Kirkland
Totem Lake
Kirkland's new urban village: mall reborn, transit rising, rents reasonable.
On the map
Boundary is approximate — refined per neighborhood over time.
Pacific Relocation's take
The bet on Kirkland's fastest-changing corner.
Totem Lake is the placement we reach for when clients want new construction, in-unit everything, and a walkable grocery run at a discount to the lakefront. The Village's $200M reinvention turned a dying mall into an open-air center with Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Nordstrom Rack, and the new apartments wrapping it are the most pet-friendly and amenity-loaded stock in the city. The real story is transit: the I-405 Stride bus rapid transit station at NE 85th is under construction and will reshape commutes to Bellevue and Bothell when it opens later this decade, so early movers are buying into an upswing. EvergreenHealth next door makes this our go-to for medical staff. Schools are mixed — Kamiakin Middle (8) and Juanita High (9) are solid, but the nearby elementaries lag, so weigh that if you have young kids. The honest caveat is character: this is still a freeway-edge district that is mid-transformation, with active construction and traffic that we tour clients through at rush hour.
Lifestyle figures
Best of Totem Lake for you
Urban / nightlife
- The Village at Totem Lake0.3 km
The $200M open-air redevelopment of the old mall — Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Nordstrom Rack, and a Cinemark anchor the new town center.
- Cinemark Totem Lake0.3 km
The Village's reclining-seat multiplex — the neighborhood's rainy-night default.
Directions ↗Pinned on map
Walkable / key streets
- Whole Foods Market Totem Lake0.3 km
43,000-sq-ft flagship grocer at the heart of the Village, walkable from the new apartments.
- Cross Kirkland Corridor0.8 km
The rail-trail's northern terminus, a flat car-free route running all the way to downtown.
Directions ↗Pinned on map
Family-friendly
- Totem Lake Park0.7 km
Restored wetland and boardwalk loop around the lake that gives the neighborhood its name.
Directions ↗Pinned on map - EvergreenHealth Medical Center0.9 km
The region's main hospital and emergency campus, a reassuring two minutes away for families.
To buy (USD)
| Type | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | 410,000 | 500,000 | 640,000 |
| 2 BR | 525,000 | 640,000 | 820,000 |
| 3 BR | 695,000 | 845,000 | 1,080,000 |
Estimated from local rents — placeholder, pending verified sale data.
Rent ranges (USD)
| Type | Low | Median | High | Δ 12mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | 1,900 | 2,200 | 2,600 | ↑ 1.5% |
| 2 BR | 2,400 | 2,800 | 3,400 | ↑ 1.0% |
| 3 BR | 3,100 | 3,700 | 4,400 | ↑ 0.5% |
Source: Rentals.ca + Zumper Q1 2026, refreshed weekly via our rent worker.
Our advice
Before you sign a lease
- New lease-ups dangle concessions (weeks free) that vanish at renewal and are amortized into your effective rent — negotiate a renewal cap up front
- I-405 and NE 124th carry real noise and the BRT/interchange construction means staging and detours through 2028 — ask which side your unit faces
- Amenity, parking, and pet fees stack quickly in the new towers; get the true all-in monthly number in writing
Pacific Relocation
Want our help finding a place here?
Book a free 30-min Discovery Call with Pacific Relocation.
Last reviewed 2026-06-11.