Celebrities & Famous People That Live In Seattle (Current List)

When most people think of celebrities or famous people from Seattle, they usually think of former or deceased residents—people like Bruce Lee, Jimi Hendrix, or Kurt Cobain.

But plenty of well-known names still call the Seattle area home.

For this list, we’re referring to the Seattle metro area, not just city limits. And as of the time I’m writing this, the list is accurate. If you’re reading this a few years down the line, it might be worth double-checking. (Looking at you, lists that still include Bill Russell years after his passing.)

Many of the celebrities below own multiple homes around the country, but all maintain at least one in or around Seattle.

Celebrities Currently Living In Seattle

Eddie Vedder

Eddie Vedder, lead singer of Pearl Jam, lives in West Seattle. He’s mentioned in interviews that he loves the area and can still enjoy a decent level of anonymity when walking around.

The semi-joking baseball rivalry between the Mariners and the San Diego Padres is called “The Vedder Cup,” since Vedder grew up in San Diego and now lives here. Ironically, he’s a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan.

Dave Matthews

Born in South Africa and raised in England and New York, Dave Matthews has lived in Seattle for years with his wife and children.

While best known for the Dave Matthews Band, he’s also an actor—his most memorable role might be a guest spot on House, where he played a musically gifted patient with a neurological disorder.

Anna Faris

Anna Faris, star of the Scary Movie franchise, is a UW grad with a BA in English Literature. She has a home in the San Juan Islands, where she recently married cinematographer Michael Barrett.

She got her acting start at age nine with the Seattle Repertory Theater in an Arthur Miller play. Today, in addition to acting, she hosts the podcast Unqualified, which won a Shorty Award for its candid celebrity advice and interviews.

Chris Pratt

Chris Pratt grew up near Lake Stevens in Snohomish County. After rising to fame on Parks and Recreation, he returned to the area with his now ex-wife, Anna Faris. Despite their divorce, he still spends time on his farm in the San Juans.

He’s starred in Jurassic World, the Guardians of the Galaxy films, and more recently has lent his voice to animated versions of Super Mario and Garfield.

Ken Jennings

The most famous game show contestant in history, Ken Jennings won over $4.5 million on Jeopardy! and more than a million across other shows. His 74-game win streak remains the longest in the show’s history.

He maintains a home in Seattle, although he spends a good portion of the year in Studio City, California, where he now co-hosts Jeopardy! alongside Mayim Bialik.

Bill Nye

Bill Nye the Science Guy has long called Seattle home. His PBS show inspired a generation of kids to get into science, and it all started here—he was part of the cast of Seattle’s late-night comedy show Almost Live!, where he began doing science demonstrations as a recurring character.

Sir Mix-a-Lot

Sir Mix-a-Lot was born in Auburn and still lives in the Seattle area. Baby Got Back was written here—and is now considered one of the most iconic songs ever recorded about… well, you know.

He’s also hosted a morning radio show, appeared in Washington Lottery commercials, and once starred in a local home renovation special called Sir Mix-A-Lot’s House Remix.

Elizabeth Mitchell

Known for her role as Juliet on Lost and as Tim Allen’s wife in The Santa Clause sequels, Elizabeth Mitchell lives on Bainbridge Island.

She bought the home while married and has kept it even after her divorce. You can also catch her in Disney+’s The Santa Clauses revival.

Sherman Alexie

Sherman Alexie, one of the most widely known Native American authors of the past half-century, was born near Spokane and now lives in Seattle.

His short story collection The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven includes the story that inspired the 1998 film Smoke Signals.

Macklemore

Macklemore grew up in Capitol Hill and still lives in the Seattle area—these days in Kent. He shot to fame with Thrift Shop, which spent weeks at #1 on the charts and was a frequent stadium anthem at Mariners games.

His song My Oh My remains a touching tribute to longtime Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus.

Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in a Bellevue garage in 1994. Originally named “Cadabra Inc.” (which a lawyer misheard as “cadaver”), it was quickly renamed Amazon.

Today, Bezos owns a home in the exclusive community of Medina, overlooking Lake Washington. He also owns the Washington Post and has expressed interest in buying an NFL team—though locals might object if he tries anything too bold.

Danny Bonaduce

Best known for playing Danny on The Partridge Family, Danny Bonaduce moved to Seattle in 2011 after the radio station he worked for in Pennsylvania changed formats.

He now co-hosts a popular morning talk show on Seattle radio and occasionally pops up in wrestling or celebrity boxing appearances.

Edgar Martinez

Unlike most pro athletes, Edgar Martinez stuck around after retirement. The longtime Mariners legend sold his Bellevue penthouse for nearly $10 million before relocating to Kirkland.

He finished his career with a .312 batting average and 2,247 hits, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Bonus: Celebrities Who Used to Live in Seattle

If you Google “celebrities who live in Seattle,” you’ll find plenty who used to but no longer do. Here are a few notable names that show up on outdated lists:

• Rainn Wilson (Dwight from The Office) now lives in LA, though his mom reportedly still lives in his old home.
• Greg “The Hammer” Valentine has moved to Florida.
• Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells (Gilligan’s Island) have passed away.
• Nancy and Ann Wilson (of Heart) now live in Florida.
• Kenny G lives in Malibu.
• Hope Solo moved to North Carolina with her husband in 2014.
• Oprah Winfrey sold her Orcas Island property in 2021 for $14 million.
• Russell Wilson and Ciara sold their Bellevue mansion after his trade to the Broncos. (Still on the market if you have $26 million.)
• Ken Griffey Jr. now lives in Orlando and Cincinnati.
• Richard Karn (Home Improvement) moved to Los Angeles after the show’s success.

Final Thoughts

These are just a few of the celebrities who either currently live in or maintain homes in the Seattle area.

If you spot one of them around town, feel free to wave and say hi—just maybe not while they’re trying to enjoy a quiet dinner. Most celebrities, even the friendly ones, would prefer not to be interrupted while eating.

And who knows? You might just run into one of them on your next trip to the Pacific Northwest.

I live here and haven’t seen any of them myself—but hey, it could happen.