Green Lake

Seattle's North Central district, about 4.99 miles from downtown, in King County.

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

Median year built here is 1937, older than 85% of Seattle neighborhoods, and that is the figure that stood out most in my notes. I also found sidewalk coverage estimated at 83.5%, higher than 80% of the city, with Green Lake Park and Crescent Place among the parks inside the boundaries. Lots average 4,246 sq ft, smaller than 80% of Seattle neighborhoods, which I'd weigh as a trade-off.

Illustration of a mix of detached houses, duplexes and small apartment buildings, built mostly in the 1930s.
Illustration
Downtown Green Lake 2 mi N ↑
I marked Green Lake on a map of Seattle drawn from the neighborhood boundaries the city publishes. Downtown is marked for reference.

At a glance

Area
850 acres
Homes
5,799
Median year built
1937 Older than 85% of Seattle neighborhoods
Average home size
1,570 sq ft
Average lot size
4,246 sq ft Smaller than 80% of Seattle neighborhoods
Streets steeper than 8%
7.1% of street length Flatter than 75% of Seattle neighborhoods Elevation 173–309 ft
In FEMA's 100-year flood zone
None
Within 500 ft of a freeway
13.3% of residential lots
New homes permitted
238 More than 70% of Seattle neighborhoods Since January 2023

Share of residential lots: 74.1% single-family, 16.0% townhouse, 1.9% condominium, 4.3% duplex to fourplex, 3.5% 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
154
Average block length
353 ft Shorter than 65% of Seattle neighborhoods
Sidewalk coverage
83.5% (my estimate) Higher than 80% of Seattle neighborhoods
Transit stops within ¼ mile
62
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

Crescent Place, Green Lake, Green Lake Park, North Park Shops

Schools in and near this neighborhood

  • BISHOP BLANCHET HIGH SCHOOL
  • Daniel Bagley Elementary School K–5 Seattle School District No. 1
  • Green Lake Elementary School PK–5 Seattle School District No. 1
  • SEATTLE JEWISH COMMUNITY SCHOOL
  • McDonald International School K–5 Seattle School District No. 1
  • Cascadia Elementary K–5 Seattle School District No. 1
  • Robert Eagle Staff Middle School 6–8 Seattle School District No. 1
  • Roosevelt High School 9–12 Seattle School District No. 1
  • ST CATHERINE SCHOOL
  • ST BENEDICT SCHOOL

Food, drink and daily errands

Restaurants
17
Cafes
12
Bars and pubs
5
Grocery
2
Pharmacies
0

Restaurants and coffee I found nearby

  • Greenlake Boathouse Cafe Coffee · Inside the neighborhood
  • Fotini Restaurant · Inside the neighborhood
  • Chocolati Café Cafe · Inside the neighborhood
  • Retreat Coffee · Inside the neighborhood Patio
  • Momi Indian Kitchen Restaurant · Inside the neighborhood
  • Revolutions Coffee Coffee · Inside the neighborhood
  • Noi Thai Cuisine Thai · Inside the neighborhood
  • Greenlake Dumpling Asian · Inside the neighborhood
  • Mykonos Greek Grill Greek · Inside the neighborhood
  • Zeeks Pizza - Greenlake Pizza · 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
$1,325,300
Median gross rent
$1,949
Owner-occupied
61%
Renter-occupied
39%

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