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Living in Shoreline, WA

Suburb in Washington

Shoreline is a suburb in Washington, home to about 59,000 people, with 3.0 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Shoreline a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 11 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 75°F
  • Easy flying: SEA is 21 mi away
  • Great outdoors: coast or a lake close by

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $747k, 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 Shoreline ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
59,000
3.0 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
48°F / 75°F
Average daily highs · 4″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$747k
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 · 0.89% property tax
Safety
0.4× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
13 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
11
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
53%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
SEA
21 mi away

Living in Shoreline: common questions

What is the cost of living in Shoreline?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $747k, 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 Shoreline?

Washington collects about $70 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.89% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Shoreline safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.4× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Shoreline?

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

Does Shoreline get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is high, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 13 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 2.08 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Shoreline?

The nearest major airport is SEA, about 21 mi away.

How Shoreline scores

Each bar compares Shoreline 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 Walk & transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cool winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Below average
💸Low taxes Good
💼Job market Good
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Good
🧸Kids & family Excellent
🐕Dog-friendly Excellent
⛰️Outdoors Excellent
🎭Culture Excellent
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

Places like Shoreline

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.

Nearby

See all the best places to live in Washington.

Is Shoreline 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.