If you ask whether there is a 'school district premium' in the Seattle area, I can say the answer is closer to "yes."

Generally, in areas across the United States where the educational environment is excellent, real estate values tend to rise, and people flock to those areas.

Particularly, Seattle has many IT companies and high-tech industries, so it tends to attract a population that values education relatively highly.

Therefore, areas like Bellevue, Redmond, and Mercer Island are traditionally known for having good school districts, and as a result, housing prices are relatively high. For example, Mercer Island is home to some of the top schools in Washington State, which leads to real estate prices being significantly higher than in other areas.

Even within Seattle, neighborhoods with better school districts or better safety and environment tend to have higher prices. Many families with a strong emphasis on education or those who think, "I want to raise my child in a good school district," naturally create demand, which in turn leads to rising housing prices.

Of course, not all areas in Seattle exhibit the same school district premium. In some areas, relatively poor school performance or support can lead to significant differences in housing prices.

However, looking at the entire state of Washington, there is a clear pattern that as you move towards popular areas like Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, and Kirkland, the level of education increases, and consequently, real estate values also rise.

In summary, like other major cities, the influence of school districts significantly affects housing prices in Seattle and its surrounding areas, and the 'school district premium' is more pronounced in areas with excellent schools. As long as education is considered an important value, this phenomenon is unlikely to disappear easily.