Neighborhood in Seattle · King County
University District
Seattle’s University District brings together the shops and cafes of University Way NE, businesses along Roosevelt Way and the University of Washington campus.
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The Ave looking south from NE 45th Street — archival photograph published in 2006
The Ave looking south from NE 45th Street — archival photograph published in 2006
Creator: Gephart
License: Public domain
Changes: Resized and converted to WebP; may be cropped for display.
The Ave, a university campus and two distinct rail stations
About University District
Seattle’s University District brings together the shops and cafes of University Way NE, businesses along Roosevelt Way and the University of Washington campus. U District Station serves the commercial streets, while the separate University of Washington Station is on the Montlake side of campus.
The Ave and Roosevelt Way
University Way NE, usually called the Ave, is a main street of shops, cafes and bookstores beside the university. Roosevelt Way forms another business corridor to the west.
The UW campus adds a different setting east of the commercial streets, with the Quad among its recognizable green spaces. The neighborhood extends beyond the campus itself.
Two university-area stations with different approaches
U District Station is on Brooklyn Avenue NE between NE 43rd and NE 45th streets, near the Ave and the north side of campus. Its surrounding bus stops provide additional neighborhood connections.
University of Washington Station is a separate stop near Montlake Boulevard NE and NE Pacific Street. A destination on the stadium side of campus has a different approach from one near the Ave or UW Tower.
The Burke on campus
The Burke Museum offers a public museum destination on the University of Washington campus. Its galleries cover fossils, Northwest Native art, plants, animals and cultural collections.
Visitors can also look into working labs. The museum’s visitor page provides admission information and a floor guide, while its cafe has an entrance off Memorial Way and 17th Avenue NE.
Check these on a visit
Try these in person before you commit to an address in University District.
- Walk the Ave from NE 45th Street toward the campus-side streets.
- Use U District Station for the Ave; locate the separate UW Station for a Montlake-side destination.
- Include the Burke Museum as a campus stop, using its visitor page for admission details.
Neighborhoods and districts near University District
The closest neighborhoods and districts in Seattle, measured center to center.
Under 1 miCapitol HillCapitol Hill has several overlapping local centers, including Broadway, the Pike/Pine commercial corridor and Cal Anderson Park.
2.3 miQueen AnneQueen Anne’s hilltop streets have a neighborhood business district, while Kerry Park draws visitors to the southern slope for views over Seattle.
4.1 miBallardBallard’s older commercial center follows Ballard Avenue NW, while NW Market Street forms another main business corridor.
4.7 miMagnoliaMagnolia combines a neighborhood village center and residential streets with public recreation around Magnolia Playfield.
6.8 miColumbia CityColumbia City’s historic center follows Rainier Avenue South, where older commercial buildings sit close to houses, apartments, churches and Columbia Park.
8.2 miWest SeattleWest Seattle covers several neighborhoods, with the Alaska Junction’s businesses inland and Alki Beach along the shoreline.
Guides about University District
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.
- The Ave, Roosevelt Way and university settingU District Partnership — About the neighborhoodSource checked
- Current rail station and connecting bus stopsSound Transit — U District StationSource checked
- Station location; construction-era source used only for geographySound Transit — U District station siteSource checked
- Separate station near Montlake BoulevardSound Transit — University of Washington StationSource checked
- Campus museum, collections and visible working labsBurke Museum — Visiting the museumSource checked
Photo credits
- The Ave looking south from NE 45th Street — archival photograph published in 2006Image credits and license
The Ave looking south from NE 45th Street — archival photograph published in 2006
Creator: Gephart
License: Public domain
Changes: Resized and converted to WebP; may be cropped for display.