An Eastside Cities Comparison Part III : Moving to Seattle’s Eastside

If you’ve read our Eastside Cities Comparison Parts One and Two, you’re well aware by now that Seattle’s Eastside is an amazing place to live. In our opinion, the worst part about moving to the Eastside is having to choose just one of it’s wonderful cities to call home!

While the decision about where is best for any given person to live is just that, a personal decision, our hope is to offer some resources that will guide new and prospective residents in finding a location that suits them best. If you haven’t yet checked out the first two parts in the series that provide an overview of the Eastside, and some related stats, be sure to give those a read first.

This third and final installment in the series provides more information and specifics on each of our Eastside cities, including:

• Pros and cons
• A description and “fast facts”
• Must see attractions and local highlights
• Helpful links such as neighborhood maps, school district websites, and more
• Links to some of the top Facebook groups, where prospective residents can seek opinions of current residents, connect with local parents, find childcare, and stay up to date on events and happenings around the Eastside

A note about the “pros and cons listed for each city”: We include both data based items, and those that are opinion based in nature, based on our 30+ years of residence and the collective opinions of those surveyed for this piece, so please take as such. They are also expressed from one Eastside city relative to the others (versus being compared to broader parts of the County or State). As many of the pros and cons are shared throughout the Eastside region, we have compiled those in an opening section, to lay some foundation for more detailed information on each city below.

A final note: as our site continues to grow, so will the content and cities we cover. For now, we’ve included content for people looking to move to Redmond, Kirkland, Bellevue, Sammamish, and Issaquah.

Over the past decade, people have been moving to the Eastside in record numbers, and for good reason. Below we recap some of the top “pros” of living on the Eastside, and a few of the “cons” that exist, and are widely applicable throughout the region.

Pros of Living on Seattle’s Eastside:

• Gorgeous Landscape – the rainfall, moderate temperatures, hilly terrain and presence of evergreens make for lush green scenery year round
• Access to Outdoors – An abundance of lakes, mountains, and local parks and trails provide tons of opportunities to spend time outdoors
• Top Notch School Districts – Both public and private schools on the Eastside offer high quality education
• Low Crime Rates – Crime Rates across the Eastside range from 1.4-5.9x LOWER than National averages

Cons of Living on Seattle’s Eastside:

• High Cost of Living – Cost of homes in the greater Seattle area tend to be some of the highest in the country, but luckily so do the incomes
• Traffic – Traffic continues to be a chief complaint among residents, and a concern actively being addressed by the addition of a light rail system and other efforts
• Lack of Infrastructure – The local infrastructure (roads, school capacity, parking, etc.) still seems to be catching up with the massive population growth of the past couple decades
• Weather – Though the weather and seasons are also one of the best things about the pacific northwest in general, the greater Seattle area does have frequent cloud cover and rain, that can make outdoor activities less enjoyable

Ready to learn more about moving to, and living on, Seattle’s Eastside? Despite some of the downfalls of living in the greater Seattle area, it is still one of the best places to live, hence the huge population growth! If ou’re looking to call the Eastside home, read on for more information on each of the cities that make up the Eastside’s “main hub.”

Pros of Living in Redmond:

• Quantity and quality of the local city parks and trails and access to them
• One of the Eastside’s more diverse populations in both age, ethnicity, and family make-up
• Easy access to Woodinville Wine Country and Bellevue’s shopping and dining scene
• Close to Microsoft Campus (pro for those employed at Microsoft’s Redmond headquarters)
• Peaceful, “small town” feel

Cons of Living in Redmond:

• Further from Seatac Airport and Snoqualmie Pass
• Traffic through downtown Redmond can be heavy during commuting hours, worsened by an abundance of stop lights on the main thoroughfare
• Parking downtown around the eateries and shops can be hard to find
• Minimal immediate access to water based activities

Ready to learn more about moving to, and living in, Redmond? For our ultimate guide of helpful links, fast facts, top attractions and more in Redmond, WA, check out: www.discovertheeastside.com/cities/redmond

Pros of Living in Kirkland:

• An abundance of waterfront access to beaches, boating and other activities on Lake Washington
• Gorgeous lakefront views
• A small, but lively waterfront downtown that offers a growing dining and bar scene, and appeals to both the younger and middle-aged crowds
• Relatively easy access to Seattle via SR-520

Cons of Living in Kirkland:

• Further from Seatac Airport and Snoqualmie Pass
• Traffic through downtown Kirkland can be heavy during commuting hours
• More likely to need to utilize I-405 and SR-520 which have optional and required tolls

Ready to learn more about moving to, and living in, Kirkland? For our ultimate guide of helpful links, fast facts, top attractions and more in Kirkland, WA, check out: www.discovertheeastside.com/cities/kirkland

Pros of Living in Bellevue:

• Quick and easy access to Seatac Airport, Snoqualmie Pass, and Downtown Seattle
• An abundance of retail, restaurants, and nightlife
• A bigger city feel, without the crime rates that often accompany big cities
• The most ethnically diverse city on Seattle’s Eastside (based on 2018 census data)
• The most parks/playgrounds on the Eastside

Cons of Living in Bellevue:

• Second highest median home cost and highest average rent on the Eastside
• Traffic during peak commuting hours can make getting in and out our Bellevue slow
• Ongoing construction can create additional commuting challenges and detract from the aesthetics of the beautiful skyline

Ready to learn more about moving to, and living in, Bellevue? For our ultimate guide of helpful links, fast facts, top attractions and more in Bellevue, WA, check out: www.discovertheeastside.com/cities/bellevue

Pros of Living in Sammamish:

• Access to 3 different lakes and an abundance of city parks and local trails
• The lowest crime rates of all the Eastside
• Quiet “small town” feel with a well funded city budget
• Low level of traffic since it is not a typical destination for non-residents

Cons of Living in Sammamish:

• Being on a plateau without direct freeway access adds about 10-15 minutes to your drive anywhere that requires freeway travel
• Lack of variety and quantity in dining and indoor recreation options inside the city itself
• Highest median home price on the Eastside (based on 2018 US Census data)
• No major employers within city limits

Ready to learn more about moving to, and living in, Sammamish? For our ultimate guide of helpful links, fast facts, top attractions and more in Sammamish, WA, check out: www.discovertheeastside.com/cities/sammamish

Pros of Living in Issaquah:

• Closest Eastside access to trails in the Cascade Mountains and the Snoqualmie Pass Ski Resort
• Immediate access to the Issaquah Alps for hiking and mountain biking
• Beautiful mountain scenery
• Small town, community feel
• Home to Lake Sammamish State Park and Boat Launch

Cons of Living in Issaquah:

• High traffic during peak commuting hours
• Not as many major employers as the larger Eastside cities

Ready to learn more about moving to, and living in, Issaquah? For our ultimate guide of helpful links, fast facts, top attractions and more in Issaquah, WA, check out: www.discovertheeastside.com/cities/issaquah