How many bars and pubs are there in Seattle's busiest areas?
We counted 181 bars and pubs within 1 km of the centres of 10 Seattle areas. Capitol Hill is the most crowded at 19.4 per km²; Georgetown is the least, at 0.0.
Mapped
181
in 10 areas
Busiest area
19.4/km²
Capitol Hill
Average rating
4.4★
places with 10+ reviews
Last scanned
13 October
2026
Bars and pubs by area, most crowded first
Measured within 1 km of the centre: LOW under 5, MODERATE 5–15, HIGH 15–40, INTENSE over 40 places per km².
| Area | Within 1 km | Per km² | Avg rating | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capitol Hill4.3★ average | 6119.4/km² | 19.4 | 4.3★ | HIGH |
| Downtown4.4★ average | 4213.4/km² | 13.4 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
| South Lake Union4.4★ average | 237.3/km² | 7.3 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
| Ballard4.6★ average | 227.0/km² | 7.0 | 4.6★ | MODERATE |
| Fremont4.5★ average | 123.8/km² | 3.8 | 4.5★ | LOW |
| University District4.4★ average | 72.2/km² | 2.2 | 4.4★ | LOW |
| West Seattle4.6★ average | 61.9/km² | 1.9 | 4.6★ | LOW |
| Queen Anne4.5★ average | 41.3/km² | 1.3 | 4.5★ | LOW |
| Columbia City4.5★ average | 41.3/km² | 1.3 | 4.5★ | LOW |
| Georgetown | 00.0/km² | 0.0 | – | LOW |
Where is it least crowded?
- GeorgetownLOW
0 bars and pubs within 1 km (0.0 per km²).
4 bars and pubs within 1 km (1.3 per km²), averaging 4.5★.
- Queen AnneLOW
4 bars and pubs within 1 km (1.3 per km²), averaging 4.5★.
Fewer bars and pubs is not the same as more demand. Look at foot traffic and rents before you read a quiet area as an opening.
How they are rated
All 181 bars and pubs in the 10 areas, by rating. Places with fewer than 10 reviews are counted apart.
- 4.5 and up91 (50%)
- 4.0 to 4.475 (41%)
- 3.5 to 3.911 (6%)
- Below 3.51 (1%)
- Under 10 reviews3 (2%)
Chains seen most
Brands with two or more outlets inside one area circle.
- rachel's ginger beer2 outlets · 1 area
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Questions
Is Seattle saturated with bars and pubs?
It depends on the street. Within 1 km of the 10 area centres we mapped, density runs from 0.0 per km² in Georgetown to 19.4 per km² in Capitol Hill. 1 of the 10 areas counts as high or intense competition (over 15 per km²). Check the exact address you have in mind before you commit.
Which Seattle area has the most bars and pubs?
Capitol Hill, with 61 within 1 km of its centre (19.4 per km²). Next come Downtown (42) and South Lake Union (23).
What is the average rating of bars and pubs in Seattle?
4.4 out of 5, across the 178 bars and pubs with at least 10 reviews in the areas we mapped. The highest area average is West Seattle (4.6), the lowest Capitol Hill (4.3).
Which bar chains are most common in Seattle?
In the areas we mapped: rachel's ginger beer (2 outlets in 1 area).
How was this counted?
We scanned a 1 km circle around the centre of each area on 13 October 2026 and counted every bar on the map inside it. Places missing from the map or opened since are not counted, so treat the numbers as a floor. Circles of neighbouring areas can overlap, so a place near two centres is counted in both, and the figures are not a total for the whole of Seattle.