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Issaquah vs Bothell

17 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+12.1 pts in Bothell) and conserved land (+19.8 pts in Issaquah).

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Issaquah, WAHomes around $1.11MWashington · 39,591 people
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Bothell, WAKnown for its schoolsWashington · 49,610 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

IssaquahHomes around $1.11M
Housing$1.11M typical home87% above the WA typical home Outdoors#6 most conserved land in WA35 miles of trails across 46 parks and preserves Work30,106 jobsbased in Issaquah, a regional job hub All about Issaquah →
BothellKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 95%of WA districts HealthHealthier than 99%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors#40 most trails in WA26 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves All about Bothell →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+12.1 pts
Bothell has grown faster since 2010
Bothell +43.7%Issaquah +31.6%
Conserved land+19.8 pts
Issaquah has more conserved land
Issaquah 25.8%Bothell 6%
Bachelor’s degree++10.7 pts
More adults in Issaquah have a degree
Issaquah 70.5%Bothell 59.8%
Homeowners+8.1 pts renters
Issaquah has more renters
Bothell 65.5%Issaquah 57.4%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $630 more a month in Issaquah

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Issaquah$6,500/mo
Typical home $1.11M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.76% · or rent about $2,590/mo · Housing →
Bothell$5,870/mo
Typical home $995K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $2,346/mo · Housing →

The difference: $630 a month, about $7,500 a year, between Issaquah and Bothell.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Issaquah places higher on 15 of 21 WA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Washington ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
–IssaquahNot graded BBothellSafer than 55% of U.S. towns
Schools
A+IssaquahBetter than 98% of districts in the state A+BothellBetter than 95% of districts in the state
Health
A+IssaquahHealthier than 99% of U.S. towns A+BothellHealthier than 99% of U.S. towns
15Issaquah
6Bothell

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most new homesHousing · 154 towns #126#35 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 104 towns #8#47 Most conserved landOutdoors · 275 towns #6#88 Most walkableOutdoors · 284 towns #95#57 Shortest commuteGetting around · 284 towns #114#151 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 284 towns #10#44 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 284 towns #18#51 Most trailsOutdoors · 236 towns #14#40

Left end = #1 in Washington. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Issaquah’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
IssaquahBothell
Snow a year4″4″
January low36°F37°F
July high76°F77°F
Growing season (days)223d259d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)84th68th
Outdoors & history
IssaquahBothell
Trails35 mi26 mi
Conserved land25.8%6%
Settled18921870
National Register places47
Archive photos5—
Famous people born here1615
Community
IssaquahBothell
Library hours a week43 hrs52 hrs
Colleges in town—2
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

17 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

IssaquahBothellIssaquahBothell
Issaquah ↔ Bothell17 miles apart
Who commutes between them
210 Issaquah residents work in Bothell (1.1% of its workers)
Work & commute in Issaquah →
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

IssaquahBothell
People
Population 39,591Lowest 49,610Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +31.6%Lowest WA: +14.6% +43.7%Highest WA: +14.6%
Median age 37.5±0.7Lowest about the WA average 38.6±1Highest about the WA average
Bothell and Issaquah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.8%±1.9Lowest WA: 21.4% 23.5%±1.9Highest WA: 21.4%
Bothell and Issaquah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.5%±1.3Lowest WA: 16.6% 14.7%±1.2Highest WA: 16.6%
Bothell and Issaquah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 70.5%Highest WA: 39.6% 59.8%Lowest WA: 39.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.9%±1.3Lowest WA: 5.7% 5.2%±0.7Highest WA: 5.7%
Bothell and Issaquah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $154,669±$14kHighest 58% above WA $140,427±$8kLowest 43% above WA
Issaquah and Bothell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $963,000±$50kHighest 71% above WA $925,100±$28kLowest 64% above WA
Issaquah and Bothell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,590±$115Highest 47% above WA $2,346±$65Lowest 33% above WA
Property taxmedian, yearly $7,312 60% above WA $7,312 60% above WA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 39.3%±5.5Lowest WA: 49.9% 51.2%±5.3Highest WA: 49.9%
Below poverty line 5.2%Highest WA: 9.9% 4.8%Lowest WA: 9.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 57.4%Lowest WA: 63.8% 65.5%Highest WA: 63.8%
Typical home builtmedian year 2002Highest 17 yrs newer than WA 1992Lowest 7 yrs newer than WA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minLowest 5% below WA 28 minHighest 4% above WA
Work from home 38.8%±3.6Highest WA: 19.8% 32.9%±2.8Lowest WA: 19.8%
Issaquah and Bothell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 10.7%Highest 8.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.8 miHighest 10.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.59Highest 1.42Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Seattle (32%)Seattle (26%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 1% work in BothellFew work in Issaquah
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 25.8%Highest 6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 35.0 miHighest 25.7 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.7 miHighest 1.9 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 46Highest 15Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.4Lowest 97.0Highest
Schools
School district Issaquah School DistrictNorthshore School District
High school in town Issaquah High SchoolBothell High School
Students per teacherat that high school 22.0Highest 20.1Lowest
Washington average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Issaquah neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Issaquah’s Town Square.

Bothell neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bothell’s Town Square.

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Set another town beside Issaquah and Bothell

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Bordering Issaquah

+ Compare
Sammamish66,463 people · $1.41M homes
B
+ Compare
Bellevue151,847 people · $1.34M homes

Towns like Issaquah

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Kirkland92,621 people · $1.12M homes
+ Compare
Kenmore23,741 people · $921K homes
+ Compare
Mill Creek20,956 people · $904K homes
R
+ Compare
Redmond77,353 people · $1.17M homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Washington towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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