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Street view of Ballard

Seattle

Ballard

Where Seattle's design crowd raises its kids.

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On the map

Boundary is approximate — refined per neighborhood over time.

Open in Google Maps ↗Street view ↗Walk Score ↗GreatSchools ↗Zumper listings ↗Apartments.com ↗

Pacific Relocation's take

The walkable, child-friendly answer when Capitol Hill isn't.

Ballard has matured into Seattle's most child-friendly walkable neighborhood — Scandinavian-heritage demographics, a real Sunday farmers market, a strong public elementary in Adams, and easy access to Golden Gardens beach. We place a growing share of tech-family clients here, especially Amazon and Microsoft transferees who don't want to commute east. The trade is the commute to anything south of the ship canal: the Ballard Bridge is a daily question, and the long-promised light rail extension is still years out.

Lifestyle figures

90
Walkability
65
Transit
110
Restaurants ≤ 1km
4
Parks ≤ 1km
3
Schools 8+ ≤ 2km
↑ 5.8%
Rent 12mo

Best of Ballard for you

Walkable / key streets

  • high street
    Ballard Avenue NWhigh street
    Ballard Avenue NW
    0.3 km

    Brick-paved historic strip — Seattle's best restaurant cluster outside Capitol Hill.

    Directions ↗Pinned on map
  • NW Market Street
    0.4 km

    The daily-needs commercial spine with light rail, grocery, and pharmacy.

    Directions ↗Pinned on map
  • 22nd Avenue NW Village
    0.6 km

    Quieter residential commercial node with cafes and local services.

    Directions ↗Pinned on map

Outdoors / hiking / parks

  • beach
    Golden Gardens Parkbeach
    Golden Gardens Park
    2.2 km
    4.7(8,917)

    Saltwater sand beach with fire pits and mountain views — Seattle's best urban beach.

    Directions ↗Pinned on map
  • park
    Hiram M. Chittenden Lockspark
    Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
    1.3 km
    4.7(10,107)

    Working locks with a salmon ladder, botanical garden, and waterfront promenade.

    Directions ↗Pinned on map
  • trail
    Salmon Bay Trailtrail
    Salmon Bay Trail
    1.0 km
    4.6(441)

    Flat waterfront trail along the ship canal connecting Ballard to Fremont.

    Directions ↗Pinned on map

Beach / water

  • beach
    Golden Gardens Beachbeach
    Golden Gardens Beach
    2.2 km
    4.8(158)

    Puget Sound saltwater beach, popular for bonfires and weekend swimming.

    Directions ↗Pinned on map
  • beach
    Shilshole Bay Beachbeach
    Shilshole Bay Beach
    2.5 km
    4.0(12)

    Long sandy stretch adjacent to the marina with Olympic Mountain backdrop.

    Directions ↗Pinned on map
  • park
    Ballard Locks Waterfrontpark
    Ballard Locks Waterfront
    1.3 km
    4.7(10,107)

    Waterside park where the ship canal meets saltwater — scenic and accessible.

    Directions ↗Pinned on map

To buy (USD)

TypeLowMedianHigh
1 BR445,000545,000700,000
2 BR635,000775,000990,000
3 BR975,0001,190,0001,520,000

Estimated from local rents — placeholder, pending verified sale data.

Rent ranges (USD)

TypeLowMedianHighΔ 12mo
1 BR1,9002,4002,800↑ 6.7%
2 BR2,8003,4004,500↑ 5.8%
3 BR4,0005,2007,000↑ 4.9%

Source: Rentals.ca + Zumper Q1 2026, refreshed weekly via our rent worker.

Our advice

Before you sign a lease

  • Some new mid-rises are within earshot of Ballard nightlife — visit at 11 PM Friday before signing
  • Several older homes were built before WW1 with original wiring — confirm insurability
  • Ballard Bridge maintenance closures happen 2-3 times per year — verify commute options

Pacific Relocation

Want our help finding a place here?

Book a free 30-min Discovery Call with Pacific Relocation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-27.