Seattle-area neighborhoods, in 20 simple areas

High-rise condos and newer mid-rise buildings around Pike Place, Belltown, the waterfront and South Lake Union. Offices, restaurants and transit are a short walk, and Link light rail runs through downtown. Expect HOA dues, limited parking and very few houses.

Includes: Downtown, Belltown, Pike Place, South Lake Union, Denny Triangle

Walkable streets with condos, townhomes and older houses, from busy Broadway to the quieter lakeside blocks of Madison Park and Leschi. Close to downtown, the First Hill medical centers and Capitol Hill light rail.

Includes: Capitol Hill, First Hill, Madison Valley, Madison Park, Central District, Madrona, Leschi

Hilltop neighborhoods just north of downtown with view homes, older houses and condos near Uptown and Seattle Center. Magnolia adds Discovery Park and quiet residential streets with water on three sides.

Includes: Queen Anne, Uptown, Magnolia

Neighborhood villages with main streets full of shops, breweries and restaurants, a mix of older houses, townhomes and new condos, and quick access to the Ship Canal, Green Lake and the Burke-Gilman Trail.

Includes: Ballard, Sunset Hill, Loyal Heights, Fremont, Wallingford, Phinney Ridge, Green Lake

Mostly single-family streets with older houses and some townhomes, small business districts, and Link light rail at Roosevelt, U District and Northgate. Close to UW, Ravenna Park and the Lake Washington shoreline at Magnuson Park.

Includes: Roosevelt, Ravenna, Bryant, Laurelhurst, Wedgwood, View Ridge, Maple Leaf, U District, Montlake

A peninsula across the West Seattle Bridge with beach walks at Alki and Lincoln Park, the walkable Junction and Admiral business districts, and mostly single-family homes. The water taxi runs to downtown.

Includes: Alki, Admiral, The Junction, Fauntleroy, Arbor Heights, Delridge, White Center, Highland Park

Light rail through the Rainier Valley, Lake Washington parks at Seward Park and Mount Baker, and some of Seattle's lowest entry prices, with older houses, townhomes and new construction. Quick access to downtown, I-5 and Sea-Tac.

Includes: Beacon Hill, Columbia City, Genesee, Hillman City, Mount Baker, Seward Park, Othello, NewHolly, Rainier Beach, Georgetown, South Park

Just north of the Seattle line, with larger lots, wooded streets and mostly single-family homes, Richmond Beach on the Sound, the Burke-Gilman Trail and light rail at Shoreline South and Shoreline North.

Includes: Shoreline, Richmond Beach, Lake Forest Park, Ridgecrest, Echo Lake

Edmonds has a walkable downtown by the ferry dock, beaches and Puget Sound views. Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace add newer condos and townhomes near the Lynnwood City Center and Mountlake Terrace light rail stations, plus established single-family streets. I-5 and the 1 Line run straight into Seattle.

Includes: Edmonds, Woodway, Esperance, Lynnwood, Alderwood, Mountlake Terrace, Brier

Mukilteo sits on the Sound with a waterfront park, lighthouse and the ferry to Whidbey Island. Mill Creek is a planned community with a walkable town center, golf course and trails. Mostly single-family homes, with I-5, I-405 and SR-527 for commutes.

Includes: Mukilteo, Harbour Pointe, Mill Creek, Silver Firs, Martha Lake

The north end's largest city and the towns around it: Everett's downtown, waterfront marina and major employers, plus Marysville, Lake Stevens and historic downtown Snohomish. More house and yard for the money, with lakes, river trails and I-5 south to Seattle.

Includes: Everett, Silver Lake, Marysville, Lake Stevens, Snohomish, Monroe

North-end suburbs where the Burke-Gilman and Sammamish River trails meet: a rebuilt main street in downtown Bothell, Kenmore at the north tip of Lake Washington, and Woodinville's wine country and larger lots. Mostly single-family homes and newer townhomes, with I-405 and SR-522 for commutes.

Includes: Bothell, Canyon Park, North Creek, Kenmore, Woodinville, Hollywood Hill

The Eastside's job and retail center: downtown Bellevue high-rises, established neighborhoods with larger lots in West Bellevue, Clyde Hill and Medina, and Mercer Island in the middle of Lake Washington. I-90, SR-520 and the 2 Line light rail connect to Seattle and Redmond.

Includes: Downtown Bellevue, West Bellevue, Clyde Hill, Medina, Wilburton, BelRed, Crossroads, Factoria, Eastgate, Somerset, Newcastle, Mercer Island

Lakefront parks and a walkable downtown in Kirkland, tech campuses and the Sammamish River Trail in Redmond, and a wide mix of condos, townhomes and newer houses from Juanita to Redmond Ridge.

Includes: Downtown Kirkland, Houghton, Yarrow Bay, Juanita, Finn Hill, Totem Lake, Downtown Redmond, Overlake, Education Hill, Redmond Ridge

Newer single-family neighborhoods on the Sammamish Plateau, a historic downtown in Issaquah, and trailheads at Cougar Mountain, Tiger Mountain and Snoqualmie. More house and yard per dollar than Bellevue, with I-90 for the commute.

Includes: Sammamish, Issaquah, Snoqualmie Ridge, North Bend, Fall City

More house and yard for the money, with planned communities, lakes and the Cedar and Green River trails. Renton sits at the south end of Lake Washington between Seattle and Bellevue, and Kent has Sounder commuter rail.

Includes: Renton, Skyway, Fairwood, Benson Hill, Kent

Newer single-family neighborhoods among lakes and forest southeast of Renton: Lake Wilderness in Maple Valley, Covington's shopping along SR-18, and the small-town feel of Black Diamond. More house and yard per dollar, with SR-18 and SR-169 for commutes.

Includes: Maple Valley, Covington, Black Diamond, Lake Wilderness, Hobart

South-end suburbs with some of the region's lower prices. Federal Way has Dash Point State Park, Puget Sound beaches and quick I-5 access north and south; Auburn has a historic main street, Sounder commuter rail and the Green River Trail. Mostly single-family homes and townhomes.

Includes: Federal Way, Dash Point, Twin Lakes, Auburn, Lakeland Hills, Algona, Pacific

Puget Sound shoreline with beaches, marinas and view homes, close to Sea-Tac Airport, Southcenter and light rail at Tukwila, SeaTac and Angle Lake. Mostly single-family homes, priced below Seattle.

Includes: Tukwila, Southcenter, SeaTac, Angle Lake, Burien, Normandy Park, Des Moines

Ferry-served island living. Bainbridge has a walkable town center in Winslow and a 35-minute ferry to downtown Seattle; Vashon is rural and quieter, reached by ferry from Fauntleroy or Tacoma. Mostly single-family homes, many on wooded or waterfront lots.

Includes: Bainbridge Island, Winslow, Vashon Island, Maury Island