What it's like to live in Kirkland
Kirkland is a smaller city in Washington with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a highly educated workforce, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Kirkland deals with rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
How Kirkland compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Kirkland
Based on Kirkland's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,802
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $96,040 a year
- 43% of Kirkland renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$223,080
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $111,540
- Homes cost 7.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 70% above US
$2,401/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,401 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $1,115,400. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $1,115,400 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.4%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 80% below US
67 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1216/100k · Kirkland Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 34% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 75°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 37°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 5.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 84% above US
66% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
28 public schools inside the boundary
There are 28 public schools inside the boundary and 8 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park (9 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Kirkland's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,401/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (34% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
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