5 neighborhoods to discover
Kirkland
City Snapshot
Metro population
94K city · 4.0M Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue metro (2023)
Average commute
27 min (2023)
Climate
Mild wet winters · Warm dry summers · ~150 rainy days/yr
Cost of living (NYC = 100)
85
Top industries
Tech (Google Kirkland · GoDaddy · Tableau/Salesforce) · Healthcare (EvergreenHealth) · Pro services · Retail
Currency
USD
Time zone
PT (UTC−8 / −7 DST)
Languages
English · ~30% speak another language at home (Spanish · Mandarin · Russian · Hindi · Korean)
Best move season
May–Sep
Sources
- US Census ACS 2023 — city population, metro population & mean commute
- Zumper Kirkland rent report Jun 2026 (1BR ~$2,095 · 2BR ~$2,510; citywide avg ~$2,500, −2% YoY) + neighborhood averages
- RentCafe/Yardi Matrix Kirkland neighborhood averages, Jun 2026
- Numbeo Cost of Living index, Q1 2026
- NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals (SeaTac station)
- GreatSchools 2025 ratings — Lake Washington School District
- Walk Score — Kirkland neighborhood scores 2026
Pacific Relocation's take
The Eastside neighborhood that feels like a beach town.
Kirkland's waterfront downtown (Moss Bay) is the closest thing the Eastside has to vacation living — walkable, lakefront, restaurant-dense. Juanita adds value with its own beach; Totem Lake is the new-construction convenience play. Houghton splits the difference with views. Inventory is tight and moves fast; we pre-screen aggressively here.
Neighborhoods
Not sure which one fits?
Get a 3-neighborhood shortlist in 90 seconds.
We score every Kirkland neighborhood against your household, budget, commute, schools, and lifestyle, and surface the three that fit.