Tired of seeing “Best Neighborhood” articles consumed by the sanctity of the school district, proximity to playgrounds or creeping crime rates? Well, look no further. We are Avocado-toast-loving Millennials, and speak for the DINKs (for the uninitiated: Dual Income, No Kids). Seattle has something for every type of DINK couple; here’s a look at some neighborhoods to help you decide what area is best for your lifestyle.
Houseboats
Goal: You want to enjoy the nature and beauty of the PNW.
Pros: Unique living that can only make your friends jealous.
Cons: Not a lot of room for your fur-babies and expensive “live-aboard” fees.
Average Listing Price: Varies significantly
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One reason you might want to live in the PNW is for the mountains, but frankly you can get that in lots of land-locked states. Very few places offer the mountain views AND lake-side living. That’s why the best place to enjoy the views of nature in the PNW is on your own houseboat. You will love all that life on the water offers including simple access to your daily paddle on Lake Union, Portage Bay or Lake Washington. No kids means no worries about risks of falling in the water. Work from home with a water view or relax on your rooftop deck, with room to entertain.Take a stroll down the dock to your new slice of heaven on the water in a floating home. Don’t worry about the rainy winter – add heat lamps and a covering to your roofdeck to enjoy the rain unlike anyone else in the PNW.
Belltown Condos
Goal: You want to entertain.
Pros: If you work at some of the tech companies in town, it’s an easy commute for your RTO. And if you can WFH, you can enjoy the spectacular views that Seattle has to offer. Many of these buildings offer big-city amenities to make life as easy as possible.
Cons: I mean, it’s in Belltown, generally one of Seattle’s least interesting neighborhoods. The growing unhoused population doesn’t help.
Average Listing Price: $529k
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There are lots of great 2-3 bedroom homes throughout Seattle, but not all of them have space for a gym, dog run, heated pool, and jacuzzi. Normally, a space like this corresponds to a large 4 bedroom home, but with only two people, who wants that type of upkeep? Instead, enjoy the luxury condos of Belltown and be your friends’ group designed hostess with the mostest. Reserve the building’s shared space (often with great water and mountain views) and take advantage of restaurant-quality ranges and massive dinner tables to elevate your party to the next level. Hosting out-of-town guests? Many of these buildings have a room for rent so your guest can stay close…but not too close.
Columbia City
Goal: You want to travel.
Pros: Trendy area with great food and close to the highway.
Cons: A bit far if you were trying to travel to Ballard or Greenlake on a regular basis.
Average Listing Price: $770k
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Are you only in Seattle for work and want to get out of dodge every chance you get? Seattle is still a great place to have as a home base – it’s a quick 2 hour drive to Vancouver, 5 hours to Whistler and has some of the easiest travel to eastern Asia. Plus we have direct flights to Hawaii for when you want that snow-bird life. If this is your goal, Columbia City is a great neighborhood in south Seattle that still lets you commute into the city for work, but makes getting to SeaTac a breeze. In addition to easy access to the airport, Columbia City has fantastic restaurants and bars and easier access to the eastside for hikes. You’re also still close enough to Lake Washington to make a trip out on a kayak an easy affair.
Capitol Hill
Goal: You want to do something different every night.
Pros: Highly walkable, close to the major tech firms (but not so close you can see your desk). Should be able to live without a car.
Cons: A car is not a necessity in Capitol Hill, but note the grocery stores might be a 15 – 20 min walk depending on where you live. There are, unfortunately, quite a few homeless people living near Cal Anderson park. The area can also be very loud on a Saturday night if you’re trying to stay in and chill.
Average Listing Price: $589k
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OK look, we’re not NYC, but Seattle does have a variety of things to do. For the most centrally located area, with the broadest access to various entertainment, I dare say to live in Capitol Hill, ideally on the lightrail or near I-5. Capitol Hill, while often associated with younger, single people, allows access to some of the most interesting things Seattle has to offer: Taurus Ox (best burger in Seattle), Ltd Edition Sushi (delicious omakase and definitely not a kids place) and Spinasse (there ARE Italian places in Seattle) are all in Capitol Hill. The Doctors Office (bar, not healthcare), Sol Liquor (known in Seattle as Son Liquor) and Unicorn are also close, outstanding bars. While Seattle maintains its reputation as one of the country’s coffee capitals, placing fourth on the list with a coffee shop for every 1,924 residents, Capitol Hill offers a truly unique variety so both Starbucks lovers and haters have a place to enjoy.
If you’re not into eating or drinking (who are you?), Capitol Hill also is close to two movie theaters, two performance venues and a few concert venues that attract a variety of talent. Cal Anderson park routinely has every type of group activity from volleyball, soccer and baseball to kickball and dodgeball. You can get on the lightrail and be downtown for a concert or sporting event in no time. Capitol Hill housing ranges from small studio condos to free standing houses so there’s something for all lifestyles.
Phinney Ridge
Goal: You want to prioritize your fur-baby.
Pros: Benefits of a suburb while being central-ishly located and easy access to the city. Lots of shops, grocery stores, bakeries and restaurants.
Cons: You definitely need a car to get around unless you’re WFH and are comfortable ridesharing everywhere. It’s also one of the more expensive areas of town.
Average Listing Price: $830k
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Seattle still has more dogs than kids (153k dogs to 107k kids, based on the 2020 census) and there’s not a bad place in the city to live if your goal is prioritizing your dog’s happiness. Some of the best areas include Greenlake and surrounding neighborhoods. Phinney Ridge and the surrounding areas offer homes with nice yards for the dog to run around, and access to the 3-mile loop around the lake. There are also numerous other dog parks with off-leash areas, and it’s a 15-minute drive to the largest dog park in the Seattle area (Magnuson). When you’re not out with your pup, this area offers a wide variety of restaurants, ample parking, and access to I-5 and 99 for when you want to explore the PNW a bit more.
West Seattle
Goal: You want to go to bed at a reasonable hour.
Pros: A bit quieter, good restaurants and easy access to getting out of town.
Cons: If you’re commuting into Seattle (and especially the northeast side), it can be a bit of a slog.
Average Listing Price: $749k
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If you prefer going to bed at a reasonable hour rather than partying it up, I recommend West Seattle. It’s a little isolated and feels like a small town within the city limits but it has good eats and everything you’d need. It’s close to the city center for events or work, but fairly quiet at night. Plus, in nearby White Center there is delicious and affordable Vietnamese and Mexican food, breweries, a wrestling-themed bar, Salvadorean bakery, and a roller rink with some killer Saturday night adult skating. Finally, for those who also want to travel, it’s close to the Vashon ferry, Lincoln Park, and the airport.
Ballard
Goal: You are a DINK of all trades.
Pros: Lots of things to do in a city-like atmosphere.
Cons: It’s not the easiest place to live if you need to commute to the east side, or even South Lake Union. The average listing price is also among the highest.
Average Listing Price: $912k
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You can’t be put into a box – you like nightlife and biking. You’re all in on the Cold-Plunge life, but you also like a good pub crawl. If this resonates, Bal Pal (Ballard) might be for you. As listeners of Huberman Lab podcast know, Ballard is the best place for cold plunging, especially if you want to join a group of likeminded plungers and practice your Wim Hoff breathing techniques. For your biking excursions, the Burke Gilman (kinda) runs through the area. There’s some fantastic food spots (maybe the best in Seattle) San Fermo, Rupee Bar, and Baker’s are likely to be your local go-to. For those who prefer cooking, Ballard is host to Seattle’s largest farmer’s market (because who really counts tourist-ridden Pike Place), plus a number of grocery stores. Other shopping includes Woodland Mod, Second Use Building supplies and several small fashion and home goods boutiques. Need more to do? Checkout the Fish Ladders and Golden Gardens!
Victory Heights
Goal: You are trying to live that FIRE life.
Pros: Lower cost of living, still easy to get downtown on the train line.
Cons: A bit further outside of the city if you need to commute downtown. Not a ton of stores (although maybe that’s a benefit to avoid temptation).
Average Listing Price: $429,000
See homes for sale in Victory Heights
Admittedly, Seattle might not be the best place to save and retire early, but if you need to live here and that’s your goal, the Victory Heights neighborhood in north Seattle could be a good bet. The average home price is amongst the lowest in the city, but it’s still one of the safest with a strong sense of community. Plus, if you live on the western edge of this area, Seattle’s train line is not too far of a commute to get you into the city. This area is also close to some delicious restaurants (and some nice cheap eats) in Lake City and Northgate and is easy to get to a few different grocery stories.
What’s Next
For those of you looking to buy a home in one of these DINK friendly Seattle neighborhoods, Tomo.com provides free access to the most up to date real estate listings. You also can connect with a free home search advisor to get your journey started – by phone or text.
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