Redmond, WA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Washington·Redmond

King County · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue · population 82,195

Growing fast
Redmond, WA
Image: Wikipedia · Redmond, Washington
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
62
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Redmond stands

Home values down 3.0% in the last year. population growing 2.9% per year.

Median home $1,408,840
1-year -3.0%
5-yr CAGR +6.2%
vs 5-yr peak -6.2%
Population +2.9%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2022-06$1409k$579k$906k$1234k$1562k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
52/100
Somewhat walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
30/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
79/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$2,458/mo$1,867$2,266$2,666202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent135124100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 47.8
Rent

At a 47.8 price-to-rent ratio, renting beats buying in Redmond for most shorter holds. The premium you pay to own would take many years of rent savings to recoup, and that's before maintenance, taxes, and opportunity cost on the down payment.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
35 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
71 · w22%
Distance from peak
56 · w18%
Population growth
89 · w16%
Rent YoY
51 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
83 · w10%
Long thesis

Redmond has been growing population at 2.9% per year while home values compounded +6.2% annually. Demand-driven appreciation — the kind that persists as long as people keep showing up, which they currently are.

Short thesis

Redmond carries a $1,408,840 median home with only -3.0% YoY. Premium pricing in a flat tape is the bear setup — you're paying for the trend that already ran while new buyers can't afford to extend it.

About Redmond

Redmond is a city in King County, Washington, with an estimated population of 82,195. It anchors the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area. The population has grown 2.9% per year on average between 2020 and 2024 — among the faster-growing communities in the state. The median home value in Redmond is $1,408,840 as of 2026-04, down 3.0% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.2% annual growth (-6.2% from the 5-year peak). Rents in Redmond average $2,458 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+0.9%). The composite momentum score is 62 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●People are voting with their feet: population growing 2.9% per year since 2020 — that’s faster than ~80% of US cities.
●Healthy 5-year run: +6.2% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.

▼ Bear case

●Expensive AND not growing: median home $1,408,840 with only -3.0% YoY. You’re paying premium pricing for a flat trend.
●Cooling: -3.0% over the trailing year — momentum has stalled.

About Redmond (Wikipedia)

Redmond is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located 15 miles (24 km) east of Seattle. The population was 73,256 at the 2020 census.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorAngela Birney
Area17.24 sq mi
Elevation52 ft
Founded1871
NicknameBicycle Capital of the Northwest
Density4630/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Things to see in Redmond(Landmarks)

  • Redmond City Park

Extracted from the Wikipedia article. Names linked in the source — open the city’s Wikipedia page for details.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for King County right now.

NWS active alerts (WA)Washington Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. King County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Redmond

9 tracked · ranked by median home value
1North Redmond$2,110,659-5.1%
2Overlake$1,518,861-3.8%
3Idylwood$1,496,838-4.3%
4Education Hill$1,359,084-2.7%
5Grass Lawn$1,246,177-2.0%
6Rose Hill$1,148,313-3.5%
7SE Redmond$1,016,930-3.8%
8Downtown$863,491-2.6%
9Bear Creek$747,026-6.0%

Cities like Redmond

Bothell, WA59 · StableLynnwood, WA61 · StableLake Stevens, WA65 · RisingWoodinville, WA58 · Stable

Run the numbers for Redmond

ToolCan I afford Redmond?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Redmond rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Redmond to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolRedmond cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
45° / 35°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
77° / 56°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
152
~42% of year
Annual precip
38″ rain
10″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
High
Earthquake
Very high
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Redmond listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
75%
Very humid climate
Median household income
$90,400
Washington state median
Top industries (state-level)
Tech (Amazon/MS)Aerospace (Boeing)Agriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Redmond

Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.

See all Washington cities →    Browse best-of lists →