Census tract · King County
Census Tract 278, King County, Washington
Census Tract 278, GEOID 53033027800, in King County, Washington, mostly within Burien (89% of its census blocks). 3,384 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±533); the 2020 Census counted 3,316.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,384
±533 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,316
Median household income
$163,182
±$43,282 (90% margin)
King County: $124,746
Median home value
$927,300
±$49,516 (90% margin)
King County: $859,900
Median gross rent
$2,647
±$718 (90% margin)
King County: $2,092
Where is Census Tract 278?
Census Tract 278 is one of 495 census tracts in King County, Washington. It covers 1.00 square miles of land, 3,326 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 53033027800, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Burien | 89% |
| Normandy Park | 11% |
3 census tracts border Census Tract 278: Tract 276 ($93,649), Tract 279.01 ($140,000) and Tract 286 ($158,482). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 278?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 278's population at 3,384 (±533) in 1,386 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,316 residents and 1,512 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 278 | Burien |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,384±533 | 51,513 |
| Households | 1,386±143 | 19,672 |
| Average household size | 2.44±0.23 | 2.59 |
| Housing units | 1,487±122 | 21,271 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 278?
The median resident of Census Tract 278 is 49.5 years old; 14.7% are under 18 and 26.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 78.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 8.6%. 10.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 278 | Burien |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.5±2.2 | 40.4 |
| Under 18 years | 14.7%±4.4 pts | 20.6% |
| 65 years and over | 26.9%±5.0 pts | 15.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.6%±4.7 pts | 24.2% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 78.8%±7.2 pts | 45.7% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.5%±0.7 pts | 7.6% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.9%±2.6 pts | 15.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.5 pts | 0.8% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.9%±3.9 pts | 5.5% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.7% |
| Born outside the United States | 10.8%±3.4 pts | 26.1% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 9.6%±4.2 pts | 34.0% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.3%±3.0 pts | 5.1% |
| With a disability | 11.4%±3.5 pts | 13.3% |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.0%±2.8 pts | 10.4% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 99.1%±1.0 pts | 85.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 59.7%±8.4 pts | 33.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 27.4%±6.6 pts | 11.5% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.7%±4.3 pts | 87.6% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 278 earn?
Half of the 1,386 households in Census Tract 278 earn less than $163,182 a year (±$43,282), against $124,746 across King County: 135th highest of the county's 491 tracts with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Tract 278 | Burien |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $163,182±$43,282 | $91,318 |
| Mean household income | $213,748±$34,874 | $124,873 |
| Per capita income | $87,891±$12,929 | $49,093 |
| People below the poverty line | 3.5%±3.0 pts | 12.9% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 1.6%±2.4 pts | 16.7% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 2.9%±3.2 pts | 14.8% |
| Households with a computer | 97.9%±2.5 pts | 95.8% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.4%±3.7 pts | 92.9% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 278?
Owners occupy 92.0% of Census Tract 278's occupied homes and renters 8.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $927,300 by its owner (±$49,516). The median renter pays $2,647 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 278 | Burien |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $927,300±$49,516 | $638,800 |
| Median gross rent | $2,647±$718 | $1,782 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 23.4%±22.1 pts | 41.1% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $3,614±$882 | $2,780 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 92.0%±5.0 pts | 56.6% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 8.0%±5.0 pts | 43.4% |
| Housing units | 1,487±122 | 21,271 |
| Single-family detached homes | 94.4%±3.3 pts | 57.4% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±2.7 pts | 0.7% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0%±2.7 pts | 0.2% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.0%±3.3 pts | 4.9% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 20.2%±4.9 pts | 8.0% |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.4%±2.7 pts | 8.9% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 278 get to work?
56.3% of Census Tract 278's workers drive alone and 36.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.9 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 278 | Burien |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.2%±6.4 pts | 67.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9%±1.6 pts | 7.0% |
| Drove alone to work | 56.3%±7.2 pts | 61.2% |
| Carpooled | 3.4%±2.6 pts | 12.4% |
| Public transportation | 1.6%±1.4 pts | 5.6% |
| Walked | 1.5%±1.8 pts | 1.1% |
| Worked from home | 36.6%±8.0 pts | 18.6% |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.9 min±3.7 | 26.7 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 278 compare with the other tracts in King County?
Among King County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 278 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In King County | In Burien |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 415th of 494 | 10th of 12 |
| Residents per square mile | 366th of 494 | 12th of 12 |
| Median household income | 135th of 491 | 1st of 12 |
| Per capita income | 166th of 494 | 1st of 12 |
| Median home value | 195th of 481 | 1st of 12 |
| Median gross rent | 88th of 483 | 1st of 12 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 258th of 494 | 1st of 12 |
| Median age | 14th of 494 | 1st of 12 |
| Owner-occupied share | 29th of 483 | 1st of 12 |
The tracts next to it on King County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 46 | 132nd | $164,550±$23,854 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 228.05 | 133rd | $163,936±$20,617 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 236.01 | 134th | $163,646±$38,531 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 278 | 135th | $163,182±$43,282 |
| Tract 97.02 | 136th | $162,174±$29,052 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 51 | 137th | $161,506±$22,801 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 317.05 | 138th | $161,250±$20,100 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 278?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 278 on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections