City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Seattle, WA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Seattle - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

741,440
Residents
$121,984
Median income
$912,100
Median home
$2,031
Median rent (state)

Seattle - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Seattle places in the 88th percentile for household income and the 2nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

88th
percentile, household income
96th
percentile, home value
84th
percentile, median rent
2nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Seattle, WA

Washington's Seattle is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 741,440 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Seattle households earn a median of $121,984 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.9%. Home values in Seattle run a median of $912,100, and the median resident age is 35.5 years. About 67.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 70.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 5,895 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 45% from five years earlier. Seattle's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 5782.7 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,031 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $188 across Washington, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 18.3 minutes, with 37.6% driving alone and 31.3% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 92.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

741,440 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$121,984 /yr

Poverty 4.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Seattle compare to other US cities?

Here's how Seattle stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 88% higher than other cities
Home value 96% pricier than other cities
Median rent 84% pricier than other cities
Safety 2% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Washington, Seattle ranks #149 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Seattle's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Washington, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

88thIncome percentile
2ndSafety percentile

88th percentile nationally for median household income · 2nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Seattle's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Seattle's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Seattle's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Seattle's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$912,100 4th percentile more affordable than 4% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Seattle $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Seattle, WA Seattle, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Seattle, WA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Seattle, WA median $121,984/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Seattle, WA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Seattle, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 67.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 70.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
741,440
Median Income
$121,984
Median Home Value
$912,100
Median Age
35.5
Poverty Rate
4.9%
Labor force participation
70.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
67.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
5782.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
775.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
5007.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
127
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
720,000 residents740,000 residents760,000 residents780,000 residents800,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 740,675 residents 784,777 residents ▲ +6.0%
Seattle's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
5,895
housing units authorized
Single-Family
405
detached homes
Multifamily
5,490
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 10,784
2020 5,726
2021 11,980
2022 8,990
2023 5,299
2024 5,895

Permit volume decreased 45% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
18.3 minutes
Drive Alone
37.6%
Carpool
5.1%
Public Transit
13.9%
Walk
8.3%
Work from Home
31.3%
Other
3.8%

Based on 450,872 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Washington - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Washington state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Washington state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Seattle sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,031/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Spokane
229,228 people
Tacoma
220,482 people
Vancouver
192,696 people
Bellevue
151,199 people
Kent
135,015 people
Everett
111,083 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Seattle's 741,440 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Denver, CO
713,734 people
Oklahoma City, OK
688,693 people
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN
684,298 people
El Paso, TX
678,147 people
Washington, DC
672,079 people
Boston, MA
663,972 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Seattle's $121,984 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Skidaway Island, GA
$121,991 median income
LaBarque Creek, MO
$121,961 median income
Kent Estates, IA
$122,014 median income
Krugerville, TX
$121,952 median income
Matawan, NJ
$122,026 median income
Bay, OH
$122,083 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Seattle, WA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Seattle, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 61.8% 6.6% 17.2% 10.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.2% White 61.8% Black or African American 6.6% Asian 17.2% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 3.0% Two or more races 10.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Seattle compares to nearby Washington cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Seattle (this city) 741,440 $121,984
Spokane 229,228 $65,745
Tacoma 220,482 $83,857
Vancouver 192,696 $78,156
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Seattle, WA?

What is the population of Seattle, WA? +

Seattle, WA counts 741,440 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Seattle, WA? +

The median household income in Seattle is $121,984 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Seattle? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Seattle; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

Is Seattle, WA safe? +

Seattle has a total crime rate of 5782.7 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Seattle, WA? +

A typical home in Seattle is worth $912,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.