Bothell is one of the few Washington cities split across two counties, and one of the region's biggest biotech hubs — anchored by the former Seagen campus, now part of Pfizer. Zillow put the typical Bothell home value at just over $1.01 million as of July 2026, while Redfin's citywide median sale price ran closer to $1.2 million in August 2026. It sits north of Kirkland and Kenmore along SR-522, shares one highly rated school district with Woodinville and Kenmore, and offers a genuinely walkable downtown built around a river and a historic schoolhouse-turned-brewpub. Here's what actually matters if you're considering a purchase here.
Where Bothell fits
Bothell sits at the north end of the Eastside, along the Sammamish River where it straddles the boundary between King and Snohomish counties — one of only a handful of Washington cities split this way. The city covers roughly 14.4 square miles and had an estimated population of about 51,770 as of April 2024, up from 48,161 at the 2020 Census, making it the 27th-largest city in the state. It borders Kenmore and Lake Forest Park to the west, Woodinville to the east, and Mill Creek and unincorporated Snohomish County to the north, with Kirkland a short drive south. Because the city grew by annexing land in both counties over the decades, a Bothell mailing address doesn't tell you which county — or which county's property tax rate and levies — actually apply to a given home.
Getting around: SR-522, I-405, and a bus rapid transit line on the way
Bothell's main connections are SR-522, which runs southwest toward Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, and Seattle, and I-405, which connects south to Kirkland, Bellevue, and Renton. Without traffic, downtown Seattle is typically a 20-25 minute drive via either route, though peak-hour congestion can push that well past 45 minutes. Kirkland and downtown Redmond are both roughly 15-20 minutes south and east. Transit is improving: Sound Transit broke ground in 2026 on the Stride S3 bus rapid transit line, which will run battery-electric buses along SR-522 between Bothell and Shoreline via Kenmore and Lake Forest Park, though it isn't expected to open for riders until 2028. In the meantime, existing King County Metro and Community Transit routes already run the SR-522 corridor today.
One school district, on both sides of the county line
Most of Bothell is served by Northshore School District 417, the same district that covers Woodinville and Kenmore. The district runs more than 30 schools for over 21,000 students and is one of the higher-rated districts in the state — and notably, it crosses the King-Snohomish county line itself, so most Bothell buyers don't need to worry about the county split changing which schools their kids attend. That said, district attendance zones don't always follow city limits or county lines cleanly, so confirm the assigned elementary, middle, and high school for any specific address before writing an offer.
Bothell's neighborhoods
Bothell's neighborhoods split fairly clearly between an older, walkable core and newer development further out:
- Downtown Bothell — the historic core along the Sammamish River, anchored by Bothell Landing Park, with newer mixed-use apartment and townhouse development as part of the city's long-running downtown redevelopment.
- Canyon Park — a business and biotech hub in the northeast part of the city, with newer residential development nearby and Skyview Middle School serving many of its families.
- North Creek — home to North Creek High School and the North Creek Forest and trail system, with a mix of newer subdivisions.
- Norway Hill — an elevated, quieter residential area with larger lots and, from some streets, peek-a-boo views toward the Cascades or Lake Washington.
- Brickyard / Queensgate — on the southeastern edge of the city near the Woodinville border, closer to that city's downtown and wineries than to central Bothell.
The University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia College share a 135-acre campus east of downtown, which shapes the rental market and some of the walkable development immediately around it.
What homes cost in Bothell in 2026
Zillow's typical home value for Bothell ran just over $1.01 million as of July 2026, down modestly from a year earlier. Redfin's median sale price for the city has run higher and moved differently, at roughly $1.2 million in August 2026 — a reminder that different data providers measure different things (a smoothed value estimate versus the actual mix of homes that sold that month) and can disagree, especially in a smaller market where a handful of expensive sales can swing a monthly median. For comparison, King County's overall median sale price was about $845,000 and Snohomish County's was about $724,500 in August 2026 per NWMLS data — both below Bothell's figures, since Bothell's newer construction and biotech-driven demand price it above the typical home in either county. Ask your agent for comparables specific to the neighborhood, and confirm which county a specific listing sits in.
A biotech hub, not just a bedroom community
Bothell has one of the largest concentrations of life-science employers in the Pacific Northwest, anchored for years by Seagen (formerly Seattle Genetics), which built its headquarters and manufacturing operations in the city before Pfizer acquired it in 2023 for $43 billion. More than 60 life-science and biotech companies have a presence in Bothell today, alongside the Canyon Park business park's broader mix of tech and life-science tenants. That gives Bothell a different job base than most Eastside cities — less dependent on Microsoft and Amazon, and more tied to biotech and pharma employment, which is worth factoring in if you're buying based on proximity to a specific employer.
What's changing in Bothell
The city has spent two decades on a downtown redevelopment plan built around Bothell Landing Park and the Sammamish River, replacing former industrial and contaminated parcels with walkable mixed-use blocks; the city itself owns several key downtown parcels and continues to negotiate future phases of development. Nearby, the century-old Anderson School building was converted into the McMenamins Anderson School hotel, brewery, and movie theater, now a downtown landmark. On transportation, construction is underway on the Stride S3 bus rapid transit line along SR-522, and a separate Sammamish River and Waynita Creek restoration project began in September 2026 to improve salmon habitat and flood resilience near downtown.
What to watch for as a buyer
- Confirm which county a listing is in. The King-Snohomish line runs through Bothell, and property tax rates, some permitting rules, and levy elections differ by county even though schools generally don't. Ask your agent or check the county assessor's site for any specific address.
- Competitive offers on well-priced listings. Bothell's biotech job base and school district draw steady demand, and desirable homes can still see multiple offers. Our guide on how to win a bidding war on the Eastside covers escalation clauses and contingency strategy that apply here too.
- Older homes near downtown and established neighborhoods. Homes from the 1960s through 1990s can hide aging-sewer or drainage issues a walkthrough won't reveal. Our home inspection contingency guide covers when a sewer scope or structural inspection is worth adding.
- Downtown construction and traffic. With redevelopment ongoing near Bothell Landing and the Stride S3 project underway along SR-522, expect periodic construction noise and lane closures near downtown for the next several years.
Getting the whole picture before you write an offer
If you're new to the Washington buying process end to end — budgeting, pre-approval, offers, and closing — start with our first-time buyer guide for King County & the Eastside. And on any Bothell purchase, Washington now requires a signed buyer brokerage agreement before your agent can show you homes or write an offer.
A flat fee buyer's agent for Bothell
A traditional buyer's agent charging roughly 2.5% on a $1.01 million Bothell home costs about $25,250. A flat $2,999 buyer service provides the same core representation — offer strategy, negotiation, contract review, and closing support — while leaving more than $22,000 more for your down payment, closing costs, or moving expenses. See the full breakdown in flat fee vs. a traditional buyer's agent, and who pays the buyer's agent in Washington now that commission rules have changed.
General information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. School district boundaries, county lines, neighborhood characteristics, and market data change over time and vary by specific address — confirm current school assignments with the district, verify which county and city limits apply to any specific home with the relevant county assessor, and check current zoning directly. Market figures cited are approximate and sourced from Zillow and Redfin public market data, NWMLS market snapshot data, and City of Bothell and U.S. Census Bureau figures for the periods noted; actual sale prices vary by home and month. Shi Hao Liu is a licensed WA real estate broker (License #26003789) with Kelly Right Real Estate. Verify any WA broker at the WA Department of Licensing.