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Edmonds or Woodway — which community is the right fit for your next home? Terry Vehrs breaks down the real differences in lifestyle, price, privacy, and commute so you can decide before you fall in love with the wrong address.
It’s one of the most common questions I hear from buyers exploring South Snohomish County: “Should we be looking in Edmonds or in Woodway?” Both communities sit on the western slopes above Puget Sound, both share views of the Olympic Mountains, and both fall within the same school district. But the day-to-day experience of living in each one is genuinely different.
I’ve been working in both markets for over four decades. Here’s how I actually explain the difference to buyers sitting across from me at the kitchen table.
The 30-Second Version
Edmonds is a city of over 42,000 people with a walkable downtown, a thriving arts scene, shops and restaurants, and a range of housing types from water view condos to hillside mid-century homes. It has energy, amenities and community infrastructure built over more than a century.
Woodway is one of the smallest incorporated towns in Washington — just over 1,300 residents — with no commercial zoning whatsoever, estate-scale lots, forested privacy, and a deliberate, protected quiet that almost nothing else near a major metro can replicate.
The two communities share a border, but they are serving almost opposite lifestyle priorities. Let’s go through the key differences one by one.
By the Numbers
|
Edmonds ~$940K Median sale price |
Woodway $2M+ Typical home value |
Edmonds 42,000+ Population |
Woodway ~1,300 Population |
Edmonds ~17 days Avg. days on market |
Woodway Months Days on market |
Sources: Redfin market data, Zillow Home Value Index, DataUSA community profile. Market figures reflect recent 2025 data and shift seasonally — contact Terry for a current snapshot specific to your search.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | Edmonds | Woodway |
|---|---|---|
| Character | Vibrant waterfront city with a walkable downtown core, arts district, and diverse neighborhoods | Private, low-density residential enclave — no commercial zones, no through traffic |
| Population | ~42,000 | ~1,300 |
| Price range | ~$550K condos to $2M+ waterfront homes; median around $940K | Typically $1.5M–$4M+; median sale prices regularly exceed $2M |
| Lot sizes | Varies widely — city lots to half-acre properties in hillside neighborhoods | 14,500 sq ft up to 2+ acres; many properties feel and function like private homes on large lots |
| Housing types | Condos, townhomes, single-family — waterfront, Bowl, and hillside options | Single-family only — custom homes, legacy homes, new construction |
| Walkability | High in the Bowl / downtown; very walkable to shops, dining, ferry | Car-dependent — no in-town commercial amenities by zoning |
| Restaurants & shops | Full downtown: restaurants, coffee, galleries, boutiques, farmers market | None in-town; residents use neighboring Edmonds (5 min drive) |
| Transit options | Sounder commuter rail, Amtrak, Community Transit, ferry to Kingston | Personal vehicle is the primary option; rail and ferry a short drive away |
| Commute to Seattle | ~15 miles; Sounder rail a viable option for downtown commuters | ~15–20 miles; almost all residents drive |
| Schools | Both served by Edmonds School District — confirm current attendance boundaries by parcel | |
| Community feel | Active civic life — arts events, waterfront festivals, farmers market, Edmonds Center for the Arts | Quiet, private, intentionally low-key — neighbors know each other but social life happens elsewhere |
| Septic vs. sewer | Municipal sewer throughout | Many larger lots use on-site septic — confirm per parcel |
| Inventory | Active market with regular new listings across price points | Very limited — typically a handful of active listings at any time |
| Days on market | ~17 days average; competitive properties can go in days | Months is typical; unique homes require patient, targeted marketing |
What Life Actually Feels Like
In Edmonds
Saturday morning in Edmonds means walking to the farmers market, stopping at a waterfront café, watching the ferry cross to Kingston, and running into neighbors you know by name. The City of Edmonds has built a genuinely livable downtown — Washington’s first designated Creative District — with art galleries, the Edmonds Center for the Arts, the historic Edmonds Theater, and a waterfront that draws people from across the region. If you want your daily routine to include the energy of a community, the convenience of walkable errands, and real transit options, Edmonds delivers in a way that very few Puget Sound suburbs can match.
The housing range in Edmonds is one of its biggest strengths — and it is generally broad. A first-time buyer can find a well-located condo starting around $550K. A move-up buyer can find a three-bedroom craftsman with Sound views in the $900K–$1.2M range. A luxury buyer can find a waterfront home exceeding $3M. That breadth makes Edmonds accessible at multiple life stages, and it contributes to the community’s economic vitality.
In Woodway
Woodway is a genuinely different kind of place. There are no shops, no restaurants, and no through traffic — by design. The Town of Woodway has maintained its residential-only zoning since its founding in the early 1950s, when early residents incorporated specifically to protect the community’s quiet, private character. Walking out your front door in Woodway means forested lanes, privacy buffers between neighbors, and the kind of stillness that most buyers have to move significantly further from the city to find.
The typical Woodway buyer is not trading amenity access away — they are deliberately choosing to get their amenities elsewhere. Edmonds is five minutes away. Seattle is 20 minutes. What they are buying is land, privacy, and a protected way of life that Woodway’s zoning makes essentially permanent. With 98% homeownership rates and a median household income well above $190K, the community is extraordinarily stable — and the residents intend to keep it that way.
The buyers I see struggle with this decision are usually trying to have both: the views, walkability and energy of Edmonds, and the privacy and acreage of Woodway. My honest advice is that you can get close to both — but you have to choose which one matters more to you on a Tuesday afternoon, not just a Saturday morning.
If you picture yourself walking to dinner or catching the ferry on a whim, Edmonds is your community. If you picture yourself pulling through a private gate into your own forested acre and not seeing a neighbor’s window from yours, Woodway is worth the premium and the patience it takes to find the right property there.
I’ve helped buyers find exactly what they were looking for in both places — and I’ve also redirected buyers who were about to make the wrong choice for their lifestyle. That conversation is always worth having before you fall in love with a specific address.
Who Each Community Is Right For
- Want walkable access to restaurants, coffee, and the waterfront
- Value transit options — Sounder rail, ferry, or Community Transit
- Want a range of housing types and price points
- Enjoy a thriving arts, events, and civic community
- Will benefit from neighborhood walkability
- Plan to downsize and want low-maintenance condo living
- Want strong resale liquidity and a broad buyer pool
- Want large-lot acreage with meaningful privacy
- Work from home and don’t need daily commuter transit
- Prefer forested, park-like surroundings over walkable urban amenities
- Want a community whose character is protected by zoning — permanently
- Are buying at $1.5M+ and want the land to match the price
- Value a neighbor community that is deeply stable and quiet
- Are patient — inventory is thin, and the right home takes time to find
The Question About Schools
Both Edmonds and Woodway are served by the Edmonds School District, which generally earns solid marks and serves a broad range of programs. For practical purposes, your school assignment is based on your parcel address — not simply which city you live in. Always confirm current attendance boundaries and program options directly with the district before treating any school assignment as certain. School boundaries can and do change.
What to Know About the Buying Process in Each Market
Buying in Edmonds
Edmonds is an active, competitive market. Well-priced homes in desirable neighborhoods — particularly in the Bowl and near the waterfront — can receive multiple offers within days of listing. Getting pre-approved before you start touring, having a clear sense of your priorities, and being ready to move decisively when the right property appears are all important. The range of housing types also means your due diligence varies significantly: a waterfront condo requires a thorough HOA document review, while a hillside single-family home in a shoreline jurisdiction may require attention to Edmonds’ Shoreline Master Program for any future improvements.
Buying in Woodway
Woodway is a patience market. At any given time, there may be only two to five active listings in the entire town. Properties that are priced right and presented well can still attract motivated buyers, but extended marketing periods are common because the buyer pool is genuinely small and highly selective. When you do find the right property, thorough due diligence is essential: septic inspection and records through the Snohomish Health District, a full title review for easements and covenants, critical area assessments for any lots near water or steep terrain, and a careful read of the Town of Woodway Municipal Code for setbacks and allowable uses. Move at the pace of the property, not the pace of the market.
My Bottom Line
After helping hundreds of buyers settle into both communities over the years, I’ve come to believe that this is ultimately a question about what kind of life you want to live on a completely ordinary Wednesday — not on the best Saturday of the year. Both Edmonds and Woodway are genuinely excellent places to own a home in the Pacific Northwest. They just serve very different versions of that good life.
If you’re still not sure which one fits you, the best thing I can do is show you both and let you feel the difference in person. That’s a conversation I’m happy to have — and it’s one that has saved more than a few buyers from buying in the wrong place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get Woodway-level privacy in Edmonds?
You can get close. Certain hillside neighborhoods in Edmonds — particularly on larger lots with mature tree screening — offer meaningful privacy. But the fundamental difference is zoning: Woodway’s residential-only, large-lot zoning is a legal guarantee of low density. Edmonds is a full city with mixed uses, multifamily development in some zones, and a much broader population. If true privacy on a large lot is the priority, Woodway is the more durable answer.
Is the price difference between Edmonds and Woodway really that significant?
Yes — significantly. Edmonds has a median sale price around $940K, with entry-level condos in the $550K range. Woodway’s average home value exceeds $2M, and most homes trade between $1.5M and $4M+. The price gap reflects lot size, privacy, and scarcity as much as it reflects the homes themselves. You are buying a fundamentally different type of real estate in Woodway.
Do both communities share the same school district?
Yes — both Edmonds and Woodway are served by the Edmonds School District. However, school assignments are based on your parcel’s address and current attendance boundaries, which can change. Always verify directly with the district for any specific property you are considering.
How long does it take to find a home in Woodway?
It can take a year or more, depending on your criteria and budget. With fewer than five active listings at any given time in a town of roughly 470 housing units, inventory is genuinely thin. Buyers who are patient, financially prepared, and clear on their priorities tend to find the right property — but it requires a different mindset than searching in an active suburban market.
Which community has better resale value long term?
Both have appreciated strongly over time. Edmonds benefits from a larger, more liquid buyer pool and strong regional demand. Woodway benefits from permanent scarcity — you simply cannot build more of it. Woodway’s limited inventory and strict zoning protections tend to support values over the long run, but the smaller buyer pool means that individual properties can sometimes take longer to find the right buyer. For most purchasers, the right answer is whichever community genuinely fits how you want to live — that alignment tends to produce the best long-term outcomes in real estate.
Are there neighborhoods in Edmonds that feel more like Woodway?
Yes. Neighborhoods like Meadowdale and certain areas along the western hillside of Edmonds offer larger lots, mature trees, and a quieter residential feel. They won’t replicate Woodway’s guaranteed low density, but for buyers who want something between the two — more space than a typical Edmonds Bowl home, without committing to a $2M+ purchase — these neighborhoods are worth exploring. I’m happy to show you what’s available across the full spectrum.
Not Sure Which Community Is Right for You?
That’s exactly the kind of conversation Terry Vehrs loves to have. Whether you’re leaning toward Edmonds, Woodway, or somewhere in between — Terry can show you both, walk you through what’s available, and help you make a confident decision based on your lifestyle and budget. No pressure, just honest local guidance from someone who has worked these neighborhoods for over 40 years.
Call or text: 206.799.9500
Terry Vehrs · Windermere Real Estate M2 LLC · Serving Edmonds, Woodway & South Snohomish County
Disclaimer: The information contained in this post is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication but is not guaranteed. Market data, home values, community statistics, zoning regulations, school boundaries, and other details are subject to change without notice. All information should be independently reviewed and verified by the reader. This content is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or real estate advice. For the most current and property-specific information, please consult directly with Terry Vehrs or the appropriate local, county, and state agencies. Terry Vehrs | Windermere Real Estate M2 LLC | Licensed in Washington State.
