Seattle/Compare
Central Area vs Seward Park
Central Area and Seward Park are two official districts in Seattle. Seward Park is the calmer Part I map (95 vs 26). 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 | Seward Park |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 26 | 95 |
| Schools | 35 | 87 |
| Walk | 44 | 0 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 94 |
| Vibe | 31 | 0 |
| Median rent | $1,952 | $2,667 |
| Median home | $919,123 | $1,037,700 |
| Population | 33,472 | 5,610 |
| Commute to Downtown | 14 min | 26 min |
| Commute to South Lake Union | 16 min | 30 min |
| Commute to University | 18 min | 28 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Central Area | Seward Park |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 66% | 11% |
| Median age | 33 | 45.2 |
| Median income | $117K | $197K |
| Part I per 1k | 53.9 | 24.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 20 | 1 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 193 | 26 |
| Parks / 800m | 101 | 18 |
| 311 last 14 days | 852 | 122 |
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. 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 Central Area if you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 44 vs 0. Vibe is 31 vs 0. ACS median rent is $1,952 vs $2,667. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Seward Park if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the school rating nearby is the point. Safety is 95 vs 26. Schools score 87 vs 35. 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
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, Central Area or Seward Park?
Central Area is the lower ACS median: $1,952 vs $2,667. About 66% rent in Central Area vs 11% in Seward Park. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Central Area more walkable than Seward Park?
Central Area wins the errand count (walk 44 vs 0). Groceries inside 800 meters: 20 vs 1. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Central Area or Seward Park?
Seward Park is the calmer Part I read (95 vs 26). Combined rate 24.1 vs 53.9 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Central Area or Seward Park?
Seward Park leads the school axis (87 vs 35). Nearby rating is 8.2 / 10 vs 6.6 / 10. Median age 45.2 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, 26 from Seward Park. Central Area is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official district that is not Central Area or Seward Park: 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.
Scores are relative among official Seattle Neighborhood Map Atlas districts with the same editorial weights. Read the method.