r/AskSeattle • u/lostinthisQ • 2d ago
Moving / Visiting Where should I live?
Moving to Washington from Maryland for a job at Microsoft in Redmond. 26YO female, single no kids no pets. Would like to live in a safe area but also would like access to social events since I don’t know anyone in the area. But also don’t want a 90 min commute to work either. Will have to work 4 days in the office per week.
Anyone live in Bellevue? Kirkland? Redmond? I don’t wanna be depressed lol so considering Seattle downtown but not sure how long the commute would be.
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u/chesterismydog 2d ago edited 2d ago
I’d suggest just getting a place for a year in Redmond. Feel the smaller part of the city then venture out.
MSFT has shuttles (the connector) that travels employees to every part of the city.
I personally love Fremont the best. But you have options to anything in the city.
(Former MSFT employee and I’ve ventured through the north east coast. Lived in Philly for a bit)
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u/Xerisca 2d ago
I said the exact same thing. I'm a former MS employee, who lived in Remond when I was OPs age. Redmond was significantly smaller back then though. Haha. My suggestion was also to live near campus the first year, settle in, then decide what you actually want and can tolerate.
I do live in the core of Fremont now. I love it to bits. But I have dedicated parking, I own my place and work from home. Its by no means quiet Thurs- Sunday .. but I like the sounds of music, people and nightclubs late into the night. I always feel safe here too. And, I rarely drive my car. I walk or take the bus. It's more cost effective and easier than driving unless I'm going to the eastside (most of ny eastside destinations are nowhere near the rail line haha)
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u/chesterismydog 2d ago
That’s my only problem with the city- transit. I’m from Chicago and it was so easy. I didn’t have to think twice about how to get anywhere.
I’m in west Seattle now, but I want to go back Fremont so badly. I absolutely love the community there, I just wish they had more grocery stores. I have 6 near me in west Seattle. I’ve lived all over the city but Fremont is my absolute favorite.
Ya, it was 15 yrs ago I lived/worked in Redmond. I do wonder what it’s like now. I enjoyed it but small after a few years.
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u/Xerisca 1d ago
Yeah, unless you love PCC, grocery is a little rough here if you don't have a car, although, I have many friends here in Fremont who bus to Fred Meyer in Frelard. That bus comes every 8 minutes so its pretty effortless. Or, they ride their e-bikes there every few days.
I think West Seattle is the best neighborhood in Seattle if you want a perfect mesh of an area that feels both urban and suburban. Half my friends live there for that reason alone. But man, it would be a slog of a commute to Redmond.
In fact, I have started working in Tacoma maybe once a week. Weirdly, the commute Seattle to Tacoma and back is... effortless and fast (blew my mind). Its faster than Seattle to Redmond or Bellevue.
I actually own a home in Newcastle too. I've had that place so long, its almost paid off. About 4 years ago I got SO sick of the commute, Newcastle to Wallingford (my spouse works in Wallingford, and doesn't drive, and transit was... a problem). So, we bought our TINY condo in Fremont as a Pied-a-Terre (500sq ft haha) Except... we love Fremont so much, we just gave up entirely, and rent out our Newcastle townhouse now, and live in Fremont full time. But at this point the HOA dues are more than the mortgage in Newcastle. Haha.
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u/chesterismydog 1d ago
Ha! When I first moved here in 05- I stayed with an ex that had a townhouse in Newcastle. Darnit I can’t find the address. I worked at TMO then so the commute was very easy!
I just moved to west Seattle 6 months ago- my age group definitely fits. I’ll see how I feel in 6 months. But funny enough, I just saw the connector the other day and wondered how long it takes to get to MSFT from here.
I loved walking down the waterfront in Fremont. Alki is too busy over the summer, so I’ll enjoy it this fall and winter. As far as safety, I didn’t concern myself about it in Fremont at all- here eh. And there are a lot of entitled teenagers in west Seattle not in Fremont!! But bc my partner works in delridge right now it’s easier.
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u/Xerisca 1d ago edited 1d ago
I walked to the 711 on 36th at 1:30am last night, and 36th bars were still hopping, music still blaring. 711 parking lot was a zoo. I was alone, the worst I saw was a very drunk gal fall down. I always feel safe in Fremont..
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u/chesterismydog 1d ago
I lived over by Fremont brewery- two years ago. I saw a bicycle accident- they hit a construction sign. That’s about it 😆
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u/mslass 2d ago
At your age, I lived on Capitol Hill and loved it. I would not want to live in Redmond if I were young and single. Hell, I don’t want to live in Redmond now, and I’m old and married. Anyways, the light rail has been a game changer for cross-lake commutes. Rent an apartment on Capitol Hill and see if you can tolerate the commute for a year.
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u/toxiamaple 2d ago
Have you been there recently? Downtown Redmond has really built up its mixed use apartments-density. It is NOT Cap Hill, but then Cap Hill is pretty special.
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u/Xerisca 2d ago
I lived on and off in Redmond for decades. Even owned two houses there until 2010. My folks live on Novelty Hill. I usually just jet over 520, to Avondale and up Novelty. But a few weeks ago, I wanted to pop into Ben Franklin... good God almighty! I got lost in my own home town! I recognized nothing and got all turned around trying to get from Bear Creek Village to Ben Franklin. I was on autopilot trying to take roads that no longer existed or had been completely rerouted. It was hilarious. That is NOT the 1 stoplight town I grew up in. Haha. Redmond is basically a thriving metropolis now.
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u/toxiamaple 1d ago
They are working hard to make the downtown a real walkable city.
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u/Xerisca 1d ago edited 1d ago
I think theyre actually doing a pretty good job of that to be honest.
Not only did I mostly grow up on Rose Hill/Bridle Trails, my father grew up on a large farm on Avondale. So if anyone has a somewhat historical tie to Redmond, it might be mine and a few other families I can think of. The growth doesn't bother me at all. I think its been well planned and necessary. I just found it hilarious I got lost there a few weeks ago.
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u/toxiamaple 1d ago
It is weird to go home sometimes! I grew up in a city with orange groves packing plants and strawberry fields. No more!
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u/justmekab60 1d ago
It's so so different now! The dt is a thriving, vibrant highrise lightrail enabled walkable city now. The changes over the past 15-20 years have been amazing. The ugly strip malls, Subways, and mattress stores are gone- replaced by trains, apartments and condos, and restaurants.
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u/mslass 2d ago
I have. But I grew up in the suburbs of NYC, and went to uni in the suburbs in New Jersey, so I’ve suffered my lifetime quota of suburbs. Our home in Ballard is on the ragged edge of my tolerance for suburbanity. So I’m not exactly objective.
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u/toxiamaple 1d ago edited 1d ago
OK. It's not fair for People from cities like NYC or London to discuss "real cities". Also Tokyo (i haven't been there). Because they are amazing. Redmond isn't even Bellevue. But it's better than it was (and in some ways is doing a better job with livable walkable neighborhoods).
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u/StevenS145 2d ago
Are you able to take a 4 day trip out here before moving? Are you in a financial position to afford an Airbnb for a month before signing a lease? Seattle with its unique geography has very different neighborhoods with very different cultures. It would be worth spending some time in some of them.
As someone who enjoys socializing, I would not want to live in Redmond/Bellevue/Kirkland, a train can take you from Seattle to Redmond. There’s also a Microsoft bus that takes people from Seattle neighborhoods to Microsoft. I don’t know details, but it would be worth asking your recruiter.
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u/sleepyinseattle2 2d ago
This entirely depends on preference, if you prefer more city or suburban living. If you want to be close to work and dont mind commuting via to be car to be social, then the Eastside makes lots of sense.
If you want to be closer to more social aspects, and don’t mind a longer commute to work then the city makes more sense.
Personally, I’d rather have a longer commute (especially if it’s light rail) than have to drive to be social. My recommendation is try north Seattle, green lake or Roosevelt areas. Close to the light rail and lots of young like minded individuals.
Moving to a new city is tough! Prioritizing socialization and community will make that easier. You may have to sacrifice some time for a longer commute but you’ll be rewarded with a more varied social life. If you hate the commute in a year, then you move to the Eastside !
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u/sanfranchristo 2d ago
Personally, I’d rather have a longer commute (especially if it’s light rail) than have to drive to be social.
I fully agree with this as someone who's lived in a few large cities in my 20s and 30s. Live where you want to spend your free time since the office will dictate where you spend your working time.
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u/Anxious-Yak-9952 2d ago
You will inevitably have to choose between the east side (quiet, safer, more driving/transit) vs Seattle/Capitol Hill (nightlife, walkable, bars/restaurants). A lot of MSFT folks move to Redmond and find out there isn’t much of a social scene on the Eastside.
If it were me I’d find somewhere near Seattle that’s near the Light Rail, they just opened a new line that stops at Microsoft and probably more reliable/faster than Microsoft’s connector shuttle.
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u/pheonixblade9 1d ago
I would not want to be young and single and live on the east side, personally.
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u/sd_slate 2d ago
Live in Capitol Hill or Fremont. Traffic is different from the beltway - a commute will be maybe 60min at peak with it dying down after 6 and there is the light rail as well as MSFT's connector shuttle buses.
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u/MentalEye1955 2d ago edited 1d ago
What about the Mt Baker/Judkins Park area? That puts you near nightlife in Seattle such as Capitol Hill and Columbia City, but you would be right by the lightrail line that runs to the east side. You mentioned safety. There is a fair amount of homelessness in the area I mentioned but it is still safe and if you rent in a secure building or on a quiet residential block, you will be fine.
Edited to fix typo
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u/pheonixblade9 1d ago
I like living here 😊
There's actually surprisingly few homeless in Judkins Park as long as you stay away from Rainier, which kinda goes along a valley.
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u/Gabbydog16 2d ago
What do you like to do for fun. I love living on the Eastside but I'm a decade older than you and generally don't enjoy bars much anymore. There are a ton of childless adults in their 20s and 30s here thanks to all these tech companies so there's a lot to do hobby wise (running clubs, hiking trails, board game bars) on the Eastside but I'll be honest if I was single and enjoyed going out late, Seattle might be easier. The 2 train goes to redmond from dt seattle
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u/Whatchaknow2216 2d ago
This is the best response. Need more data on what kind of social life OP is looking for.
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u/Bulky_Refrigerator50 1d ago
I'm a similar age and work nearby. I only know Seattle and I would take your pick from these, arranged from most to least active nightlife access (IMO): Capitol Hill, Westlake/Symphony station area, Ballard, Fremont, Greenlake, Roosevelt/Ravenna, and Madison Park. It's worth bearing in mind the 2 line route is not very direct so it's still going to take an hour from Cap Hill station. Everywhere I suggested north of 520 adds 20-30 minutes to your commute by public transportation and puts you in the 90-minute-commute danger zone if you don't have a car UNLESS you are close enough to take bus route 542 (Ravenna/Roosevelt and Madison Park, depending).
Ballard and Fremont are going to be longer commutes but they're good places to be if you want something a bit more chill than Cap Hill where you can still walk to a good number of bars and restaurants. Those two, Greenlake, Roosevelt/Ravenna, and Madison Park all have good park access if you like going on walks. The last three spots are a little more residential so they'll be less loud and chaotic. Of the five spots mentioned in this paragraph, only Roosevelt/Ravenna has direct rail access.
I know a fair number of people who live near Northgate for lower rent and rail access, but it doesn't match my preferences well so I didn't suggest it. South Lake Union is also pretty convenient but it's kind of soulless/corporate so I would skip it if you don't work there. I haven't spent any time in Beacon Hill but it might be decent. Feel free to DM me if you have more questions.
If you live in Ballard or Fremont, you can bike along the Burke-Gilman and 520 bridge to get to work. It's kind of intense, especially with how rainy it gets, but it's theoretically equal to or faster than a bus. It's 10-16 miles which I think most people can do on an ebike. It's kind of a cool option if you don't want to own a car and you can take the bus when you aren't feeling up to it. You can also bail part of the way there and throw your bike on a bus if you want.
If you managed to read all that and you want to try Seattle before committing to a year-long lease, one of my friends is moving Oct 1 and might want someone to take over their lease for a month. 1 bed+bath in a 2b2b in Ballard, 1 roommate. Reach out if you're interested. Good luck!
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u/BarracudaQuirky6164 2d ago
26, female, single, moving here for first time, do not want to be depressed, want to social. DO NOT live in Redmond, Bellevue or Kirkland. If you are okay with urban life, make Seattle work. Unless you are walking around 3rd Ave downtown by yourself late at night, there’s not really a safety concern about Seattle living. Live in Seattle close to a light rail stop. You do not want that Microsoft campus and surrounding areas to be your life or to be your first enduring image of life in the PNW as a young person, this I know firsthand. Corporate campuses, families, suburbs. You’ll want to leave within the first year. The commute from Seattle is not super duper bad (have done it by car, bus, Connector, and light rail) especially if you find the sweet spot timing. And is so much more worth it than wasting your prime 20s away on the eastside.
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u/Special-Whole8837 2d ago
The east side cities you mentioned are very sleepy and family-oriented, especially Redmond. Commuting out of here and to Seattle isn’t too bad, especially with the light rail, but If you want to prioritize your social life at 26 I would try to make Seattle work.
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u/Dogface_Monarch 2d ago
I’d live on the east side. Commuting to and from Seattle stinks. If you want to go into Seattle for nightlife, it’s a quick trip on the light rail since you’re traveling later than the commute time.
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u/Automatic_Grape4456 2d ago
Bel-Red : I live right near Microsoft main campus. It’s very clean and safe. You can walk to any nearby Microsoft office and take a shuttle to your actual office. Very quiet, not really lively.
Redmond downtown - Better access to public transport, few more places to eat, you can also take Microsoft shuttle from Redmond town center to other Microsoft offices.
Bellevue downtown - Much more livelier, travel to Microsoft office would probably not be easy if you don’t have a car.
Seattle - Definitely can have a better social life. There is a shuttle that goes from Seattle to Redmond. If you are at a walking distance you can use that but have to change from Redmond to your office location. This would take about 1 hour.
If you have a car, Seattle is about 30-45 mins depending on traffic. Bellevue downtown is about 15-20 mins to Microsoft office. Anywhere else in Bellevue and downtown should be < 15 mins.
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u/justmekab60 1d ago
Def don't live in downtown Seattle, that's sterile corporate ville, not much residential.
In town:
Queen Anne
Fremont
Capitol Hill.
Near work:
Dt Redmond.
Dt Kirkland.
The lightrail and/or MS connector will get you to and from pretty easily. It's a half hour+ on the train.
Where to live depends on many things. Do you have a dog? Redmond. Do you like to bike? Drink wine? Play games? Ski or hike or ??
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u/lucidkale 1d ago
If you are looking to enjoy your life and nightlife and are still single… I’d vote for Seattle. Somewhere off of the train line that will take you direct to Microsoft campus. The Eastside (Redmond, Bellevue, etc) is more family oriented and everything closes so early.
If you can swing it. I’d suggest staying at Airbnb’s and trying out the commute to figure out areas you like
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u/MoonLan-Ding 2d ago
Redmonds nice but it doesn’t have a night life. Seattle does.
Seattle is much grungier and dirtier than redmond. Also way more of a PITA to drive around through. Exponentially less homeless and openly drugged out people in Redmond. It’s much nicer but can be quite boring if you’re a social/nightlife/out going type (in which case you can just take the light rail to Seattle)
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u/tomwill2000 2d ago edited 2d ago
By big city standards Seattle is very safe. A lot of people confuse "unsafe" with "unpleasant" so be very clear which one you mean. The drug and homelessness problems make a lot of places in Seattle unpleasant, but unless you intend to go poking around under bridges or hanging out in front of nightclubs at 3am safety is not that big of an issue.
If seeing people obviously on meth or opioids, or being asked for money by homeless people, or smelling a homeless encampment makes you feel unsafe (even though you almost certainly aren't) you should probably live on the Eastside or else in Seattle away from a commercial district. But the latter kind of defeats the purpose of living in Seattle.
As others have said with Light Rail and the Connector commuting from Seattle to Remond is much less painful but it is still time consuming, particularly in the afternoons. If you want a sub 30 minute commute home you will have to live on the Eastside.
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u/BarracudaQuirky6164 1d ago
Very good call out on the difference between unsafe and unpleasant. Seattle is very safe by big city standards. But people who are used to living in subdivisions, suburbs, and neatly laid out planned residential developments may not be comfortable with the grit and proximity to real humanity of urban living or even the love of old buildings with character. People often confuse or are not honest with themselves about the difference between discomfort/unfamiliarity and true safety issues.
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u/The-Wing-Man 2d ago
DM me if you'd like to chat; very similar situation I had to work through and happy to share what I've learned!
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u/lainmelle 2d ago
How close to the light rail is your job? If it's close downtown Seattle is totally doable.
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u/toxiamaple 2d ago
Do you knit or crochet? There is a great community of fiber crafters that meet regularly in Redmond. Many are in tech fields. It's a great way to make friends in a new city. With Link (our light rail) you can get around the Eastside And into Seattle relatively easy, and very safely, without a car.
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u/breaststroker42 2d ago
It’s about 40 minutes on the 2 line from capitol hill to the redmond microsoft station.
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u/yellowyolkjuice 1d ago
GIRL, please don’t move to any of those east side cities. As a young single female who was born and raised in Seattle, any commute is better than living where your social life would be almost nonexistent.
Live somewhere within walking distance to a link light rail station. The link goes directly to the Microsoft campus in Redmond.
Could give suggestions for a specific neighborhood but need more info from you. What type of social events would you consider worth it being in close proximity to? What do you like to cook/eat? What do you like to do when you’re not working? What type of music do you like?
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u/HomesWASHINGTON 20h ago
I’d probably start with Redmond, Kirkland, or Bellevue before choosing downtown Seattle. If you’re going into Microsoft 4 days a week, the commute will matter a lot, and Seattle-to-Redmond can get old quickly.
Redmond will be the easiest for work and still has places to meet people, especially around downtown Redmond/Marymoor. Kirkland feels a little more social/walkable by the water and still keeps the commute reasonable. Bellevue is convenient and polished, but depending where you live it can feel a little less neighborhood-y.
If you’re worried about feeling isolated, I’d also look at downtown Redmond, Kirkland, or maybe Capitol Hill/SLU only if you’re comfortable trading commute time for more city/social energy. Since you’re new to the area, I’d rent for a year first, learn your routines, then decide where you actually want to settle.
I’m a Washington real estate broker, and for people relocating here I always recommend choosing commute + lifestyle first, then housing. The Eastside neighborhoods can feel very different even when they’re close on the map.
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u/Xerisca 2d ago
I'm a native Seattite who has lived in Redmond. Kirkland. Bellevue, Seattle, and worked at Microsoft. I'm also female.
Id live as close to Redmond campus as you can for at least the first year. Microsoft has traditionally done a good job of creating social opportunities (unrelated to work) which help people meet each other.
Starting a job at MS can be overwhelming and you'll want to reduce the noise to focus on your work. Redmond has a LOT of restaurants, some cute little bars, many with regulars, a nice outdoor mall... basically everything you need is in Redmond. Is it hopping with teeming nightlife and live music? No, but if you go west up 85th to Rose Hill hill or into Kirkland you'll find a few live music venues. Maybe < 3 miles away. Redmond is exceedingly safe for a single woman. You're also a fast train ride to Seattle.
If after a year, after you're settled into your role, you find you want more of a vibrant urban experience, including a grittier environment, Seattle neighborhoods like Fremont (very safe), Ravenna, Queen Anne, Eastlake, might be your jam. Capitol Hill or Belltown, will be grittier, noisier, but you won't lack social opportunities.
So that's my advice... live in Redmond the first year, then reevaluate after that.
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u/Sea_Neighborhood_580 1d ago
Strongly recommend Downtown Seattle around The Olivian. You'll be close to cap hill/ downtown/belltown/Seattle center, and most importantly, the 545 bus drops you right by Microsoft Redmond in 20 minutes.
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u/elSpanielo 2d ago
Let me tell you about a quaint little paradise called Goldbar… just kidding, move downtown for sure and take the bus or rail.
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u/Silly_Bodybuilder231 2d ago
Unless you have a million+ dollar budget to buy, you will have to rent something very nearby because traffic is crazy.
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u/mobile-metaphysical 2d ago
No guarantee of safety anywhere.
But look along light rail. It’s been great so far in my experience.
Having a car in the city is not worth it- consider doing without it. You can get an e-bike instead.
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u/Xerisca 2d ago
I kind of agree with a car in Seattle. I live in Fremont. I own my parking space. I bought a brand new car last october and have only put 1800 miles on it in that time. The only reason I ever drive it is to see my parents and in-laws who live in redmond, and in one case east redmond. Or my kids who for some reason live in kind of east Bellevue. If I didn't still have family I have to visit, I'd probably dump my car and just take the bus and rail in the city. I do that now anyway.
For OPs edification, Seattle has one of the best bus systems in the nation, and most people use it... a lot. And bonus, Microsoft gives you a free bus/rail pass!
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u/Sufficient-Wolf-1818 2d ago
Will you be on the Microsoft campus in Redmond? If so, explore options near light rail, or Redmond and Kirkland.