Ballard

Seattle's Ballard district, about 4.9 miles from downtown, in King County.

Researched and written by Ryan Rose · Updated October 29, 2026

Ballard Commons Park is one of the parks inside Ballard, and it is where I began mapping the neighborhood's 514 acres. In my records, lots average 3,458 sq ft, smaller than 95% of Seattle neighborhoods, and townhouses make up 55.7% of the housing mix. Sidewalk coverage is an estimated 83.6%, higher than 80% of Seattle neighborhoods. I also counted 59 restaurants and 26 cafes inside its boundaries.

Illustration of rows of modern three-story townhouses among older detached houses, built mostly in the 1970s.
Illustration
Downtown Ballard 2 mi N ↑
I marked Ballard on a map of Seattle drawn from the neighborhood boundaries the city publishes. Downtown is marked for reference.

At a glance

Area
514 acres
Homes
11,042
Median year built
1978 Newer than 70% of Seattle neighborhoods
Average home size
1,183 sq ft Smaller than 85% of Seattle neighborhoods
Average lot size
3,458 sq ft Smaller than 95% of Seattle neighborhoods

24.0% single-family, 55.7% townhouse, 2.7% condominium, 8.0% duplex to fourplex, 8.9% apartment

I compared each figure with the 82 other Seattle neighborhoods I have researched that have at least 100 residential parcels.

Getting around on foot

Intersections per sq mile
191 More than 65% of Seattle neighborhoods
Average block length
388 ft
Sidewalk coverage
83.6% (my estimate) Higher than 80% of Seattle neighborhoods
Transit stops within ¼ mile
60 Fewer than 60% of Seattle neighborhoods
Everyday categories within ½ mile
8

I compared each figure with the 82 other Seattle neighborhoods I have researched that have at least 100 residential parcels.

Parks and recreation

Ballard Commons Park, Ballard Corners Park, Ballard Playground, Bergen Place, Marvins Garden, Thyme Patch Park

Schools in and near this neighborhood

  • Adams Elementary School K–5 Seattle School District No. 1
  • ST ALPHONSUS SCHOOL
  • Salmon Bay K-8 School K–8 Seattle School District No. 1
  • MATHEIA SCHOOL
  • Ballard High School 9–12 Seattle School District No. 1
  • Licton Springs K-8 PK–8 Seattle School District No. 1
  • LIGHTHOUSE MONTESSORI

Food, drink and daily errands

Restaurants
59
Cafes
26
Bars and pubs
35
Grocery
2
Pharmacies
1

Restaurants and coffee I found nearby

  • Salt & Sugar Cafe · Inside the neighborhood Patio
  • CrackleMi Vietnamese · Inside the neighborhood
  • Caffe Ladro Coffee · Inside the neighborhood
  • India Bistro Indian · Inside the neighborhood
  • Pestle Rock Thai · Inside the neighborhood
  • Sen Noodle Bar Cafe · Inside the neighborhood
  • The Ballard Cut American · Inside the neighborhood Patio
  • Kimchi House Korean · Inside the neighborhood
  • Sam's Sushi International · Inside the neighborhood
  • Just Poké Poke · Inside the neighborhood

I pulled these from OpenStreetMap: the nearest named restaurants and cafes, starting inside the neighborhood and measured from its edge. Places marked Patio have outdoor seating, from my research for Outdoor Seating Near Me, my other site; the photos come from that research too.

Housing context

Median home value
$515,800
Median gross rent
$2,247
Owner-occupied
23.7%
Renter-occupied
76.3%

I pulled these from the census tract that covers this neighborhood, so they describe the tract, not the neighborhood itself. I report housing and housing cost only.

Bordering neighborhoods