Seattle/Compare
Central Area vs Queen Anne
Central Area and Queen Anne are two official districts in Seattle. Central Area is the calmer Part I map (26 vs 21). Central Area 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 | Queen Anne |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 26 | 21 |
| Schools | 35 | 74 |
| Walk | 44 | 33 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 31 | 23 |
| Median rent | $1,952 | $2,141 |
| Median home | $919,123 | $1,093,603 |
| Population | 33,472 | 42,490 |
| Commute to Downtown | 14 min | 10 min |
| Commute to South Lake Union | 16 min | 10 min |
| Commute to University | 18 min | 18 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Central Area | Queen Anne |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 66% | 61% |
| Median age | 33 | 35.4 |
| Median income | $117K | $136K |
| Part I per 1k | 53.9 | 54.8 |
| Groceries / 800m | 20 | 16 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 193 | 158 |
| Parks / 800m | 101 | 56 |
| 311 last 14 days | 852 | 875 |
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. QA is 5% 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 you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 44 vs 33. Vibe is 31 vs 23. ACS median rent is $1,952 vs $2,141. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Queen Anne if the school rating nearby is the point and you want the cafes and the night. Schools score 74 vs 35. Vibe is 23 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
Queen Anne
The hill looks at downtown; Lower Queen Anne eats after the game. Counterbalance and a grocery you can walk to if you picked the right side of the ridge.
$2,141 median rent · safety 21 · walk 33
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Central Area or Queen Anne?
Central Area is the lower ACS median: $1,952 vs $2,141. About 66% rent in Central Area vs 61% in Queen Anne. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Central Area more walkable than Queen Anne?
Central Area wins the errand count (walk 44 vs 33). Groceries inside 800 meters: 20 vs 16. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Central Area or Queen Anne?
Central Area is the calmer Part I read (26 vs 21). Combined rate 53.9 vs 54.8 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Central Area or Queen Anne?
Queen Anne leads the school axis (74 vs 35). Nearby rating is 7.8 / 10 vs 6.6 / 10. Median age 35.4 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, 10 from Queen Anne. Queen Anne is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official district that is not Central Area or Queen Anne: 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.