Yarrow Point’s Housing Through the Decades
Living in Yarrow Point
A 231-acre peninsula of roughly 405 homes, west-facing sunsets, and one of the most enduring small-town traditions on the Eastside.
Yarrow Point is a small, incorporated town tucked between Hunts Point and Yarrow Bay on the eastern shore of Lake Washington. With a population near 1,135 and a footprint of roughly 0.37 square miles, it is one of the smallest and most distinctive municipalities on the Eastside. One road in, one road out, no commercial district, no through-traffic — just water on three sides and some of the most coveted afternoon light in the Pacific Northwest.
For buyers exploring the Points communities, Yarrow Point sits between Hunts Point to the west and the Bellevue/Clyde Hill border to the east. Children attend Bellevue School District schools — Clyde Hill Elementary, Chinook Middle, and Bellevue High — and the SR-520 floating bridge places downtown Seattle, Kirkland, Bellevue, and Redmond all within roughly 10 to 15 minutes in normal traffic.
A short history of the Point
Long before incorporation, the land was used by the Duwamish, who maintained two longhouses along Yarrow Bay. The town gets its name from Leigh S. J. Hunt, a former owner and publisher of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, who purchased much of the peninsula in 1888 and named his estate “Yarrow” — a nod to William Wordsworth’s poem “Yarrow Visited.”
For most of the early 20th century, Yarrow Point was farmland and orchard. As the Eastside urbanized after WWII, residents watched annexation pressure from Bellevue and large-scale resort proposals creep toward the peninsula. A 1955 incorporation vote narrowly failed (113 to 109). Four years later, with a proposed 20-acre island resort and shopping development on Yarrow Bay galvanizing the community, voters tried again. Yarrow Point officially incorporated on June 15, 1959, with about 650 residents and a clear mandate: preserve the character of the peninsula. The resort was never built. The wetlands at the head of Yarrow Bay are now a protected wildlife conservancy.
Interesting facts about Yarrow Point
Named after a Wordsworth poem
The town is named for Leigh S. J. Hunt’s 1888 estate, which he called “Yarrow” after the William Wordsworth poem “Yarrow Visited.”
One of three Points
Yarrow Point is the easternmost of three peninsulas — Evergreen Point, Hunts Point, and Yarrow Point — that jut into Lake Washington north of the SR-520 bridge.
About one in four homes is on the water
Per the Town of Yarrow Point, roughly a quarter of homes are waterfront or have direct water access. The remaining three-quarters typically hold lake, territorial, or filtered views.
Single point of entry
The peninsula has one entry/exit, which is part of why through-traffic is essentially nonexistent and why the streets feel so quiet.
The 4th of July “Points” parade
Held annually with classic cars, a brass band, and a procession of children on bikes — one of the longest-running small-town Independence Day traditions on the Eastside.
Wetherill Nature Preserve
A protected upland and shoreline preserve along Cozy Cove with a trail system that connects to the broader Points Loop.
Bellevue School District
Children are zoned to Clyde Hill Elementary, Chinook Middle School, and Bellevue High School — among the top-rated public schools in Washington.
Quiet community amenities
Residents share access to Road End Beach, Istvan’s Landing, Morningside Park (with a pickleball court), and the community dock at the north tip of the peninsula.
What it’s like to live here
The west-facing sunset advantage
Most of Yarrow Point’s premium view homes face west across Cozy Cove and Lake Washington toward the Seattle skyline. That orientation — combined with the peninsula’s elevation profile — produces afternoon light and sunsets that are genuinely difficult to replicate elsewhere on the Eastside. It is the single most-asked-about feature when buyers tour the Point.
The “village” feel
With roughly 405 homes and one way in, residents tend to know their neighbors. The town hosts an active Park Commission, a spring community clean-up, and the annual 4th of July celebration that draws families back year after year. The lack of a commercial center is a feature, not a bug — shopping, dining, and services are a short drive or bike ride to Old Bellevue, Kirkland, or Houghton.
Boating and the lake lifestyle
Waterfront homes typically include private docks, and many non-waterfront properties hold deeded community moorage rights. Lake Washington opens up paddleboarding, sailing, ski boats, wake surfing, and a short cruise across to Seattle’s Leschi or Madison Park waterfronts.
Commute and connectivity
SR-520 sits just south of the town boundary and provides direct access to Seattle, the University District, Microsoft’s Redmond campus, and downtown Bellevue. I-405 is a few minutes east. For tech workers in particular, few neighborhoods in the region offer this combination of seclusion and proximity.
Pro tips for buyers and sellers
Read the conservation easements before you fall in love
Yarrow Point has specific tree, shoreline, and view-corridor protections, and several properties carry private conservation easements layered on top of municipal code. These can affect what you remodel, where you build, and how you prune. Always pull the easement documents during your inspection period.
“Waterfront” and “water access” are not the same thing
Some non-waterfront homes carry deeded shared-dock or community-beach rights that can add real value — but those rights are documented in the title and HOA records, not in the listing. If a non-waterfront home is priced like it has lake access, verify the deed before assuming it transfers.
West-facing is the value driver
All views are not priced equally. Western and northwestern exposures across Cozy Cove and toward Seattle command a clear premium over eastern-facing views toward Yarrow Bay. When evaluating comps, separate sales by orientation, not just by waterfront/non-waterfront.
Builder reputation matters more than square footage
A handful of established custom builders have produced most of the new construction here over the last decade. On a peninsula where land is the primary asset, the builder’s name on a recent renovation or new build affects resale meaningfully. Ask who built it.
Plan for SR-520 noise on the southern edge
Homes near the southern boundary sit closer to SR-520. Newer construction often includes upgraded glazing and sound mitigation, but it is worth visiting at rush hour and on a summer evening with windows open before making an offer.
Days on market can be misleading
Yarrow Point listings often sit longer than typical Eastside homes — not because demand is weak, but because the buyer pool for a multi-million-dollar peninsula property is small and seasonal. Don’t read a long DOM as motivation; read the price history and the reason behind it.
Tour from the water if you can
Many of the most distinctive features of Yarrow Point homes — dock condition, shoreline structure, true view corridor — are best evaluated from the lake. A short Lake Washington cruise during your search will tell you more than three open houses.
Who Yarrow Point is right for
Yarrow Point tends to attract buyers who have lived in the region long enough to know what they value, and who place a premium on privacy, quiet, and long-term legacy ownership. Many homes change hands only once or twice in a generation. Tech executives, founders, and multi-generational Eastside families are well-represented, but the through-line is less about industry and more about temperament — buyers here tend to want stewardship, not visibility.
If your priorities are walkable urban amenities, restaurants out the front door, or new condo construction, Yarrow Point is unlikely to fit. If your priorities are world-class schools, a quiet street, lake access, and a community that has spent 65+ years intentionally protecting what it is — there is nothing else quite like it on the Eastside.
Considering a move to Yarrow Point?
I’d be glad to walk you through current inventory, off-market opportunities, and the specific easements and view considerations that affect each property.
Start a conversationPopulation, home count, and area figures sourced from the Town of Yarrow Point and U.S. Census data. Market conditions and home values change frequently — contact me directly for the most current data on any specific property or sub-market. Matthew Konsmo, Managing Broker, Coldwell Banker Danforth · License #20113555.
The Yarrow Point Report
Yarrow Point, WA — Weather by Season
How to Use
- Tap a season tab (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) to view averages.
- Each card shows a key climate metric — temps, rainfall, and seasonal highlights.
- Scroll down for a city comparison table and detailed FAQs.
- All figures are long-term averages — individual years vary.
Yarrow Point, WA — Weather by Season
King County · Lake Washington Points Community · Climate Averages
Yarrow Point, Washington Climate Overview
Yarrow Point is a small, exclusive peninsula community jutting into the eastern shoreline of Lake Washington at roughly 47.65°N latitude, sitting between SR-520 and the larger town of Kirkland. As one of the four "Points" communities (alongside Hunts Point, Medina, and Clyde Hill), it occupies an unusually water-surrounded position that gives it one of the most strongly lake-moderated microclimates on the entire Eastside. Its climate falls firmly into the Köppen warm-summer Mediterranean classification (Csb) — the same broad category covering Seattle and Bellevue — meaning cool wet winters, warm dry summers, and a sharp seasonal precipitation contrast where roughly 75% of yearly rainfall arrives between October and March.
Total annual precipitation runs around 38 inches — slightly less than inland Bellevue or Redmond because Yarrow Point sits at low elevation (most of the peninsula is under 100 feet) and benefits from the rain-buffering effect of Lake Washington. Annual snowfall averages just 3–5 inches, among the lowest in the Eastside, since the lake's thermal mass holds nighttime temperatures above freezing on most marginal nights. Sustained sub-freezing weather is rare. Yarrow Point's USDA hardiness zone is 8b, which supports a wide range of ornamentals including camellias, rhododendrons, Japanese maples, and even some marginally hardy Mediterranean species.
How Yarrow Point Weather Compares to Nearby Cities
Yarrow Point's peninsula geometry produces a distinctive microclimate that even sets it apart from its immediate neighbors. It's cooler in summer than inland Bellevue and Redmond by 1–3°F because the lake breeze cuts in from three sides on warm afternoons, but warmer in winter than nearly any other Eastside community because that same lake mass releases stored heat overnight. Compared to elevation-gaining Clyde Hill just to the south, Yarrow Point sees fewer freezing nights, fewer snow events, and slightly higher average humidity. The peninsula also receives somewhat less rainfall than communities further inland, since the lake's relatively warm surface tends to reduce precipitation totals immediately overhead.
| City | Summer High | Winter Low | Annual Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yarrow Point | ~76°F | ~38°F | ~38" |
| Hunts Point | ~76°F | ~38°F | ~38" |
| Medina | ~76°F | ~38°F | ~38" |
| Clyde Hill | ~77°F | ~37°F | ~40" |
| Bellevue | ~78°F | ~37°F | ~41" |
| Kirkland | ~75°F | ~37°F | ~40" |
| Seattle | ~73°F | ~38°F | ~37" |
Best Times of Year in Yarrow Point
For boating, paddleboarding, and lakefront enjoyment, the sweet spot runs early July through mid-September, when consecutive dry days are common, afternoons reach the mid-70s, and Lake Washington surface temperatures climb into the upper 60s and low 70s — fully swimmable for most. Late April through June offers the area's blooming gardens, longer daylight, and minimal crowds along the Wetherill Nature Preserve and 92nd Avenue NE corridor. October delivers stunning fall color throughout the peninsula's mature tree canopy of Big Leaf Maples and Pacific Madrones before the heavier November rains settle in.
What Yarrow Point's Climate Means for Homeowners
Yarrow Point's climate shapes its high-end residential character in distinct ways. Lakefront and waterfront properties benefit from natural cooling on summer afternoons, often running 3–5°F cooler than equivalent inland homes during heat waves — though many luxury homes still install central AC or heat pumps for the increasingly common warm spells. The mild winters mean freeze damage to landscaping is rare, allowing homeowners to maintain elaborate Mediterranean and Pacific Northwest hybrid gardens. Drainage matters: the peninsula's soils vary, and lower-lying lots near the shoreline warrant attention to grading, stormwater handling, and any flood zone overlay. Most newer construction includes heat pump systems, which suit Yarrow Point's mild climate ideally — providing efficient heating in winter and cooling in summer with a single system.
Frequently Asked Questions: Yarrow Point Weather
Does it snow in Yarrow Point, Washington?
How hot does Yarrow Point get in summer?
When is the rainy season in Yarrow Point?
Is Yarrow Point weather different from Bellevue?
What climate zone is Yarrow Point, WA in?
Does Yarrow Point get severe weather?
Do I need air conditioning in a Yarrow Point home?
When is the best time to move to Yarrow Point?
SOURCESClimate figures represent long-term averages compiled from NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information data for the greater Bellevue / Lake Washington Points / east King County area, supplemented by Western Regional Climate Center records. Individual years naturally vary. Last reviewed April 2026. Compiled by matthewkonsmo.com — your Yarrow Point & Western Washington real estate resource powered by Coldwell Banker Danforth.
```Yarrow Point Drive Time
Commute guide · Yarrow Point, WA
Drive Times from Yarrow Point, WA
Off-peak and rush hour estimates to Seattle, Eastside, and Greater Puget Sound destinations
Drive times are typical estimates from central Yarrow Point via SR-520 or I-405, based on WSDOT corridor data and Google Maps averages. Rush hour reflects weekday morning westbound (7–9 AM) or evening eastbound (4–6 PM). Yarrow Point sits directly on the SR-520 floating bridge corridor, placing downtown Seattle, the U District, Bellevue, and Redmond all within a 10–20 minute off-peak drive. SR-520 tolls apply 24/7 and Good To Go! passes lower the rate. The new Link 2 Line light rail at Evergreen Point (Yarrow Point’s freeway flyer stop) and South Bellevue stations now connects the Eastside to downtown Seattle and Redmond car-free.
Life on the Point: A Yarrow Point Guide
Local guide · Yarrow Point, Washington
Things to Do in & Around Yarrow Point
Lake Washington beaches, trails, parks, and Eastside dining on the Points peninsula between Seattle, Bellevue & Kirkland