhood, more for career oriented singles or couples. Some street noises but nothing too bad...Read 2 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 5,321 Population

South Lake Union

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: I'm living in South Lake Union through a program that offers reduced rent for lower income individuals and families. Overall it's a very nice place to live. The park by Lake Union and off of Denny Way are great options for those who want to enjoy the outdoors. Amazon HQ is in this area, so traffic can be pretty bad, but there are also a lot of good options for public transportation and walking. There aren't a ton of options for nightlife in terms of clubs or bars, but there are some great restaurants, fitness boutiques, small stores, and a Whole Foods all in the central part of the neighborhood. There are also regularly outdoor events, such as the SLU Summer Markets, events at MOHAI, etc. With that being said, this is a pretty expensive neighborhood, and affordability can be an issue...Read 3 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 21,431 Population

Lower Queen Anne

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 4.36 out of 5  11 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in Lower Queen Anne for 2 years now. Overall it is a nice place to live but like most areas, it has it's faults. The area has quite a few homeless people either camping or roaming around. I have had a few not so nice encounters but they mind their own business for the most part. Despite this problem that is prevalent in many areas of Seattle, Lower Queen Anne has nice restaurants (Pho Than Brothers, Bahn Thai, Mashawi), a variety of coffee shops, and there's MoPop, the Science Center, and of course the Space Needle in Seattle Center. If you have money to spend, you will not get bored in Lower Queen Anne...Read 11 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 22,717 Population

First Hill

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 3.59 out of 5  17 reviews

Current Resident: Want to live in an affordable neighborhood that easily connects to all Seattle's major destinations through public transportation? Look no further! As one of Seattle's oldest neighborhoods, First Hill has a unique charm and character that appeals to all. With a vast diversity in food options and convenient access to 24-hour stores, it is easy to fall in love...Read 17 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 18,614 Population

Madrona

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 3.6 out of 5  15 reviews

Current Resident: Good, safe, nice neighborhood. Highly expensive, and ver white upper middle class. Good for kids, Garfield (the nearby HS) is pretty good, one of the better schools in the city.Read 15 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 10,294 Population

Belltown

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 3.69 out of 5  36 reviews

Current Resident: Overall, I love living in Belltown. I am literally within walking distance to almost everything I need. I have met so many people (and dogs!) and there is always something fun going on or somewhere cool to hang out. My only complaint about Belltown is the unsavory characters that often congregate in the neighborhood, but for the most part I always feel relatively safe...Read 36 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 27,051 Population

North Queen Anne

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 3.67 out of 5  39 reviews

Current Resident: Upper Queen Anne is a very beautiful part of Seattle - there are a lot of privileged schools and scenic parks. Houses are generally well maintained, and although pricey, would be a good area to raise a family. That being said, there is also a pretentious side to the area and it is very white. Seattle neighborhoods all have unique personalities so it is just important to find one that fits your own lifestyle! I would recommend the area to someone to check out...Read 39 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 16,260 Population

Sand Point

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

• grade A+

• grade A

• 2,258 Population

Portage Bay

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA

• grade A+

• grade A

• 2,268 Population

Ravenna

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 4.41 out of 5  17 reviews

Current Resident: Ravenna has been a lovely neighborhood to grow up in. I was conveniently located in a central part of Seattle as I was never more than ten minutes away from my schools and about twenty minutes from Downtown Seattle. I have found that all my neighbors have been friendly and the neighborhood is quite safe. It is a diverse area, with people from all walks of life living right around the corner. Ravenna has provided me with great educational opportunities because of the schools located near by. Furthermore, there are great recreational facilities in the area as well, which allowed me to be heavily involved within the community growing up...Read 17 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 19,006 Population

Stevens

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 3.27 out of 5  11 reviews

Niche User: This area is close to my school, many restaurants and even a downtown!Read 11 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 17,232 Population

Broadway/Capitol Hill

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 3.88 out of 5  69 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived on Capitol Hill for the past 9 years and have seen many changes! It used to be bright, happy, gay and fun with a great nightlife and delicious food. No need for a car when everything is within walking distance. In the past few years, the neighborhood has unfortunately become dingey, dirty, unsafe and really expensive. I still love the food and the friends I have made, and the feeling of familiarity but the rent prices are driving many of the original hearts of the hill to move away to less expensive and safer areas. I continue to live here because it is very convenient for work and school and not needing a car to get around. I feel my roots here and hope to see positive changes in the future! One of the biggest issues right now is our homeless population taking over parks, sidewalks, underneath freeway passes and the streets in general. It saddens me to see this and know that this is contributing to the cleanliness and safety of the city...Read 69 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 32,858 Population

Leschi

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 3.83 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: I like the neighborhood feel being so close to the city. It's on a weird divide between a very affluent and an underserved area, so there are a lot of people with very different backgrounds all in the same place. While it's super close to a lot of things & has great direct routes downtown, to the transit station, & to the u district, bus service to some areas (cap hill/pike-pine/broadway) could be improved...Read 6 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 15,079 Population

Mann

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 3.89 out of 5  9 reviews

Niche User: The crime and safety for this area's, I chose the rating as it shows on top of the box it's the best. This area I have been leaving for almost a year now, I have never hard a gun shot or anything else that has to do with crime. At night times when everyone go to sleep, you can't even hear a thing, even when your neighbors are having some difficulty with each other...Read 9 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 8,677 Population

Windermere

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: I've lived here since I was three. My house is a few blocks from Magnuson Park, which was an excellent bike ride when I was just learning how to. I babysit in the neighborhood, and have multiple families that I work for within walking distance of my house. Even though some families choose not to connect with the neighborhood, and I respect that, I have found the community here to be outstanding...Read 1 Review

• grade A+

• grade A

• 7,574 Population

Wallingford

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 4.07 out of 5  14 reviews

Nearby Resident: Very nice suburban area. Walking distance to small playgrounds and local amenities, short bus ride to places like the Chittaden Locks and Discovery Park. Some interesting stores like Open Books poetry bookstore and the glass art supply store...Read 14 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 22,540 Population

Lawton Park

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 3.9 out of 5  21 reviews

Current Resident: What is so great about this neighborhood is that it is generally quiet and it feels safe. There is some property crime like anywhere else in Seattle. People move here for the schools, but that is shortchanging the neighborhood. Million$+ houses mixed with apartments and condos. There are 2 bike trails, transit, Fisherman's Terminal nearby, wonderful Discovery Park, the Ballard Locks, fun pubs, breweries, restaurants and lots of great grocery stores nearby. Someone can live in peace and quiet and be just a few minutes away from Belltown, Ballard, Queen Anne, Fremont, and other lively (and noisy) areas. Beautiful views and entertainment are so close by! Expedia is now just down the street, so this formerly dowdy sometimes dowdy neighborhood will be changing soon!...Read 21 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 11,359 Population

Minor

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 3.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Niche User: I love my neighborhood. It's super close to Seattle U.Read 4 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 15,480 Population

Pike-Market

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Niche User: Not threatened by them, but many drug-seeking homelessRead 2 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 5,381 Population

Eastlake

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 3.7 out of 5  10 reviews

Current Resident: Just moved here to Eastlake, love the scenery, nightlife, and the close proximity of everything. Walking is how I get around the area and that’s probably my favorite part so far about living here. I am a minority and unfortunately the diversity here is pretty poor but the people are very liberal and friendly so I give it a thumbs up regardless!...Read 10 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 8,592 Population

Fremont

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 4.24 out of 5  25 reviews

Former Resident: I lived in Fremont for 6 years and it was lovely! It is centrally located in Seattle with plenty of bus routes or easy access to other parts of town. In both lower and upper Fremont, everything you may need is within walking distance. Cafes, bars, restaurants and grocery stores are just around any corner. The only downside is that street parking can be limited at times...Read 25 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 20,904 Population

East Queen Anne

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 4.31 out of 5  13 reviews

Niche User: I enjoy Queen Anne's central location. I was able to find large full house rentals for shared living out here that makes my rent significantly cheaper than it was in Capital Hill. Commuting is easy with 5 buses coming within blocks of my house and very short walks to South Lake Union and Belltown. There is more nightlife here than there used to be but I would say that is what Queen Anne lacks the most. Lots of nearby daytime activities with Lake Union and the Seattle Center so close by though...Read 13 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 15,492 Population

Loyal Heights

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 4.07 out of 5  15 reviews

Current Resident: I moved to Loyal Heights when I was 4 years old and have always loved the community. Located in Ballard, a neighborhood in northwest Seattle, I was always close to everything I needed, including great schools. One of the best parts of growing up in Loyal Heights was being raised in a big city, but still getting to have that "small town" feel...Read 15 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 12,231 Population

Phinney Ridge

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 3.74 out of 5  34 reviews

Current Resident: Love Phinney Ridge. Very safe neighborhood with welcoming people. It is always amazing to see a welcoming face walking down the street. There is always someone to help you out when you need it.Read 34 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 14,616 Population

Green Lake

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• Rating 3.74 out of 5  23 reviews

Former Resident: Green Lake is a beautiful little neighborhood that is right in the heart of Seattle. I recall going swimming there since before I can remember. The sense of community and love that the people have for it is outstanding, and in most cases, rare. It is a great part of Seattle that is surrounded by restaurants and shops which is always fun. Green lake is also easy access to other main roads that are supper fundamental to getting around the big city. I am proud to have grown up in the Green Lake area...Read 23 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 13,426 Population