Seattle/Compare
Central Area vs Northeast
Central Area and Northeast are two official districts in Seattle. Northeast is the calmer Part I map (42 vs 26). Northeast wins the errand count. Central Area has the lower ACS median ($1,952).
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 | Central Area | Northeast |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 26 | 42 |
| Schools | 35 | 94 |
| Walk | 44 | 50 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 31 | 45 |
| Median rent | $1,952 | $2,214 |
| Median home | $919,123 | $1,141,764 |
| Population | 33,472 | 37,665 |
| Commute to Downtown | 14 min | 24 min |
| Commute to South Lake Union | 16 min | 20 min |
| Commute to University | 18 min | 12 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Central Area | Northeast |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 66% | 33% |
| Median age | 33 | 38.2 |
| Median income | $117K | $173K |
| Part I per 1k | 53.9 | 46.4 |
| Groceries / 800m | 20 | 17 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 193 | 187 |
| Parks / 800m | 101 | 172 |
| 311 last 14 days | 852 | 559 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Seattle city. Up 79% since 2014. CD is 4% below the 2024 city median. NE is 9% 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 Central Area if the rent gap is the point and the shorter ride to Downtown is the point. ACS median rent is $1,952 vs $2,214. 14 vs 24 minutes to Downtown. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Northeast if the school rating nearby is the point and the quieter map matters more than the scene. Schools score 94 vs 35. Safety is 42 vs 26. Vibe is 45 vs 31. Read both pages before you decide.
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
Northeast
Ravenna, Wedgwood, Laurelhurst — one official polygon east of the Ave. Tree streets, University Village at the edge, and a quieter read than the District next door.
$2,214 median rent · safety 42 · walk 50
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Central Area or Northeast?
Central Area is the lower ACS median: $1,952 vs $2,214. About 66% rent in Central Area vs 33% in Northeast. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Central Area more walkable than Northeast?
Northeast wins the errand count (walk 44 vs 50). Groceries inside 800 meters: 20 vs 17. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Central Area or Northeast?
Northeast is the calmer Part I read (42 vs 26). Combined rate 46.4 vs 53.9 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Central Area or Northeast?
Northeast leads the school axis (94 vs 35). Nearby rating is 8.4 / 10 vs 6.6 / 10. Median age 38.2 vs 33. Central Area has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
14 minutes from Central Area to Downtown, 24 from Northeast. Central Area is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official district that is not Central Area or Northeast: Capitol Hill. Search Broadway or Pike/Pine; the official district also swallows Madison Park and Montlake. Night on one edge, lake money on the other.
Scores are relative among official Seattle Neighborhood Map Atlas districts with the same editorial weights. Read the method.