The rapidly growing city of
Seattle may be on every young professional’s short list, but if you don’t want to battle new city transplants for an apartment with an ever-increasing price tag, check out these suburbs first.
You’ll be close to all the entertainment, dining, shopping, and opportunities in Seattle, but your hard earned dollars will go further and you’ll come home to a peaceful community.
Here are the 10 suburbs that made the cut.
Key Stats:
- Residents age 22-29: 14.6 percent
- Median earnings of bachelor’s degree holders: $87,035
- Residents with professional occupations: 64.8 percent
The small city of Redmond kicks off our list of the best Seattle suburbs for young professionals with a variety of housing options. Home buyers will find chic modern condos, as well as spacious contemporary and craftsman style homes.
Active young professionals will love getting back to nature at the scenic 684-acre Marymoor Park, while arts and culture enthusiasts will enjoy local events like Poets in the Park. Convenient brand name shopping and casual dining is available at the Redmond Town Center.
Key Stats:
- Residents age 22-29: 14.2 percent
- Total amenities: 2,902
- Cost of living: 117, compared to the Seattle average of 138
Your hard earned money will go a whole lot further in the small Seattle suburb of Tukwila, which had one of the lowest costs of living of any place we ranked. Home buyers will find modern townhomes as well as historic craftsman style homes.
Hit the links and network at Foster Golf Links, or enjoy a picnic at the well-maintained Tukwila Park. Residents can also check out a new book at Tukwila’s two King County Library branches, Southcenter and Foster.
Key Stats:
- Cost of living: 117, compared to the Seattle average of 138
- Total amenities: 4,856
Lynwood earns the third place spot on our list with a low cost of living and plenty of amenities for young professionals to enjoy. Home buyers will find modern townhomes, spacious craftsman style homes, and sprawling farmhouses.
Hit the links and network at the City of Lynnwood Municipal Golf Course, or enjoy a picnic by the water at Scriber Lake Park. Residents also enjoy convenient shopping from brand name retailers at Alderwood Mall.
Key Stats:
- Residents with professional occupations: 60 percent
- Total amenities: 11,849
The thriving and conveniently located suburb of Bellevue comes in fourth on our list with plenty of amenities for young professionals to enjoy. Home buyers will find modern condos as well as spacious craftsman style homes.
Get back to nature at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens, or enjoy local talent at community events like the Bellevue Festival of Arts. Residents enjoy upscale shopping at Bellevue Square, as well as local shops and restaurants in downtown Bellevue.
Key Stats:
- Residents age 22-29: 12.8 percent
- Unemployment rate: 7.2 percent
Kirkland earns the fifth place spot on our list of the best Seattle suburbs for young professionals with a number of options for home buyers. Modern condos, contemporary style homes, and craftsman houses are common.
Active young professionals will love boating on Lake Washington or hiking the wooded trails at Big Finn Hill Park. Local dining, nightlife, and entertainment options line the streets of downtown Kirkland.
Key Stats:
- Residents with a bachelor’s degree: 36.4 percent
- Residents with professional occupations: 59.3 percent
The scenic suburb of Issaquah has a variety of housing options for young professionals, including townhomes, Tudor style houses, contemporary style homes, and craftsman style homes.
Outdoor recreation enthusiasts have plenty of space to get back to nature on weekends. Nearby Squak Mountain State Park, Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, Lake Sammamish State Park, and Tiger Mountain State Forest give residents a variety of terrain to explore.
Key Stats:
- Total amenities: 3,257
- Unemployment rate: 5.4 percent
Young professionals searching for the perfect home in Woodinville will have their pick of contemporary, farmhouse, and craftsman style homes with room to spread out on spacious lots.
Residents can grab fresh local produce at the Woodinville Farmers Market, or get back to nature at the Bassett Pond Natural Area. Woodinville’s numerous wineries give residents the perfect excuse for a weekend out with friends.
Key Stats:
- Residents age 22-29: 12.9 percent
- Cost of living: 122, compared to the Seattle average of 138
The small city of Renton has plenty of options for young professional home buyers, from affordable cottage style homes and townhomes, to spacious craftsman style houses on large lots.
Grab fresh local produce at the Renton Farmer’s Market, or catch live local music at the Summer Concert Series at Coulon Park. Residents can also hit the links and network at the Maplewood Golf Course.
Key Stats:
- Residents age 22-29: 11.1 percent
- Total amenities: 2,983
Bothell earns the ninth place spot on our list of the best Seattle suburbs for young professionals with modest townhomes, historic craftsman style houses, and contemporary style homes for potential buyers.
Enjoy a weekend trip with friends to Bothell’s numerous local wineries, or stroll down the pedestrian friendly Historic Main Street and stop in local shops and restaurants. Residents can also grab fresh local produce at the Bothell Farmers Market.
Key Stats:
- Residents age 22-29: 13.9 percent
- Cost of living: 120, compared to the Seattle average of 138
Mountlake Terrace rounds out our list of the best Seattle suburbs for young professionals with a low cost of living and lovely farmhouse, craftsman, and contemporary style homes.
Active young professionals will enjoy waterfront activities at Lake Ballinger Park, or hiking wooded trails at Terrace Creek Park. Local events like the annual Arts of Terrace show are a great way to explore local talent.
Our Methodology
To create this list of the best Seattle suburbs for young professionals, we looked at the following criteria:
- Percent of residents age 22-29
- Percent of residents who attained a bachelor’s degree
- Median earnings for those who attained a bachelor’s degree
- Percent of residents who work in management, business, financial, or other professional fields
- Cost of living
Then, because some things are just a little more important to young professionals than others, we weighed the percent of residents age 22-29 and amenities per capita to make up 35 percent of our score. Professional opportunity made up 20 percent, and cost of living made up 10 percent.
We then averaged those weighted scores into one overall score, and the 10 lowest overall scores made the cut for this list. We sourced data from
AreaVibes and the U.S. Census.
Want to see how other Seattle suburbs ranked? Check out the table below:
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