Seattle/Compare
Beacon Hill vs Seward Park
Beacon Hill and Seward Park are two official districts in Seattle. Seward Park is the calmer Part I map (95 vs 74). Beacon Hill 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 | Seward Park |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 74 | 95 |
| Schools | 29 | 87 |
| Walk | 31 | 0 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 94 |
| Vibe | 14 | 0 |
| Median rent | $1,614 | $2,667 |
| Median home | $757,222 | $1,037,700 |
| Population | 41,515 | 5,610 |
| Commute to Downtown | 16 min | 26 min |
| Commute to South Lake Union | 20 min | 30 min |
| Commute to University | 22 min | 28 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Beacon Hill | Seward Park |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 44% | 11% |
| Median age | 37.8 | 45.2 |
| Median income | $97K | $197K |
| Part I per 1k | 29.5 | 24.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 18 | 1 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 166 | 26 |
| Parks / 800m | 61 | 18 |
| 311 last 14 days | 806 | 122 |
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. Seward is 31% above 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 rent gap is the point and you want the errands on foot. ACS median rent is $1,614 vs $2,667. Walk is 31 vs 0. Vibe is 14 vs 0. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Seward Park if the school rating nearby is the point and the quieter map matters more than the scene. Schools score 87 vs 29. Safety is 95 vs 74. 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
Seward Park
The peninsula in the lake. A loop trail, old houses, and almost no night. The smallest official district on this map, and the one that feels furthest from downtown without leaving the city.
$2,667 median rent · safety 95 · walk 0
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Beacon Hill or Seward Park?
Beacon Hill is the lower ACS median: $1,614 vs $2,667. About 44% rent in Beacon Hill vs 11% in Seward Park. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Beacon Hill more walkable than Seward Park?
Beacon Hill wins the errand count (walk 31 vs 0). Groceries inside 800 meters: 18 vs 1. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Beacon Hill or Seward Park?
Seward Park is the calmer Part I read (95 vs 74). Combined rate 24.1 vs 29.5 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Beacon Hill or Seward Park?
Seward Park leads the school axis (87 vs 29). Nearby rating is 8.2 / 10 vs 6.4 / 10. Median age 45.2 vs 37.8. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
16 minutes from Beacon Hill to Downtown, 26 from Seward Park. Beacon Hill is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official district that is not Beacon Hill or Seward Park: 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.