One of the city’s quirkiest, hippest and most happening neighborhoods also has some of its best restaurants, cafes, breweries and bars.
Population: 18,279
Location: Capitol Hill is bordered by Interstate 5 to the west; East Interlaken Boulevard to the north; 24th Avenue East to the east; and East Madison Street, then East Pike Street to the south.
Why people move to this neighborhood: It’s one of the quirkiest, hippest and most happening neighborhoods in Seattle, chock full of some of the best restaurants, cafes, breweries and bars in the city (also plenty of options — Capitol Hill has a few micro-neighborhoods within its borders, with their own unique businesses). Many consider it the nightlife and entertainment capital of the city, but there are many quiet, wooded streets with impressive homes on the hill as well, particularly in the area near Volunteer Park. It’s youthful, vibrant and densely populated, particularly near the smaller, eccentric and gay-friendly Pike/Pine neighborhood in the south (look for the rainbow flags and colorful crosswalks).
Distance from downtown Seattle: Two miles, about 10 minutes by car without traffic
Most Read Business Stories
School district: Seattle Public Schools
Major employers: Seattle Central College; Seattle University, Amazon and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center are all nearby.
Housing: Single-family homes (particularly as you head north, uphill) in varying styles, ranging from stately mansions to humble homes, along with numerous multifamily apartment, condominium and townhome buildings, both old and new, concentrated mainly in the neighborhood’s southern half.
Walk score (out of 100): 91
Transit score (out of 100): 73
Bike score (out of 100): 69
Historical facts: The site of Capitol Hill’s Volunteer Park was once called Washelli by the city, which bought the 40 acres south of Masonic Cemetery in 1876 and began moving bodies from an old burial ground (today’s Denny Park) there. But two years later, the editor of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer stumbled upon the land while walking along the hilly ridge, and declared the city should, “Dispose of the dead elsewhere; this ground is reserved for the enjoyment of the living.” The city followed suit, moving the bodies to Lake View Cemetery. Washelli was converted to City Park, and acquired the name Volunteer Park in 1901 to honor the locals who volunteered to fight in the Spanish-American War.
Recreation: Some of the best entertainment (including shopping, dining and nightlife) in the city can be found on Capitol Hill, particularly along Broadway East, East Pine Street, East Pike Street, 15th Avenue East and East Olive Way. Volunteer Park (designed by John Charles Olmsted) is one of the largest and most accessible parks in the neighborhood, at nearly 50 acres. It has grassy meadows, walking trails, beautiful views from its hilltop water tower, and is the site of the Asian Art Museum and Volunteer Park Conservatory. Interlaken Park is more secluded and densely wooded, and its boulevard is popular among runners and bicyclists, while Cal Anderson Park is close to the action in the neighborhood’s south end. There’s also a number of other smaller parks throughout Capitol Hill.
Zillow Home Value Index: $532,100 (as of May 2016)
Zillow Rent Index: $2,387 (as of May 2016)
The Zillow Home Value Index is the median Zestimate valuation for a given geographic area on a given day. The Zillow Rent Index is the monthly median rent Zestimate. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, HistoryLink.org, Zillow.