Is Kent, WA a good/safe place to live?

Question

I'm moving to Seattle area for a new job in one month. I'll be working downtown... but would like to live in the 'burbs. Please tell me about crime, commute time, lifestyle etc. in Kent.

Thanks!

Answer 1

The southern suburbs are more prone to crime, including Kent. A friend of mine owns a townhouse in Kent and in just the last two weeks, he's had to call the police twice. Once because someone was breaking into their car (right in their driveway!) and another because there was some strange person sitting out in the wooded area of their house at 2am.

If you really want to live in the suburbs and want a reasonable commute to downtown, I'd suggest living north of Seattle in Edmonds, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Mountlake Terrace, etc. I would even recommend Bothell or Lynnwood before recommending Kent.

Best of luck to you in your search!!

Answer 2

Living In Kent Wa

Answer 3

Just look for apartments (or if you can afford one, townhomes/condos) in the Renton and Kent areas. Renton and Kent meld right into each other in the area I live, and I grew up around here, so I'm reasonably familiar with the area. You're better off getting a place well within your means and in a decent neighborhood than worrying about more frivolous things, like "how many clubs it's close to". It's not as if you can't drive up to Seattle if you want to burn money at a club, and there are always bars and things in Renton and Kent where you can burn money, too. Otherwise, it's a reasonable area to live in--and it scares all the snoots away, who turn their noses up and end up picking far more expensive places in the Eastside, like Redmond or Bellevue. Given the cost of housing and the cost of living at the moment, bargain-hunting is the only reasonable way to go. My wife and I are quite happy with our two-bedroom apartment in the Kent/Renton area and plan on staying here until we've got a comfortable amount saved up for a house or condo.

Answer 4

I live in Covington (it used to be Kent 10 years ago) and work in the Kent school district. It all depends on where you live in Kent. I would definately look for housing away from the businesses, other than that Kent is very safe, no more crime then other areas equal distance from Seattle. I would highly recommend Covington which seems to have very low crime rates and pretty much is still Kent. The only real crime here is stupid teenage crime such as stolen hood ornaments. Covington is a newer city that is starting to grow, it's very affordable compared to Seattle, and the people there are generally middle-class. It is very close to Kent (it pretty much is Kent, according to most companies, they still consider my address in Kent) and it really won't add any time to your commute. If you are looking for a house Covington definately is your place, if you are planning on living in an apartment, there is only one that I know about called Adagio (I think) but there are plenty of townhomes and houses for rent in the area. If you go much further south you start getting too far away for a doable commute. If you move either north or east of Seattle you will be paying way too much. Good Luck. E-mail me if you need any further recommedations. I do know of a really nice apartment complex (Pebble Cove) in the Fairwood/Renton area.

Answer 5

Avoid living South of Seattle.
Some areas to check out:
Magnolia
Madison Park
Wedgewood
Ballard
Belltown
Queen Anne

Answer 6

South Seattle is higher in crime. North Seattle is more expensive. It just depends on how much you can afford to spend - most people live in the south end because they can't afford the higher priced areas. The first person gave you some good areas, but several are very expensive and closer to downtown than the suburbs you requested. All of the places he gave you are areas of Seattle, not separate cities. Belltown is downtown, Queen Anne borders the north end of downtown, Ballard is just north of Queen Anne, Magnolia is very pricey, and so on. The closer you are to downtown the more expensive it is, and parking is difficult to find. Many apartments closer to downtown charge extra for parking spaces. I live in the north end and love it.

Commute time is a lot longer during rush hour, so depending on your work schedule, plan to spend a lot of time in traffic. If you are working downtown you should consider taking the bus - many employers offer a subsidy for taking public transportation, and parking costs are astronomical if you work downtown. Some places have parking for employees, but they charge for it.

Answer 7

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Is Kent, WA a good/safe place to live?
I'm moving to Seattle area for a new job in one month. I'll be working downtown... but would like to live in the 'burbs. Please tell me about crime, commute time, lifestyle etc. in Kent.

Thanks!

Answer 8

yeah you dont wanna move to Kent or anywhere in that area.
try north seattle Lynnwood shoreline, etc..