Welcome to Kirkland
The beautiful city of Kirkland is situated in King County on the eastern banks of Lake Washington, just 5 miles north of Bellevue. Ranked as No. 3 on Money Magazine’s recently published 2022 Best Places to Live list, Kirkland is an ideal location for luxury living in the Pacific Northwest with its gorgeous waterfront setting, charming downtown and alluring parks. It is a fun and exciting city known for its beaches, art galleries, shopping, dining, and waterfront parks.
About Kirkland
Kirkland has grown considerably since the city first gained national attention in 1982; the year its baseball team won the Little League World Series. It was also the original home of the Seattle Seahawks, given the NFL team's headquarters and training facility being located at the Lake Washington Shipyard (now Carillon Point) along Lake Washington for their first ten seasons (1976-85), then at nearby Northwest University through 2007. Warehouse chain Costco previously had its headquarters in Kirkland as well. While Costco is now headquartered in Issaquah, the city is the namesake of its "Kirkland Signature" store brand.
In the past few decades, Kirkland has seen significant gains in population and development. With over 93,000 people calling the city home today, interest in Kirkland real estate only seems to be increasing.
Life in Kirkland
Lifestyle in Kirkland is casual and active. On a warm summer day, one can relax on the Juanita Beach, watch the sunset, make a splash into the lake, have a picnic or play volleyball at any one of Kirkland’s gorgeous waterfront parks. You can also rent paddle boards or kayaks and spend the entire day on the water. Hike and camp in the Bridle Trails State Park, or go visit the Kirkland Summerfest. With so much to offer, Kirkland is indeed one of the best places to live in Washington.
Kirkland is practically overflowing with high-quality dining and retail amenities. One local favorite is Deru Market, a restaurant that specializes in farm-to-table fare. COMO is another popular local spot, offering a casual atmosphere and healthy, delicious food. For those looking for something a little more upscale, Cactus and Cafe Juanita are both excellent choices. Save room for dessert at Lynn’s Bistro. Their bread pudding with white chocolate, cherries, and rum is heavenly.
Kirkland is served by the Lake Washington School District, which consistently ranks among the best in the state. It is home to Lake Washington Institute of Technology that is also one of the top employers in the city. A well known college by the name of Northwest University also calls Kirkland its home. This welcoming city has a range of public schools and private schools to fit everyone's needs.
Not only does this impressive city have phenomenal educational opportunities, but it is also home to Google, Evergreen Healthcare, Tableau along with many more well known employers. For those who commute, downtown Seattle is a mere half-hour away via the 520 floating bridge.
With its quality education, immense work opportunities, vibrant retail scene, and amazing nature offering, Kirkland will forever be a Washington favorite, and it truly does have everything a resident can ever want and need.
Kirkland Real Estate Market
The real estate market in Kirkland offers a variety of homes to suit any lifestyle or budget. The architecture in Kirkland ranges from traditional single-family homes to modern condominiums and townhouses. Whether you're looking for a quiet place to raise a family or an exciting place to start your next adventure, Kirkland is the perfect place to call home.
However, due to an increasing number of people moving to the city, local home values are on the rise. This is especially true for Kirkland luxury homes, which can be found in the popular neighborhoods of Market-Downtown district, Norkirk, Highlands and Rose Hill.
In 2012, the estimated median local home value was around $370,000, 10 years later this value rose to $1.25M.
