On April 7, 2026, Councilmember Pascal sponsored a Legislative Request Memorandum (LRM) requesting options for completing a comprehensive economic competitiveness study to support Kirkland’s economic development goals. This targeted economic competitiveness study will help to inform the upcoming 2027-2028 budget deliberations.
The City of Kirkland commissioned a consultant to better understand how the costs of doing business here compare to peer cities and how these costs may influence business location, retention, or expansion decisions. This analysis compares Kirkland with Bellevue, Bothell, Issaquah, and Redmond and examines where Kirkland is competitive with its peers.
The economic competitiveness report is presented as a series of interactive webpages that allow readers to explore different business scenarios. Readers can select variables such as business type, size, and development scenario to view how taxes, fees, and other costs may vary across Kirkland and the comparison cities. This interactive format allows readers to review the information based on the types and sizes of businesses most relevant to their interests.
View the 2026 Economic Competitiveness Report here.
Sample Report Images:
King County Lake Swimming Beach Data Program
King County Project Page