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Neighborhood in Seattle · King County

Ballard

Ballard’s older commercial center follows Ballard Avenue NW, while NW Market Street forms another main business corridor.

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The brick Cors & Wegener Block on Ballard Avenue NW in Seattle, photographed in 2009.

Cors & Wegener Block on Ballard Avenue, photographed in 2009

Historic commercial streets, maritime roots and a wider residential neighborhood

About Ballard

Ballard’s older commercial center follows Ballard Avenue NW, while NW Market Street forms another main business corridor. The historic district is one part of a broader northwest Seattle neighborhood whose fishing and maritime history also appears in the local library’s collections.

Ballard Avenue and Market Street

Ballard Avenue preserves the former business center of an independent town that joined Seattle in 1907. Buildings from the 1890s through the 1940s include storefronts with former lodging rooms or residences above.

NW Market Street later became the main commercial arterial. The landmark district’s boundary map identifies the protected avenue, rather than every residential block using the Ballard name.

A library shaped by Ballard’s maritime history

The current Ballard Branch opened in 2005, with a planted roof that visitors can examine through a periscope. Its Maritime & Fishing Industry Collection covers navigation, boat maintenance and the history of seafaring in the Pacific Northwest and North Pacific.

The original Carnegie library survives on Market Street but is no longer the branch building; the library moved out in 1963.

Golden Gardens beyond the commercial center

Farther northwest, Golden Gardens has a Puget Sound beach, wetlands and a short loop trail. It provides a shoreline outing separate from Ballard Avenue’s shops and the Market Street corridor.

Seattle Parks publishes the park’s location and access details. Dogs are not allowed on its beach, even though other parts of the park have different uses.

Check these on a visit

Try these in person before you commit to an address in Ballard.

  1. Walk Ballard Avenue and NW Market Street as two parts of the commercial center.
  2. Locate the current Ballard Branch separately from the old Carnegie building on Market Street.
  3. Plan Golden Gardens as a separate shoreline stop from the historic district.

Neighborhoods and districts near Ballard

The closest neighborhoods and districts in Seattle, measured center to center.

All Seattle neighborhoods and districts

Guides about Ballard

Schools near Ballard

The 6 closest schools within 5 miles, including any outside the city. Being nearby does not mean a home is zoned for a school: confirm attendance zones with the school or district.

All schools in Seattle

Distances are approximate. They are straight lines from the centre of Ballard, not travel distances, and a home at the edge of the area can be noticeably closer to or farther from a school.

Sources & data notesReferences, reporting periods, and how to use this information

Information on this page is compiled from multiple sources and provided for general information. It may be incomplete or out of date, and we do not guarantee its accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. Independently verify important details with the original source, relevant authority, or a qualified professional before making decisions.

Statistics keep their reporting periods. Survey estimates are not current asking prices or quotes for an individual property. Displayed values are rounded.

Photo credits

  • Cors & Wegener Block on Ballard Avenue, photographed in 2009