Seattle/Compare
Interbay vs North Central
Interbay and North Central are two official districts in Seattle. Interbay is the calmer Part I map (68 vs 58). North Central wins the errand count. North Central has the lower ACS median ($2,129).
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 | Interbay | North Central |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 68 | 58 |
| Schools | 42 | 81 |
| Walk | 10 | 42 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 10 | 42 |
| Median rent | $2,193 | $2,129 |
| Median home | $822,704 | $1,091,474 |
| Population | 8,922 | 56,361 |
| Commute to Downtown | 14 min | 16 min |
| Commute to South Lake Union | 16 min | 12 min |
| Commute to University | 24 min | 14 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Interbay | North Central |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 71% | 59% |
| Median age | 34.7 | 34.7 |
| Median income | $131K | $140K |
| Part I per 1k | 29.7 | 39.4 |
| Groceries / 800m | 7 | 25 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 39 | 132 |
| Parks / 800m | 55 | 72 |
| 311 last 14 days | 132 | 1,575 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Seattle city. Up 79% since 2014. Interbay is 8% above the 2024 city median. N Central 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 Interbay if the quieter map matters more than the scene. Safety is 68 vs 58. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick North Central if you want the cafes and the night and the school rating nearby is the point. Vibe is 42 vs 10. Schools score 81 vs 42. Walk is 42 vs 10. Read both pages before you decide.
Interbay
The cut between Magnolia and Queen Anne. Tracks, yards, a driving range, and a few apartment stacks. You live here for the commute, not the block party.
$2,193 median rent · safety 68 · walk 10
North Central
The official district glues Fremont, Wallingford, Green Lake, and Phinney Ridge. Search those names. The troll, the lake loop, and the Sunday streets are all in here.
$2,129 median rent · safety 58 · walk 42
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Interbay or North Central?
North Central is the lower ACS median: $2,193 vs $2,129. About 59% rent in North Central vs 71% in Interbay. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Interbay more walkable than North Central?
North Central wins the errand count (walk 10 vs 42). Groceries inside 800 meters: 7 vs 25. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Interbay or North Central?
Interbay is the calmer Part I read (68 vs 58). Combined rate 29.7 vs 39.4 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Interbay or North Central?
North Central leads the school axis (81 vs 42). Nearby rating is 8.0 / 10 vs 6.8 / 10. Median age 34.7 vs 34.7. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
14 minutes from Interbay to Downtown, 16 from North Central. Interbay is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official district that is not Interbay or North Central: 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.
Scores are relative among official Seattle Neighborhood Map Atlas districts with the same editorial weights. Read the method.