First Hill Real Estate Agent

First Hill market snapshot

Median Sale Price$1,150,000± 0.0% YoY

Price / Sq Ft$604▼ 1.0% YoY

Median Days on Market14▲ 16.7% YoY

Sale-to-List100.0%± 0.0% YoY

Over the trailing twelve months, the median First Hill home sold for about $1,150,000 — roughly flat year over year. Homes here typically went under contract in about 14 days at roughly 100.0% of list price (around $604/sq ft), reflecting a market easing from its peak toward balance. These are rolling 12-month figures for the First Hill market (NWMLS, June 2026).

About First Hill

First Hill sits directly east of downtown Seattle, named as the first hill you climb traveling east from the central business district toward Lake Washington. It is bounded on the west by Interstate 5, on the north generally by East Pike and East Madison Streets, and on the south by Yesler Way, with the eastern edge falling near Broadway and Boren Avenues (some sources extend it to 12th Avenue).

The neighborhood settled early in Seattle's history and, by the 1880s and 1890s, became a residential district for some of the city's most prominent families before shifting toward institutions and dense housing. Today it is widely known as "Pill Hill" for its concentration of hospitals and medical offices, and it is home to Seattle University.

Housing & homes

First Hill is one of Seattle's most vertical residential neighborhoods. Much of it is mapped as Highrise (HR) zoning, which allows tall residential towers, and the built environment reflects that: the housing stock is dominated by mid-rise and highrise condominiums and apartment buildings rather than detached single-family homes. Examples span decades, from First Hill Plaza, a 33-story condominium completed in 1982, to newer towers such as Luma (24 stories, completed 2016) and The Graystone (30 stories, completed 2023).

Alongside the towers, First Hill retains a handful of early-20th-century landmarks that speak to its origins as an district of large early-1900s residences, including the Stimson-Green Mansion (built 1899-1901, an early West Coast Tudor design by architect Kirtland Cutter) and the Sorrento Hotel (opened 1909). For buyers, this means most transactions here involve condominium ownership, HOA structures, and building-specific rules rather than standalone lots.

Local conditions to know

First Hill is an inland hilltop neighborhood, so shoreline and coastal flood exposure are generally not primary concerns; the topography is elevated and sloped, and the area historically carried the nickname "Profanity Hill" for the steep climb up to the old county courthouse. Because Seattle regulates development on steep and landslide-prone slopes as Environmentally Critical Areas (ECAs), any parcel with grade should be checked against the city's Property Information map before you rely on its buildable area.

Seattle as a whole lies near the Seattle Fault Zone, and seismic considerations apply across the city; for condominium buyers, building age, construction type, and reserve studies are practical things to review. First Hill is served by the First Hill Streetcar, which opened in 2016 and runs along Broadway and South Jackson Street, connecting to Link light rail at the Capitol Hill and International District/Chinatown stations and to regional rail at King Street Station.

Getting around & local texture

First Hill's landmarks cluster tightly. The Frye Art Museum at 704 Terry Avenue (founded 1952) offers free general admission; St. James Cathedral and Trinity Parish Church anchor the neighborhood's historic religious architecture; and the Sorrento Hotel and Stimson-Green Mansion remain from the early 1900s. Seattle University occupies a large campus on the neighborhood's east side, and the medical district, Harborview Medical Center, Virginia Mason Medical Center, and Swedish Medical Center/First Hill, is a defining institutional presence.

Green space is compact and urban: First Hill Park is a small pocket park (redesigned in 2021) near University Street and Minor Avenue, and Freeway Park, built over Interstate 5, links First Hill to downtown with plazas and fountains. First Hill lies within the Seattle Public Schools district; the district reports the neighborhood's assigned attendance-area schools as Lowell Elementary, Meany Middle School, and Garfield High School. Because attendance boundaries change, confirm the current assignment for a specific address using the Seattle Public Schools "Find Your School" tool.

What buyers & sellers weigh in First Hill

Most sales here are condominiums or apartment-style units, so review HOA dues, rules, reserves, and any special assessments before making an offer.
Building age varies widely, from early-1980s towers to buildings completed in the 2020s; construction type and systems affect financing and insurance.
Confirm which lenders are approved for a given building, since some condo buildings have financing restrictions that affect buyers and resale.
First Hill's Highrise (HR) zoning shapes views, future development nearby, and what can be built on adjacent parcels.
Parking is not guaranteed with every unit; verify deeded or assigned parking, which materially affects value in this dense area.
For any sloped or hillside parcel, check Seattle's Environmentally Critical Areas mapping before assuming buildable area.
Confirm the current Seattle Public Schools attendance-area assignment for the exact address, as boundaries are subject to change.

What makes First Hill distinct

First Hill is Seattle's "Pill Hill": a rare neighborhood organized around a dense cluster of major hospitals and medical offices.
Its housing is overwhelmingly vertical, condominiums and apartment towers, unlike the detached-home fabric of most north-end and Eastside neighborhoods.
It is one of the most walkable, downtown-adjacent neighborhoods in the city, bordered directly by Interstate 5 and Freeway Park.
The First Hill Streetcar gives it a dedicated transit link to Capitol Hill, the International District, and the regional Link light rail and King Street Station.
It pairs a handful of preserved early-1900s landmarks with new highrise construction, a mix few adjacent areas share.

Services in First Hill

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First Hill real estate FAQ

What kinds of homes are for sale in First Hill?

The market is dominated by condominiums and apartment-style residences in mid-rise and highrise buildings, ranging from early-1980s towers to buildings completed in the 2020s. Detached single-family houses are uncommon in this densely zoned neighborhood.

Why is First Hill called "Pill Hill"?

The nickname reflects the neighborhood's long-standing concentration of hospitals and medical offices, including Harborview Medical Center, Virginia Mason Medical Center, and Swedish Medical Center/First Hill.

How do you get around First Hill without a car?

The First Hill Streetcar, which opened in 2016, runs along Broadway and South Jackson Street and connects to Link light rail at the Capitol Hill and International District/Chinatown stations, as well as to regional rail at King Street Station. The neighborhood is also directly adjacent to downtown.

Which public schools serve First Hill?

First Hill is within the Seattle Public Schools district. The district lists the neighborhood's assigned attendance-area schools as Lowell Elementary, Meany Middle School, and Garfield High School. Because boundaries can change, confirm the assignment for a specific address using the district's Find Your School tool.