Why Everett, WA, is a great place to buy a home if you’re looking in the Puget Sound region
By Josh Potter
It’s hard to believe, but just 25 miles from Seattle is another of the Puget Sound region’s major cities. No, it’s not Bellevue. It’s not Tacoma, either. We’re talking about Everett, WA, the biggest city in Snohomish County.
Everett is often overlooked because of its proximity to Seattle, but it’s primed for homebuyers looking for affordable homes in an otherwise expensive region. That’s why it’s time to take another look at all the reasons you should live in Everett.
Key takeaways
- Everett is great for all kinds of homebuyers.
- Buying in Everett provides more for the money.
- Everett is an up-and-coming city with a lot of potential for new and seasoned buyers.
About Everett
Everett’s history
After the native Coast Salish were forced onto reservations in the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott, land speculators and lumber investors flooded into the region. The biggest settlement along the Snohomish River began in 1890 and was named for the landowner’s son, Everett Colby. Once all the various land holdings were collected into a municipal government, Everett, Washington, was off and running.
Everett today
Today, Everett is a major hub of commerce along the busy shipping corridors of Puget Sound. With a population of 110,000, it is the county seat and biggest city in Snohomish County but the smallest of three main port cities on Puget Sound which means that Everett has historically been overlooked. But soaring prices and exploding populations in Puget Sound have given Everett new life among newcomers and locals alike. People who are looking for that unique Pacific Northwest experience without the shocking price tag are attracted to Everett.
Let’s look at 7 reasons to live in Everett.
Snohomish County is a great alternative to the more expensive King County.
Snohomish County sits just north of King County, where Seattle is, so much of it has a similar vibe to its neighbor to the south. But since Snohomish County is north of the urban and commercial center of Puget Sound, home values and the cost of living are keeping pace with each other more than in King County hot spots.
In Everett, the median home value is $325,000 which is a fraction of Seattle’s median home value of $871,000 according to Zillow. Plus, there is plenty of untapped potential in the areas just outside of Everett where Snohomish County becomes more suburban, exurban, and rural. So whether you’re looking for big-city living or a small-town feel, Everett and the immediate neighborhoods nearby, have something for you.
Key attractions
- Lower home prices
- Close to Seattle
- Small town and big city potential
Everett has plenty of parks for all kinds of classic Pacific Northwest outdoor activities.
Everett has the reputation that it’s a more industrial town than its neighbors to the south. Yes, Everett is a working port and company town with Boeing manufacturing planes there, but Everett is also just as naturally beautiful as any city in the Northwest.
Everett is right on the water of Puget Sound in the tidelands where the Snohomish River meets the sea. From its many waterfront parks, residents get sweeping views of the Olympic Mountains across the Sound. Take a ferry to Jetty Island just off the mainland or stay right in the city and enjoy Howarth Park right on the water.
Key attractions
- Jetty Island
- Howarth Park
- Snohomish River
Everett is a big city with a small-town vibe.
After Everett’s initial boom, it went through many different variations and phases. One thing that’s remained the same, though, is the city’s downtown core full of shops with local goods and the surrounding area’s red brick warehouses that look the same as they did a hundred years ago.
For that reason, despite Everett’s size, it still feels like a small community with a lot of amenities that keep it tight-knit and family friendly. The Everett Farmers Market is famous for the quality of local produce and goods while the public marina is perfect for launching any kind of pleasure craft to enjoy the waterways nearby.
Key attractions
- Shopping and dining along Hewitt Street
- Everett Waterfront
- Everett Farmers Market
Everett is perfect if you want to root for a hometown sports team.
If you’re still heartbroken over the Supersonics leaving Seattle or can’t quite take another season of the Mariners’ near-misses, then Everett is a place to find a local team to root for.
The Everett Silvertips is the city’s major junior hockey team, composed of young adults from 16-21 years of age. The Everett Aquasox is the city’s minor league baseball team affiliated with the Mariners.
Tickets are affordable and games are fun, win, lose, or draw. But even if you want that big stadium thrill of a major sports league, all the Seattle sports teams are just one major city away.
Key attractions
- Funko Field
- Angel of the Winds Arena
Commuters will appreciate the transportation options in Everett.
Since Everett is such a hub for Snohomish County, the community around it is committed to moving its residents through the region. Its central location in Puget Sound means that residents can live in Everett and work all over without adding too many minutes to their commute.
The Sounder train into Seattle is one of the most popular options to get to Seattle in under an hour. Ride the Everett Transit buses all around the city and community transit buses to farther-flung places in Snohomish County. Even Bellingham isn’t out of reach if you commute from Everett on I-5. And remember that property values are likely to increase once Sound Transit adds an Everett stop to their Light Rail in fifteen years.
Key attractions
- Sounder Train
- Everett Transit
- Community Transit
Everett has a rich cultural landscape that rivals any nearby metro region.
It’s true that you might not think of museums, art galleries, dining or music when you think of Everett, but that’s a mistake. The truth is, there’s plenty to do in Everett and much of it is culturally enriching.
Between the Schack Art Center, the Everett Performing Arts Center and the Future of Flight museum, Everett has something to scratch that intellectual and creative itch. And all the galleries, music venues, and a growing list of award-winning restaurants in Everett should round out anyone’s entertainment agenda.
Key attractions
- Schack Art Center
- Future of Flight
- Angel of the Winds Arena
Employment rates in Everett are high while crime is low and home values are stable.
Boeing is king in Everett, accounting for over 25 percent of the jobs in the city. But the economy has diversified in recent years. Recently, the health and education sectors have taken up a larger share of the business to tell a story of decreasing poverty rates and increasing employment rates across the whole region.
As expected, then, with employment and poverty going in the right directions, crime is lower than ever in Everett with violent crime hovering around the national average.
This all spells a strong economy in Everett where home prices are currently level, but home values are trending up.
Key attractions
- Boeing
- Providence Regional Medical Center
- Funko
Takeaway
It’s time to stop overlooking Everett. This centrally located, historic city is primed for buyers to get great value and enjoy a high quality of life. Living here provides the same creature comforts and amenities as any of the larger cities in surrounding counties with a lower price tag. With restaurants, entertainment, a waterfront, low crime and high employment, it’s only a matter of time before Everett’s secret gets out.
FAQ about living in Everett
Is Everett safe to live in?
Everett’s crime rates hover around the national average as reported by bestplace.net. What does that mean? Everett is about as safe as most metro areas. Violent crime rates are lower than property crime and the more suburban neighborhoods tend to have even lower crime rates than closer to downtown.
What is Everett known for?
In short, Boeing. But that doesn’t tell the whole story of Everett. Yes, the biggest of the country’s airplane production plants are in Everett. But Everett is home to the largest public marina on the west coast, too. It’s also on the mouth of the beautiful, glacial Snohomish River and has classic Northwest views of the Olympic Mountains mixed with urban and suburban living opportunities.
Is it expensive to live in Everett?
Compared to other nearby major cities, it is much cheaper to live in Everett. In Everett, the median income is $60,000 with a median property value of $322,000. That’s a much smaller gap between the incomes and property values you’ll find in Seattle.
Meanwhile, bestplaces.net rates Everett’s cost of living as 118 percent of the national average while places like Seattle, Bellevue and Mercer Island climb to above 170 percent.
Does it snow in Everett Washington?
Every once in a while, the Pacific Northwest experiences a snowstorm but the climate in Everett is similar to that of the rest of Puget Sound: temperate and, generally, just above or below freezing in the winter.
About the author: Josh Potter works for Flyhomes. He is a writer and journalist based in Seattle, Washington.
