Seattle

Shortest commutes to Downtown Seattle

Ranked on distance to Downtown Seattle at 50% and the mean commute time residents report to the Census at 50%. The mean commute includes people who work locally, which is why the two numbers do not always agree.

Updated Sep 2026·59 suburbs considered, 10 listed
1
Aerial photo of Mercer Island as seen from the north-west on a commercial flight from Seattle to Detroit. Despite bringing a microfiber cloth to clean the aircr
Mercer Island$2.00M+ median · 23.6 min commute
Commute B+Housing BCost of living C+
83
Commute score
overall 75 B
2
Seattle Center as night falls.
Seattle$939k median · 26.0 min commute
Commute BHousing D+Cost of living C+
82
Commute score
overall 70 B−
3
The downtown waterfront area of Kirkland, Washington, on the shores of Lake Washington.
Kirkland$1.12M median · 23.9 min commute
Commute B+Housing CCost of living C
80
Commute score
overall 74 B
4
Drone view of Redmond, Washington State, USA
Redmond$1.17M median · 22.1 min commute
Commute A−Housing CCost of living C+
80
Commute score
overall 75 B
5
Drone view of Downtown Bellevue, Washington State, USA
Bellevue$1.34M median · 23.6 min commute
Commute B+Housing C+Cost of living C−
80
Commute score
overall 74 B
6
Overhead view of International Boulevard (formerly Washington State Route 99 in Tukwila, Washington, seen looking north from the Link light rail station
Tukwila$489k median · 24.6 min commute
Commute C+Housing FCost of living C
76
Commute score
overall 49 D+
7
Burien Library of the King County Library System
Burien$639k median · 26.7 min commute
Commute CHousing D−Cost of living C+
72
Commute score
overall 53 C−
8
Birds-eye view of SeaTac, Washington
SeaTac$520k median · 25.4 min commute
Commute CHousing FCost of living B
71
Commute score
overall 50 D+
9
Looking northeast towards City Hall at the corner of Midvale Avenue and 175th St in Shoreline, Washington, USA.
Shoreline$811k median · 27.2 min commute
Commute C+Housing D+Cost of living C
71
Commute score
overall 64 C+
10
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville, Washington, U.S. Photo by Ron Zimmerman. Use only with credit.
Woodinville$1.10M median · 25.5 min commute
Commute B−Housing CCost of living C
70
Commute score
overall 70 B−
This list's weighting
Distance to downtown 50%Mean commute time 50%
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Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Mercer Island (Dllu · CC BY-SA 4.0); Seattle (Jeffery Hayes · CC BY-SA 3.0); Kirkland (Jelson25 · CC BY-SA 3.0); Redmond (Spicypepper999 · CC0); Bellevue (Spicypepper999 · CC0); Tukwila (SounderBruce from Seattle, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0); Burien (Jwinters · Public domain); SeaTac (ImogenCaroline · CC BY-SA 4.0); Shoreline (ECTran71 · CC0); Woodinville (FloweringHearth · CC BY 2.5).