Ballard Washington Map

About Ballard, Washington

Ballard is a locality in King County, Washington, United States. It has a population of 21,000. The population density is 4200.0 people per km². Ballard is located at 47.6759°N, 122.3874°W. It observes the Pacific Time (America/Los_Angeles) timezone. ZIP code: 98107.

Ballard reveals itself through a low, persistent gray light that softens the edges of its industrious waterfront. It lies 4.9 miles northwest of Stevens, WA (from Stevens, WA: bearing 310°T), and is situated 5.5 miles north-northwest of Seattle. The air here holds a moisture that clings to the skin, carrying the faint, briny scent of the nearby Salmon Bay. From the elevated vantage points of the neighborhood, one might catch a distant, spectral glimpse of the Olympic Mountains rising against the horizon like a jagged promise of wilderness. The landscape is punctuated by the presence of Adams Elementary School, which serves as a quiet anchor for the residential blocks. To the south, the water of the Lake Washington Ship Canal directs the flow of life toward the open coast, barely a mile away. On clear days, the silhouette of Duck Island rests upon the water, marking a boundary where the urban grid meets the shifting tides.

Ballard began as a rugged outpost defined by the cadence of timber mills and the seasonal urgency of the fishing fleet. The local economy grew out of these maritime roots, maintaining a steady pulse that continues to favor the working waterfront over mere aesthetics. Deep-sea trawlers still dock within the harbor, their hulls bearing the salt-crusted marks of long voyages. While the industry has evolved, the physical labor of the docks remains the primary heartbeat of the district, grounding the residents in a tradition of utility and grit. The industrial rhythm persists even as newer enterprises move into renovated spaces, ensuring that the legacy of the shipyards is never entirely eclipsed. Far from the distant Fairmount Gulch, the geography of the neighborhood remains defined by this interplay between commerce and the cold, reliable water.

Ballard carries an identity forged in the stubborn independence of its early settlers, whose influence still lingers in the quiet pride of the local storefronts. Life here moves with a deliberate, unhurried pace, often marked by the passage of vessels through the locks or the occasional weekend trek along the Burke Gilman Trail. While it lacks a singular, monolithic landmark, the neighborhood finds its character in the collective effort of its residents to preserve a sense of community amidst rapid change. The streets are lined with modest homes that witness the daily passage of life, anchored by the presence of long-standing institutions like Adams Elementary School. Notable figures who have walked these pavements include the musician Duff McKagan, whose creative roots were nourished by the unique, rain-washed atmosphere of this corner of the world. Even as modern life reshapes the skyline, the neighborhood keeps its focus on the water, watching the tides of Salmon Bay with the same steady gaze as those who arrived here a century ago.

About This Ballard Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Ballard, Washington. Coordinates: 47.675931, -122.387351. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service. Real-time local and world news feeds keep the page current.

Detailed location data for Ballard includes the ZIP code (98107), telephone area code (206, 253), county seat of King County (Seattle), and school district assignment.

Search Maps opens a second, independent map. It searches OpenStreetMap for any US town, county or landmark by name; offers USGS topographic maps and USGS aerial imagery as base layers; overlays a labelled U.S. National Grid (USNG) so the map can be read like a printed topographic quad; measures distance and grid, true and magnetic bearings between any two points; and takes a single GPS fix reporting your position as a USNG grid reference and as latitude and longitude. Map tiles require cell coverage, but a GPS position does not, so the coordinates remain correct even where the map cannot load.

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.