Native Americans have lived in the Redmond area for about 10,000 years, based on artifacts discovered at theRedmond Town Center archaeological site andMarymoor Prehistoric Indian Site.[8][9] The first European settlers arrived in the 1870s. Luke McRedmond filed aHomestead Act claim for land next to theSammamish Slough on September 9, 1870, and the following year Warren Perrigo took up land adjacent to him. The rivers and streams had so many salmon that the settlement was initially named Salmonberg. More settlers came, and with the establishment of the first post office in 1881, the name of the community was changed to Melrose. The new name was derived from the Perrigos' successful inn, Melrose House, which upset McRedmond. After becoming postmaster, he successfully petitioned to have the name changed to Redmond in 1883.[10]
The abundant forests and fish of Redmond provided jobs for loggers and fishermen, and with those jobs came demand for goods and services, bringing in merchants. The logging industry expanded significantly in 1889 when theSeattle, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway built a station in the center of town. The firstplat for Redmond was filed on May 11, 1891, encompassing much of the area now known as downtown. After reaching the necessary population of 300, Redmond was incorporated on December 31, 1912.[10]
Redmond experienced an economic downturn in the 1920s.Prohibition forced saloons to close, cutting off a large portion of the city's tax base. The forests were declining after heavy logging, causinglumber mills to shut down. The deforested land was suitable for farming. Agriculture became Redmond's primary business, keeping residents fed during theGreat Depression. When the U.S. enteredWorld War II,shipyard jobs and other wartime work came to Redmond.[citation needed]
After the war, Redmond's expansion began in earnest. The city expanded over thirty times larger in area throughannexations between 1951 and 1967. From 1956 to 1965, Redmond was bordered by the town ofEast Redmond, which was formed by rural homeowners and later dissolved by theWashington Supreme Court. The completion of theEvergreen Point Floating Bridge acrossLake Washington in 1963 allowed Redmond to flourish as a suburb of Seattle. In 1978, theU.S. Census Bureau proclaimed Redmond the fastest growing city in the state. Many technology companies made the city their home, and the increasing population demanded more retail shops. By the late 1980s, Downtown Redmond had become "a series of strip centers surrounded by parking lots", sparking plans for amixed-use revitalized downtown.[11]
Redmond underwent a commercial boom during the 1990s, primarily due to Nintendo of America and Microsoft establishing their respective headquarters within the city in 1984 and 1986 respectively, culminating in 1997 with the opening ofRedmond Town Center, a major regional shopping center on the site of a long-defunct golf course.[12] Since 1990, the city has seen rising traffic congestion as a result of its rapid expansion, particularly in areas ofurban sprawl. To address these issues, SR 520 underwent expansion in the 2000s and 2010s. Alight rail line connecting Redmond to Seattle was proposed bySound Transit as part of a ballot measure that was passed by voters in 2008. The first section of the2 Line, as the light rail project was later renamed, opened in April 2024 between Bellevue andRedmond Technology station in Overlake.[1][13] It was followed by an extension to Downtown Redmond on May 10, 2025.[14]
Redmond is bordered byKirkland to the west,Bellevue to the southwest, andSammamish to the southeast. Unincorporated King County lies to the north (withWoodinville a short distance beyond) and east. The city's urban downtown lies just north ofLake Sammamish; residential areas lie north and west of the lake.Overlake, the city's second urban center, is to the west of Lake Sammamish. TheSammamish River runs north from the lake along the west edge of the city's downtown.[15] According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.94 square miles (43.87 km2), of which 16.28 square miles (42.17 km2) are land and 0.66 square miles (1.71 km2) are water.[16]
The city is divided into several neighborhoods that form a ring around downtown Redmond.[17] TheOverlake neighborhood, which also encompasses part of Bellevue, lies southwest of downtown and includes theMicrosoft headquarters campus and other office complexes as well as residential areas.[18] The predominantly residential neighborhood of Education Hill lies north of downtown and was named for the five schools in the area, includingRedmond High School; it was previously known as Poverty Hill until the 1950s, when it was annexed into Redmond.[19]
Redmond, like most of thePacific Northwest, has a mild climate for its latitude, but still gets all four seasons. Summers tend to be warm and dry, with low rainfall and sunny or partly sunny from June to September. Winters tend to be cool and wet, with November being the rainiest month. Snowfall is uncommon, with the most common cold air being in a form of a high pressure system, driving out the rains from the area. However, snowfall is not as rare as in other cities closer to the moderating effects ofPuget Sound, like Seattle. On average, the warmest month is August. The highest recorded temperature was 111 °F (44 °C) on June 28, 2021. On average, the coolest month is January. The lowest recorded temperature was −7 °F (−22 °C) in January 1950. The maximum average precipitation usually occurs in December.[20][failed verification]
Redmond has a Mediterranean climate type (Csb), with a fairly dry summer peak.[21]
Redmond, Washington – racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the2020 census, there were 73,256 people, 29,693 households, and 18,617 families residing in the city.[26] Thepopulation density was 4,421.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,707.3/km2). There were 31,738 housing units at an average density of 1,915.7 per square mile (739.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 44.90%White, 2.21%African American, 0.38%Native American, 41.04%Asian, 0.13%Pacific Islander, 3.13% from some other races and 8.21% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 7.25% of the population.[citation needed] 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18, 6.9% were under 5 years of age, and 11.0% were 65 and older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.8% female.[citation needed]
As of the2010 census, there were 54,144 people, 22,550 households, and 13,890 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,325.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,283.8/km2). There were 24,177 housing units at an average density of 1,485.1 units per square mile (573.4 units/km2). Theracial makeup of the city was 65.19% White, 1.71% African American, 0.37% Native American, 25.36% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 3.22% from other races, and 4.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 7.78% of the population.
There were 22,550 households, of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.4% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.98.
The median age in the city was 34.1 years. 22.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 38.7% were from 25 to 44; 21.6% were from 45 to 64; and 9.5% were 65 years of age or older. The sex ratio of the city was 50.9% male and 49.1% female.
Several companies in thehigh-tech industry are based in Redmond. The largest employer in the city by far isMicrosoft, which moved its headquarters to Redmond in 1986.[27] As of 2012, Microsoft has over 47,000[28] full-time employees, 45,000 contractors, and more than 8 million sq ft (740 thousand m2) of office space in theSeattle areaEastside region, primarily in Redmond, with additional offices inBellevue andIssaquah (90,000 employees worldwide). In June 2006, Microsoft purchased formerSafeco's Redmond campus at 4515–5069 154th Place NE for $220.5 million.[29]
UnlikeBellevue and other neighboring cities, the city of Redmond does not have a business and occupation tax on income.[34] However, to help offset the costs of road improvements for businesses, a business license fee of $55 per employee was approved in 1996. As of 2024[update], the fee is $141 per employee.[35]
Redmond Derby Days is an annual community festival held the second full weekend of July and celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2015.[42] It began as a race aroundLake Sammamish called the Redmond Bicycle Derby in 1939, and since then has become a multi-day event including a bicyclecriterium, a parade, entertainment stages, a beer garden, local food offerings, acarnival, a drone light show, and other activities.[43][44]
Performing arts in Redmond include the Eastside Symphony and the Second Story Repertory theater company, as well as artists who play at the Robertson Performing Arts Center located at Redmond High School. Redmond has a collection of outdoor sculptures throughout its streets and parks, many of which are part of a rotating sculpture exhibition.[45]
Redmond Lights is an annual community festival held the first Saturday of December. It features a special guest each year, a tree-lighting conducted by the mayor on city hall campus, a luminary walk on the Sammamish Trail and Redmond Central Connector with musical and light stations along the way to Redmond Town Center where there are many special attractions such as a carousel, skating rink and food sampling.[46]
The Old Redmond Firehouse is a center for local teens. It has become a hub in the thriving Eastside independent music scene. Local bands perform here with concert style speakers.[47]
Since 2010, by city ordinance, Redmond has appointed a poet laureate.[48][49]
The Concerts at Marymoor is an annual summer series of concerts held at the amphitheater in Marymoor Park. The venue has been host to artists as diverse as Norah Jones, Peter, Paul & Mary, Rob Thomas and Duran Duran. When visiting the Seattle area,Cirque du Soleil has set up in Marymoor since the 2004 tour ofVarekai when a concrete base was built for them to set up on. Since then, tours ofCorteo (2006),Kooza (2010),Amaluna (2013),Kurios (2015) andLuzia (2017) have played in this spot. Marymoor also hosted theWarped Tour andCavalia in 2012 and 2014.[citation needed]
Redmond Saturday Market is the oldest farmer's market in the Seattle area's east side. This market is held on Saturdays from May through October on approximately 8,000 square feet of land near the Redmond Town Center. The City of Redmond has approved an ordinance that the current market site be preserved for its community and historic significance.[50]
Redmond has 47 public parks totaling over 1,351 acres (547 ha).[54] Many of these are neighborhood parks with picnic tables and sports fields or courts. The largest park within Redmond is King County's 560-acre (2.3 km2)Marymoor Park, one of the most popular recreational areas in King County. It features aclimbing rock, amodel airplane flying field, a 48-acre off-leashdog park, an outdoor theater, sports fields such as baseball and soccer, a playground, tennis courts, a community garden, cricket pitch, and theJerry Baker Memorial Velodrome, which hosts the FSA Star Crossed – Redmondcyclo-cross competition in September.[55]
Idylwood Park was acquired by the City in parcels between 1994 and 1996 and is situated on West Lake Sammamish. The park receives more than 42,000 visitors every summer.[57]
Sixty Acres Park is known for its soccer in the spring through fall and RC electric airplanes and gliders in the winter time.[58]
Redmond has a non-partisanmayor–council form of government, with the mayor and seven council members elected at-large for staggered four-year terms. The city council authorized a ballot measure in March 2003 that would have changed Redmond to acouncil-manager government. However, it was rejected by the electorate, receiving less than 30% of the vote.[61]
TheBellevue School District serves the city's southernmost neighborhoods, mainly below NE 40th Street. The unincorporated English Hill neighborhood in northern Redmond is served by theNorthshore School District, while the Redmond Ridge area to the east is part of the Lake Washington School District.[62] Several private schools in Redmond offer K–12 education, includingMontessori programs.[66]The Bear Creek School, a non-denominational Christian prep school,[67] is the largest with nearly 750 enrolled students.[66] The secularOverlake School has over 550 students at its 50-acre (20 ha) Novelty Hill campus, which was established in 1972, and operates a branch school inPailin, Cambodia.[68]
The city is home to Redmond Regional Library, the second-largest branch in theKing County Library System.[72] The 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) building opened on November 20, 1999, and replaced a smaller building that opened in 1975 and was deemed too small for the growing community. Redmond had been annexed into the King County Library System in 1947 shortly after the system was created through a county referendum.[73]
^"King County Election Results". King County Elections. March 21, 2003. Special Election, March 11, 2003, City of Redmond Prop. No. 1 – Proposed Change in Plan of Government. Archived fromthe original on July 5, 2011. RetrievedMarch 11, 2011.
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