A King County city between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington
Shoreline is a King County city that’s home to about 62,200 people. Shoreline’s name reflects its location between two shores and two geographic boundary lines. Puget Sound is to the west, and Lake Washington is to the east. Seattle's city limits are to the south, and the Snohomish County line is to the north. "The geography is nice, in that it's easy and convenient to get to popular areas like Seattle and Bellevue," says Shoreline Rotary Club President Jim Pullin, managing broker at Skyline Properties and the immediate past president/board member of the Shoreline Rotary Club.
Some of the larger companies with a presence in Shoreline are Amazon, the U.S. Postal Service, Keurig Green Mountain, Dropbox, Unilever, Costco and Starbucks. Commuters to Seattle have a drive of about 12 miles, and tech hubs like Bellevue and Redmond are about a 20-mile drive away.
The area is part of the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the Duwamish and Suquamish Tribes. In the mid-19th century, homesteading spurred much of northwest King County's development. At the time, the U.S. government was selling land for $1.25 per acre, enticing many newcomers. Later, state Route 99 and the electric Seattle-Everett Interurban Railway made travel to the region more convenient, though the Interurban discontinued its operation in 1939.
Shoreline is a coastal neighborhood in Washington.
Beautiful homes close to the beach are available in Shoreline, Washington.
The Interurban Trail is a nearly 14 mile long trail that cuts through Ballinger Park.
The City of Shoreline sits along the Puget Sound in Washington.
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Shoreline's parks, trails, urban forestry and community gardens
Richmond Beach Saltwater Park is a site with Puget Sound access and an off-leash dog area. The Buddy Shoreline Walk is a flat, easy trail that stretches about a mile and a half along the Sound. Inland, the Interurban Trail stretches 24 miles between Seattle and Everett. It includes the North Bike Connector and a link to the Burke-Gilman Trail, which continues into Seattle. A free, volunteer-led city program, Shoreline Walks, promotes the exploration of different trails, neighborhoods and parks.
In addition to the scenery of the Sound, the city is in proximity to other water sites, such as Lake Ballinger and Echo Lake. Trees are an important part of the landscape of Shoreline. Homeowners are encouraged to plant them through the Communi-trees Program, facilitated by the city's Urban Forestry Program. The aim is to attain 40% tree canopy coverage by 2050. Shoreline also has two organic community gardens, Twin Ponds and Sunset School, both of which provide produce to local food banks.
There are also golfing options in the area, with Jackson Park Golf Course, which is open to the public, and the Seattle Golf Club, a members-only establishment.
Shoreline has many parks with stunning waterfront views.
Ballinger offers families plenty of outdoor spaces to enjoy a relaxing day.
Nile Shrine Golf Course near Ballinger is a public course to practice your swing.
There are sports fields and parks throughout Ballinger.
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Homes in neighborhoods like The Highlands and Ballinger
Shoreline was voted No. 21 in the 50 best places for families to live in the U.S. in 2024, according to Fortune. The median home price in Shoreline as of 2024 is $800,000, which is higher than that of Mountlake Terrace, at $650,000, but lower than Seattle's, at $845,000. The neighborhood with the highest average home values is The Highlands, located in southwest Shoreline on the Sound. Five homes had sold in The Highlands over 12 months as of late 2024. These are spacious homes of 3,400 to 9,400 square feet, and the median price was $4.2 million. Two other Sound-adjacent neighborhoods, Innis Arden and Richmond Beach, have the next highest home values. "Many people like Shoreline for the privacy and the estates," Pullin says. "Innis Arden is a very nice, luxurious, private community with incredible views,"
The neighborhoods farthest from the Sound, Ballinger and Briarcrest, have lower home values. Ballinger's median price over 12 months was $685,000. Included are midcentury ramblers, split levels and some newer contemporaries and condos. Briarcrest has similar homes, and the median was $740,000.
Step inside this Turtle Rock haven and let it captivate your heart.
Stunning modern styling has this home standing out in the Echo Lake neighborhood.
You can find your next home in Briarcrest in one of its quiet residential streets.
Find a rambler in Ballinger and make it home.
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About 9,600 attend Shoreline School District schools
The Shoreline School District earns an A grade from Niche and serves about 9,600 students across more than a dozen schools. "Lots of people who work in Seattle like living in Shoreline because of the strong school district," Pullin says. Zoning is structured around the east and west sides of Interstate 5. District-wide offerings include an early learning center and a choice-based community school for kindergarten through eighth grade.
Neighboring districts within King County include Northshore School District, which receives an A-plus, and Seattle Public Schools, which has an A-minus. Mountlake Terrace, part of Snohomish County, is served by the Edmonds School District, which has a B-plus. Families wishing to apply for a choice transfer to another school district may do so through a request at the state level. Nearby institutions of higher education include Shoreline Community College.
Shorecrest High School serves students living in Ballinger, Washington.
Kellogg Middle School is shaping future leaders in the Ballinger neighborhood.
Echo Lake Elementary School is shaping future leaders today.
Albert Einstein Middle School is located in Shoreline, Washington.
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Aurora Village Center, Ballinger Village and other shopping areas
In north Shoreline, on SR-99, Aurora Village Center is a large shopping area with banks, medical service providers, restaurants and big-box stores. Ballinger Village shopping center is to the northeast of the city. There is also a movie multiplex Regal Cinebarre Mountlake, which plays first-run and locally produced short films. South along SR-99 are more shopping centers, including Aurora Square and Pepper Hill Center. There are additional businesses and eateries in Shoreline's southeast, close to state Route 522, known locally as Bothell Way Northeast.
Grocery options in Shoreline include Fred Meyer, Plaza Latina, Town & Country Market and Ballinger Thriftway, which sells on goods from small area farms, bakeries and ranches. The Shoreline Farmers Market is open from early June to early October. There are also one-day harvest-themed markets in the fall and winter.
Aurora Village Center has big box stores in the Echo Lake neighborhood.
Inside Sky Nursery, the little cafe serves up crafted coffee drinks to Shoreline locals to enjoy
Town & Country Market is a local grocery chain that serves the Shoreline community.
Ballinger residents stop at Thriftway to grab their groceries and other needs.
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King County Metro buses, new Link light rail station
Both I-5 and SR-99 run north to south through the city. It's a straight shot south to reach Seattle. King County Metro buses have routes throughout Shoreline, including one from Shoreline Community College to the Kenmore Park & Ride.
Sound Transit's Link light rail was extended into the area in 2024 with the opening of the Shoreline South/148th Station. Stops on the 1 Line from Lynnwood City Center to Angle Lake include more than a dozen Seattle neighborhood stations and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, otherwise known as Sea-Tac.
Though it's about 25 miles from Shoreline to Sea-Tac, there's a closer option for flights on Alaska Airlines. In Everett, about 14 miles north of Shoreline, is Seattle Paine Field International Airport, also called Paine Field and Snohomish County Airport. "It's gorgeous, and it's comparably priced to Sea-Tac," Pullin says.
Celebrate Shoreline, Pride, Juneteenth and other events
Celebrate Shoreline, the city's birthday party, is held each August in Cromwell Park. The volunteer event Green Shoreline Day is held in mid-November, and other park-based ecological restoration events take place throughout the month. Other annual events include a Pride Celebration at the Shoreline Farmers Market, Juneteenth at Shoreline City Hall and the Hamlin Halloween Haunt at Hamlin Park. The Spartan Recreation Center hosts a kids' Halloween costume party at its indoor playground and a Dia de Los Muertos celebration at the beginning of November. The 3rd of July Family Celebration takes place at Ballinger Park.
A kickoff event for the region-wide Seafair festival, the Tour de Terrace, is held in nearby Mountlake Terrace. This multi-day event attracts tens of thousands, with a parade, car show, street fair and carnival.
Shoreline crime rates and environmental concerns
FBI data shows that the city's violent crime rate at the end of 2023 was 61 per 100,000, compared to a state rate of 87 and a national rate of 119. The rate is also about 24% lower than that of neighboring Mountlake Terrace and half the number for Seattle. Shoreline's property crime rate is about 12% lower than that of Mount Lake Terrace and 70% lower than Seattle.
Maintaining and even further improving Shoreline's water quality remains a top priority. The city is recognized as Washington's first Salmon-Safe area, a certification earned due to its commitment to reducing pesticide use and minimizing other pollutants.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
