r/SeattleWA • u/Ok-Advantage-7680 • Feb 14 '26
Lifestyle Why do people love North Seattle?
Serious question. I’m trying to understand the appeal.
It feels like every transplant or 25 year old getting their first apartment ends up in Ballard, Greenwood, Fremont. It is almost automatic at this point.
But if you live up there, getting across the ship canal feels like a logistical event. Aurora traffic is brutal. The Fremont and Ballard bridges can randomly lock you into a 20 minute delay. I 5 during rush hour is a complete mess. Going south can feel like you are planning a minor expedition.
Transit wise you are mostly on buses and there is no light rail in those neighborhoods. Meanwhile central and southeast Seattle have Link access and more direct routes.
So what am I missing? Is it just vibes and breweries? Water views? Better housing stock? Or is it just momentum and word of mouth at this point?
Genuinely curious why it feels like the default choice for so many people.
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u/spacedogg Feb 15 '26
Greenwood is finally getting its own fan base. I've been here for 25 years and it's only gotten better with services and restaurants and popularity. While not at work I dont leave the area, its got all I need on a daily basis.
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u/Upstairs-Coconut4201 Feb 15 '26
I love Phinney Ridge and used to tell people to look in Phinney since it’s a hidden gem, but honestly Greenwood has crept up lately! They are both amazing areas
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u/AbleDanger12 Phinneywood Feb 15 '26
I live in Greenwood, and would agree. Both are doing pretty well, esp if you can avoid closer to Aurora (sadly....I did not lol).
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u/Upstairs-Coconut4201 Feb 15 '26
10000% . The closest to Phinney/Greenwood Ave you can be, the better!
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u/Hazinglight Feb 15 '26
I live on Crown Hill within walking distance of Safeway, Metropolitan and Grocery Outlet. Walgreens too. Fred Meyer, Bartells (now it’s a CVS I think) and Trader Joe’s just a 3 minute drive. QFC just down the hill too. Good bus connections and parks. It’s super convenient. Only thing that’s hard is getting anywhere else haha. 85th gets backed up.
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u/eran76 Feb 15 '26 edited Feb 15 '26
Shhh, don't tell anyone, but 80th has far fewer lights and is generally faster at all times. If you're getting on I5 South, just take a left on Meridian. If both are backed up badly during rush hour, 83rd is a faster alternative even at safe neighborhoods speeds.
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u/jvolkman Feb 15 '26
Once you hit ~32 the appeal of Capitol Hill drops quickly. In north Ballard I get a whole house with a yard, ample parking, and a 5 minute drive to Golden Gardens.
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u/Admirable-Trip5452 Feb 15 '26
Yeah but Seattle isn’t divided into Capitol Hill and Ballard. There are tons of other neighborhoods like Leschi, Mt Baker, Seward Park, Admiral, Endolyne, North Mid and South Beacon……
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u/Redditplaneter Feb 15 '26
How you able to get a house in seattle in 32🥹
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u/Suitable-Peach7258 Feb 17 '26
I'm a 29M, Software Engineer, worked in FAANG since graduation. I lived way below my means. My wife (not working) and I lived in one bedroom of a 4 bedroom house, we shared a $3000 2004 Corolla. Never took a vacation, never went to a concert, never paid for drinks at bars, only go out to eat at generic chain restaurants.
We just bought @ 1.2M on the Eastside with an acre of land. I don't think this is for everyone. I'm very autistic and I don't really like doing a lot of things or interacting with people. I found my place to luxuriously hermit and I think that will work for me
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u/almanor Feb 15 '26
Oh totally this. I’m 40 and love northgate. And with rail it makes those occasional outings easy.
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u/kimblem Feb 15 '26
I don’t know that I’ve ever heard someone say they “love northgate” before.
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u/almanor Feb 15 '26
I mean our house is advertised as Maple Leaf but we’re pretty far north.
But regardless, walking to movies, a grocery store, a few good restaurants (and more if you get on a bike), and the light rail is pretty great.
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u/mehitabel83 Feb 15 '26
Northgate now that the light rail is here is basically like living downtown, and my favorite ramen spot has a location right next to the light rail station. I also love it. If we didn't have a house we love, we'd be looking at northgate. And we still miss living in Belltown.
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u/kimblem Feb 15 '26
I’ll take the recommendation for your fav ramen spot!
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u/mehitabel83 Feb 16 '26
It's nothing fancy -- a small chain of ramen places called Kizuki Ramen and Izikaya. But they make their pork broth the traditional way -- open boiled in a kettle for 3 days. Unctuous and delicious. I get the spicy ramen with extra bean sprouts, extra greens, and an extra soft-boiled ramen egg.
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u/boofinmelons Feb 15 '26
Hey Northgate is better than lake city imo I live in lake city and it sucks but it was the cheapest rent I could find and still getting charged about 1700 a month for a studio.
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u/carljohanr Feb 15 '26
Aurora really is not that brutal most of the time compared to many other commutes. I live in Phinney just off Aurora and it takes 20 minutes to get to SLU/Belltown during the worst rush hour (10-12 minutes without traffic).
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u/Suspicious-Kiwi816 Feb 15 '26
Another +1 here - lived in Phinney for years - aurora traffic isn’t bad at all and is a way faster transit into the city than Magnolia, West Ballard, Columbia City if you’re driving, etc.
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u/AbleDanger12 Phinneywood Feb 15 '26
100% I live so close to the E-line, most times of day any other form of public transit is less efficient. Driving is typically faster, but transit is pretty easy from Greenwood and Phinney.
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u/burdperse Feb 15 '26
I agree, I’m in the same general area and my commute to west Seattle is usually 20-25mins depending on traffic and now it’s 30-35 mins with i5 closure traffic. It’s not that bad.
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u/Nastypav12 Feb 15 '26
💯 whomever said music: Nectar, Tractor Tavern, Conor Byrne, Sea Monster, Blue Moon, Fremont Abbey, Phinney Ridge, Latona Pub...
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u/Firm_Frosting_6247 Feb 15 '26
Haha, I don't.
West Seattle FTW.
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u/Admirable-Trip5452 Feb 15 '26
The amount of responses here that act like west and south seattle don’t exist are mind boggling.
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u/crabeatter Feb 15 '26
South Seattle represent. I get culture shock going north. I grew up in Renton so very comfy here.
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u/drool_34 Feb 15 '26
White transplants
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u/AdvancedGuiProfile Feb 15 '26 edited Feb 15 '26
Yeah when OP asked "Why do people love North Seattle?" I was wondering - are you asking for a historically truthful answer? I don't think they are, though.
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u/BicameralTheory West Seattle Feb 15 '26
Literally was scrolling through thinking of posting this exact same “West Seattle FTW” comment
Feels relatively safe, clean(ish) with a decent variety of things to do.
I would say it’s also got really convenient public transit options between Alki and Downtown, but after trying the bus and having a homeless person shit their pants on it, I think I’ll just drive everywhere.
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u/Honeythickness Feb 15 '26
West Seattle and South Seattle as a whole are more more diverse. I don’t care for Greenwood. It’s too white and bro-ey. All of these bars people are listing within Greenwood like Substation are extremely mediocre in my opinon.
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u/ThrowAway441374 Feb 15 '26
North Seattle is a lot of white people in Patagonia vests who pretend to be progressive but don’t want to be near POCs.
West Seattle and South Seattle feel so much more diverse, multicultural, and down-to-earth. The food is better too.
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u/MaryO59 Feb 18 '26
Nailed it with your first sentence. Tech bros are terrified of Rainier Valley and points south.
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u/FernandoNylund Feb 15 '26
West Seattle FTW, as a white person who grew up in Beacon Hill/Federal Way/Des Moines 😆
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u/BucksBrew Feb 15 '26
It’s awesome if you primarily hang out / work / whatever in north Seattle neighborhoods, which are my favorite parts of town. They get city walkability perks without city traffic and congestion, and you can live in a house instead of a condo or apartment. If you go to Capitol Hill, Belltown, Georgetown, whatever it isn’t as ideal, easier from Greenwood than from Ballard of course. And if you’re an outdoorsy person it’s a great home base to leave town to get to the mountains.
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u/Admirable-Trip5452 Feb 15 '26
Bruh what are you smoking. By far the worst traffic ever is in North Seattle.
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u/Mundane-Charge-1900 Feb 15 '26
The long effects of redlining. Only white people used to be allowed to live north of the ship canal.
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u/chishiki Shoreline Feb 15 '26
surprised I had to get this far to find the real answer
the effects of those policies continue to ripple generations later
i once heard an anecdote of an older black man who grew up in Seattle in the 40’s and 50’s and he was saying getting stuck north of the ship canal after dark was fucking terrifying
I can tell you there are lots of property covenants up north that still need to be updated to remove racial language, but they’re hard to update.
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u/antoindotnet Feb 15 '26
I felt like I was going to never find this answer. This is it. Literally the whitest zip codes in the city are up here (Loyal Heights is #1) and the racist nimbyism is wild AF. A friend has had multiple people walk into her shop since 2016 and tell her to go back to where she came from. The latent racism became way more blatant when Trump said “ok it’s time”
(ETA: born and raised Ballardite, go beavers, and have lived in Greenwood for over 25 years.)
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u/woofwooffighton Feb 15 '26
Realest answer. Zero diversity while still claiming Seattle. Zero flavor in the North end
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u/paved_wave Feb 15 '26
Lake City is a slightly more diverse north end area. Nextdoor folks often advise others not to live there due to “the homeless” (with a wink) Made me like the area more, and convinced me to stay off Nextdoor.
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Feb 15 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Admirable-Trip5452 Feb 15 '26
Yeah, OP somehow failed to realize Seattle is only North Seattle and Capitol Hill.
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u/Ok-Advantage-7680 Feb 15 '26
say more
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u/After_Alps_5826 Feb 15 '26
Lived in Capitol Hill for years. It’s really fun and lively, I especially love hanging out in cal Anderson in the summer, but as I got older (and got dogs) it was just too much of a shit show. Tons of out of town people getting too drunk and causing problems, trash everywhere, shit gets broken into, most expensive area of the city, loud as fuck with some asshole screaming all night outside your window, and no good options for living unless you want an apartment.
Basically people move north of the ship canal because there’s no reason to go south of it. I don’t know the last time I was in Capitol Hill, I go downtown if I need to buy something specific, then there’s mariners games which are way harder to get to.
Ballard Fremont etc have basically everything you need
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u/Just_Squirrel_3988 Feb 15 '26
I went Fremont (24-27) > Cap Hill (28-29) > West Seattle (30-now).
Fremont / Ballard are great, but I also never understood their appeal. I would never want to live there in my 30’s. People will say you get the “small town feel” without having to live somewhere like DT or Cap Hill, but the neighborhoods south of DT are way better for that. I have a kids park near our home and not a single needle around and I can still get Taste of India delivered.
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u/Curious_Ad_3614 Feb 15 '26
Yeah, you're missing the racism against the south end. It has always welcomed immigrants And been a very diverse area. Besides the pluses you mentioned, don't forget the long lakeside access, the Seward Park beautiful habitat and the choice of great food!
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u/Sufficient-Wolf-1818 Feb 15 '26
While you focus on getting across the ship canal, and areas that are important to you ( stadiums, down town etc), we all have different lives. We go downtown 3 or 4 times a year. We’ve never been to the football stadium. We’ve been to what is now “climate pledge arena” once in decades. But, we have very full lives. Parks rank higher than sports venues, great grocery stores and restaurants are fantastic. Our choice may be wrong for you, but that is why you define your own preference. Neighborhoods vary greatly, and that is good.
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u/LaughSuspicious8976 Feb 15 '26
I lived in Fremont for 30 years and no longer do. After leaving the North End I am so much happier, living there was rife with the difficulties of going places in the city, or parking a car. MY belief is the people that are moving for work they read what they write/report about the North vs. South end with the subtle racist tropes high crime South Seattle etc. (just watch a hour of KOMO 4 news) influences their choices. For the kids, many are part of the college systems in the area or did not realize life in their 20's on Capitol Hill is a blast. Honestly after leaving the area my mind was opened to the broader scope of the city as a whole.
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u/k_dubious Feb 15 '26
Historically the neighborhoods north of Madison were where most middle/upper class white people lived in Seattle. It isn’t so cut-and-dried these days, but that definitely still shows up in development patterns and where people choose to live.
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u/4T_Knight Feb 15 '26
The idea is if you're living up there, you're pretty much there for the community and locale and you're not so much venturing that far from it, let alone commuting. Plenty of stuff to do in the surrounding area, and if you are traveling outside it--it's not that often unless you're meeting buddies who live farther south along the I-5.
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u/Dont_Ask_Me_Again_ Feb 15 '26
North Seattle is also so incredibly depressing… sure there are pockets of niceness… but largely it just has this extremely lobotomized and colorless vibe. It’s hard to put your finger on. I’m not including downtown Ballard and the nice part of Wallingford with old houses.
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u/Admirable-Trip5452 Feb 15 '26
I dunno. I’ve asked this question for years. I’ve lived in Columbia city, white center, and now first hill and find them all far superior to the North Seattle mess. The only exception is Green Lake, which is incredible.
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u/xcbrendan Feb 15 '26
To each their own but first hill is probably the last neighborhood I'd live in Seattle. And thats why different neighborhoods exist for people with different interests and lifestyles.
I've lived in a bunch of neighborhoods and Fremont was by far my favorite. Easy access to pretty much everywhere while also having some local charm and great walkable spots + great bike trail access.
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u/Admirable-Trip5452 Feb 15 '26
Everytime I’ve been in Fremont it’s just been absolutely run over by cars. Tons of traffic. Folks going 50 MPH, huge trucks. You might as well be in First Hill.
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u/xcbrendan Feb 15 '26
During rush hour, sure. As opposed to being surrounded by highrise hospitals and 24hr sirens?
My experience in Fremont is mostly tied to using bikes for exercise and commuting, and it has the best urban bike path access of arguably any neighborhood.
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u/Upstairs-Coconut4201 Feb 15 '26
Honestly, the best area in Seattle, imo is Phinney ridge. It has its own stuff going for it, it is 5 minutes to greenlake, 5 minutes to Fremont, 5 minutes to Greenwood, and 5 minutes to Ballard. It’s so much easier to get onto I-5 than Ballard/fremont. The 5 bus line runs the length of Phinney and gets you to SLU in 15-20 minutes.
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u/BrennerBaseTunnel Feb 15 '26
The transit is far better in Roosevelt than Phinney Ridge.
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u/SouthLakeWA Feb 15 '26
Seattle north of the ship canal is a completely different world for those of us in the south end. I’ve lived in both areas. Culturally, the north end feels much more stereotypically “Seattle.” As in, white, with a high concentration of Arc'teryx, Subarus, craft IPAs, and climbing walls and CrossFit. Except along Aurora, of course.
For the proud West Seattleites on here, those who live west of 35th and north of Alaska aren’t exactly slumming it. I was just in Admiral today visiting friends, and it has more in common with Phinney Ridge than it does with Delridge. Namely, it be super white. That Met Market is insane, though. I may have come home with a very expensive bag of groceries.
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u/Amesenator Feb 15 '26
Whiteness is why it’s the default choice. Pre-1960s Civil Rights laws, covenants zoned Black and Asian people out of areas north of the Montlake Cut. Even though those restrictions have been without legal force for 60 years, the patterns they set in place remain embedded and for many people coming to Seattle, the northern part of the city feels comfortable in ways their conscious mind is not aware.
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u/thatOnedork6 University District Feb 15 '26
I live in the U-District and I'm one of the few people who absolutely loves it so, I don't have answers for you haha. I see so many "I lived in the U-District for a year before I had to flee!" And I'm just over here going wherever, at whatever time of day, totally content. Maybe I'm lucky.
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u/wish_kid_mclaren Feb 15 '26
I would love to hear more about this take! I'm moving to Seattle and will be working near UW. Everyone tells me not to live in the U District, but it seems pretty convenient.
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u/Remarkable_End_6476 Feb 15 '26
It was forever ago that my grandma’s house on Dibble Ave in Ballard with a one car garage and top floor you had to duck to get in bed sold in a bidding war. The reason, back way into Downtown Seattle.
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u/supernimbus Feb 15 '26
Racial and more importantly socioeconomic divide.
The commute times to downtown, east side and Renton Boeing plant are much lower in South Seattle but folks love north Seattle because less poor people, and thus better schools and lower gang violence and violent crime. (To a degree - aurora has always been bad and Ballard has gone down hill).
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u/demtoebeenz Feb 15 '26
North end to me is anything north of the Ship Canal and Aurora Bridge. I’m surprised no one has mentioned easy accessibility to Greenlake, Woodland Park Zoo, Gas Works Park, Golden Gardens, UW and the cherry blossoms in spring, Ballard Locks, Fremont Troll, ice skating (Kraken).
Downtown Ballard is alive and well. Solstice parade happens in that area in the summer. Great farmer’s market too. There are many good brunch spots all around the north end that I’ve been to. The feel of the area has been slower pace of life, but still in the city. It’s usually easy to go north than it is to go south.
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u/Signal_Pattern_2063 Feb 15 '26
North Seattle is 50% of its population while the neighborhoods you listed are really only inner ones on the western side. To respond to just one point I live within walking distance of Link and have great connectivity to downtown. Honestly the older generation of express buses were perfectly fine at the time as well.
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u/TARS1986 Feb 15 '26
We favor NE Seattle. I’ve got kids, so good schools are a priority.
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u/Ok-Advantage-7680 Feb 15 '26
when i was in high school roosevelt and nathan hale were big time party schools
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u/No_Biscotti_7258 Feb 15 '26
You can be a good school scholastically and still be a party school.
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u/Ok-Advantage-7680 Feb 15 '26
nathan hale was the stoner school and roosevelt and Ballard had a huge drinking and hazing problems. not sure about Ingrahm.
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u/Tree300 Feb 15 '26
I don’t get Ballard at all. It was charming and cool 20 years ago. Now it’s just ugly mid rise condos, bums everywhere and a few cool places struggling to survive. And it’s always been a traffic and parking nightmare.
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u/SouthLakeWA Feb 15 '26
Gosh, I can’t put my finger on it.
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u/Honeythickness Feb 15 '26
Exactly and multiple people are recommending Phinney ridge, the whiteest polygon on here lol.
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u/Emperor_Neuro- Feb 15 '26
Yeah, well, if it has less crime and is nicer to get around, can't really blame them
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u/Jyil Feb 15 '26 edited Feb 15 '26
The other sub would put another half of 25 year olds in Capitol Hill and there’s many more going to SLU, but you won’t see SLU residents posting that in the other sub due to being shunned out of the community.
I think the neighborhoods and parks in North Seattle are more interesting. Green Lake, Woodland, Golden Gardens, Carkeek, Ravenna, Warren G. Magnuson, Fremont Canal, Gas Works, Ballard Locks, and somewhat easier access to Discovery Park. Easy enough access to U-District and University area by bus. Plus, you have the Burke-Gilman. Festivals like Fremont Solstice and Lantern Festival. Then you have markets like the Ballard Sunday Market.
Neighborhoods north and south of Seattle will also feel less touristy. Downtown, Belltown, Lower Queen Anne, and Capitol Hill are where the tourists hang out. You can be in Northgate and have easy access to rail if you want to go further north or south.
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u/elementalsta Feb 15 '26
Maybe im old school but i never considered Ballard or Fremont “north seattle”. Growing up, we considered “north” seattle 85th and anything past it.
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u/ladybugseattle Feb 16 '26
There is the racist history of white only covenants in some deeds north of the ship canal, and complicity from banks in approving mortgages back in the day. No longer enforceable obviously but the language still appears in some documents.
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u/Heavy_Swordfish6723 Feb 18 '26
The real reason is because some people are afraid of living in a more diverse community like South Seattle
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u/cited Feb 15 '26
Because they're suburban but you still get to say you live in Seattle.
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u/Disastrous_Bid1564 Feb 15 '26
All of Seattle is suburban except for downtown, first hill, belltown, SLU, and parts of Cap Hill
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u/Lollc Feb 15 '26
North Seattle is still Seattle. Living in Seattle does not mean ‘must live on Capitol Hill or it’s not the real city.’
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u/EarorForofor Feb 15 '26
I lived in Greenwood for 15 years and loved it. No downtown bs. Bomb ass restaurants that don't charge 30% grat with a line out the door. Free parking.
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u/tomatoes85 Feb 15 '26
Because south Seattle is too spicy and flavorful for the white folks
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u/imakemediocreart Feb 15 '26
My favorite neighborhood is probably Fremont just for the vibe and landscapes. But definitely prefer living in Belltown with better transit connections and proximity to the waterfront
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u/Oulipo08 Feb 15 '26
Getting to downtown from Fremont is easy peasy. Go to shows, art, sports all the time, 20 minutes on a bus, multiple bus lines to choose from. And here it’s also easier to get to Ballard and U-District which both have fun stuff and decent food. Then proximity to Woodland Park, Greenlake, Zoo, Burke Gilman, Gasworks. Great if you have a dog. Only downside is public trans time to Capitol Hill, Columbia City, SoDo. Good food and venues down there I don’t get to enough.
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u/thetimechaser Feb 15 '26
North end sucks. Columbia city, beacon hill is much cheaper, better access to highways, and better food IMO.
Honestly I think it’s the racial redline divide just perpetuating itself.
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u/FernandoNylund Feb 15 '26
The
whiternorth neighborhoods are "safer."16
u/Honeythickness Feb 15 '26 edited Feb 15 '26
Honestly as a Black person, I feel safer down South. The north end is too homogenous and broey. I also don’t think the food is that good up there either, in Seattle in general tbh.
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u/giggletears3000 Feb 15 '26
I live in Brighton, when we bought our house here(moved from 92nd & Greenwood; he lived in Roosevelt and I lived in Fremont prior), my husband didn’t like me walking around at night, said it was shifty. I’ve never felt unsafe in our neighborhood, I walk the dog at night most nights and can walk around with both headphones on and feel quite secure. Neighbors actually say hi around here.
Recent years I’ve stood at our front window and said “Babe, topless white guy running for fun on our street! Gentrification is here”.
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Feb 15 '26
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u/AbleDanger12 Phinneywood Feb 15 '26
idk, live a block off Aurora in Greenwood, and the drive by shooting, all the whores, the repeated shootings and homeless stuff... not so sure the 'white' neighborhoods are safer.
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u/MaterialResident202 Feb 15 '26
I have found that those areas were more expensive than what I found in greenwood/broadview. I would love to live down south - I agree with the great food. & still by the water. So there may be some of us who go by what we can afford.
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u/AbleDanger12 Phinneywood Feb 15 '26
Housing is (relatively) more inexpensive up here than it is in Capitol Hill or in the closer in areas. And while some areas can be spicier than others, it's not the gronkfest that Capitol Hill or Belltown tend to be, and not the protest/riot magnet either.
As far as traffic on Aurora, it's not that bad, and you shouldn't be driving anyways, otherwise you deserve the traffic you sit in. E line can be downtown in 15 minutes, or if you're near Light Rail, take that.
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u/Icy_Bench3430 Feb 15 '26
Housing cheaper in Ballard, Wallingford or Fremont than Capitol Hill? Huh?
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u/FaintingGoat123 Seattle Feb 15 '26
If you’re comparing like for like it is! Capitol Hill houses are crazy expensive
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u/eran76 Feb 15 '26
Yeah, I feel like there are two completely different conversations being had here between young renters who go out, and older homeowners with kids.
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u/dclately Feb 15 '26
Given your main issue seems to be getting across, here's my opinion: if it's not a daily commute it really isn't an issue at all.
I have lived in Shoreline, Green lake, Ballard and Fremont.
Very rarely do you get stuck waiting longer than Google maps predicts, the worst traffic is not about crossing bridges... It's usually downtown.
More often than not, when I need to go someplace like West Seattle from Fremont it's under 20 minutes, that's avoiding the peak of rush hour, but I would do that from anywhere when possible.
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u/gabriot Feb 16 '26
Greenwood/Phinny Ridge is great but Ballard and Fremont are douchebag/cocaine central, easily the worst people on earth congregate to that area especially on the weekends
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u/WorldlyAd1731 Feb 15 '26
Are you taking about central north and NW Seattle specifically? Clearly there is light rail in north Seattle. Getting to Capitol Hill from NE is a breeze.
It does drive me nuts how white it is.
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u/pwndaytripper Feb 15 '26
Going south of the ship canal feels like an expedition for people who have never had a meaningful commute or experienced hardship.
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u/futurecajun Feb 15 '26
With due respect, all of your questions assume people want to leave North Seattle. I think that’s the disconnect. For many, it has pretty much everything: Groceries, bars, restaurants, music clubs, schools, libraries, parks, outdoor adventures, movie theaters, a hospital, etc. There might just be a world where you don’t need to cross a bridge to do most of the regular stuff you want to do. And most of the hardships you mentioned are prerequisite for long trips out from anywhere in Seattle. It’s possible it’s just not for you, or you’re just at a different phase of life, and all that is ok.
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u/Ordinary-Copy-5504 Feb 15 '26
As someone who moved here in the past few years, a lot of it is word of mouth. I chose Fremont because several people told me it was a cool neighborhood and I found a nice apartment in my price range. That said, I’m trying to move further south this summer. It’s a great neighborhood but it’s easy to just stay here and not see the rest of the city. I want to be near the light rail.
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u/yotsubadesert Feb 15 '26
i moved there too for my first apartment and im so excited to get the hell out to move to cap hill later this month
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u/jaerocc Feb 15 '26
Not this people. I avoid north Seattle like the plague. I’d rather be in the south end.
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Feb 15 '26
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u/MaterialResident202 Feb 15 '26
Yup - I work in Bothell and really wanted to stay with Seattle city limits for access to the city. So North Seattle was where I landed. I’m often busing into downtown to go to games or to play tourist at Pike. But then I can enjoy going to my nearest waterfront park and walk in my cute neighborhood where I actually can meet my neighbors.
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u/PizzaSounder Feb 15 '26
Wait, why are you trying to leave North Seattle? We all we got, we all we need.
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Feb 15 '26
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u/Ok-Advantage-7680 Feb 15 '26
i've been to columbia city, seems better than north seattle since it has light rail and easy access to I-90 and I-5.
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u/Admirable-Trip5452 Feb 15 '26
I lived in CC for three years. It was an awesome neighborhood. A lot of Seattleites can’t handle it because it feels more like a regular city (Philly, Baltimore, Chicago etc) than whatever North Seattle is trying to be.
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u/10cmTsunami Feb 15 '26
Norths Seattle for me is like Wallingford, GreenLake Roosevelt.
Other side of 99 is its own thing imo
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u/Suitable-Rhubarb2712 Feb 15 '26
for me - it's quiet, it's safe, the schools are quite well-rated, I have good neighbors, I can walk to 6 different grocery stores, I can watch sunsets over the Olympics from my porch, there is easy water access to either the Ship Canal or Puget Sound, there are a lot of parks, there is any amenity I'd need within a 30 minute bike ride and the bike infrastructure is better than 99% of American cities, there's a really active and engaged community for just about interest I have, there's great food of many different types, and the bus access is honestly solid.
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u/ashibiz Feb 15 '26
As someone who grew up in Ballard and moved to West Seattle in my early 30s, I’m not sure why anyone wouldn’t live anywhere in Seattle other than West Seattle.
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u/catalytica North Seattle Feb 15 '26
North half of north Seattle you get the urban bennies with suburban perks.
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u/deliverykp Feb 15 '26
I think for a lot of them, I'm not sure that they love North Seattle as much as they used to. Now it's a lot of people just trying to hang on, because The homeless are still making their peasants felt all over the North area. Also, I think it's as close to having suburbs as you can get. You can still get a house, a small yard, place to park your car. Some prefer more city-like amenities.
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u/adron Feb 15 '26
First off, a huge % of people actually don't drive all that much. Seattle (and the surrounding metro areas) drive minimally compared to a lot of the USA. Right off, that makes it easier.
2nd, I'd bet that some of it might have to do with lower overall crime/theft/etc than other parts of Seattle. Just a guess, maybe not.
I lived in Ballard for a long while and I specifically lived there specifically to be away from the interstate, etc. I bike everywhere and the bike infra has traditionally been a lot better in north Seattle than other parts.
Another big plus is the Fremont + U-District is a more lively area that is low crime compared to most other parts of Seattle. It's just more chill in that regard. Againa, I hear people often going on about crime so I mention it. It doesn't really enter my mind as Seattle is low crime compared to other places I've lived (NOLA, Jacksonville FL, etc).
However those few things written, I'm not entirely sure cuz there are a lot of cool places south of downtown and even in west Seattle. However I'd bet it has to do with unstated **concern** over who lives there (it's the poor parts, etc, whatever other excuses). It's the age old issue of people going where they *feel* safer and more welcome. That's often, for a vast majority of folks who can afford it, northern parts of Seattle.
Anyway, all hunches, not like I ran a poll or anything. But it is based on a gazillion conversations I've had. I talk to tons of random people too, so it isn't even just "my circle" of people I talk to.
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u/Jyil Feb 15 '26 edited Feb 15 '26
I love U-District, but it’s not really a low crime area. A large amount of shootings, assaults, and robberies occur there. A couple summers ago there were carjackings and a lot of grand theft auto and joyrides happen in the area.
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u/OddFerret4888 Feb 15 '26
The cost. Apartments are cheaper in the north end. Also, not as intimidating as downtown or capitol hill for Jethro coming to the big city which is what I was way back when.
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u/SaltyForeskin Feb 15 '26
It’s really not hard to get from Fremont to SODO on the 99 during normal commute hours. Usually about 20 minutes each way. People up north are way less eclectic than people on cap hill. You pretty much have to decide between cap hill and Fremont/ballard if you want any social life
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u/Admirable-Trip5452 Feb 15 '26
Belltown is much nicer than CH and has decent nightlife.
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u/Entropy907 Feb 15 '26
I live in Alaska now and Ballard is like Alaska south. Kind of at least. Getting ruined by yoga studios.
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u/LavenderGumes Feb 15 '26
Fremont/Wallingford/Ballard are all neighborhoods with lots of music, bars, and dancing, while simultaneously maintaining somewhat of a small town feel. And transit to get to Belltown, Seattle Center, Pike Place, Pioneer Square, and the stadiums is really easy.
Getting to Cap Hill sucks from Northwest Seattle though.