Lake City, Seattle WA - Neighborhood Guide

Seattle’s northeast corner, an area known as Lake City, is divided into several smaller neighborhoods—Victory Heights, Meadowbrook, Matthews Beach, Cedar Park, and Olympic Hills.

History

Lake City has seen many iterations of itself, going from sleepy logging and farming community known to some as “Little Germany” to a seedy destination for many city dwellers during the prohibition era. After World War II ended, young families flocked here and the population exploded. Currently, residents are rallying together to focus on environmental issues and on drawing visitors back to its refreshed (and significantly more reputable) business district.

Neighborhood Photos

Who Lives Here?

Corporate Climbers - High-income, high-expense urban singles.: Urban singles with an up-and-coming income, but with higher-than-average living costs. Most have college educations and are employed in mid-management professions.
Urban Empty Nesters - Mature families with grown children.: Couples heading into retirement age with adult children out of the house. Comfortable income. Education varies from high school to college with some holding mid-management positions.
Multi-lingual Urbanites - Urban dwellers who speak more than one language.: Some have a high school or college education, and they work in a variety of occupations. Moderate to upper-scale earning potential.

	Olympic Hills	Seattle
Median Household Income	$42,666	$45,736
Owners/Renters	54%/46%	48%/52%
Median Age	40	37
Single Males	17%	23%
Single Females	16%	19%
Homes With Kids	21%	18%
Household Size	2.2	2.1
Commute Time	28 min	27 min

Vibe

There’s something for everyone in Lake City. The area’s main thoroughfare, Lake City Way, bisects the neighborhood and is the best place to go if you want a bustling atmosphere. Newly constructed condos and businesses mingle with the retro establishments from years gone by. Farther out, the feel is more residential and quiet. Even though it is one of the most populous and spread out neighborhoods in the city, the community is close and knows how to work together to solve issues.

Activities and Attractions

Some of Little Germany’s charm remains in Lake City—stop in at Kaffeeklatsch coffee shop and bakery for an authentic German pretzel (bretzl) or an apfeltasche (an apple turnover)! Really you’ve got your pick of any national cuisine—try Lake City Gyros, Erawan Bangkok Thai cuisine, Pacific Market for Persian, and round out your world tour at Ezell’s for some good ol’ southern fried chicken.

Many beautification strategies have been employed in recent years, including several sculptures that appear at seemingly random places like in the medians on the roads. Of course you can’t miss the giant giraffe as you drive down Lake City Way. Plus, it’s not unusual to come across a large mural.