Edmonds is the upscale, walk-to-the-water option south of Naval Station Everett — a waterfront city with a charming downtown ("the Bowl"), beaches, and a ferry to Kingston on the Kitsap Peninsula. It's a moderate commute to Everett, and it puts the Seattle side within reach too.
What it's actually like, day one
Downtown Edmonds is genuinely walkable — restaurants, galleries, a Saturday market, and a beachfront with the ferry terminal right there. It's polished and family-friendly, with the well-regarded Edmonds School District and a strong sense of place. Sitting roughly halfway between Everett and Seattle, it appeals to sailors who want a real town with options in both directions, plus the Kingston ferry as a back door to the Olympic Peninsula.
The tradeoff
You're a bit farther from base than Everett or Mukilteo — figure 20–35 minutes up I-5 or SR-99 depending on traffic, which on this corridor is real. And the waterfront "Bowl" is priced accordingly; the value improves as you move inland toward Five Corners and Perrinville.
Verify before you sign
Confirm the Edmonds district feeder school, drive the I-5 / SR-99 commute to Naval Station Everett at your actual report time, and get a true price read — downtown Edmonds and the inland neighborhoods are different markets.