Uptown

Moving to Seattle? What is Uptown like?

Perched on the southern slope of Queen Anne Hill Uptown stretches from Roy Street down to Denny Way and from Aurora Ave to Elliott Ave W offering sweeping views over Elliott Bay Lake Union and the downtown skyline. Public spaces abound: Seattle Center anchors the area with its theaters, museums, and performance halls while green havens like Kinnear Park, Counterbalance Park, and myriad pedestrian corridors and waterfront trails lend you nature’s refresh at every turn. Privately, Uptown delivers boutique residences and modern condo developments with high‑end finishes, rooftop decks, skyline panoramas, secure parking, and full amenity packages — fitness centers, lounges, gas grills, fire pits — all crafted for those who expect comfort without compromise. For the discerning buyer, Uptown offers not just a home but a lifestyle where culture, nature, and elegance live in elegant harmony.

What’s around the Uptown neighborhood?

EXPLORE

  • Uptown offers tons of public space to explore. You’ll find two Elliott Bay parks - Centennial Park and Myrtle Edwards Park on the Western Edge of Uptown. Kinnear Park, with it’s trails, offleash park and tennis courts, is perfect for a lazy Sunday stroll. Uptown is also home to Seattle Center and Climate Pledge arena, where you’ll find many of Seattle’s festivals, watch the ballet, attend a concert or Kraken game, or play tourist for an afternoon at the Space Needle. There’s also a community P-Patch, which is somewhat of a hidden gem- it’s on the roof of a parking garage.

DINE

  • Uptown has several great strips and hidden gems for foodies. If you’re looking for a casual bite, Mecca Cafe, has been a staple cafe on Queen Anne Ave since 1930. Looking for one of Seattle’s best happy hours, check Petit Toulouse. Uptown offers just about any category of food you can think of, as well as popular bars and a beer hall. Uptown is a great location for foodies.

SHOP

  • Uptown offers three large grocery stores- Metro Market, QFC, and Safeway making grocery shopping convenient for residents. Although Uptown is not a shopping destination, you can find hidden gems, such as The Uncommon Cottage.

Where is Uptown?

North of Belltown
East of Elliott Bay
South of Queen Anne & Interbay
West of South lake Union

Pike Place Market

Downtown Seattle: 10 min (1.8 mi)
SLU: 5 min (1.2 mi)
I-5 Access: 6 min (1.3 mi)
520 Access: 8 min (2.5 mi)
I-90 Access: 10 min (3.7 mi)
Downtown Bellevue: 18 min (10.4 mi)
Pike Place Market: 8 min (1.7 mi)
Queen Anne Shopping 3 min (1.7 mi)

Is Uptown safe?

Facts and resources for Uptown

  1. The name change: Uptown was formerly known as Lower Queen Anne.
    In April 2021, the Seattle City Council passed a resolution officially recognizing the neighborhood as “Uptown” instead of Lower Queen Anne. The intent was to clarify identity, avoid confusion, and ensure consistency in how city entities and mapping services refer to the area.

  2. Uptown is a Designated Urban Center & Arts & Cultural District
    The city designates Uptown as one of its six “Urban Centers,” meaning it is expected to absorb substantial growth in housing, jobs, transit service, etc. Also, since 2017, Uptown has been officially recognized as an Arts & Cultural District, reflecting its high concentration of cultural institutions and activities (from Pacific Northwest Ballet, On the Boards, independent theaters, festivals, etc.).

  3. Parks & Public Spaces with Unique Histories

    • Counterbalance Park at Queen Anne Ave & Roy St: Named for the old streetcar “Counterbalance” line (operated 1890–1940) whose machinery is still underneath parts of Queen Anne Avenue. It’s a small, well-used gathering spot.

    • UpGarden P-Patch: A rooftop garden/urban oasis located atop the Mercer St. Garage. Established 2012. Provides community plots, native plant beds, picnicking lawn: https://upgarden.org/

    • Uptown Parklet: There is a community-initiated tiny park space (parklet) being built outside SIFF Cinema, designed to reflect the arts/cultural identity of Uptown (benches, art, little free library, etc.).

  4. Varied Housing & Architecture
    Uptown has a mix of building types and ages: single-family homes, townhomes, mid-century apartments (1920s–40s, including some Art Deco influences), and newer mixed-use contemporary buildings. You’ll find a rich variety of architectural styles, an attribute that draws many potnetial residents attention.

  5. Transportation & Walkability
    Uptown is highly walkable. Sidewalks cover nearly all streets (~99%), blocks are small (excluding large Seattle Center parcels), and there’s a complete grid that supports pedestrian movement. https://www.psrc.org/media/3777

Uptown/98109 Demographics and Statistics

Population Growth (since 2000): 31%

Population Density (ppl / mile): 16,463.30

Household Size (ppl): 1

Median Age: 37.25

Annual Residential Turnover: 34%

5+ Years in Residency: 17%

Median Year in Residency: 2.01

Households w/ Children: 3%

Population by Age Group

Household Income by Dollar Range

Highest Education Level Attended

Uptown Homes For Sale

Homes currently for Sale in Uptown

Q&A with your Uptown realtor

  • Yes! What, am I going to say no?  Not in this urban area!  Moving into a condo in Uptown is an excellent way to remain ultra walkable. Also, condos are typically maintenance-free and we are seeing a lot of younger career-focused and older populations who want the maintenance-free lifestyle of condos.  There are few larger condos though and many “boutique” condos where you would/should have a roll in maintaining the community.  The beauty of these smaller condos is that it’s almost like co-op living - for the most part it’s still maintenance-free where the building is taken care of by whoever your community hires to take care of it, but you decide as a community what you want in the gardens and such.  Much less work than owning a house but still have the joy of improving something that is growing in value! Uptown also has a great rental market should you want to rent it out later to upgrade to a larger home.

  • Uptown is a great place for single-family residences. Yopu’ll find a variety of architecturally significant older home styles, as well as many modern light-filled houses.  All are in very walkable locations. Homes are easy to maintain as most people hire landscapers and handy-people who can easily access this central neighborhood. School ratings are among Seattle’s best.

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