Issaquah vs Kirkland
Issaquah, Washington versus Kirkland, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Issaquah and Kirkland score about the same overall (55 vs 55 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Issaquah | Kirkland |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $143k | $136k |
| Cost of Living | $73k | $73k |
| Home Value | $892k | $938k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.78% | 0.73% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.97% | 8.17% |
| Unemployment | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 43°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.4 in | 37.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6 in | 3.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 118 days | 115 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 81.8 | 62.9 |
| Air Quality | 36 AQI | 34 AQI |
| School Quality | 87.1 | 74.8 |
| Violent Crime | 337/100k | 530/100k |
| Property Crime | 4355/100k | 2374/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 39,400 | 92,015 |
| Median Age | 36.8 | 38.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.57 | 0.48 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+54 | D+54 |
| White (%) | 57.8% | 66.7% |
| Black (%) | 1.7% | 1.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.4% | 7.5% |
| Asian (%) | 26.4% | 17.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.7% | 7.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 12.0/20 | 12.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 14 mi | 17 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.7% | 95.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 119.80 | 97.27 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Issaquah or Kirkland more affordable?
- Kirkland has the lower cost of living: its index is $73k, compared with Issaquah's $73k and Kirkland's $73k. Median rent is $2k in Issaquah versus $2k in Kirkland.
- Is Issaquah or Kirkland safer?
- Issaquah has the lower violent crime rate. Issaquah reports 337/100k and Kirkland reports 530/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Issaquah or Kirkland?
- The median home value is $892k in Issaquah and $938k in Kirkland, so homes are more affordable in Issaquah.