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Buildings in Bothell lit at night under a cloudy sky

Home · Communities · Bothell

Community guide · 07 of 08

Living in
Bothell.

A city that straddles two counties, with a rebuilt downtown on the river and newer neighborhoods spreading north.

Photo: Henry Fraczek on Unsplash. Bothell at night.

County
King and Snohomish counties
Public schools
Northshore School District for most addresses; confirm on the Snohomish County side
Link light rail
No Link station. Buses from King County Metro, Sound Transit and, on the north side, Community Transit.
Main roads
I-405, SR 522, SR 527
Water
The Sammamish River; no lake frontage in the city
Trails and open space
Burke-Gilman Trail, Sammamish River Trail, North Creek Trail
Housing, broadly
Condos downtown, 1960s to 2000s homes, newer subdivisions and townhomes to the north
Official city site
bothellwa.gov

Facts from official city, school district, transit and park sources, checked November 2026. Confirm school assignment by address.

The place

Landscape and character

Bothell sits where the Sammamish River leaves its valley, at the junction of I-405 and SR 522. The historic downtown on Main Street has been substantially rebuilt, and the University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia College share a campus nearby. North along I-405, Canyon Park is a business park with biotech and technology employers.

The city lies in both King and Snohomish counties. Which county a home is in affects taxes, services and, sometimes, the school district.

Homes

What you find here

Downtown has added condos and apartments. South and central Bothell have houses from the 1960s to the 1990s. The north side, in Snohomish County, has many newer subdivisions and townhomes, and some areas with Bothell mailing addresses are unincorporated.

Daily life

A normal week

  • ParksBlyth Park on the river, North Creek Forest, and the Park at Bothell Landing.
  • ErrandsMain Street downtown, Canyon Park and the shopping centers along SR 527.
  • TrailsBothell is where the Burke-Gilman Trail meets the Sammamish River Trail, so you can ride toward Seattle or Redmond.

Getting around

Connections and limits

Schematic map of Seattle and the Eastside, not to scale I-5I-405I-90SR 520SR 522SR 202 LINK 1 LINELINK 2 LINE PugetSoundLake WashingtonLake Sammamish NSeattleBellevueKirklandRedmondSammamishIssaquahBothellWoodinville
HighwaysLink light railWaterSchematic, not to scale. Select a city to open its guide.

I-405 runs north and south through the city; SR 522 heads southwest along Lake Washington toward Seattle, and SR 527 runs north. There is no light rail. Buses on SR 522 and I-405 connect to Seattle, Bellevue and Link stations; Community Transit serves the Snohomish County side.

Why no commute timesThey change with the hour, the season, tolls and construction. Test the trips you will make at the times you will make them, or use the transit agencies’ trip planners.

Inside the city

Neighborhoods are not the city

A few of the areas inside Bothell, and what each one trades. Not a complete list; ask us about any street.

AreaCharacterHousingThe trade-off
Downtown BothellMain Street, the Anderson School and the river parks.Condos, apartments and older houses nearby.Walkable and on the trails; still changing.
Canyon Park and North CreekBusiness park and neighborhoods along I-405.Townhomes and 1980s to 2000s houses.Close to employers; freeway noise.
North BothellSnohomish County, toward Mill Creek.Newer subdivisions and townhomes.Newer homes; different county services.
Westhill and the southResidential hills near Kenmore and the river.Houses from several decades.Close to downtown; hilly streets.

Trade-offs

What you gain, what you give

What you gain

  • A rebuilt, walkable downtown
  • The Burke-Gilman and Sammamish River trails
  • Direct access to I-405 and SR 522
  • Newer homes on the north side

What you may give up

  • No light rail
  • Two counties with different rules
  • Freeway noise near I-405
  • No lake frontage

Before you buy here

What we check on a property

The items that come up most often in Bothell, in addition to a standard inspection.

  • County. King or Snohomish: confirm for taxes, permits and services.
  • City limits. Some Bothell addresses are unincorporated and follow county rules.
  • School district. Confirm by address, especially north of the county line.
  • Floodplain. Near the Sammamish River and North Creek: check maps and insurance.
  • HOA. Newer subdivisions and townhomes usually have one.

Official sources