Neighborhood
Columbia City
Seattle, Washington US
Columbia City, Seattle, Washington has a balanced but softer pricing profile: prices are about 19% below Seattle and about 33% above Washington, while gross yield is 2.8% and prices are down 3.3% over the past year. The Red Flag score of 41 is comparatively lower, paired with walkability of 93 and education in the 85th percentile.
AI Summary•Updated May 2026
Area
0.63 mi²
ZIP Code
98118
County
King County
State
Washington
Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesEPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024
Verified Price · Median Sale
$797,213
YoY-3.3%
Gross Rental Yield
2.8%
Listed rent · ZORI annualized
Red Flag Index
Moderate
41 / 100
Walkability Score
93
OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile
Education Score
85 / 100
Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy
AI Score
46
DistrictScore attractiveness · national model
Columbia City Property Prices & Rental Yield
Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for Columbia City, Seattle.
Unlock the Columbia City 12-month price trend
See the full Verified vs Listed price history — free with a DistrictScore account.
Sign in to view — freeMarket Economics Snapshot
May 2026| Metric | Value | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $797,213 | -3.3% |
| Price / Sq Ft (Verified) | $469/sqft | -0.8% |
| Asking Rent (Median) | $1,831/mo | +0.0% |
| Gross Rental Yield | 2.8% | — |
| Liquidity Score | 38 / 100 | Moderate |
| Homes Sold (Period) | 138 | +19.0% |
Is Columbia City Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk
FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Washington crime context.
Unlock the Columbia City hazard breakdown
See all eight FEMA hazard scores — free with a DistrictScore account.
Sign in to view — free What Stands Out AI Insight
Highly walkable neighborhood — score 93/100
Active transaction volume — 138 homes sold last period
Dense amenities — 48 dining & 16 grocery options nearby
Earthquake risk is Very High (100/100)
Insights are generated from Columbia City's live DistrictScore metrics.
Columbia City Environment & Safety
Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Washington-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.
Washington Crime Trend
FBI UCR20132024
All crimes / 1k
Violent / 1k
| Year | Crimes / 1k | Violent / 1k | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 27.9 | 3.3 | -13.0% |
| 2023 | 32.5 | 3.6 | -12.5% |
| 2022 | 37.5 | 3.8 | +11.9% |
| 2021 | 33.7 | 3.4 | +12.1% |
| 2020 | 30.3 | 2.9 | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 30.3 | 3.0 | — |
Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; Columbia City inherits the Washington figures.
Radon Potential
EPAZone 3
Zone 3 — Lowest potential · Columbia City
EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.
Environmental Hazards
EPA / BTSSuperfund (NPL)4.0 kmModerate
Industrial odor1 nearbyModerate
Aviation noise49 dBVery Low
Point-source screening near Columbia City: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.
Walkability & Amenities in Columbia City
Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.
Walkability & Amenities
OpenStreetMap POI93
Walker's Paradise
Walkability Score
16
Grocery
48
Dining
6
Schools
0
Universities
4
Hospitals
1
Pharmacies
6
Parks
1
Rail Transit
0
Coworking
POI counts are amenities within Columbia City's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.
Columbia City vs Seattle vs Washington
How Columbia City benchmarks against its city and state medians.
Unlock the Columbia City benchmark
Compare Columbia City against Seattle and Washington medians — free with a DistrictScore account.
Sign in to view — freeBuying Property in the US as a Foreigner
Federal & Washington tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.
Buying as a Foreigner
US Tax & OwnershipApplies to everyone7
Capital Gains (Federal)
Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).
Property Tax
Property tax: ~0.74% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).
State Income Tax
No state income tax — rental income is not taxed at the state level.
State Capital Gains
No general income tax; the 7% capital gains tax exempts real estate.
Transfer Tax
Real estate transfer tax: REET graduated 1.1-3% (mansion-style).
Assessment Cap
No Proposition 13-style assessment cap; property is reassessed at market value.
Mansion Tax / Rent Control
Statewide rent control caps rent increases (HB 1217; 9.683% max for 2026); transfer tax is mansion-style.
US citizens & tax residents6
Primary-Home Exclusion
Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.
1031 Like-Kind Exchange
A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.
Depreciation Recapture
Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).
Mortgage Interest Deduction
Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).
Opportunity Zones
Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.
Rental Income (Resident)
Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.
Foreign buyers (non-residents)5
FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)
FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.
Non-Resident Capital Gains
Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.
Non-Resident Rental Tax
Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).
Estate Tax (Non-Resident)
Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.
ITIN Requirement
Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.
Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor
FIRPTA, ITIN & Washington property-tax guidance for foreign buyers
Columbia City Real Estate FAQ
Columbia City, Seattle, Washington has a mixed profile. Prices are about 19% below Seattle and about 33% above Washington, gross yield is 2.8%, and prices are down 3.3% over the past year. The Red Flag score is 41.
Neighborhoods near Columbia City
Compare Columbia City with nearby neighborhoods in Seattle.
Unlock deeper insights on Columbia City
Deeper data. Smarter decisions. Stronger returns.
Full Risk Reports
Tract-level hazards
Investment Score
AI-driven analysis
Export & Reports
PDF & Excel
Priority Support
Fast-track help
Get Pro Access7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.