Neighborhood Guide: Pioneer Square, Seattle

Like many of Seattle’s most charming havens, Pioneer Square is a fun mix of vibrancy and the antique. Quaint, yet professional. Stone walkways and vines, yes, but also rice gelato! Good old brick and mortar jive just fine with excitable passengers on bulky duck buses. What we’re trying to say is that Pioneer Square is off-the-charts cool. But is it your next home?

Let’s explore some of what it means to hang your hat in the historic Pioneer Square.

Ye Olde Grand View

If you want the visual tone of the Pioneer Square district, it can be neatly summed up by Occidental Square. That whole area is basically magical. Between the broad herringbone streets, lush trees, and vintage lamp posts, it’s a bright gem in the Pioneer crown. This is all particularly impressive when you realize it used to be a worn-down old parking lot in the seventies.

Pioneer Square sits south of downtown Seattle, so it’s still got some of that urban edge to it. But if you’re into the old-timey look, there are very few neighborhoods that rival Pioneer Square’s classy, traditional style.

Keeping Busy

We hope you like food. There is no shortage of amazing grub in Pioneer Square. Pardon the language, but “Damn the Weather” is an Italian/American dining delight.

Comedy Underground supplies the laughs, Temple Billiards brings the style, and places like Klondike Gold Rush Historical Park paint moving pictures of Seattle history. Used bookstores, toy shops, and trendy cafes have turned the whole district into something unique.

If you’re looking for something more touristy, two big attractions can be found in Pioneer Square. The Seattle Aquarium and Seattle Pinball Museum draw crowds year round. You’ll quickly realize there is no shortage of ways to keep busy in this neighborhood.

Flat Fees

Let’s not skip the bottom line: Rent.

Apartments in Pioneer Square are a little above the average rent for Seattle. That said, you get what you pay for. All the cool stuff mentioned above is factored into the pricing of Pioneer Square’s gorgeous complexes. It may cost a bit, but the access to so much makes it worth it to many residents.

That’s not to say the whole deal is set in stone. Specify your living space needs and keep one ear to the ground while you do your apartment hunting. You never know what will pop up. As always, the further you are from the hottest action, the easier the toll on your wallet.

The Commute Commitment

This one’s pretty relative. It depends on where you work! Pioneer Square is on the Western edge of Seattle, but it’s got a solid center seat on the vertical axis.

Pike Place Market, King Street Station, and Century Link Field are in very short range of Pioneer Square. If your work takes you to downtown Seattle (and there’s a good chance of that), it’s a short walk as well. In this case, you could totally do Seattle without needing a car.

However, a home in Pioneer Square trades downtown’s hive-like bustle for something more relaxed, sacrificing just a wee bit of convenience. And with a light rail connection to Capitol Hill and the University District, you’re looking at some serious fast-travel potential to important city locations.