Seattle/Compare
Beacon Hill vs Rainier Valley
Beacon Hill and Rainier Valley are two official districts in Seattle. Beacon Hill is the calmer Part I map (74 vs 32). Rainier Valley 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 | Rainier Valley |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 74 | 32 |
| Schools | 29 | 16 |
| Walk | 31 | 57 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 14 | 37 |
| Median rent | $1,614 | $1,791 |
| Median home | $757,222 | $735,813 |
| Population | 41,515 | 33,796 |
| Commute to Downtown | 16 min | 20 min |
| Commute to South Lake Union | 20 min | 24 min |
| Commute to University | 22 min | 26 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Beacon Hill | Rainier Valley |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 44% | 47% |
| Median age | 37.8 | 38.1 |
| Median income | $97K | $109K |
| Part I per 1k | 29.5 | 52.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 18 | 40 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 166 | 207 |
| Parks / 800m | 61 | 137 |
| 311 last 14 days | 806 | 827 |
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. Rainier is 12% 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 school rating nearby is the point. Safety is 74 vs 32. Schools score 29 vs 16. ACS median rent is $1,614 vs $1,791. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Rainier Valley if you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 57 vs 31. Vibe is 37 vs 14. 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
Rainier Valley
Columbia City is the search; Rainier Valley is the official district. Light rail down the middle, Mount Baker at the lake, and a food strip that is not a tourist reconstruction.
$1,791 median rent · safety 32 · walk 57
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Beacon Hill or Rainier Valley?
Beacon Hill is the lower ACS median: $1,614 vs $1,791. About 44% rent in Beacon Hill vs 47% in Rainier Valley. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Beacon Hill more walkable than Rainier Valley?
Rainier Valley wins the errand count (walk 31 vs 57). Groceries inside 800 meters: 18 vs 40. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Beacon Hill or Rainier Valley?
Beacon Hill is the calmer Part I read (74 vs 32). Combined rate 29.5 vs 52.1 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Beacon Hill or Rainier Valley?
Beacon Hill leads the school axis (29 vs 16). Nearby rating is 6.4 / 10 vs 6.0 / 10. Median age 37.8 vs 38.1. Rainier Valley has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
16 minutes from Beacon Hill to Downtown, 20 from Rainier Valley. Beacon Hill is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official district that is not Beacon Hill or Rainier Valley: 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.
Scores are relative among official Seattle Neighborhood Map Atlas districts with the same editorial weights. Read the method.