Best Neighborhoods 2009: The Top Ten

First we ranked Seattle neighborhoods and the surrounding areas separately in our 2009 Neighborhood Guide. But when we rank all 110 neighborhoods together using this year’s criteria—affordability, return on investment, good schools, parks, crime rates and commutes—what happens? Turns out, the ’burbs come out on top. In fact, Queen Anne, the top Seattle neighborhood, doesn’t even make the combined Top 10—it places 35th, pulled down primarily by affordability and park acreage. Those two factors, plus school scores, push the suburbs ahead of many city neighborhoods.

1) Kenmore 
(north of Seattle) With a 3 percent increase in home value, Kenmore is one of only two suburban cities (Vashon Island is the other) showing positive appreciation from 2007 to 2008. That, a modest median home price ($399,000) and solid scores in all categories put it at the top for 2009.

2) Shoreline 
(north of Seattle) A great all-around neighborhood for families, singles and seniors, Shoreline has made multiple appearances in the Top 10 rankings of previous years, and does it again with scores in the top half in all categories and a median home price of $345,000.

3) Bellevue
(Eastside) The Bellevue School District is considered one of the best in the state, and its 2,500-acre park system and vibrant downtown scene also make this urban Eastside neighborhood very attractive.

4) Mountlake Terrace
(north of Seattle) The most affordable neighborhood in the Top 10 (median home price is $249,500) offers lots of green space and easy commutes to either Seattle or the Eastside.

5) Mercer Island
(Eastside) The top suburban neighborhood—it loses points only for affordability, with a median home price of $928,000—is ahead of all others in all quality-of-life categories (schools, crime, parks and commutes).

6) Redmond
(Eastside) It's home to bicycle trails, Microsoft, excellent schools and plenty of parkland, plus the median home price ($510,000) decreased by only 1 percent from 2007 to 2008.

7) Federal Way
(south of Seattle) Being a little farther from Seattle and the Eastside also means you get more for your money here (median home price is $270,000), and some of the region’s top attractions are also a little bit closer, such as Mount Rainier and Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park.

8) Des Moines
(south of Seattle) Affordability (median home price is $280,000) and minimal loss in home value (1 percent from 2007 to 2008) are key factors in Des Moines making the Top 10. It’s also an attractive neighborhood for those commuting to Tacoma.

9) Northgate
(North Seattle) Northgate is an up-and-coming neighborhood with a strong sense of community, affordable prices (median is $305,000) and an incredible increase in appreciation of 20 percent from 2007 to 2008, despite the real estate downturn.

10) Kent
(south of Seattle) Benefiting from major investments in the community, Kent shines with its new ShoWare Center, the arrival of the Thunderbirds hockey team, and a major shopping, entertainment and restaurant complex.

>> More on our 110 Best Neighborhoods