Burien is a young city built from homesteads around Lake Burien and a
summer waterfront community on the Puget Sound. With six miles of
shoreline and expansive mountain views, residents take pride in their
neighborhoods, actively preserve the environment, and support protection
of public spaces.
Burien is a diverse community.
Individuals who identify as Latino/Hispanic make up Burien’s largest
ethnic group at nearly a quarter of the total population. Another 10
percent identify as Asian, and according to the Highline School
District, more than 50 different languages are spoken in the homes of
Burien area students.
Calling Burien Home
Housing ranges
from starter homes to high-end homes, condominiums and apartments of all
sizes, including senior living. Walk Score lists Burien as the third most walkable city in Washington state. And NerdWallet recently listed Burien as one the top places to raise a family.
The community offers a high quality of life where residents can access
more than acres of public parks and trails, including playgrounds,
mature forest, and a beach recently restored to its natural state.
Hub Location Offers Easy Connections
Residents
and businesses love the convenience of Burien’s hub location and great
connections. You can drive north to Seattle in about 12 minutes, east to
Sea-Tac Airport in five minutes, and south to Tacoma or east to
Bellevue in 30 minutes. The Burien Transit Center offers public transit
connections to across the region, including the Rapid Ride F bus line.
The central location combined with transit options means jobs and
entertainment are convenient and easy to access. The Burien Community Shuttle (route 631) runs between the Burien Transit Center through the Gregory Heights and Seahurst neighborhoods to Highline Medical Center.
Learn more about transit options in Burien.
Downtown Burien Offers Unique Shopping and Eating Experiences
The
Puget Sound Regional Council designated Burien as one of the 25
Regional Growth Centers that will experience focused urban growth in the
decades ahead. Burien is responding by continuing to rebuild and
reinvent itself.
Downtown Burien’s major arterial boasts wide
sidewalks, benches, landscaping and old-fashioned lampposts. In Burien’s
recently completed Town Square, a joint King County Regional Library
and Burien City Hall and 500 new residential units ring a new central
park, featuring environmentally friendly landscaping and a splash park.
Town Square is home to many community events, including a weekly farmers
market, throughout the year.
Burien’s
downtown serves a large segment of the South King County population.
Burien is noted for boutique retail and a large number of restaurants.
Diners can enjoy food from every continent (except Antarctica!). Olde
Burien, the historic town center, is bustling with new boutiques,
businesses and restaurants serving thousands of residents of the greater
Highline area.
Burien has been the birthplace of several iconic
Puget Sound businesses. And more businesses are opening second or third locations in Burien, as hundreds of new residents move to the city each
year.
Our community supports a thriving maker culture—from
chocolates to “Aussie” pies. Products made in Burien are being enjoyed
throughout the Seattle region, and the world.
Learn more about Burien’s vision.
Health Care Hub
Burien
is also known for its thriving health care community. Burien has a
large number of health care providers, including hospitals, health
centers, clinics, private practice doctors, dentists, and various
wellness and alternative care specialists. The city also enjoys several
health clubs, yoga and martial arts studios, swimming pools, and other
recreational facilities that help residents stay healthy and fit.
CHI
Franciscan and Kaiser Permanente recently opened new facilities in
Burien, and there are plans to enhance Highline Medical Center. Puget
Sound Skills Center opened in 2017 a state-of-the-art health sciences
building to support the education of the the next generation of health
care professionals.
Learn more about health care in Burien.
Arts and Culture Thrive in Burien
Burien’s
inviting downtown features one of the oldest and best-attended
Independence Day parades in the region. Both residents and visitors
enjoy a Farmers Market, monthly art walks, professional local theater,
and seasonal festivals generating year-round activity and excitement.
The
community is also embracing new approaches and technology in education,
health care, development, and recreation. The City of Burien Parks,
Recreation and Cultural Services Department remodeled its Community
Center in 2009 for children, teenagers, and adults to enjoy, as well as
growing its cultural arts programs. The Moshier Art Center draws artists
from throughout the region, and offers affordable classes in ceramics.
The Burien community supports several privately funded arts groups,
including an orchestra, dance groups, art galleries, and the 800-seat
Highline Performing Arts Center.
Learn more about arts and culture in Burien.
Educational Opportunities in Burien
The
Highline School District, based in Burien, enjoys strong public support
and has rebuilt several new schools over the past decade. Educators are
proud of the Microsoft certification class, a marine technology lab and
the Puget Sound Skills Center, which includes a new Health Sciences
building. Nearby Highline Community College offers a wide variety of
educational and technical programs.
Learn more about schools and libraries in Burien.
Burien Government
The
City of Burien has a Council-Manager form of government. The seven
members of the City Council are elected to serve four-year terms. The
Mayor and Deputy Mayor are elected by the Council for a two-year term.
The City provides a range of services to its residents with departments
including the City Manager’s office, City Clerk, City Attorney,
Community Development, Finance, Administration Services, Public Works,
and Economic Development. The City contracts with the King County
Sheriff’s Office for police services and fire services are provided by
Fire District 2 and North Highline Fire District. Water, sewer, and
power are provided by outside public and private entities.
Learn more about how Burien is governed.