Seattle/Compare
Magnolia vs Northwest
Magnolia and Northwest are two official districts in Seattle. Magnolia is the calmer Part I map (84 vs 79). Northwest wins the errand count. Northwest has the lower ACS median ($1,925).
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 | Magnolia | Northwest |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 84 | 79 |
| Schools | 100 | 61 |
| Walk | 17 | 28 |
| Cost fit | 97 | 100 |
| Vibe | 6 | 22 |
| Median rent | $2,578 | $1,925 |
| Median home | $1,331,412 | $974,623 |
| Population | 17,077 | 48,539 |
| Commute to Downtown | 18 min | 26 min |
| Commute to South Lake Union | 20 min | 22 min |
| Commute to University | 28 min | 22 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Magnolia | Northwest |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 29% | 43% |
| Median age | 41.4 | 40.6 |
| Median income | $203K | $140K |
| Part I per 1k | 27.3 | 28.2 |
| Groceries / 800m | 8 | 18 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 116 | 111 |
| Parks / 800m | 36 | 64 |
| 311 last 14 days | 183 | 908 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Seattle city. Up 79% since 2014. Magnolia is 27% above the 2024 city median. NW is 5% below 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 Magnolia if the school rating nearby is the point and the shorter ride to Downtown is the point. Schools score 100 vs 61. 18 vs 26 minutes to Downtown. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Northwest if the rent gap is the point and you want the cafes and the night. ACS median rent is $1,925 vs $2,578. Vibe is 22 vs 6. Walk is 28 vs 17. Read both pages before you decide.
Magnolia
A peninsula with one way in. Discovery Park is the amenity; the quiet is the product. You will drive more than you think, and hear less than almost anywhere else on this map.
$2,578 median rent · safety 84 · walk 17
Northwest
Greenwood’s strip and Broadview’s bluff. Search Greenwood; the official district runs to the county line. More house than Fremont, more car than Ballard.
$1,925 median rent · safety 79 · walk 28
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Magnolia or Northwest?
Northwest is the lower ACS median: $2,578 vs $1,925. About 43% rent in Northwest vs 29% in Magnolia. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Magnolia more walkable than Northwest?
Northwest wins the errand count (walk 17 vs 28). Groceries inside 800 meters: 8 vs 18. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Magnolia or Northwest?
Magnolia is the calmer Part I read (84 vs 79). Combined rate 27.3 vs 28.2 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Magnolia or Northwest?
Magnolia leads the school axis (100 vs 61). Nearby rating is 8.6 / 10 vs 7.4 / 10. Median age 41.4 vs 40.6. Northwest has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
18 minutes from Magnolia to Downtown, 26 from Northwest. Magnolia is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official district that is not Magnolia or Northwest: 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.
Scores are relative among official Seattle Neighborhood Map Atlas districts with the same editorial weights. Read the method.