Seattle/Compare
Beacon Hill vs Central Area
Beacon Hill and Central Area are two official districts in Seattle. Beacon Hill is the calmer Part I map (74 vs 26). Central Area wins the errand count. Beacon Hill has the lower ACS median ($1,614).
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · SPD Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · OSM Sep 2026 · updated Sep 2026
Scores
Fit axes among official Seattle Neighborhood Map Atlas districts.
| Axis | Beacon Hill | Central Area |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 74 | 26 |
| Schools | 29 | 35 |
| Walk | 31 | 44 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 14 | 31 |
| Median rent | $1,614 | $1,952 |
| Median home | $757,222 | $919,123 |
| Population | 41,515 | 33,472 |
| Commute to Downtown | 16 min | 14 min |
| Commute to South Lake Union | 20 min | 16 min |
| Commute to University | 22 min | 18 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Beacon Hill | Central Area |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 44% | 66% |
| Median age | 37.8 | 33 |
| Median income | $97K | $117K |
| Part I per 1k | 29.5 | 53.9 |
| Groceries / 800m | 18 | 20 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 166 | 193 |
| Parks / 800m | 61 | 101 |
| 311 last 14 days | 806 | 852 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Seattle city. Up 79% since 2014. Beacon is 20% below the 2024 city median. CD is 4% below the 2024 city median.
Overlapping 5-year ACS windows (B25064), not asking rent. Census does not publish a rent series for each official neighborhood, so the line is the city place. Dashed marks are each area’s ACS 2024 median.
Which to pick
The same numbers as the table, in sentences. Nobody wins the city.
Pick Beacon Hill if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the rent gap is the point. Safety is 74 vs 26. ACS median rent is $1,614 vs $1,952. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Central Area if you want the cafes and the night and you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 31 vs 14. Walk is 44 vs 31. Read both pages before you decide.
Beacon Hill
The ridge above I-5 with a light-rail spine. Jefferson Park is the lawn; downtown is a short train, not a short walk.
$1,614 median rent · safety 74 · walk 31
Central Area
The CD on the map, Madrona and Leschi on the lake edge. Older Seattle — churches, new infill, and a name people still argue about.
$1,952 median rent · safety 26 · walk 44
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Beacon Hill or Central Area?
Beacon Hill is the lower ACS median: $1,614 vs $1,952. About 44% rent in Beacon Hill vs 66% in Central Area. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Beacon Hill more walkable than Central Area?
Central Area wins the errand count (walk 31 vs 44). Groceries inside 800 meters: 18 vs 20. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Beacon Hill or Central Area?
Beacon Hill is the calmer Part I read (74 vs 26). Combined rate 29.5 vs 53.9 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Beacon Hill or Central Area?
Central Area leads the school axis (35 vs 29). Nearby rating is 6.6 / 10 vs 6.4 / 10. Median age 33 vs 37.8. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
16 minutes from Beacon Hill to Downtown, 14 from Central Area. Central Area is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official district that is not Beacon Hill or Central Area: Greater Duwamish. Georgetown’s bars sit inside an industrial official district. SODO and the port set the noise. A relocator list that skipped this polygon would be lying about the map.
Beacon Hill vs Greater DuwamishCentral Area vs Greater Duwamish
Scores are relative among official Seattle Neighborhood Map Atlas districts with the same editorial weights. Read the method.