Places › Washington › Bothell

Living in Bothell, WA

Suburb in Washington

Bothell is a suburb in Washington, home to about 49,000 people, with 2.9 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Bothell a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 10 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 75°F
  • Family-friendly: playgrounds, family attractions and plenty of households with kids
  • Great outdoors: hills or mountains nearby

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $834k, and rent is $3,270 a month

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Bothell ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
49,000
2.9 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
48°F / 75°F
Average daily highs · 4″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$834k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$3,270/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
111
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$70
State income tax per resident · 0.78% property tax
Safety
0.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
13 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
10
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
59%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
SEA
23 mi away

Living in Bothell: common questions

What is the cost of living in Bothell?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $834k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,270 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 111, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Bothell?

Washington collects about $70 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.78% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Bothell safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.2× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Bothell?

Bothell has cool winters: winter days average around 48°F and summer days around 75°F, with roughly 4″ of snow a year.

Does Bothell get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 13 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.92 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Bothell?

The nearest major airport is SEA, about 23 mi away.

How Bothell scores

Each bar compares Bothell with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Mid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cool winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Poor
💸Low taxes Good
💼Job market Good
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Excellent
🧸Kids & family Excellent
🐕Dog-friendly Excellent
⛰️Outdoors Excellent
🎭Culture Good
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Bothell right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.