Northeast Seattle Apartments & Rentals

When locals talk about Northeast Seattle, they usually mean the section of the city limited by Lake Washington, Union Bay, Interstate 5, and about NE 95th Street. Like with all Seattle neighborhoods, exact borders don’t exist. In general, Northeast Seattle is a pleasant section of the city with more than its share of students and professors. A Northeast Seattle apartment may also be part of smaller neighborhoods such as University District, Wedgwood, Laurelhurst, Ravenna, Bryant, and Windermere.

Northeast Seattle is primarily a residential district, but some commercial strips help keep things lively. The exception to this is the University District, where the University of Washington and its student population hold sway. U.W. moved up to Northeast Seattle in 1895. Development of this part of the city followed in short order. Neighborhoods such as Wedgwood sprang from the housing boom in the wake of World War II.

If you’re looking to do your shopping in Northeast Seattle, you have a few good options. The University Village Shopping Center is one of the area’s better-apportioned malls. In the University District, University Way—better known as “the Ave”—serves as a locus of retail activity. In Bryant, you’ll find restaurants, bars, and shops along N.E. 55th Street. Cheap eats and fancier joints can be found near the University of Washington. Bars, too, are easy enough to spot here.

While there are many green spaces in Northeast Seattle, Warren G. Magnuson Park is the largest. This once was the Sand Point Naval Air Station, but now it’s home to athletic fields, picnic spots, and other public facilities.

For those seeking a Northeast Seattle apartment, a fairly wide range of rents and property types are available. Down in the University District, rents average around $1,100 a month and you’ll find student apartments and more. In Laurelhurst on the other hand, rents run closer to $3,000 a month and you’ll be more likely to live in a single-family home than a studio. If you want to mingle with a more active crowd, stick closer to the University of Washington.

To get from Northeast Seattle to other parts of the city, you’ll either be driving or on a Metro Transit bus. There are a handful of bus lines that serve this section of the city, with a few express routes heading Downtown. Many Seattleites opt to commute by bike.

The Northeast Branch of the Seattle Public Library system is on 35th Avenue N.E. There are United States Post Offices north of the library on 35th Ave and on University Way. The University of Washington is here, along with the University of Washington Medical Center. Seattle residents elect their mayor and nine city council members at large, i.e. without regard to neighborhood.

Zip codes serving Northeast Seattle are 98105 and 98115.