Redmond vs Kirkland

Both cities offer excellent tech access. Redmond is home to Microsoft's global headquarters with 47,000+ employees, making it ideal for Microsoft workers. Kirkland hosts Google's largest engineering office outside California with 8,000+ employees, plus Meta and other tech companies. Redmond wins for Microsoft employees, while Kirkland is better positioned for Google, Meta, and Seattle tech commuters.

Kirkland wins decisively for waterfront living. Downtown Kirkland sits directly on Lake Washington with public beaches, waterfront dining, and marina access. Redmond has beautiful Sammamish River Trail and access to Lake Sammamish via Marymoor Park, but lacks the direct downtown-waterfront connection that makes Kirkland special.

Kirkland has a significantly more walkable and vibrant downtown. Downtown Kirkland features waterfront restaurants, wine bars, art galleries, and boutique shopping all within walking distance. Downtown Redmond is improving with light rail and mixed-use development, but it's more suburban and car-dependent. For urban walkability, Kirkland is the clear winner.

Redmond is generally 10-15% more affordable than Kirkland. Kirkland's waterfront premium pushes median home prices to $1.3M-$1.5M, while Redmond ranges $1.1M-$1.4M. However, specific neighborhoods vary widely. Kirkland's Totem Lake area is comparable to Redmond prices, while Redmond's Education Hill can match Kirkland waterfront prices.

Yes, both cities share the excellent Lake Washington School District (LWSD), ranked #3 in Washington state. Whether you choose Redmond or Kirkland, your children will have access to the same high-quality public schools, STEM programs, and 95%+ graduation rates. School quality is essentially a tie between these cities.

Both are excellent for families, but Redmond edges ahead for young families. Redmond has a younger median age (33.5 vs Kirkland's 38), more youth sports programs, and Marymoor Park's 640 acres of family activities. Kirkland offers charming beach parks like Juanita Beach. Redmond is better for active outdoor families; Kirkland for waterfront lifestyle families.