West/East of Market, Kirkland WA - Neighborhood Guide

Market Street runs north out of downtown Kirkland. The surrounding neighborhood—often divided into two categories ‘west of Market’ and ‘east of Market’—has both historic charm and new construction.

History

This neighborhood was developed as Peter Kirk (after whom Kirkland is named) started his push toward making the city “the Pittsburg of the West.” Originally, the land was platted so that steel workers and executives would live together in the same neighborhood. And although the steel mill was never a success, the neighborhood itself saw prosperity. Several of the original buildings still stand and act as historical landmarks. The houses to the west of Market tend to be of an older style, while to the east of Market, homes reflect the craftsman style that was popular when the area saw a new boom in the 1940s.

Neighborhood Photos

Who Lives Here?

Affluent DINKs - High-income, kid-free couples living in the suburbs.: Middle-age Dual Income No Kids couple bringing in two attractive incomes. Most are highly educated and are employed in management professions. A high proportion are homeowners.
Country Clubbers - Wealthy married couples with children.: These affluent families live a very comfortable life in the suburbs. More than 20% have a family income over $125,000. Most have earned a college or graduate school degree, and most own their homes.
Suburban Climbers - Younger suburban singles.: Aspiring singles climbing the corporate ladder and calling the suburbs home. Age ranges from mid-20s to mid-40s. Most rent their homes.

	Market-Downtown	Kirkland
Median Household Income	$68,381	$60,332
Owners/Renters	62%/38%	57%/43%
Median Age	37	37
Single Males	15%	17%
Single Females	12%	14%
Homes With Kids	21%	22%
Household Size	2.1	2.1
Commute Time	24 min	24 min

Activities and Attractions

One of the most impressive structures in this neighborhood is the Kirkland Arts Center, originally built in 1892 and called the Peter Kirk Building. Today, the Arts Center features local artists’ work in their gallery and offers education classes in crafts such as ceramics, painting, sculpting, and multimedia arts. Another trend in this business district is the personal beauty/wellness scene. There are spas, hair salons, tattoo parlors, yoga studios, and even an acupuncture clinic. The one thing that is conspicuously absent is any place to eat; for that, you’ll have to head south to downtown or north to Juanita. There are several parks nearby: Kiwanis and Waverly Parks are small ones along the water that mostly feature picnic benches and grassy knolls. Heritage Park, on the other hand, has more trails, tennis courts, and Heritage Hall, an event space that is available for private events.