8.4 out of 10

Mount Baker

Ranked 5th best neighborhood in Seattle
47.5796876388289 -122.290856716919
Great for
  • Neighborly Spirit
  • Parks & Recreation
  • Gym & Fitness
  • Peace & Quiet
  • Internet Access
Not great for
  • Cost of Living
  •  
  •  
  •  
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Who lives here?
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Singles
  • Retirees
  • Trendy & Stylish

Reviews

5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 5/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 5/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 5/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 5/5
2yrs+

"Mt.Baker is awesome if you work downtown or in Bellevue. Its a hidden gem!"

It is fantastic. The city is really investing in the area. Ballard, Greenwood, Innerbay etc are very expensive and take a long time to get to work downtown. Mt.Baker has it's own metro that only takes about 15 min to get to downtown. No one uses it. It's wonderful! Also, a few of my friends that work at Microsoft live there now. They can get across I90 to work without the tolls of 520 bridge. So if you need to zip to South Lake Union, downtown to work, or over to Bellevue its great!
Pros
  • Easy Commute!
  • Hidden Gem
  • Easy access to the city vs Ballard
  • Beautiful mountain and lake vistas
  • Ethnically diverse
  • Quiet surroundings
Cons
  • Friendly people
  • Accepting Community
  • growing
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Students
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 2/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 3/5
2yrs+

"A Diverse Neighborhood With Class"

The Mt. Baker community is as different economically as it is racially. The neighborhood, occupying an area from around Interstate 90 in the north to Hinds Street and Sayres Memorial Park in the south. It spans from 23rd Avenue and Rainier Avenue in the west to Lake Washington (http://bitly.com/dXcYNZ) in the east.

A quick look at income levels reveals a sharp increase moving west to east. The dividing line, economically, seems to be around 33rd Avenue. In fact, the area south of Mt. Baker Park (http://1.usa.gov/gioc49), along the coast, has a median income average of $200,000. This is shocking, considering that just six to eight blocks to the west the median income is around $46,000!

Despite these large differences in residents' pocket books, newer housing has emerged on the west side. Some friends of ours live in the lower income area, in an attractive new development.

Any eating establishments or small businesses can be found along Rainier Avenue or Martin Luther King Jr. Way, or "MLK" as referred to by residents.

An area where this section of the city shines is in its recreation, especially with the waterfront property and parks that share it. A fun experience is exploring the park above I-90, with its walking paths culminating in a tunnel that leads out to a terrace overlooking the lake and the interstate bridge. A few blocks south, Colman (http://1.usa.gov/e925oc) and Mt. Baker Park offer residents green space with woods, sporting fields and play areas. The Mt. Baker Park even has space for weddings and ceremonies.

On the southern edge of the neighborhood lies the Mt. Baker Rowing and sailing club (http://mbrsc.org), on the shores of Sayres Memorial Park (http://1.usa.gov/geXWsb). There are four wide boat launches, giving the public a great entry point into the lake. This place also services the hydroplane boats during the Seafair (http://seafair.com) races each year in August.

From the rougher urban side of Mt. Baker to the serene east side, this place has much to offer residents and tourists. If your a cyclist, like me, you'll enjoy a ride through the tunnel (http://bitly.com/hQV6gk) and down Lake Washington Boulevard, absorbing the views and coastal treasures in all their glory.
Pros
  • Ethnically diverse
  • Beautiful mountain and lake vistas
  • Quiet surroundings
Cons
  • Expensive housing
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Trendy & Stylish
5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
2yrs+

"Shoreline Centered with a Diverse Mix"

It’s hard to talk about Mt. Baker without talking about summer, but I’ll try. It’s usually a tranquil residential area with gentle hills, parklands, shading woods, and lakeside shorelines. The neighborhoods are architecturally diverse and the residents are as diverse in their economical standings and ethnic backgrounds. The neighborhood is serviced by Franklin High School

But for a couple of days a year, all of that is set aside and all of Seattle crowds in for the long awaited Seafair. Seafair is a series of events, including hydroplane races, fireworks shows, and aerial stunts and shows which climax with a performance by the US Navy Blue Angels.

When you’re done at Seafair, or even on your way to Seafair, you probably ought to stop by Tacos Al Asadero, a taco truck with some really interesting offerings. Tacos Al Asadero lives in a school bus, where the back half has seating and the play telenovelas. Some of the stuff on the menu that you may not have seen recently includes a birria (lamb) taco, a lengua (beef tongue) taco (and believe me, it’s better than it sounds—think really tender roast beef), and great toppings like radish, lime, and Mexican pickle.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Eating Out 1/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
2yrs+

"A Beautiful Area to Watch Sailboats & Pirates"

I spent most of my visit to Mt. Baker driving through neighborhoods looking at all the houses that border Lake Washington and dreaming of one day owning one of them. The housing in the area is some of my favorite and goes from lakeside to wooden in mere blocks. It’s defiantly a neighborhood of homes with some restaurants and shops tossed in; it’s not a big nightlife area. However, every summer is its one of the hottest destinations when it host Seafair.

The Mount Baker Rowing and Sailing Center which is located on Lake Washington and in Stan Sayres Park where people come to see the Hydroplane Races. It’s a great place to hang out of a nice sunny Seattle day to take in the sail boats or just sun worship. There’s also Mount Baker Park where picnic tables are plentiful and tennis is the afternoon game and the courts are in great shape. Lots of paths run through the park for those wanting to explore while taking in the views.

Not a lot of fancy restaurants are in the area but there are some as well as a few great wine shops and smaller retailers in the area. Overall it’s a great place to own a nice home and to visit when the pirates are in town.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
2yrs+

"Hidden gem on the shores of Lake Washington"

The Mount Baker neighborhood in southeast Seattle is right on the western shores of Lake Washington, bounded by Interstate 90 to the east. Mount Baker offers easy access both to Seattle and to the Eastside.

Its unique location offers a mix of everything, from lakefront mansion to wooded hills to quiet, tree-lined streets. Looking out over Lake Washington, residents enjoy a beautiful view of Mt. Baker, which gave this neighborhood its name. Several parks along the water invite people from all over Seattle to enjoy this breathtaking view.

Though Mount Baker is mostly residential, it does host the annual hydroplane races and Blue Angel air shows, both a part of the Seafair festivities. The Mount Baker Beach also hosts rowing clubs and regattas, and is popular with swimmers and athletes training for triathlons.

The people here are as varied as the landscape, with a wide range of socioeconomic and ethnic groups represented here. Mount Baker is a neighborhood of long-time residents who are very friendly and welcoming. Although most Seattleites have never visited here, they would be pleasantly surprised by the beautiful homes, including historic houses built a hundred years ago. The homes are a range of modern architecture, bungalows, Tudor and craftsman mansions, and everything in between.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
3/5
2yrs+

"A very busy neighborhood"

Many residents of Seattle have not a clue about the magnificent estates and streets of Mount Baker. We’re talking embassy-style homes facing grassy, tree-lined meridians. All of this hidden behind the fun and fanfare of Lake Washington Boulevard. However, this doesn’t represent all of Mount Baker.

The homes are a vibrant range: multi-story brick, Tudor, modern architecture and modest all-American bungalows. The gardens are well-tended, some of them quite big, many of them overflowing with plants and flowers. While there are still some fixer-uppers around, this is a neighborhood of the fixed-ups. Mount Baker is also a neighborhood of long-timers.

This is a busy neighborhood. Mount Baker is the local host for the yearly hydroplane races and the Blue Angel air shows; it’s a main thoroughfare for bicyclists, joggers and triathlon trainers. It’s the host to rowing regattas and clubs. Mount Baker Beach comes with a bathhouse, a sandy beach with a floating dock and lifeguards. In the winter, there’s a parade of Christmas ships.

Also a portal to Seattle, Mount Baker is a straight shot to Seattle, or to the east side of town. It’s just off I-90, a gateway interstate that runs east and west.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids

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