City comparison
Redmond, WA versus Seattle, WA is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $2,501 a month in Redmond and $2,501 in Seattle, and median household income lands at $155,287 versus $116,068. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Redmond takes job market, while Seattle takes schools. The widest gap is median income, where Redmond leads by 34% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.
Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Redmond can feel further apart than Redmond and Seattle do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Redmond and Seattle reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Redmond, WA
Seattle, WA
Rent
Neck and neck
Redmond and Seattle are about even on rent.
Redmond
$2,501/mo
Seattle
$2,501/mo
Typical rent in Redmond is $2,501 a month versus $2,501 in Seattle — close enough that housing cost should not decide the move by itself. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets, then pick the city that wins the categories you actually live in: safety, schools, pay, or weather.
Median income
34% higher
Redmond's median income is 34% higher than Seattle
Redmond
Winner$155,287
Seattle
$116,068
Median household income is $155,287 in Redmond versus $116,068 in Seattle, so typical pay runs 34% higher in Redmond — about $39,219 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Redmond is the stronger labor market on paper. Seattle can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
Neck and neck
Redmond and Seattle are about even on crime index.
Redmond
116 (100 = avg)
Seattle
116 (100 = avg)
Redmond and Seattle post similar crime indexes (116 vs 116, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.
School scores
5% higher scores
Seattle's school scores are 5% higher than Redmond
Redmond
A- · 84/100
Seattle
WinnerA · 88/100
Seattle grades out at A (88/100) against A- (84/100) in Redmond — school scores run 5% higher in Seattle. The citywide gap is modest. For families with kids it is still worth checking the specific campuses you would actually use, because a small composite lead can disappear — or reverse — two neighborhoods over. Redmond is only the better school story if a campus you already researched beats this composite.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Redmond and Seattle are about even on typical weather.
Redmond
66°F typical
Seattle
66°F typical
Outdoor comfort is close between Redmond and Seattle. Typical temperatures sit around 66°F in Redmond and 66°F in Seattle. You are choosing a flavor of season, not paradise versus misery. Visit in the season you currently like least. A long weekend in October lies; a week in July or January does not.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Redmond is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 34% higher here ($155,287). Start with Redmond if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Seattle
Parents — or anyone planning kids in the next few years — should weight Seattle first. School scores run 5% higher (A vs A-). Redmond only wins the school argument if you already have a specific campus in mind that beats this composite.
Bottom line
If the job market is your priority, Redmond is the clear choice.
If schools matters more to you, Seattle pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Redmond offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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Next steps
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