Kirkland vs Seattle
Kirkland, Washington versus Seattle, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Kirkland edges out Seattle on overall objective livability (55 vs 50 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kirkland | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $136k | $116k |
| Cost of Living | $73k | $56k |
| Home Value | $938k | $880k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.73% | 0.77% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.17% | 8.91% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 4.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 43°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.8 in | 38.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8 in | 3.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 115 days | 118 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 62.9 | 75.6 |
| Air Quality | 34 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 74.8 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 530/100k | 1960/100k |
| Property Crime | 2374/100k | 5734/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 92,015 | 734,603 |
| Median Age | 38.0 | 35.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.48 | 0.55 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 1.05 |
| Political Leaning | D+54 | D+19 |
| White (%) | 66.7% | 61.2% |
| Black (%) | 1.5% | 6.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Asian (%) | 17.1% | 16.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.1% | 8.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 25 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 12.8/20 | 16.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 17 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.4% | 93.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 97.27 | 40.13 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Kirkland or Seattle more affordable?
- Seattle has the lower cost of living: its index is $56k, compared with Kirkland's $73k and Seattle's $56k. Median rent is $2k in Kirkland versus $2k in Seattle.
- Is Kirkland or Seattle safer?
- Kirkland has the lower violent crime rate. Kirkland reports 530/100k and Seattle reports 1960/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kirkland or Seattle?
- The median home value is $938k in Kirkland and $880k in Seattle, so homes are more affordable in Seattle.